Advantage batting Lefty in Softball?

4,008 Views | 3 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by Goose06
Quito
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AG
Is there an advantage to batting lefty in Softball?

I've heard really fast girls can slap for an advantage, but that the rules recently changed yo make slapping more difficult (have to keep both feet entirely in box).

Thoughts?
96ags
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AG
I'm not a softball guy, but I'm sure that some of the same advantages that apply in baseball cross over.

  • 1 step closer to 1st base
  • Majority of pitchers are right handed so you have a better view of the ball coming out of their hands
  • If right eye dominate, you have a slightly better view of the pitcher/ball with your dominate eye.
cevans_40
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AG
96ags said:

I'm not a softball guy, but I'm sure that some of the same advantages that apply in baseball cross over.

  • 1 step closer to 1st base
  • Majority of pitchers are right handed so you have a better view of the ball coming out of their hands
  • If right eye dominate, you have a slightly better view of the pitcher/ball with your dominate eye.


Yes. Being 1 step closer to 1st as a slapper is huge considering the bases are only 60 feet apart.

So the main advantage of the lefty/righty matchup from a hitting standpoint is the breaking ball. Having a breaking pitch start out over the plate and then come to you is much easier to hit than one that starts at your head then ends up a strike. This doesn't really apply in softball as most pitchers can move the ball both directions but never really enough to create the fear of getting hit by the pitch on a ball that ends up in the strike zone.

The dominant eye thing is new to me as a hitter should always turn his/her head enough to see the pitcher with both eyes and I can see where one eye being 1/4" closer could serve as any type of advantage.
Goose06
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There is significant evidence that cross eye dominance (meaning dominant eye is opposite of dominant hand) is advantageous in lots of sports. Baseball, softball, basketball, and golf are the examples I'm most familiar with. It sucks for shooting shotguns or pistols though.
Goose06
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AG
Goose06 said:

There is significant evidence that cross eye dominance (meaning dominant eye is opposite of dominant hand) is advantageous in lots of sports. Baseball, softball, basketball, and golf are the examples I'm most familiar with. It sucks for shooting shotguns or pistols though.


I'll add to my above post, go swing a driver and shut your front shoulder eye. Do the same and shut your back shoulder eye. If your front shoulder eye is the dominant eye you can keep the golf ball in view the entire swing. I'm guessing the same thing applies in baseball and softball but I've never personally done the test. I have a VERY dominant left eye. As in when I got my eyes checked for my drivers license at 16 I read off the first 5 letters and thought I was done. The lady thought I was blind in my right eye. She had me step back up to the machine and asked me to close my left eye, all of a sudden I saw the other letters. There is no way I could ever bat or hit golf balls left handed.
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