Abstract
Recent research has shown Major League Baseball (MLB) players that bat left-handed and throw right-handed, otherwise known as sinister right-handers, are more likely to have a career batting average (BA) of .299 or higher compared to players with other combinations of batting and throwing handedness. Moreover, possibly owing to early exposure to hockey, Canadian-born MLB players have an increased propensity to be sinister right-handers, however, it has yet to be determined whether this provides a relative offensive performance advantage compared to players born in other countries. Using the largest archival dataset of MLB statistics available, the present study examined the independent influence of batting (i.e., left, right, switch) and throwing (i.e., left, right) handedness combinations and country/region of origin (i.e., Canada, USA, Latin America, Asia, Other) on several indices of offensive performance including BA, slugging percentage (SLG), on-base plus slugging (OPS), on-base plus slugging plus (OPS+), home runs (HR), runs batted in (RBI), strikeouts (SO) and wins above replacement (WAR). Mediation models were also computed to examine whether birthplace influences offensive performance through handedness. Examination of all recorded MLB batters revealed that batting left, regardless of throwing handedness, confers an offensive performance advantage. Since the inception of the MLB, the relative proportion of Canadian-born sinister right-handers is at least two times greater than players from other regions, although being Canadian-born does not provide a direct offensive advantage. Rather, results showed evidence of a significant indirect effect in that being Canadian-born increases the odds of being a sinister right-hander and in turn leads to greater performance across each offensive performance statistic. Collectively, findings provide further support for the hockey influence on batting hypothesis and suggest this effect extends to offensive performance.
Highlights
Left-handed batting in baseball gives players an advantage over right-handed batters, evidenced by the fact that left-handed batters are more likely to win batting titles than righthanded batters [1]
Using the largest archival dataset of Major League Baseball (MLB) statistics available, the present study examined the independent influence of batting and throwing handedness combinations and country/ region of origin (i.e., Canada, USA, Latin America, Asia, Other) on several indices of offensive performance including batting averages (BA), slugging percentage (SLG), on-base plus slugging (OPS), on-base plus slugging plus (OPS+), home runs (HR), runs batted in (RBI), strikeouts (SO) and wins above replacement (WAR)
To ensure the reliability of the data obtained from the baseballreference.com database, 1% of the sample was randomly selected via SPSS to have BA, SLG, OPS and RBI cross-referenced against the mlb.com online database
Summary
Left-handed batting in baseball gives players an advantage over right-handed batters, evidenced by the fact that left-handed batters are more likely to win batting titles than righthanded batters [1]. Lefthand dominant individuals show less lateralization than right-hand dominant individuals meaning there is less differentiation in function by hemisphere. This greater flexibility may manifest in advanced skill performance. Using a dataset from the inception of Major League Baseball in 1871 to the end of the 1993 season, their results showed dominant left-handed players have higher BAs and more walks than dominant right-handed players, while batting for a higher SLG and more HRs per at bat than players with all other combinations of throwing and batting handedness preference orientations. Grondin et al [2] provided a potential explanation for their findings, in that dominant left-handed batters execute a forehand stroke (as in tennis) which provides biomechanical (i.e., spring effect) and kinematic (i.e., increased peak swing velocity) advantages that facilitate more power as opposed to a less powerful, more reliable backhand stroke that is executed by left-handed batters who throw right-handed
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