Broken Bat - Help: LHP vs RHP

Forum >> Help >> LHP vs RHP

Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date	Function

#5756	12/20/2013 12:43:38 am
dhoni007 Joined: 11/23/2013 Posts: 5 Inactive	Hello there, I am new to baseball and I am wondering what difference does a LHP or a RHP make during the game. Basically coming from a cricket playing nation, we don't distinguish between left hand or right hand bowler but rather fast bowler or slow bowler. Hoping I would get some answer for getting the feet wet. Thank you all.

#5758	12/20/2013 6:57:46 am
Crunchtime Joined: 05/23/2013 Posts: 141 Inactive	It's a good question. I've only recently started watching cricket. I believe the righty/lefty influence is even affects cricket batsman. Think of it this way: A right-handed batsman stands closer to the left stump of the wicket(home plate) and swings the bat on his right side. A right handed pitcher(bowler) throws the ball on the same side as the batsman. Now, due to pitching mechanics in baseball, it is much easier for a pitcher to throw a leg break (curveball) than a wrong'un (screwball). A right handed batsman vs. a right-handed pitcher then has the ball being thrown relatively at him and breaks towards the plate, or starts over the plate and breaks away and outside. It is more difficult for the batter to square up and drive the ball due to the angles involved. A right handed batsman vs a left-handed hitter has a curvball break towards him. It's generally easier for them to see the ball and better angles to hit. It In the end, a R vs R or L vs L works in the pitchers favor. Opposites work in the batters favor. As a generalization and seemingly in Broken Bat, this means a difference of .030 to .050 in batting average. Playing the righty/lefty matchup can give you an advantage as 70 percent of batters and pitchers are right-handed. Having a few solid left-handed hitters can really help in leagues dominated by right-handed pitchers.

#5760	12/20/2013 9:53:47 am
admin Joined: 01/27/2010 Posts: 5041 Administrator	Yes, there are a lot of factors as to why the lefty/righty platoon split exists: manner in which the ball breaks, how the batter sees the ball etc. The basic game affect is that the same-handed matchup favors the pitcher and the opposite-handed matchup favors the hitter. The exact advantage various depending on the pitcher and hitter. Steve

#6193	01/23/2014 2:36:35 pm
Den Duston Joined: 01/15/2014 Posts: 161 Inactive	so should one put right-handed batters with left-handed pitchers and left-handed batters with right-handed pitchers?

#6195	01/23/2014 3:20:55 pm
admin Joined: 01/27/2010 Posts: 5041 Administrator	Yes, usually RH batters hit better against LH pitchers and even more so LH batters hit better against RH pitchers. Switch hitters are pretty even. Note, there are a lot more RH players than LH players -- for obvious reasons. Steve

#6203	01/24/2014 12:29:24 am
Den Duston Joined: 01/15/2014 Posts: 161 Inactive	ok thank you Steve

#6325	02/01/2014 2:58:22 am
Den Duston Joined: 01/15/2014 Posts: 161 Inactive	If a switch hitter bat against a RHP,he'll hit with the left,right?

#6329	02/01/2014 3:28:14 pm
Crunchtime Joined: 05/23/2013 Posts: 141 Inactive	This is correct.