Is home plate always on the west side of a baseball diamond?

Answer 1

In the older stadiums this was true. That is how left handers got the term "Southpaws". Ball diamonds anymore you will see home plate anywhere. However, generally stadiums continue to be built with home plate on the west portion of the stadium (either northwest, due west, or southwest). One of the main purposes for this is so when the game is played in the afternoon when the sun starts to set in the west it will be going down behind the batter rather then the sun shining directly in the batters eyes when the Sun is going down ----tigersy2k3

Answer 2

Rule 1.04 suggests: It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to second base shall run East-Northeast. And yes, that is why they are called Southpaws.

Answer 3

So that the sun sets behind the batter, and not in his face.