[vincesanity82]

Baseball diamonds are a left-hander's best friend. That's because the game was designed to make a lefty the "Natural," according to David A. Peters, Ph.D., the McDonnell Douglas Professor of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.

"A right-handed batter facing a right-handed pitcher actually has to pick up the ball visually as it comes from behind his (the batter's) left shoulder. The left-handed batter facing the right-handed pitcher has the ball coming to him, so he has a much clearer view of pitches."

"The left-handed batter has a five-foot advantage over the right-handed batter," says Peters. "And that means the lefty travels the 90 feet to first roughly one-sixth of a second faster than the righty. That translates to more base hits for the left-hander, whether singles or extra base hits because lefties are getting to the bases more quickly."

Baseball diamonds: the lefthander's best friend

[vincesanity82]

very interesting article if anyone has time to read it..

[Phils20]

I'm gonna check it out when I get home!

Being a lefty, it should be a great read for me!

[conwell2549]

A lefty does have a shorter route to 1st base. But also his back is to 1st base a righty doesnt have to turn around before running. So I think that is a wash. I dont think anyone has bothered to time the same runner in both positions to see if his theory holds water. It would be interesting to see the results.

[Racer Duck]

Wonder what the lefty/righty distribution is on all the great hitters and which pitchers they hit best?

[Bette]

Didnt read the whole article but the post was interesting. Never thought about that before.

[legend]

37 of the top 60 hitters for career average are lefthanders. Only 2 of the top ten were righties, Hornsby and Ed Delahanty.

[conwell2549]

Originally Posted by legend

37 of the top 60 hitters for career average are lefthanders. Only 2 of the top ten were righties, Hornsby and Ed Delahanty.

I think that can be attributed to most pitchers are righty. Don't think Lefty's are naturally better hitters. But have better success against right handed pitchers

[Seahawker 562]

Thats an interesting read, true the left only turns slightly while making his run to 1st. seems like it would cancel out

[Geechee843]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

Wonder what the lefty/righty distribution is on all the great hitters and which pitchers they hit best?

Well a rightie probably hits better off of a rightie pitcher and vice versa for a leftie.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Geechee843

Well a rightie probably hits better off of a rightie pitcher and vice versa for a leftie.

that's what we all think .. but do statistics bear our suppositions out?

[Seahawker 562]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

that's what we all think .. but do statistics bear our suppositions out?

There is no real way to know for sure

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Seahawker 562

There is no real way to know for sure

Gosh, with all the statistics in MLB, you'd think that information is around somewhere...

[Geechee843]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

that's what we all think .. but do statistics bear our suppositions out?

Maybe....maybe not. But stats never tell the whole story.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Geechee843

Maybe....maybe not. But stats never tell the whole story.

understand and agree.

But when a definitive statement as one expressed in the original post is made which states an absolute, then proof is required; scientific proof. Supposition is not scientific and can not be quantified. The only thing that's verifiable in this case is, as far as I know, the stats.

But I'm open to other facts.