Growing up left-handed is a tough gig. We left-handers can't write a sentence in ink without needing to wash our hands, classroom scissors malfunction in our claw-like grips, and driving a stick-shift requires a certain degree of ambidexterity. In little league, defensive assignments were restricted to roaming the outfield pasture unless one happened to have a hyperactive pituitary gland, thus earning a trip to play first base with the right-handed infielders. I was able to fool one coach into putting me at catcher for a season, but that experiment was predictably short-lived.
The mound is a southpaw's chance at redemption, where the bar for lefties to gain acceptance is lowered. Left-handers sit right in the cross-hairs of the supply-demand curve in the majors due to the limited player-pool as well as a league-wide desire to exploit platoon splits (see table for 2012 figures). Just 10 percent of the world is left-handed, yet southpaws have been on the mound for 31 percent of all plate appearances this season. Lefty batters make up 44 percent of plate appearances, a function of the advantages that are inherent in a two-step head-start down the line, combined with the reality that it is much easier to switch sides of the plate than it is to alternate throwing arms.
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Doug, is there any way you can explain to me how you can get video like that of each pitcher? We are looking to film each of our pitchers this year and I would love to be able to get it in slow motion and edited just like you guys do. Is there a program I'd have to buy or what? Thanks in advance!
This is the best article I've ever seen written on LOOGY's.
One note: while Elbert's windup is of the traditional LOOGY variety (i.e. he hides the ball, has a big leg kick, etc.), notice that his arm comes in pretty much over the top, which would explain why his numbers vs. lefties and righties is pretty much insignificant (lefties have a .310 wOBA and righties have a .314 wOBA for his career). If he was ever to drop down and become more of a sidearmer against lefties, I'd bet we'd see better results vs. them, but it would be off-set in a zero sum sense because he'd lose effectiveness versus righties. If he could ever drop down against lefties and keep his regular arm angle against righties, it'd be a fun thing to watch.
Baseball at the Olympi... (08/10)
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Excellent analysis, Doug. As a new member of the Prospectus community, I applaud your careful and meticulous breakdown of one of baseball's niches.
Welcome to BP. One of us! One of us!