are left handed pitchers better then right handed pitchers?

Answer 1

It depends on whether the batter is right or left handed.

Answer 2

No. What matters is where the ball crosses the plate.

There are four possible scenarios at the plate:

1. A right handed batter against a right handed pitcher (RB v RP).
2. A left handed batter against a right handed pitcher (LB v RP).
3. A right handed batter against a left handed pitcher (RB v LP).
4. A left handed batter against a left handed pitcher (LB v LP).

There are two reasons a lefthanded pitcher is preferable in some cases, and neither has anything to do with talent.

First, when a batter faces a pitcher with the same arm, the batter sees more of the ball. When it's RB v RP or LB v LP, the batter sees the ball longer; a fastball comes toward the inside of the plate and the batter can still get power; when the pitcher goes outside, the batter can hit the ball with the sweet spot across almost all of the bat. And if the pitcher wants to go around the batter, if he goes inside the batter can see it easily; if he goes outside, it's easy to tell the ball will be off the plate.

Conversely if the pitcher and batter have the opposite arm (LB v RP or RB v LP), the pitcher is at an advantage. The pitcher can stay outside with a fastball, preventing the batter from reaching it while still throwing a strike; if the pitcher comes inside, the ball comes up the bat and the hitter will have less power, often the best he can do is to fist it off.

There's one caveat: a LB v RP is at an advantage because he can bunt or drive the ball up the first base line off an inside pitch. After a batter swings, he's facing first base and is closer to first than a righthanded batter, taking away some of the right hand pitcher's advantage. And if the left handed batter bunts up the third base line (easy with an open bat), the right handed pitcher is facing first base, leaving only the third baseman to cover the bunt; if they're expecting a swing, the runner will reach base unchallenged, which is much harder for a right handed batter.

Second, left handed players are fewer in number than right handed players. Fewer left handed hitters means right handed pitchers have less experience with them and are at a disadvantage. Because most batters are right handed, left handed pitchers see them more often and have more experience.

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In terms of overall numbers, however, most of the best left handed pitchers have come in the last half century because of the attitudes toward left handedness in the past ("they're satanists!", forcing children to switch hands, and other stupidity).

Of all the great lefthanded pitchers, only two from the "dead ball" era have 300 wins: Lefty Grove (300) and Eddie Plank (326). All the deadball pitchers with huge numbers were righties (Young, Johnson, Mathewson, etc.). The number of lefty Hall of Fame members or candidates since World War II is nearly equal to the right handed pitchers.

Read here for more:

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/lefty-faq/
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/draft/2005-06-06-pitching_x.htm
http://www.rateitall.com/t-2152-best-left-handed-starting-pitchers-in-history.aspx
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
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Answer 3

Not necessarily, they might be able to hide the ball better from left hander hitters but that's it. They also are known for having some funky deliveries that decieve hitters, like Dontrelle Willis or MIke Myers.

I think that the fact that there aren't as many lefty pitchers as there are righties might make it seem like they have better stats, but there really is no difference.

Answer 4

Left handers are not necessarily better but they are in greater demand. Most hitters in baseball are right handers.The percentages are that a left hander will have an easier time getting a right handed hitter out because his breaking ball will break away from him. This means it will end on the opposite of the plate than the hitter.

Answer 5

NO, but if the pitcher is opposite handed of the batter then he can hide the ball from the batters eyes for longer allowing the pitch to be more of a surise

Answer 6

I think left handed pitchers get more speed, but righty pitchers have more control.

Answer 7

Not really, but they seem to be valued more in the majors since there are less of them who are quality pitchers versus quality right handers who are plentiful.

Answer 8

i have to say right handed pitchers

Answer 9

it doesn"t matter if the pitcher is left handed or not because it matters about the batter

Answer 10

I wouldn't say they are better , they are just harder to find. I know a lot of righties that could make it in the bigs if they were south paws.