Sports Doctor

I never understood some of these switch hitters... Its obvious Castillo has degenerated to the point where he has no pop from the left side. If you look at this guys career splits, he actually has much more pop as a right handed hitter.

I can understand switch hitting when you're good from both sides of the plate, but some of these guys refuse to stop switch hitting and bat from their stronger side to their detriment.

Bay Ridge Dave

Funny I was discussing the same thing with my dad during the game.

From what I've seen, Castillo seems to hit the ball with more authority from the RH side. He should really ditch LH, where his swings resemble a 5 year trying his or her hand a tee ball for the first time.

Sports Doctor

I remember Alomar was like that when he was here, he was good from one side of the plate and so horrible from the other but never abandoned that one side... apparently he'd rather retire and look like crap then at least try it

freakzilla11

If I remember correctly, Todd Hundley was terrible from one side of the plate but never gave it up either.

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joshuahist

He's a slap hitter who's game is built on speed. Batting from the left side puts him closer to first. He has no power period, so the slight increase from none to barely any is so negligable that its a waste to even think about it.

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"Managing is getting paid for home runs someone else hits." - New York Mets Manager (1962-1965) Casey Stengel

Big Denny

His game was built on speed before knee surgery. He's simply not that fast anymore. This "speedster" has hit into 7 double plays which, believe it or not, leads the team. I believe most of these have come as a left handed hitter.
Also, both of his home runs have come from the right side.

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dak11

Grounding into DP's is a poor way to judge a players speed.

Bay Ridge Dave

It has nothing to with HRs.

It has lots to do that Castillo simply hits the ball harder when from the right hand side.

Piney Woods

Conisdering that Castillo's right-handed BA & OBA this season are .209/.320 (vs .278/.381 as a lefty) is this really what we want more of?

Now I know this year's stats are merely a small sample and that his career BA/OBA stats are pretty even (.291/.369 vs .299/.366) but it's also absurd to think that him turning around to face RHPs from the right side 13 years into a big league career is suddenly going to make his stats take a jump.

I've said this before but Castillo has been so consistent during his career that, more than most other players, you know he is what he is: a guy with virtually no power who gets on base at an above league-avg rate and plays a pretty good 2nd base. We don't have to like the contract length (I don't either) but the only thing 'missing' from his game this year to make his 2008 stats look exactly like his career numbers is a handful of hits (like 4 or 5) from the right side.

joshuahist

I would like to know how slow he is since he has stolen 9 bases in 10 attempts, and is on pace for 38 steals right now. As for hitting into Double plays, wouldn't the fact that he hits the ball "harder" at a fielder cause the DP to be more common?

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"Managing is getting paid for home runs someone else hits." - New York Mets Manager (1962-1965) Casey Stengel

Sports Doctor

You completely left out the biggest stat in the argument, his slugging percentage. The last three years his slugging as a Right handed hitter is .453 while as a lefty he slugged .332 - or an OPS of .823 as compared to .700 OPS that is a monumental difference there Piney.

Big Denny

I didn't say he had no speed but he's not nearly as fast as her usd to be.

Also, I don't mind that he hits the ball hard, it's the distance which concerns me. Yeah, he'll slap the ball by a guy every now and then. But when you need a sac fly, don't expect it from him as a lefty.

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"I'll say it again in the land of the free ,use your freedom of choice".

DEVO

Deepleft34

Keith Hernandez actually dispelled that myth about Castillo's Right Handed Power two weeks ago. He cited Florida's ballpark and it's low LF fence, to the left of the scoreboard. He said most of Castillo's HR's came from liners over that spot, but when hit to RF they were doubles.

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How about Roberto Alomar? and,
Fixed

Piney Woods

You're right, I should have mentioned that.
Oh wait, I did; "you know he is what he is: a guy with virtually no power ..."

That his power is merely below average from the right side vs virtually non-existant from the left doesn't change that he successfully gets on base from both sides, nor does it lend legitimacy to this idea that he should abandon hitting lefty a decade-plus into his big league career with the thought that his righty hitting vs RHPs will magically mimic his righty hitting vs LHPs.

Sports Doctor

Players should not make a change in their career or reinvent themselves as they age? Thats stubborn and idiotic