Walker Finally Faces Lefty in Orioles' Matusz - KHarmo88's Dynasty

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Walker Finally Faces Lefty in Orioles' Matusz

Posted on March 24, 2013 at 08:47 PM.

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by Tom Singer / MLB.com

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Last year's Spring Training was rather odd for the Pirates, in that every other opposing starter they faced was left-handed. The concentration of southpaws was the ideal launching pad for switch-hitter Neil Walker, who is naturally right-handed, but normally gets far more swings left-handed, making it his more powerful side.

The collection of opposing starters has been strikingly different this spring, so much so that Walker was scratched from a couple of recent Grapefruit League games so he could get extra right-handed swings in Minor League games.

"I really need those right-handed reps," said Walker, who had only 11 at-bats all spring against lefties until he faced the Orioles' Brian Matusz in Sunday's 12-10 loss.

Walker went 1-for-2 against Matusz with an infield single, leaving him 2-for-13 against left-handers this spring with a .313 on-base percentage.

Because his dominant right hand is on the bottom when he bats left-handed, Walker has always shown far more power from that side. None of his 14 homers last season came hitting right-handed, and he homered once in 160 at-bats from that side the year before.

But he is a more patient hitter right-handed with a better eye for the strike zone and more contact. Those skills rely on reps to maintain, and Walker has occasionally detoured to the Minor League camp to find them.