BA >= .360 since 1939. Only 23% bat righty.

Left handed batters have two advantages: they stand about a step and a half closer to the bases. And because of pitcher throwing angles, batters generally have more difficulty hitting pitchers who throw like the batters bat: lefty batters vs LHP and righty batters vs RHP. 

About 70 percent of pitching is done by RHP. If righty batters cannot hit RHP, they are less likely to play. But lefty batters can often get by batting mostly against the majority RHP. Lefty HoF Duke Snider hit 92% of his 407 HR against RHP.

Righty/Lefty Home Run splits: >= 250 HR vs RHP and >= 100 HR vs LHP.  Friday, May 2, 2025

Snider hit an astonishing 92% vs RHP. Thanks to his righty hitting teammates, lefty Snider faced fewer LHP. Snider's 1957 splits:

All 40 HR vs RHP. Only 27 AB vs LHP.

____________________

Baseball should never have had this disparity. The simplest thing would have been only one batter's box: for the majority righties. Left handed throwing players could learn to bat righty. Many players who throw right handed, bat left handed for the advantage. They are opportunist lefty batters. The most prominent was Ted Williams.

https://stathead.com/tiny/AOSGJ

For single seasons, since 1939, in the regular season, requiring At Bats >= 415 and Batting Average >= .360, sorted by descending Batting Average.

AB at least 415 to include Gwynn in the short 1994 season.

Rk	Player	BA	AB	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GIDP	IBB	Pos
1	Ted Williams	.406	456	1941	22	BOS	AL	143	606	456	135	185	112	33	3	37	120	2	4	147	27	.553	.735	1.287	235	335	10	25	*7H/9
2	Tony Gwynn	.394	419	1994	34	SDP	NL	110	475	419	79	165	117	35	1	12	64	5	0	48	19	.454	.568	1.022	169	238	20	16	*9/H8
3	George Brett	.390	449	1980	27	KCR	AL	117	515	449	87	175	109	33	9	24	118	15	6	58	22	.454	.664	1.118	203	298	11	16	*5/H3
4	Ted Williams	.388	420	1957	38	BOS	AL	132	547	420	96	163	96	28	1	38	87	0	1	119	43	.526	.731	1.257	233	307	11	33	*7/H
5	Rod Carew	.388	616	1977	31	MIN	AL	155	694	616	128	239	171	38	16	14	100	23	13	69	55	.449	.570	1.019	178	351	6	15	*3/H4D
6	Joe DiMaggio	.381	462	1939	24	NYY	AL	120	524	462	108	176	108	32	6	30	126	3	0	52	20	.448	.671	1.119	184	310	11	9	*8/H
7	Larry Walker	.379	438	1999	32	COL	NL	127	513	438	108	166	99	26	4	37	115	11	4	57	52	.458	.710	1.168	164	311	12	8	*9H/D
8	Stan Musial	.376	611	1948	27	STL	NL	155	698	611	135	230	127	46	18	39	131	7	3	79	34	.450	.702	1.152	200	429	18	6	*987/3
9	Nomar Garciaparra	.372	529	2000	26	BOS	AL	140	599	529	104	197	122	51	3	21	96	5	2	61	50	.434	.599	1.033	156	317	8	20	*6/HD
10	Todd Helton	.372	580	2000	26	COL	NL	160	697	580	138	216	113	59	2	42	147	5	3	103	61	.463	.698	1.162	163	405	12	22	*3/H
11	Ichiro Suzuki	.372	704	2004	30	SEA	AL	161	762	704	101	262	225	24	5	8	60	36	11	49	63	.414	.455	.869	130	320	6	19	*9/DH
12	Tony Gwynn	.372	592	1997	37	SDP	NL	149	651	592	97	220	152	49	2	17	119	12	5	43	28	.409	.547	.957	156	324	12	12	*9/DH
13	Andrés Galarraga	.370	470	1993	32	COL	NL	120	506	470	71	174	113	35	4	22	98	2	4	24	73	.403	.602	1.005	150	283	9	12	*3/H
14	Tony Gwynn	.370	589	1987	27	SDP	NL	157	680	589	119	218	162	36	13	7	54	56	12	82	35	.447	.511	.958	158	301	13	26	*9/H
15	Ted Williams	.369	509	1948	29	BOS	AL	137	638	509	124	188	116	44	3	25	127	4	0	126	41	.497	.615	1.112	189	313	10	14	*7/H
Rk	Player	BA	AB	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GIDP	IBB	Pos
16	Tony Gwynn	.368	535	1995	35	SDP	NL	135	577	535	82	197	154	33	1	9	90	17	5	35	15	.404	.484	.888	137	259	20	10	*9/H
17	Wade Boggs	.368	653	1985	27	BOS	AL	161	758	653	107	240	187	42	3	8	78	2	1	96	61	.450	.478	.928	151	312	20	5	*5/H
18	Wade Boggs	.366	584	1988	30	BOS	AL	155	719	584	128	214	158	45	6	5	58	2	3	125	34	.476	.490	.965	168	286	23	18	*5/DH
19	Larry Walker	.366	568	1997	30	COL	NL	153	664	568	143	208	109	46	4	49	130	33	8	78	90	.452	.720	1.172	178	409	15	14	*9/38HD
20	Rico Carty	.366	478	1970	30	ATL	NL	136	560	478	84	175	124	23	3	25	101	1	2	77	46	.454	.584	1.037	171	279	19	6	*7/H
21	Stan Musial	.365	624	1946	25	STL	NL	156	702	624	124	228	142	50	20	16	103	7	9	73	31	.434	.587	1.021	183	366	7	9	*37
22	Joe Mauer	.365	523	2009	26	MIN	AL	138	606	523	94	191	132	30	1	28	96	4	1	76	63	.444	.587	1.031	171	307	13	14	*2D/H
23	Mickey Mantle	.365	474	1957	25	NYY	AL	144	623	474	121	173	105	28	6	34	94	16	3	146	75	.512	.665	1.177	221	315	5	23	*8/H
24	Chipper Jones	.364	439	2008	36	ATL	NL	128	534	439	82	160	113	24	1	22	75	4	0	90	61	.470	.574	1.044	176	252	13	16	*5H/D
25	Rod Carew	.364	599	1974	28	MIN	AL	153	690	599	86	218	180	30	5	3	55	38	16	74	49	.433	.446	.879	150	267	17	9	*4/H
26	Larry Walker	.363	454	1998	31	COL	NL	130	524	454	113	165	93	46	3	23	67	14	4	64	61	.445	.630	1.075	158	286	11	2	*9/H845D
27	Wade Boggs	.363	551	1987	29	BOS	AL	147	667	551	108	200	130	40	6	24	89	1	3	105	48	.461	.588	1.049	174	324	13	19	*5/3DH
28	John Olerud	.363	551	1993	24	TOR	AL	158	679	551	109	200	120	54	2	24	107	0	2	114	65	.473	.599	1.072	186	330	12	33	*3D/H
29	Magglio Ordóñez	.363	595	2007	33	DET	AL	157	679	595	117	216	134	54	0	28	139	4	1	76	79	.434	.595	1.029	166	354	20	8	*9D/H
30	Joe Torre	.363	634	1971	30	STL	NL	161	707	634	97	230	164	34	8	24	137	4	1	63	70	.421	.555	.976	171	352	18	20	*5
31	Harry Walker	.363	513	1947	28	PHI,STL	NL	140	598	513	81	186	140	29	16	1	41	13	5	63	39	.436	.487	.924	150	250	10	4	*8/3H7
32	Mike Piazza	.362	556	1997	28	LAD	NL	152	633	556	104	201	128	32	1	40	124	5	1	69	77	.431	.638	1.070	185	355	19	11	*2/DH
33	Wade Boggs	.361	582	1983	25	BOS	AL	153	685	582	100	210	154	44	7	5	74	3	3	92	36	.444	.486	.931	150	283	15	2	*5
34	Norm Cash	.361	535	1961	27	DET	AL	159	673	535	119	193	122	22	8	41	132	11	5	124	85	.487	.662	1.148	201	354	16	19	*3/H
35	Jimmie Foxx	.360	467	1939	31	BOS	AL	124	565	467	130	168	92	31	10	35	105	4	3	89	72	.464	.694	1.158	188	324	17	6	*3/1H

Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 5/5/2025.

35 in the 86 seasons 1939-2024. Only #23 Mantle , #32 Piazza and #35 Foxx did not lead their league.

Righty batters: #6 DiMaggio, #9 Garciaparra, #13 Galarraga, #20 Carty, #29 Ordonez, #30 Torre, #32 Piazza, #35 Foxx. 8 of 35. 23%.

Two switch hitters: #23 Mantle and #24 Jones.

I wish Baseball Reference would include a column with Bats. Also, for pitchers (Throws) such as in the home run log.

Let's sort on some fields.

AB:

Rk	Player	BA	AB	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB ▼	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
1	Ichiro Suzuki	.372	704	2004	30	SEA	AL	161	762	704	101	262	225	24	5	8	.414	.455	.869	130
2	Wade Boggs	.368	653	1985	27	BOS	AL	161	758	653	107	240	187	42	3	8	.450	.478	.928	151
3	Joe Torre	.363	634	1971	30	STL	NL	161	707	634	97	230	164	34	8	24	.421	.555	.976	171
4	Stan Musial	.365	624	1946	25	STL	NL	156	702	624	124	228	142	50	20	16	.434	.587	1.021	183
5	Rod Carew	.388	616	1977	31	MIN	AL	155	694	616	128	239	171	38	16	14	.449	.570	1.019	178
6	Stan Musial	.376	611	1948	27	STL	NL	155	698	611	135	230	127	46	18	39	.450	.702	1.152	200
7	Rod Carew	.364	599	1974	28	MIN	AL	153	690	599	86	218	180	30	5	3	.433	.446	.879	150
8	Magglio Ordóñez	.363	595	2007	33	DET	AL	157	679	595	117	216	134	54	0	28	.434	.595	1.029	166
9	Tony Gwynn	.372	592	1997	37	SDP	NL	149	651	592	97	220	152	49	2	17	.409	.547	.957	156
10	Tony Gwynn	.370	589	1987	27	SDP	NL	157	680	589	119	218	162	36	13	7	.447	.511	.958	158

In some ways Carew hitting .388 on 616 AB is the most impressive among all 35. That is the fifth highest BA in the 35 and #1 in the list of top ten in AB above.

Carew and two others led in OPS+.

Torre and Ordonez batted righty.

AB<500:

Rk	Player	AB	BA	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
1	Tony Gwynn	419	.394	1994	34	SDP	NL	110	475	79	165	117	35	1	12	64	.454	.568	1.022	169
2	Ted Williams	420	.388	1957	38	BOS	AL	132	547	96	163	96	28	1	38	87	.526	.731	1.257	233
3	Larry Walker	438	.379	1999	32	COL	NL	127	513	108	166	99	26	4	37	115	.458	.710	1.168	164
4	Chipper Jones	439	.364	2008	36	ATL	NL	128	534	82	160	113	24	1	22	75	.470	.574	1.044	176
5	George Brett	449	.390	1980	27	KCR	AL	117	515	87	175	109	33	9	24	118	.454	.664	1.118	203
6	Larry Walker	454	.363	1998	31	COL	NL	130	524	113	165	93	46	3	23	67	.445	.630	1.075	158
7	Ted Williams	456	.406	1941	22	BOS	AL	143	606	135	185	112	33	3	37	120	.553	.735	1.287	235
8	Joe DiMaggio	462	.381	1939	24	NYY	AL	120	524	108	176	108	32	6	30	126	.448	.671	1.119	184
9	Jimmie Foxx	467	.360	1939	31	BOS	AL	124	565	130	168	92	31	10	35	105	.464	.694	1.158	188
10	Andrés Galarraga	470	.370	1993	32	COL	NL	120	506	71	174	113	35	4	22	98	.403	.602	1.005	150
11	Mickey Mantle	474	.365	1957	25	NYY	AL	144	623	121	173	105	28	6	34	94	.512	.665	1.177	221
12	Rico Carty	478	.366	1970	30	ATL	NL	136	560	84	175	124	23	3	25	101	.454	.584	1.037	171

The top four of the 35 in BA are among this list fewest AB:
1. Gwynn also had by far the fewest PA
2. Williams 1957
5. Brett
7. Williams 1941

Both switch hitters, Mantle and Jones, are among these 12.

Four righties: DiMaggio, Foxx, Garciaparra, Carty.

So, only 6 of 12 are lefty and that includes two each for Williams and Walker and one each for Gwynn and Brett.

HR:

Rk	Player	BA	AB	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR ▼	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
1	Larry Walker	.366	568	1997	30	COL	NL	153	664	568	143	208	109	46	4	49	.452	.720	1.172	178
2	Todd Helton	.372	580	2000	26	COL	NL	160	697	580	138	216	113	59	2	42	.463	.698	1.162	163
3	Norm Cash	.361	535	1961	27	DET	AL	159	673	535	119	193	122	22	8	41	.487	.662	1.148	201
4	Mike Piazza	.362	556	1997	28	LAD	NL	152	633	556	104	201	128	32	1	40	.431	.638	1.070	185
5	Stan Musial	.376	611	1948	27	STL	NL	155	698	611	135	230	127	46	18	39	.450	.702	1.152	200
6	Ted Williams	.388	420	1957	38	BOS	AL	132	547	420	96	163	96	28	1	38	.526	.731	1.257	233
7	Ted Williams	.406	456	1941	22	BOS	AL	143	606	456	135	185	112	33	3	37	.553	.735	1.287	235
8	Larry Walker	.379	438	1999	32	COL	NL	127	513	438	108	166	99	26	4	37	.458	.710	1.168	164
9	Jimmie Foxx	.360	467	1939	31	BOS	AL	124	565	467	130	168	92	31	10	35	.464	.694	1.158	188
10	Mickey Mantle	.365	474	1957	25	NYY	AL	144	623	474	121	173	105	28	6	34	.512	.665	1.177	221
11	Joe DiMaggio	.381	462	1939	24	NYY	AL	120	524	462	108	176	108	32	6	30	.448	.671	1.119	184

Top 11 includes all with at least 30 HR and the #1 BA by a righty: DiMaggio. 3 of 11 bat righty.

Five led in OPS+.

OPS+:

Rk	Player	OPS+	BA	AB	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	OPS
1	Ted Williams	235	.406	456	1941	22	BOS	AL	143	606	135	185	112	33	3	37	120	.553	.735	1.287
2	Ted Williams	233	.388	420	1957	38	BOS	AL	132	547	96	163	96	28	1	38	87	.526	.731	1.257
3	Mickey Mantle	221	.365	474	1957	25	NYY	AL	144	623	121	173	105	28	6	34	94	.512	.665	1.177
4	George Brett	203	.390	449	1980	27	KCR	AL	117	515	87	175	109	33	9	24	118	.454	.664	1.118
5	Norm Cash	201	.361	535	1961	27	DET	AL	159	673	119	193	122	22	8	41	132	.487	.662	1.148
6	Stan Musial	200	.376	611	1948	27	STL	NL	155	698	135	230	127	46	18	39	131	.450	.702	1.152
7	Ted Williams	189	.369	509	1948	29	BOS	AL	137	638	124	188	116	44	3	25	127	.497	.615	1.112
8	Jimmie Foxx	188	.360	467	1939	31	BOS	AL	124	565	130	168	92	31	10	35	105	.464	.694	1.158
9	John Olerud	186	.363	551	1993	24	TOR	AL	158	679	109	200	120	54	2	24	107	.473	.599	1.072
10	Mike Piazza	185	.362	556	1997	28	LAD	NL	152	633	104	201	128	32	1	40	124	.431	.638	1.070
11	Joe DiMaggio	184	.381	462	1939	24	NYY	AL	120	524	108	176	108	32	6	30	126	.448	.671	1.119
12	Stan Musial	183	.365	624	1946	25	STL	NL	156	702	124	228	142	50	20	16	103	.434	.587	1.021
13	Rod Carew	178	.388	616	1977	31	MIN	AL	155	694	128	239	171	38	16	14	100	.449	.570	1.019
14	Larry Walker	178	.366	568	1997	30	COL	NL	153	664	143	208	109	46	4	49	130	.452	.720	1.172
15	Chipper Jones	176	.364	439	2008	36	ATL	NL	128	534	82	160	113	24	1	22	75	.470	.574	1.044
Rk	Player	OPS+	BA	AB	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	OPS
16	Wade Boggs	174	.363	551	1987	29	BOS	AL	147	667	108	200	130	40	6	24	89	.461	.588	1.049
17	Joe Mauer	171	.365	523	2009	26	MIN	AL	138	606	94	191	132	30	1	28	96	.444	.587	1.031

These 17 include all 12 who led the league in OPS+, including  righties: Foxx, Piazza.

Notice Ted Williams is top two 16 years apart. Also, in 1957 38 year old Williams prevented 25 year old Mantle form leading in either OPS+ or BA.

Joe DiMaggio .400 batting average lost in 1939 due to: eye infection, manager, himself?  Tuesday, October 18, 2016