nattysez said:
Both the SF Chronicle and the A's broadcast made a point to mention that both Nava and Victorino are Red Sox who gave up on switch-hitting recently. I have to think Panda will be urged to do so as well.
From Rob Bradford, WEEI today on the subject:
"We’re trying to get there with him from the right side," Davis said. "He’s not going to duplicate with the left side and the right side, but if we can get him to do some of the things we’ll be OK. Everybody says he’s a free swinger, but on the left side he really reads pitches. His body is under such good control, and he has such good hands. We’re trying to get him there righty. We were working with him [Monday], and we’re going to keep working at it. He’s hit righty before."
And that's why the Red Sox feel this scene -- as uncomfortable as it might be to watch -- could very well be an aberration. They point to his .270 batting average against lefties in 2013, and a 2014 World Series in which he went 3-for-7 from the right side after a regular season of hitting .199 from that side.
It's also why you won't see Sandoval using that unbelievably effective left-handed stroke against lefty pitchers any time soon. This is what he, and others, considers the last obstacle to presenting the entire package.
"He’s too proud," said Davis. "He’s talked about it before but I don’t think he wants to do that. He knows he can hit right-handed, and I believe he can hit right-handed."
The Sox hitting coach added, "I think a big part of it is he doesn’t know all these guys over here. In the
National League he knew the pitchers over there. He knew what they had, he knew how they pitched him. It’s going to take him going around a bit. In the meantime it’s a little frustrating for him. I’ve never seen him frustrated.
We do look at video and I’ve talked to [Giants hitting coach] Bam Bam [Meulens] … I’m going to give him another call, too. Maybe there’s some things he did with him right-handed that we might be lacking here, that we haven’t done. But we’re working at it. I thought he had a good day today in the cage, a good BP day. He’s aggressive and when you’re aggressive and uncomfortable. I do think his comfort zone is starting to come."