My son swings/bats left handed?
- Thread starter mustangcy
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st8
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I am right-handed and do everything with my right hand, but for some reason I kick with my left foot. I just remember it feeling more natural in elementary school to kick the soccer ball with my left foot. My parents tried to get me to kick with my right foot but it just never felt right.
In junior high I was a right hander for everything. It felt better batting left handed so I switched. Next thing I know, my batting average was .150 better. It was also nice because I could switch hit. I'd be more then happy if I were you. If you get get him to swing occasionally right when he gets older, he might be able to become a switch hitter too.
As mentioned earlier, it seems to have worked out alright for Joe Mauer. And George Brett certainly didn't seem to have a problem with it either. Let him hit how he's comfortable. You'd be surprised how many baseball players throw right, hit left.
I am a right handed person. I do everything right handed, including golf (which I would not be able to do left handed whatsoever).
However, when I was roughly 7/8, my tried to see if he could teach me to be a switch hitter. I practiced Left handed batting so much (because once I got the hang of it, I could hit much further that way).
Now, I consider myself a lefty batter (I'd prolly have a tough time getting it out of the infield batting right).
Anyway, batting lefty is awesome, one step closer to first base to start with... in the City Men's Softball league, they put the bad players in right field... It's kinda nice being a lefty batter. Plus, my golf swing doesn't interefere with my baseball swing since they are different directions.
However, when I was roughly 7/8, my tried to see if he could teach me to be a switch hitter. I practiced Left handed batting so much (because once I got the hang of it, I could hit much further that way).
Now, I consider myself a lefty batter (I'd prolly have a tough time getting it out of the infield batting right).
Anyway, batting lefty is awesome, one step closer to first base to start with... in the City Men's Softball league, they put the bad players in right field... It's kinda nice being a lefty batter. Plus, my golf swing doesn't interefere with my baseball swing since they are different directions.
My stepbrother's father made him learn to throw right (though he was left handed) which ended up making him pretty ambidextrous (and keeping him from getting pigeonholed into first base). It must have worked as he ended up playing baseball for Northwestern on scholarship.
I play with 2 kids like this. One is a junior and has already been offered and committed to Iowa. The other, a senior, was offered a "guaranteed" walk on at Iowa. I would let your kid do whatever he's most comfortable with.
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Just dont let this happen:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnXh3XR9zyM&feature=featured]YouTube - BAT FIGHT with Will Ferrell[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnXh3XR9zyM&feature=featured]YouTube - BAT FIGHT with Will Ferrell[/ame]
Don't worry, I'm the same exact way. Honestly, its probably better for baseball that he bats LH anyway. For golf, its a bit of a struggle for me to find clubs but I have managed.
I throw and kick left, and do everything else right. I didn't even know I was a partial lefty until playing catch with my older brothers as a 6 or 7 year old when I realized I could throw the ball further with my opposite hand. I had a hand-me-down right hander's glove at the time and it really became a pain to have to take it off every time I threw the ball.
I would encourage your kid to become proficient with either hand if at all possible. The reason why is because if he breaks an arm or finger wrist, or even gets a nasty bruise, he can return to action much quicker and may actually not have to sit out. I remember a significant number of my classmates over the years really being bummed when injuries on their shooting or throwing hand made them ineffective.
Just think if Austen Arnaud could throw with either hand - he wouldn't have missed a game.
I would encourage your kid to become proficient with either hand if at all possible. The reason why is because if he breaks an arm or finger wrist, or even gets a nasty bruise, he can return to action much quicker and may actually not have to sit out. I remember a significant number of my classmates over the years really being bummed when injuries on their shooting or throwing hand made them ineffective.
Just think if Austen Arnaud could throw with either hand - he wouldn't have missed a game.
My father was right-handed, but for whatever reason he batted left-handed playing softball or baseball. He just always said it felt more natural to him, and he was a pretty good baseball player in his day in high school. I think you just let him do whatever feels the most comfortable. Maybe he is just ambidextrous.
I played high school basketball with a kid who could shoot either left or right-handed. Believe me, it totally freaked out whoever was guarding him! He was good too....made all-conference a couple of years IIRC.
I played high school basketball with a kid who could shoot either left or right-handed. Believe me, it totally freaked out whoever was guarding him! He was good too....made all-conference a couple of years IIRC.
nothing wrong with the kid-if he eats right handed, picks up things with his right and bats and swings a bat or golf club left handed,let him develop his own style with proper coaching. i did that for years-pitched right handed and batted left handed.
i have a friend like this. he does everything right handed, except he punts a football with his left foot. he even kicks FGs with his right foot. weird.
If it were my son, I would teach him to hit the way it is confortable to him, then work on switch hitting after he has developed the overall skills of the game - say somewhere 10-15. I think it is important for the earliest experiences to imprint "this game is FUN" on the kid. I would not complicate or risk his ability to learn and enjoy the game by trying to buck his natural tendencies early on.
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This advice is worth approximately what you paid for it.
