2014 Offseason Plans Thread Pt2

[Broseidon]

You know I have always wondered why learning to hit from the other side wasn't something that was worked on during the offseason during a player's time in the minors. Heck in the NL pitchers hit ... so surely if that is considered okay why not get position players to switch. Can't be any worse than the pitchers.

If guys can reverse and bat better than their same side split it would be great! But looking at Mitch's numbers ... there is only a 20point difference between his career BA against RHP and LHP.

Just speculation, but maybe teams are concerned about injury risk. If you've only ever swung RH, and let one rip from the left side and whiff, it might cause back strain. Besides hitting a baseball is hard enough even swinging the way a player has his whole life.

Related note, I've wondered why there aren't any ambidextrous pitchers. I can only remember hearing about a Yankee farmhand a few years back that was a switch pitcher. He sucked, but I remember there being an issue when he faced a switch hitter. If I remember correctly, the pitcher had to establish which side he was going to pitch from and the batter could then switch.

Unrelated: Seems like being ambidextrous would be a considerable advantage for a QB. You could roll out in either direction and be able to throw without throwing across your body.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Just speculation, but maybe teams are concerned about injury risk. If you've only ever swung RH, and let one rip from the left side and whiff, it might cause back strain. Besides hitting a baseball is hard enough even swinging the way a player has his whole life. (1)

Related note, I've wondered why there aren't any ambidextrous pitchers. I can only remember hearing about a Yankee farmhand a few years back that was a switch pitcher. He sucked, but I remember there being an issue when he faced a switch hitter. If I remember correctly, the pitcher had to establish which side he was going to pitch from and the batter could then switch. (2)

Unrelated: Seems like being ambidextrous would be a considerable advantage for a QB. You could roll out in either direction and be able to throw without throwing across your body. (3)

1. Sure ... that's probably it. Worrying about back strain.
2. Why? Sooner or later he has to throw. Will have to dig into the rulebook. This is bound to come up during ST.
3. Doesn't seem to be a problem for Peyton.

 

[Bmurph]

Ambidextrous Pitcher - BR Bullpen


A look at ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte

Stats look decent, labrum surgery doesn't help either side

 

[TheRangerDude]

Ambidextrous Pitcher - BR Bullpen


A look at ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte

Stats look decent, labrum surgery doesn't help either side

Lefty-Righty match ups are weird to me. I know stats all show that they work but when I played baseball, I couldn't hit a lefty for the life of me and I was pretty good against righties (I am a righty myself). It was probably just because there really were hardly ever any lefty pitchers in the leagues I played in, so I wasn't used to seeing the ball come in from that way… easier to see or not

 

[RevSader]

Lefty-Righty match ups are weird to me. I know stats all show that they work but when I played baseball, I couldn't hit a lefty for the life of me and I was pretty good against righties (I am a righty myself). It was probably just because there really were hardly ever any lefty pitchers in the leagues I played in, so I wasn't used to seeing the ball come in from that way… easier to see or not

As a kid it's not easier from what I remember. It really only gets hard when same handed pitchers learn to conceal the ball longer and throw better pitches. As a kid, least for me, it was just see ball hit ball.

 

[terpsfball09]

Its easier for righties against righties because the majority of pitchers growing up are right handed. Much harder for lefties against lefties

 

[Bmurph]

Switch hitting takes lots of practice and many reps most of which players and coaches either don't have the time for or the patience. Most of both players and coaches tend to go with results from a players natural side vs putting in the work to create a possible opportunity for a player to bat from both sides. Generally in most instances a player develops muscle memory from years of practice starting at an early age vs. a player like Juri Profar starting at age 16.

Switch Pitching 101: Why are switch hitters rare?

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Anyone heard the Rangers are interested in Mark Reynolds?
2013
220 avg
21 hr
67 rbi
306 obp

WHY?

I would assume for depth (3B/1B/DH) / RH power bat.
Rangers are very thin at the corners. (minus the lower levels)

 

[Windingmywatch]

Its easier for righties against righties because the majority of pitchers growing up are right handed. Much harder for lefties against lefties

This has always been my thoughts. LH make up somewhere about only a quarter of the population. Growing up I remember only one LH pitcher in our little league and thank goodness he pitched for our team. RH batters face RH pitchers from their very first game while LH batters may go an entire season at that level and never see a LH pitcher.

Batters get used to the angle and approach of the pitch which is different from each side of the plate. LH batters though never get enough exposure to LH pitchers to ever catch up to RH batters experience with RH pitchers. This is further complicated by the fact that the ingrained swing planes of LH batters is established based on RH pitchers so when they have to face a LH pitcher their swing plane tends tohave a hole in it which LH pitchers know and take advantage of.

The higher up you get the LH pitchers batters see get better and better and since the opposite hand pitch has more angle rather than directness makes judging its trajectory easier. So RH batters benefit from LH pitchers and vice versa. But the LH batters have greater difficulty with the more direct LH pitch ... ergo ... the birth of the LOOGY.

 

[jta4437]

Pitchers Neal Cotts, Neftali Feliz and Alexi Ogando, along with first baseman Mitch Moreland, will file for arbitration.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Pitchers Neal Cotts, Neftali Feliz and Alexi Ogando, along with first baseman Mitch Moreland, will file for arbitration.

All but Cotts arbitrated last year right?

 

[Windingmywatch]

All but Cotts arbitrated last year right?

I should learn to go check before asking a question. All three (Moreland, Ogando and Feliz) are first year arbitration eligible ... although Feliz signed a new contract last year before entering arbitration it appears.

 

[terpsfball09]

I remember a quote from MY from the ws against st. louis. They asked him something about La Russa's constant lineup changes or something and he responded something like "I don't think its nearly as big of an issue for us righties. I think that's much more important for lefties. For me, personally, and from other righties on our team I know that its not that big of a deal what side the pitcher throws from."

That's not the quote exactly but it went along those lines.

 

[fordman84]

10 days and a few hours until the Tanaka posting is over.

 

[gregrey972]

10 days and a few hours until the Tanaka posting is over.

YAY only 11 days til things start happening!!!

 

[WastinSomeTime]

YAY only 11 days til things start happening!!!

The question is for who?

 

[DT LUNA]

The question is for who?

Good question. Several things not yet settled. DH, pitcher etc.

 

[Justinkm83]

They're saying Holland had micro fracture surgery. Feldman was out between 8-9 months with the same injury. Unbelievable.

 

[ESPN Refugee]

Report: Former Texas Rangers star Michael Young considering retirement | Dallas Morning News

 

[lainey12]

They're saying Holland had micro fracture surgery. Feldman was out between 8-9 months with the same injury. Unbelievable.

Yup, now it makes sense. 6 month for a meniscus tear seemed stranged to me.
All Star break? maybe.

well, it was fun to have a number 2 while it lasted. How silly of me to think we wouldn't lose a front rotation starter