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A16 SPORTS
Wednesday 10 april 2024

Who’s really left-handed? In baseball, it can be hard to tell

By KRISTIE RIEKEN rare in other sports for guys
AP Sports Writer to play out of their natural
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s handedness, there is a huge
Yordan Alvarez might be exception in the NBA. Su-
the top left-handed hitter perstar LeBron James is like
in Major League Baseball. Springer in that he’s natu-
Teammate Framber Valdez rally left-handed but plays
ranks among the best left- right-handed. James, who
handed pitchers, too. turns 40 in December, joked
Other than that, those guys about his handedness late
are all right. last year.
Literally neither player con- “I’m gonna play until I’m 40.
siders himself left-handed Then, after 40, I’m gonna go
at all. MLB and its history all left-hand until I’m 45,”
are dotted with men who he joked to reporters. “I’m
played out of their natural gonna score 5,000 points
handedness, a phenom- with my left hand. Then I’ll
enon that is seen occasion- be done.”
ally in other sports but is a Valdez, Alvarez and Spring-
regular occurrence on the er follow in a line of great
diamond. Thumb through MLB players who played
a pack of baseball cards out of their natural handed-
from just about any era and ness. The list even includes
you’re likely to see players Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez delivers against the Toronto Blue Jays during the Babe Ruth, who batted
first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Houston.
who bat one way and throw Associated Press and threw left-handed but
the other. Ask them to sign can be seen in photos using
that card and there’s no tell- I was always told that it is McCormick and Jake Mey- ally thought anything of it. I his right hand to sign auto-
ing which hand would hold very important to have a ers. guess it is cool that I can do graphs. John Thorn, MLB’s
the pen. Valdez writes, eats lefty pitcher, that all the best “My dad throws left and things with each side of my official historian, says Ruth
and even hits (before the pitchers were lefties as well,” hits right so that’s what I do, body and I’m not so one- was naturally left-handed,
introduction of the univer- he said. “So, I told myself: too,” Meyers said. “I picked way dominant.” but teachers at the time
sal designated hitter) with ‘Hey, I want to be a lefty.’” up a baseball with my left Dr. Stephen D. Christman, a routinely discouraged chil-
his right hand. His left arm Alvarez throws, writes and hand and started throw- professor in the psychology dren from writing with their
has helped him make two eats with his right hand that ing it and picked up a bat department at the University left hand because lefties
All-Star teams and throw a sweet, powerful swing is his and wanted to swing right- of Toledo and an expert in were “thought to represent
no-hitter. What else does he only left-handed activity. handed and that’s kind of handedness, said cases like the dark side.”
use it for? Like many young players, what he believed and now Springer’s aren’t that surpris- Though not for the same
“Nothing, nothing, nothing,” he aspired to be a switch- I’m here. Chas McCormick ing. reasons, Houston first base-
he said with a laugh. hitter. Oddly, he ended up is the only other guy I’ve “It’s easier for a lefty to learn man Jon Singleton ended
Valdez simply decided at a more comfortable on his played with that does that.” to use their right hand than up doing the same thing
young age that he wanted non-dominant side. Toronto outfielder George for a righty to learn to use as Ruth. He both bats and
to be a left-handed pitcher. “But I just got accustomed Springer, a righty hitter and their left hand because throws left-handed but
“I used to throw lefty every to hitting left-handed,” he thrower, startled teammate most left-handers lean more writes with his right hand.
single day, like day by day said via translator. “And Justin Turner this spring by towards being ambidex- “My mom’s a school teach-
by day,” he said in Spanish it was very interesting be- writing with his left hand. trous,” said Christman, who er, and she taught me how
through a translator. “When cause my dad is the same “It’s really weird,” Turner has studied handedness for to write with my right hand
I was 11, I felt very comfort- thing. He hits left-handed, said. “I saw him sign an au- more than two decades. when I was young, and I
able throwing lefty, even but he does everything else tograph the other day and Christman said studies have think that translated to me
though I did everything else right-handed.” I was like, ‘What the hell are found only 1-2% of people eating with my right hand
righty.” Players like Alvarez are com- you doing?’” are uniformly left-handed so on and so forth,” he said.
Lefties accounted for mon across the majors, with Springer, the 2017 World across the 10 activities used “But for the most part, I think
around 26% of innings 95 position players currently Series MVP, calls himself left- to measure handedness, I’m left-handed.”
pitched in the majors last on active rosters listed as handed and says the only including writing, drawing, Though things might come
year, even though only 10- batting left and throwing things he does righty are throwing, brushing teeth easier for elite athletes,
12% of the general popula- right, including superstar play baseball and golf. His and hair, opening a box Christman said anyone can
tion is estimated to be left- two-way player Shohei parents tell him he started and using a spoon. Because learn to do things with their
handed. Demand for good Ohtani. grabbing the ball with his lefties are forced to adapt non-dominant hand.

lefty pitchers is high, and Houston has the only two right hand at a young age like when only righty scis- “I think practice can over-
Valdez recalls having an position players in the and stuck with it. sors are available they’re come any innate handed-
affinity for all of them. league who throw left and “That’s just who I am,” more likely to learn to use ness difference just about,”
“When I was growing up, bat right in outfielders Chas Springer said. “I’ve never re- both hands. Though it’s he said.q