Should I stay switch hitting?

Question
I am 13 years old and I do everything lefty except for throwing so I am a natural lefty.  I started playing baseball when I was 9 and now I am playing for a team where we came 4th in the Nation at the Wild World of Sports In Disney World. I started out as a righty at age 9 but then my Dad had a good idea to try switch hitting because I do everything lefty. I started out in the offseason batting lefty and then I went to a team where the wanted me to just bat all lefty. We came in 3rd in state for that team at age 11. Then next season I played for an advance ball team and my coach wanted me to also go all lefty. But now this year my Coach doesnt see what the other coaches have seen in the past. So far I have hit 9 home runs this year and 4 lefty and 5 righty.  In the begining of the season I went more lefty then righty and then I got in a short slump and then he didn't want me going lefty basically at all and I have decreased in skils leftty but increased in skills righty. I want to be a proffesonial baseball player so bad that I am willing to do anything to increase in skills so I was hoping that you could please give me advice, drills , tips or anything else to help me become better.

     Thank You for your time, God Bless
              Michael Cronin

Answer
Michael:  Thank you for your question.

The main advantage of switch hitting is that you can change sides of the plate so that breaking balls are coming to you, instead of away.

Another advantage would be to take advantage of natural speed, and the distance out of the box is shorter from the left side.

A disadvantage, double the amount of practice time on hitting, so that you are able to maintain your timing from both sides.  In a youth baseball, team setting, it is hard to get the reps needed from both sides, leaving you to get them outside of practice, on your own.

You might make a comparison of all your at bats, from both sides, to see if one side appears to be substantially stronger.  A successful at bat would be that you hit the ball hard, not that the at bat necessarily produced a hit.  Record strikeouts, to see if you strikeout more one side or the other.

Analyze how you feel at the plate, from each side.  Are you decidedly more comfortable one way or the other, or is it equal?

Do you see the ball better from one side or the other?

You will undoubtedly, over the course of your baseball career, face more right handers than left.

Should your research reveal that it is pretty balanced from both sides, and you are able to create the reps needed to stay sharp, stick with it.  As you progress through the levels, you may hit a point where it will feel better to stick with one side, make the change at that point.

Comfort and confidence is what hitting is all about, whether it is from the right, left or both.  Do it because it feels good to you and you will do well.  Switch hitting or not switch hitting won't be the determining factor in how far the journey takes you; but hitting the ball consistently day to day can be.

On my website, www.theoleballgame.com, I have additional hitting information, as well as information on baseball's mental game, which might help you along the way.

Good luck as you go forward.  It is a great trip!

Yours in baseball,

Rick