Free fantasy advice: Hidden platoon gems
Posted on May 5, 2008
Filed Under Fantasy, Sabermetrics | Leave a Comment
Platoons aren’t just for real ballclubs. You should try it on your fantasy team, too. Veterans of scoresheet baseball know of what I speak: A good platoon split is worth its weight in gold.
Case in point: Matt Stairs. Yeah, that Matt Stairs, the 40-year-old guy who has the physique of Rosie the Robot from The Jetsons. Gabe Kapler, he’s not. But Stairs does one thing very well: He hits right-handed pitching. Kills right-handed pitching. And in the major leagues these days, there is a lot of right-handed pitching to hit off. This is what he’s done against righties since joining the Jays last season:
2007: 21 HR, .288 avg., .364 OBP, .567 Slg.
2008: 3 HR, .325 avg., .361 OBP, .481 Slg.
Total plate appearances against lefties in that span: 61.
Those numbers against righties don’t include the game-deciding home run he hit on Monday night against righty Javier Vazquez of the White Sox in a 1-0 Blue Jays win.
So fantasy leaguers take note: It’s not the worst play in the world to pick up Stairs and use him when he’s in the Jays’ lineup.
Here are some other underrated platoon-split heroes, left-handed hitters you should look to play when a righty is on the mound.
Player, 2008 Splits (stats through Sunday, May 4)
Fred Lewis, Giants: .925 OPS in 108 plate appearances against righties; only 9 PAs against lefties.
Andre Ethier, Dodgers: 1.023 OPS vs. righties (88 PAs); .416 OPS vs. lefties (34 PAs).
Mike Jacobs, Marlins: 1.025 OPS vs. righties (72 PAs); .570 OPS vs. lefties (34 PA).
Eric Hinske, Rays: 1.138 vs. righties (75 PA); .520 OPS vs. lefties (27 PAs).
Melky Cabrera (switch-hitter), Yankees: .924 OPS vs. righties (83 PAs); .719 OPS vs. lefties (35 PAs).
Hank Blalock, Rangers: .976 OPS vs. righties (66 PAs); .489 OPS vs. lefties (30 PAs).
Mike Fontenot, Cubs: .918 OPS vs. righties (53 PAs); .400 OPS vs. lefties (6 PAs).
Aubrey Huff, Orioles: .921 OPS vs. righties (91 PAs); .618 OPS vs. lefties (34 PAs).
Chris Duncan, Cardinals: .911 OPS vs. righties (74 PAs); .237 OPS vs. lefties (13 PAs).
Mark Teahen, Royals: .864 OPS vs. righties (87 PAs); .504 OPS vs. lefties (39 PAs).
Skip Schumaker, Cardinals: .916 OPS vs. righties (95 PAs); .480 OPS vs. lefties (33 PAs).
Comments
Leave a Reply