Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Wed May 19 21:55:34 2004

My 9 year old son is a righty but has been batting lefty for 5 years and is struggling at the plate. Should I make him switch to righty?
>
> Tks
> CA

Hi Carlos,

While I respect your attempt to assist your son, I disagree with "making" a youth player "switch" to a certain "side." At the moment, you may feel that this will accelerate your son's "learning curve." Instead, I would approach him with the idea, and discuss the "pros" and "cons" of the move, and support your son as he attempts to make an informed decision.

However, the best move would probably be to teach him effecient hitting mechanics. He has an advantage batting the opposite way that he throws, since he will be more inclined to "swing" the bat, rather than "push" it throughthe strike zone. In addition to being predisposed towards a good circular hand path, his reliance on lead shoulder pull ought to make the radius of his swing tighter. Finally, the top hand will be his less powerful hand, making him more prone to arc the bat-head towards the catcher in an attempt to "break inertia."

Aside from my disagreement with parts of your plan, I must commend you for attempting to find a solution.

One thing is for certain: you seem to be "there for your son," and, trust me, he will never forget it.

I am sure Jack can be of more assistance when he returns from L.A.

The best of luck to you both!

Highest regards,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com