Posted by Andrew Drennen

One of the most interesting things in the game of baseball is the effect that left-handed pitchers have on hitters. Some of the best pitchers in baseball are lefties that do not throw particularly hard, but have a knack for striking hitters out.

Los Angeles Pierce College's pitching coach and longtime California Area Code Assistant Coach John Bushart gave some of his thoughts on why left-handed pitchers seem to have a distinct advantage.

ESPNRISE.com: John, being a left handed pitcher in your playing days and a coach who has developed pitchers like Barry Zito and Jon Garland currently in the Major Leagues; why do you think hitters have a tough time hitting lefties?

John Bushart: That's a great question. For starters most hitters face right handed pitchers and they seem to get a lot more comfortable hitting off of righties. There is a much lower percentage of left handed pitchers versus righties and as a result, hitters have a difficult time picking up the shape of the pitches from the typical lefty.

ESPNRISE.com: What are some of the other things that may contribute to a left hander's success?

J.B.: Lefties typically have more deception and ball movement than the average righty. This is very important especially at the professional level.

ESPNRISE.com: Does this mean that the ball comes out of a lefty's hand different than a righty?

J.B.: No, not necessarily. Lefties for the most part have an advantage when they throw a two-seam fastball and a change-up that works away from a right handed hitter. For whatever reason it's harder for a hitter to pick-up and it has a stronger chance of disrupting the hitter's timing.

ESPNRISE.com: How does the velocity of the lefty factor into the equation?

J.B.: Velocity is important, but lefties seem to have a higher margin of error from this standpoint. A lot of lefties can throw with less velocity than the typical right hander and still get positive results. One explanation for this is that lefties on the average can change speeds more effectively.

ESPNRISE.com: Why do left-handed hitters appear to have a tougher time against a lefty than a right handed hitter?

J.B.: There is not one specific reason for this, but a lot of lefties tend to have a lower arm slot and it gives the hitter a different look than he is used to. In most cases it is harder for the left handed hitter to identify the pitch and many times the hitter just doesn't get a good swing.
 

By Area Code Baseball

This years Area Code Games produced a deep crop of premium high school talent. With well over 300 Major League Scouts in attendance throughout the week the scouts walked away with many players from around the country to follow into next spring. The games featured eight power packed teams that were run and organized in an excellent manner. The detail in which the games are run is truly a unique model.

The Texas Rangers in the final game defeated the last years defending Area Code Champions the Milwaukee Brewers Blue 4-2. The Rangers from top to bottom had a tremendous group of players which featured a 23 player roster. The Rangers had a balanced attack of offense and solid pitching. Shelby Miller a 6'3 195lb. righthander from Brownwwod High School and Todd Glaesmann an athletic 6'4 190lb.outfielder from Midway High School were standouts.

The games also unveiled many of the rising underclassman around the country. Bryce Harper a 2011 catcher from Las Vegas showed power at the plate well ahead of his years leaving many MLB Scouts in the stands to make comparisons to the Minnesota Twins Catcher Joe Mauer. Other notable underclassman at the Area Codes were Josh Sale a 2010 outfielder from Seattle WA displayed one of the best all around swings and hit for the cycle against the Chicago White Sox. Christian Lopes from Valencia High School a 2011 shortstop had solid performances the entire week. 

From ESPNRISE.com.

There was a common occurrence during Kent-Meridian (Kent, Wash.) baseball games this past spring. When Brody Leach came to the plate, the opposing team's outfielders and infielders would not-so-subtly creep in from their respective positions. The pitcher would then invariably attempt to blow Leach away with a steady diet of fastballs.

These probably weren't meant as signs of disrespect, but there's no mistaking the language of America's pastime: Leach was being underestimated. In baseball, there's only one way to effectively answer, and more often than not, Leach would oblige.

"He'd rip a line drive over the head of the third baseman," Kent-Meridian coach Todd Moser says.

Leach, now a senior, stands 4-foot-3. But you'll have about as much luck getting him to discuss his height as you will getting him to submit a poor at-bat. "I don't really deal with it," he says.

He hasn't had to. Though at a tangible disadvantage playing baseball -- he doesn't have much range in the field and he's not speedy or particularly powerful -- Leach is a tremendously smart and hard-working player.

Used as a relief pitcher and reserve second baseman last season, Leach hopes to crack the starting rotation next spring. On the mound, he has a two-seam fastball, an effective curve and a knuckleball that's still being perfected. He even manages to use his height to his advantage.

"When he keeps the ball down, with the unique arm angle he can pop guys up and get them to hit it into the ground," Moser says.

Leach is also among the top players on Kent-Meridian's golf squad. He's typically upwards of 150 yards off the tee, having honed his swing since his grandfather acquainted him with a set of toy clubs when Leach was only 4 years old.

Even that most height-demanding of sports, basketball, isn't beyond Leach. He played as a freshman and still has some game.

"He's got great ball-handling skills and hustles all over the court," Moser says.

But baseball is his true love, and pitching what he likes best. Although Leach might give batters a different look, his approach is hardly unorthodox.

"When I'm up there I'm just trying to help my team out, trying to get the outs," Leach says. "I just want to strike some guys out so we can win the game."

His unwavering confidence and perpetually positive attitude are impressive to others, but he doesn't give it a second thought. While he understands the attention his height brings, Leach says he steers "mostly clear of that."

"We've never had a conversation about him not being of normal height," Moser says. "It's always been about baseball."

Those conversations have convinced Moser that Leach will one day make an excellent coach. His attitude, demeanor, intelligence and refusal to be intimidated are staggering -- and that has nothing to do with height. An opposing coach once told Moser that, if he could, he'd trade his All-League player for Brody, just based on the attitude Leach brings to the table. He wasn't kidding.

But Moser responded that he'd never take the deal.

So many athletes focus on what they don't have, what they lack. They could take a lesson from Leach, who won't even entertain a conversation about his height.

"He looks at life as a set of challenges, not as a set of problems," Moser says. "He looks at how he can succeed, not why he can't."

Posted by Andrew Drennen

 •    The University of Tennessee had 16 new faces to their program complete their first week on campus.  According to a release by the university's athletic department eleven of the newcomers are true freshmen.  Vols head coach Todd Raleigh said that they addressed their needs and added depth at every position. Four of Tennessee's newcomers have been drafted in the past. Infielder Cody Hawn, right-handed pitcher/designated hitter Stephen McCray and right-handed pitcher Aaron Tullo were drafted two times. Freshman right-handed pitcher/catcher Matt Ramsey has been drafted once.

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	Andrew Drennen for AC Baseball
	Righty Jarrod Parker at the 2006 Area Code Baseball Games.

•    Former Area Code Baseball player, Jarrod Parker will make the final start in Memorial Stadium.  Back in 2006, Parker played for the Chicago White Sox Northeast team at the Area Code Baseball Games.  In the 2007 Major League Baseball draft the then 6-foot-1, 170 pound righty hailed from Bluffton, Ind., and Norwell High School.

•    Ian Andrews was a sophomore pitcher on the Coon Rapids High School junior varsity team, when a teammate hit a line drive that struck Andrews in the head.  Now, he is playing quarterback for the Coon Rapids High School football team, and while not participating in any drills Andrews is still out there.  He will return to the baseball team this upcoming spring.

•    Connecticut Bombers AAU U-18 baseball team won 44 games this year and reached the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, New Mexico.  There they went two and two and were eventually eliminated by a team out of Midland, Ohio.