should i become a switch hitter in softball?

Question

right now and for all of my life i have been batting right handed.

my dad says that batting both right and left will help me later on in life (high school ,college) He says it gives the batter an advantage.
for example: if its a left handed pitcher a right handed batter, the right handed batter can see the ball better then a left handed . or viseversa. Is that true? or is that just baseball?
i know it will take a lot of practice to get good at batting lefty, so is it worth it or just a waste of time and i should just get better at righty?

sorry if its confusing and long

Answer 1

it does help when you face pitchers from the opposite side from what they are pitching on. the biggest advantage of hitting left-handed is the ability to get out of the box quicker and putting down a drag bunt and a slap. once you master the slap on the left-hand side then you are golden. i'm a lefty and coaches love seeing a left-handed batter. i'm not switch though cause one you can hit from the left theres almost no going back but switch hitters coaches love even more. once you get to high school, coaches love to see a drag bunt and a slap from the left side..its a HUGE plus. give it a try it will feel funny at first but you'll get used to it

Answer 2

I switch hit in HS Softball. I don't think it makes as big a difference as it does in baseball, because you can pick up the pitch before the pitcher winds, but it can be a psychological advantage. Most pitchers don't like to pitch to opposite hitters. Also, if your fast and a good bunter your several steps closer to first base. If your looking at any sport as a track to college anytime your more versitable than the individual your competing against it's going to be an advantage for you. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

For softball, I don't think the platoon differential is as great as in baseball (although I'm not sure it's been studied, and I wish someone would).

However, I would learn to bunt and slap from the left side. In an obvious bunting situation, and leading off an inning, there is a great advantage to being a few steps closer to first (more so than on the big field).

I think it would do more harm than good to learn to switch-hit for normal hitting, though. Major leaguers have hurt their careers trying to switch-hit.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Hitting is hard enough batting one way. My coach hates it and he hit close to 300 HRs in MLB. You are better offbeing a great Righty then an average Switch.

Answer 5

umm if you are fast it can definatly be an advantage to bat left, because you are already one step closer to first. i don't know if batting both can be an advantage. I don't really think you see the ball better eather way. if your fast i would try slap hitting, thats something that alot of high school coaches look for.

Answer 6

Stay a righty!In softball the righty/ lefty thing does hold that much weight in softball vs; baseball.

Answer 7

Yes, softball is a complete waste of time.This is a baseball forum. Softball is not baseball. When you don't have those gay helmets with the hole that lets your ponytail out the back, wear pants instead of shorts, caps instead of visors, have single bases instead of double ones, quit your stupid chants, have a field bigger than 175' (man, what a shot to hit one out!!), put sleeves on your jerseys, stop wearing SOCCER SHINGUARDS (what, can't you get your 17-inch glove in front of the ball???), die your yellow balls white, QUIT FRIGGING CRYING ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!, than maybe more than 7 people will care about your "sport". Don't disgrace the great game of baseball by calling softball "baseball", or posting on a baseball forum. Go watch the WNBA on ESPN35. And go make me dinner.

Answer 8

Yes you always enhance your ability.

Answer 9

no