Our need for LH Batters is overstated

[Frobby]

I keep reading that we have this big problem of having too many RH batters. But people should look at the career splits of these three RH hitters:

Jonathan Schoop: .729 vs. RHP, .555 vs. LHP

Manny Machado: .805 vs. RHP, .744 vs. LHP

Adam Jones: .795 vs. RHP, .745 vs. LHP

I really don't think we are particularly vulnerable to RHP as a team, and wouldn't worry much about whether any position players we acquire bat right- or left-handed. Just make sure we get guys who are actually good.

By the way, of the big names left on the market:

Heyward .838/.660

Upton .805/.886

Gordon .798/.750

Davis .875/.742

Cespedes .811/.788

[TheWall]

Thanks for posting this. I don't like the idea of our lineup being that unbalanced, but this definitely helps putting my mind at ease.

Heyward's splits are way more extreme than I would have thought.

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[SpinJr]

Thanks for posting this. I don't like the idea of our lineup being that unbalanced, but this definitely helps putting my mind at ease.

Heyward's splits are way more extreme than I would have thought.

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Wow for as much money as he is commanding you would think his splits would be different. I'd be more inclined with Upton now knowing that.

[TXOriole]

Wow for as much money as he is commanding you would think his splits would be different. I'd be more inclined with Upton now knowing that.

Agreed. If I'm paying a corner outfielder that much money, I want to see some better offensive numbers. You can feed me all the defensive and base-running metrics you want, but if he isnt a polished hitter that I'd pay money to watch at the plate as well as on the field...then 20 mil a year isnt an option. Pretty amazed at why there is so much interest in spending a ton to sign Heyward.

[SpinJr]

Really I'm quite shocked....those numbers almost say platoon.

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[Frobby]

Really I'm quite shocked....those numbers almost say platoon.

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I took a deeper look year-by-year:

2010: .895/.755

2011: .754/.577

2012: .934/.635

2013: .766/.801

2014: .820/.477

2015: .835/.709

So yes, he has had some seasons that scream platoon, while other years he's been respectable or better vs. LHP.

[CaptainRedbeard]

This is spot on. We probably do want some left handed hitters because then we can form platoons at remaining positions, but out best hitters already hit RHP better than LHP. I'm not sure we need a starting player to be left handed.

The guys that hit LHP better than RHP:

Trumbo: (.731 RHP, .824 LHP)

Wieters (.708, .821)

Hardy (.705, .763)

Joseph (.649, .681)

Reimold is even (.760, .757) and Flaherty is completely useless vs. LHP (.656, .596).

BTW, the Jays destroyed last year killing LHP (124 wRC+) and being very good vs. RHP (115 wRC+). It's ok to be imbalanced as long as you're not pathetic vs one or the other. Balance vs RHP and LHP is pretty overrated, not as much as having a LHP in your rotation is, but close.

[canonfaz]

I took a deeper look year-by-year:

2010: .895/.755

2011: .754/.577

2012: .934/.635

2013: .766/.801

2014: .820/.477

2015: .835/.709

So yes, he has had some seasons that scream platoon, while other years he's been respectable or better vs. LHP.

Those are some odd numbers. Look at 2014. Yikes.

[SpinJr]

I took a deeper look year-by-year:

2010: .895/.755

2011: .754/.577

2012: .934/.635

2013: .766/.801

2014: .820/.477

2015: .835/.709

So yes, he has had some seasons that scream platoon, while other years he's been respectable or better vs. LHP.

Still, only two years of .750 the rest real close or below .700. Real risky proposition IMO. I'm dead serious in saying seeing these splits now completely scared away. Defensive and base running must really push his WAR up. Truly I'm shocked.

[Aristotelian]

Good point and appreciate the research. My only concern would be if you have a really good ROOGY with great splits against righties (e.g. Darren O'Day). At that point the ROOGY's extreme splits might cancel out the RHB's moderate splits, even if the batter is in general even or even moderately better against RHP's in general. Still, in the majority of cases you are right, we would have a good chance against most RH SP's.

[25 Nuggets]

Good point and appreciate the research. My only concern would be if you have a really good ROOGY with great splits against righties (e.g. Darren O'Day). At that point the ROOGY's extreme splits might cancel out the RHB's moderate splits, even if the batter is in general even or even moderately better against RHP's in general. Still, in the majority of cases you are right, we would have a good chance against most RH SP's.

Indeed, splits go two ways. I'm aware of Jones and Machado's good splits (didn't know about Schoop though, thank you). The team still needs somebody from the left side, if not Davis. I think we're going to get one in the Rule V draft and end up with one more through FA.

[SteveO]

At this point the Orioles need quality ball players period. RH or LH ....pitcher or position player we need some talent.

[25 Nuggets]

At this point the Orioles need quality ball players period. RH or LH ....pitcher or position player we need some talent.

That's presumed. Nobody wants to acquire someone for their LH bat who can't hit.

[TouchemAll]

I would LOVE TO HAVE Upton & Trumbo combo and say see ya Davis.

[sportsfan8703]

Soft tossing LH's always give us problems. No surprise to see our 3 most aggressive hitters in Machado, Schoop and Jones, struggling with them. That's obvious. There's more the the needing a LH bat than just the stats show. We have to at least make RH pitchers think about having to establish a change up for the LH's. Or whatever pitch they use to neutralize them. If anything just to make them work harder mentally.