Using the Bench to Overcome our Platoon Disadvantage

In the last few years we have gone from having a predominantly left-handed hitting lineup to one that leans heavily to the right side. At the same time, the other teams in our division have become very right handed in their starting pitching. So far this season we have faced only right handed starting pitching. We will have to get used to it and adjust. The Marlins feature five right handed starters. The Gnats have dropped Detwiler from the rotation and now have four right handed starters. The Mets have four right handed starters. The Phillies still have Lee and Hamels, but Hamels has always had a reverse split.

We will never be able to fully overcome this platoon disadvantage. But Fredi could reduce it through judicious use of our bench. Doumit gives us an option to occasionally spell one of our right-handed bats in left or catcher. Schafer can be used in place of BJ. Pena can give Johnson or Simmons a breather now and then. I haven't mentioned Uggla so far. This is because he has a reverse split. It is important to pay attention to these details. In the case of Uggla, I would mainly give him an off day against lefties and use Pastornicky on those occasions.

We are only seven games into the season, and Fredi has yet to alter his lineup except at catcher. I think he will have to if we are going to win our division. That is the only hope we have for overcoming what is a pretty pronounced platoon disadvantage.

If BJ and Uggla impersonate their old selves we would be fine.

Fredi must adapt.

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Originally Posted by Dalyn

Fredi must adapt.

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Yes. This is the kind of situation where a good manager earns his salary.

I was thinking about this myself the last couple of night. However IMO it's really not important to have left handed hitters to face right handed pitchers. The key to me is to get left handed pitchers to try to neutralize left handed hitters. If you get what I'm saying..lol.

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Originally Posted by Eyeman

I was thinking about this myself the last couple of night. However IMO it's really not important to have left handed hitters to face right handed pitchers. The key to me is to get left handed pitchers to try to neutralize left handed hitters. If you get what I'm saying..lol.

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Actually, I understand exactly what you mean. The righty-righty platoon disadvantage isn't as big on average as the lefty-lefty disadvantage. But there is still some mileage to be gained from being able to bring in a lefty hitter against a righty.

Except that neither Schafer or Pena are good hitters vs righties or not and you cringe if you see Dou it with a leather mitt in his hand.

The sad part is Doumit looks better behind the plate in 1 start than Laird has since he's been a Brave.

We were truly spoiled having McCann and Rossy together behind the plate. Mac was always solid defensively and one of the best pitch framers, and Ross had a strong arm and framed good also (he caught a lot of Medlen's games in 2012). Both were clubhouse leaders as well which is a big void we're trying to fill.

Laird is just awful. Even when he makes tremendous contact, it's a short line drive in the outfield. On top of that we haven't had a catcher mechanically throw that bad behind the plate since Brayan Pena.

Three main reasons I think we haven't seen any platoon type lineup adjustments:

1. Quite a few days off early in the season leaves few opportunities to rest a starter.
2. All the bench options are pretty bad, bordering on awful.
3. Fredi wants to show confidence early in guys like Uggla and BJ to help get them going.