Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Wednesday 30 May 2018
Switch hitters not anymore frequent even in age of analytics

By PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer
DENVER (AP) — The profile
page of touted teenage short-
stop Xavier Edwards reads:
“Bats: S.”
A bona fide switch-hitter, the
Florida native is among six
on MLB.com’s list of top 100
prospects for the amateur
draft that starts June 4.
The art of batting from both
sides of the plate would fig-
ure to be at a premium in this
age of shifting defenses and
advanced analytics. But in a
sport of constant change, the
amount remains remarkably
steady.
The number of switch hit-
ters with 300 or more major
league at-bats per season has
been at least 30 but no more
than 42 since expansion to
30 teams in 1998, according At left, in an April 9, 2011, file photo, Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones bats in a baseball game against the Philadelphia
to the Elias Sports Bureau. Phillies in Atlanta. At right, in a June 12, 2012, file photo, Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones bats in a baseball game
against the New York Yankees in Atlanta.
There were 33 switch hitters Associated Press
on pace to reach that figure
at the quarter mark of this aged without immediate suc- as the Double-A level before a ‘No problem, Bernie, I’ll call ated. Griffin amassed 1,688
season. The simple explana- cess and it becomes difficult broken ankle sidetracked his your dad and let him know hits.
tion for why it hasn’t soared to see it through to the end career. “As a parent, if you’re that you’re quitting.’ He’s like, Similar story with Milwaukee
in popularity is because, well, result, which could be years trying to raise a switch hit- ‘Oh no, don’t do that.’ So he utility infielder Jonathan Vil-
it’s far from as easy as Chip- down the road,” said Jones, ter, that’s probably the worst got it going. I said, ‘One day, lar, who was converted into a
per Jones, Pete Rose , Eddie the Atlanta Braves standout thing you can do, because you you’re going to thank me for switch hitter when he arrived
Murray , Tim Raines, Mickey who will be inducted into the have to be in pressure situa- that breaking ball coming in the Philadelphia Phillies or-
Mantle and a host of others Hall of Fame in a July ceremo- tions.” toward you instead of away ganization in 2008. He added
have made it appear. ny. “It takes diligence, more Precisely Jones’ contention. from you.’” a left-handed swing to take
“Hitting is extraordinarily dif- failure than you can imagine “I thought many times about Williams did, too, as he hit advantage of his speed.
ficult to do at a high level, and acceptance that the short quitting from age 7 to age 19. .292 against right-handers “It’s better for me, because I
and asking someone to do it term must be sacrificed for My father and the Braves said and .308 versus southpaws can bunt and when you bat
from both sides of the plate is the long term.” quitting was not an option,” over a career with the New lefty, you’re getting two more
encroaching on impossible,” A top-30 prospect , Edwards Jones said. “It became natu- York Yankees that saw him feet,” Villar said. “That’s two
said Brian Sakowski, the na- began honing his skills as a ral and instinctual at age 19, earn four World Series titles. more feet for a chance to be
tional scouting supervisor for switch hitter about the time once I was in pro ball. That “There was a moment in the safe.” Rockies shortstop Trev-
the website Perfect Game . he was old enough to hold is a lot of time, failure and winter league — it was down or Story toyed around with
“That’s what makes the guys a bat. He picked up the skill heartaches.” there at the Caribbean World the concept as a sophomore
who do it successfully at the because his dad, Jovon, was Over the decades, there have Series — he came over from in high school, but ended the
major league level so special.” a switch hitter when he was been many, many elite switch the on-deck circle, I was over experiment.
As of Monday, 48 switch-hit- drafted in the fourth round hitters. From Frankie Frisch to in the stands scouting for the “It takes a lot of maintenance
ting position players were on by the Los Angeles Dodgers in Mantle and Rose. From Mur- expansion draft, (he said), ‘I to be successful,” Story ex-
active rosters, including Philly 1984. ray to Raines and Roberto want to thank you for mak- plained. “But if kids are able
with five. In addition, five Nothing was going to derail Alomar. From Bernie Williams ing me switch hit,’” Showalter to do switch hit, I’d encourage
teams didn’t even have one. the process for Xavier Ed- to Carlos Beltran and Jones. said. it for sure.”
This in an era when teams wards , who’s committed to The current crop includes Switch-hitting infielder Al- Jeff Petty certainly does. He’s
frequently carry 13 pitchers Vanderbilt. Not even times Francisco Lindor and Jose fredo Griffin was in a similar in charge of the Evoshield
to create favorable right-on- when coaches wanted him to Ramirez of Cleveland, along position in the Cleveland or- Canes baseball program that
right, left-on-left matchups. bat right-handed — his more with Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies. ganization. He was playing grooms players for the colle-
Imagine the late-game pos- dominant side — against Baltimore manager Buck Class A ball and hitting .080 as giate level. Two of his players,
sibilities if a manger stacked right-handed pitchers for the Showalter remembers turn- a righty. His manager at the Edwards and prospect catch-
a lineup early with lefties sake of winning. He and his ing Williams into a switch hit- time asked him if he could er Anthony Seigler , both
against a right-handed starter father stayed the course. ter and having the standout switch hit. switch hit.
and they could turn around “If the game was close, some from Puerto Rico threaten to “I told him, ‘No,’” said Griffin, Petty would like to see even
to bat right should a lefty be coaches would be like, ‘Hey, go home. now the Los Angeles Angels more.
brought out of the bullpen. let him go to the plate right- “He came in one day and first-base coach. “He told me “A kid just needs encourage-
Budding switch hitters need handed. When the score is said, ‘I’m done, if you make to take the next at-bat left ment,” Petty said. “Because if
plenty of time to learn the like 10-0, then let him hit me switch hit,’” Showalter re- handed. I slapped the ball and you can hit from both sides of
skill — and plenty of room to left-handed,’” recalled Jovon called. “His dad said that he almost beat it out.” the plate with equal success,
fail. “Younger kids get discour- Edwards, who made it as far would get homesick. I said, Voila, a switch hitter was cre- it becomes very attractive.”q