05-28-2009, 06:34 PM
<!--quoteo(post=40860:date=May 28 2009, 05:29 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ May 28 2009, 05:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=40855:date=May 28 2009, 04:10 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ May 28 2009, 04:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Remember the 2006 Cardinals? One LH hitter (Edmonds) and one switch hitter (Miles). Their lack of lefties didn't slow them down in the playoffs.
The 2005 White Sox? Two lefties (AJP -- who sucked that year, and Podsednik, who was OK) and one switch hitter (Carl Everett, who sucked). They were just as right-handed as we were the last two seasons, and they breezed through the playoffs.
You don't need balance. You need good hitting and pitching. Sure, it's nice to have a couple of lefties in there, but our "lack of balance" wasn't why the Dodgers destroyed us in the playoffs.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It was exposed on our team the last 2 seasons. All of those right-handed pitchers got in a groove against us. They were pitching to the same thing about every at bat. Throwing in a left-handed hitter can mess with the comfort level of a pitcher and force them to use pitches they haven't been throughout the game. Something had to be done with this team, the last 2 years were not working, and anybody that watched the team on a daily basis knows the those 2 playoff series were not just bad slumps.
Is it possible to win a World Series lineup that is completely right-handed? Of course, but it's not a recipe for success and anybody involved in baseball will tell you that. With the huge contracts on this team all over the diamond, there weren't many ways to change this team. Getting more left-handed was in fact a need, and thisct was a way to address that.
It's not like we're talking about a special talent here. He's a very good player, but Milton Bradley, Mike Fontenot, and Micah Hoffpauir are all at least as good of a hitter or better than he is. The versatility is not an issue anymore. The loss of Mark DeRosas will have zero impact on this season. I'll be much more upset if Gaudin and Vizcaino do well than if DeRosa does, because that's something we could use right about now.
The lineup is built better to hit a Brandon Webb or Derek Lowe now, as well as Santana and Hamels. I like the way this team is built much more heading into October if guys start performing how they're capable of, <i>that's</i> the real problem here, not the trades or cuts we've made.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
on the real.
The 2005 White Sox? Two lefties (AJP -- who sucked that year, and Podsednik, who was OK) and one switch hitter (Carl Everett, who sucked). They were just as right-handed as we were the last two seasons, and they breezed through the playoffs.
You don't need balance. You need good hitting and pitching. Sure, it's nice to have a couple of lefties in there, but our "lack of balance" wasn't why the Dodgers destroyed us in the playoffs.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It was exposed on our team the last 2 seasons. All of those right-handed pitchers got in a groove against us. They were pitching to the same thing about every at bat. Throwing in a left-handed hitter can mess with the comfort level of a pitcher and force them to use pitches they haven't been throughout the game. Something had to be done with this team, the last 2 years were not working, and anybody that watched the team on a daily basis knows the those 2 playoff series were not just bad slumps.
Is it possible to win a World Series lineup that is completely right-handed? Of course, but it's not a recipe for success and anybody involved in baseball will tell you that. With the huge contracts on this team all over the diamond, there weren't many ways to change this team. Getting more left-handed was in fact a need, and thisct was a way to address that.
It's not like we're talking about a special talent here. He's a very good player, but Milton Bradley, Mike Fontenot, and Micah Hoffpauir are all at least as good of a hitter or better than he is. The versatility is not an issue anymore. The loss of Mark DeRosas will have zero impact on this season. I'll be much more upset if Gaudin and Vizcaino do well than if DeRosa does, because that's something we could use right about now.
The lineup is built better to hit a Brandon Webb or Derek Lowe now, as well as Santana and Hamels. I like the way this team is built much more heading into October if guys start performing how they're capable of, <i>that's</i> the real problem here, not the trades or cuts we've made.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
on the real.
Wang.