03-09-2009, 03:17 PM
<!--quoteo(post=22544:date=Mar 9 2009, 12:13 PM:name=bz)-->QUOTE (bz @ Mar 9 2009, 12:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->LOOGY's are the most worthless thing ever<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm willing to listen to your reasoning. Are you saying that any and all "situational' relief pitchers are worthless? Are you questioning the platoon effect?
I don't have strong feelings either way on the subject, but common sense would seem to indicate:
-there is a definite platoon advantage that exists in baseball, and having a good lefty reliever would be similarly valuable to having a good lefty bat off the bench.
-throughout history, and continuing to the present, there have been disproportionate numbers of excellent lefty hitters in baseball.
-for a number of reasons, not all of them agreed upon, lefty hitters statistically do significantly worse against lefty pitchers than righty hitters do against righty hitters.
-as we've seen countless times, all at bats in a game are not evenly weighted.
For instance, if we're playing the Pirates, which batting situation is more important:
1-their weak-hitting SS, batting 8th, comes up with 2 outs and nobody on in the 2nd inning.
2-Nate McClouth, a lefty, comes up with the bases loaded in the 8th inning of a tie ballgame?
Obviously it's #2. Now say that McClouth hits .310 against righties, and .230 against lefties.
How is it worthless to bring in a lefty to pitch to him? It would seem to actually have a ton of worth to bring in a lefty specialist there.
Even to turn around a switch-hitter has huge value. Chipper Jones and Lance Berkman are good hitters from both sides, but they're both FAR better from the lefty side. (for example, Berkman's career Slugging percentage as a lefty is over .600 (think Ted Williams or Manny Ramirez) and as a righty is .423 (think Reed Johnson). Who would you rather face in a critical situation, Reed Johnson or Ted Williams?
If I'm missing something, and I very well may be, please point it out.
I'm willing to listen to your reasoning. Are you saying that any and all "situational' relief pitchers are worthless? Are you questioning the platoon effect?
I don't have strong feelings either way on the subject, but common sense would seem to indicate:
-there is a definite platoon advantage that exists in baseball, and having a good lefty reliever would be similarly valuable to having a good lefty bat off the bench.
-throughout history, and continuing to the present, there have been disproportionate numbers of excellent lefty hitters in baseball.
-for a number of reasons, not all of them agreed upon, lefty hitters statistically do significantly worse against lefty pitchers than righty hitters do against righty hitters.
-as we've seen countless times, all at bats in a game are not evenly weighted.
For instance, if we're playing the Pirates, which batting situation is more important:
1-their weak-hitting SS, batting 8th, comes up with 2 outs and nobody on in the 2nd inning.
2-Nate McClouth, a lefty, comes up with the bases loaded in the 8th inning of a tie ballgame?
Obviously it's #2. Now say that McClouth hits .310 against righties, and .230 against lefties.
How is it worthless to bring in a lefty to pitch to him? It would seem to actually have a ton of worth to bring in a lefty specialist there.
Even to turn around a switch-hitter has huge value. Chipper Jones and Lance Berkman are good hitters from both sides, but they're both FAR better from the lefty side. (for example, Berkman's career Slugging percentage as a lefty is over .600 (think Ted Williams or Manny Ramirez) and as a righty is .423 (think Reed Johnson). Who would you rather face in a critical situation, Reed Johnson or Ted Williams?
If I'm missing something, and I very well may be, please point it out.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance