(LH/RT): Hitting from the Unnatural Side

I wouldn’t have to see a lefthanded batter throw to know he was right-handed naturally. There are tell-tale signs in the swings of all hitters who bat from the opposite of their natural handedness. In this article, I will discuss those signs and potential side-effects.

1. Dominant Bottom Hand Mechanics: In LH/RT batters, the dominant hand (right hand) is the bottom hand. This hand is primarily responsible for initiating the swing and setting the initial direction of the swing. When the dominant hand is at the bottom, it can effectively drive the bat towards the ball, these hitters are generally quick and accurate to the ball, but this dominance almost always has an impact on extension and drive, particularly when the batter has a relatively flat swing.
2. Top Hand Extension and Control: Ideally, the top hand (left hand for LH/RT) should take over in the later stages of the swing to ensure proper extension through the ball. This is where the fine motor skills come into play, guiding the bat through the hitting zone and ensuring a smooth follow-through. Most righthanders are not very adept at fine motor control with their non-dominant left hand, and it shows in their swings.
3. Challenges in Flat Path Swings: For LH/RT hitters, particularly those who adopt a flatter swing path, there can be a challenge in maintaining effective top hand extension and control out front. They are generally exceptional to the ball, but poor through it. If they remain flatter swing path hitters, which they probably should, they can likely hit for high average but with diminished power. Since the top hand is not the dominant hand in this case, it won't naturally engage in the necessary fine motor tasks effectively. This can result in less effective follow-through and extension, impacting the power. You may notice they often tend to release their top hand when following through, but the hand is generally left low, around chest height, rather than high by the jawline, like most top hand release hitters who hit from their natural side.
4. Subconscious Drive and Motor Skills: Our dominant hand is sent an electrical impulse, a subconscious message, whenever we observe graspable objects. The subconscious drive to extend and control the bat through the ball may be less pronounced in the non-dominant top hand. In hitters where the top hand is dominant (as in RH/LT), this extension and control are often more intuitive, intent driven and naturally integrated into the swing. Think of this in terms of fine and gross motor skills.?
5. Impact on Performance: The lack of effective top hand extension and control in LHH/RHT hitters can manifest in a few ways like a less effective follow-through. This can particularly affect their ability to maintain power through the zone.
6. Training and Adaptation: For LH/RT hitters, specific training to re-wire intent of the non-dominant top hand's role in the swing can be beneficial. This might include drills focused on improving, the conscious engagement of the top hand in the latter part of the swing.
7. Ted Williams Was A LH/RT Hitter:?To his benefit, Ted was a notorious pull hitter.?He had great success because of this, not in spite of it. Pull hitters hit the ball out front. When doing so, their bat path, even if it is flat, is still initiated from below the ball. The fact that the barrel is ascending when contact is made out front, means the lower hand, which is dominant in this case, remains engaged driving toward the ball. Joey Gallo, when he’s right, is a good example. The problem is, Gallo apparently never took Ted’s best piece of advice: always get a good pitch to hit.

In summary, for left-handed hitters with right-hand top dominance, the challenges in achieving proper extension and control in flat path swings stem from the reliance on the non-dominant hand for fine motor tasks in the latter stages of the swing. Understanding and addressing this biomechanical aspect through targeted training and approach can help improve their effectiveness through the ball.