Riverbrian

Agree with everything you wrote. However... IMO... Yes... you still have to give them AB's. Because of Martha and the Vandella's.

I agree However... 75% of the arms are right handed. So... if you are really playing the numbers... More lefties.

Yeah... I won't argue the research. Tony Oliva had a career .890 against RH and .690 against LH. Justin Morneau was .886 against RH and .710 against LH. Joe Mauer was .868 against RH and .740 against LH. It's why I'm not anti-platoon. I get it. Moderation is what I'm asking. My doctor told me that wine is good for me. On my next visit... my doctor told me that drinking 5 bottles a night and throwing up on the cat is not good for me.

Thanks String... Oh Boy... Do I love this topic. As much as I complain about the extreme platooning being done by Rocco. At the same time... I also recognize that Rocco has consistent statistical justification for it. The Numbers for 2023 posted by IndyTwin are large sample numbers that are repeatable year after year. The left handed hitter consistently has the harder time against the southpaw. I say it often... I'm not anti-platoon. I get it and it isn't just the hitters splits. You also have to factor in the pitchers splits so the split margin is larger when you combine them both together. However... no matter what the collective says. IMO you can't just follow this data without question like Rocco seems to. 1. We are still talking about individuals and not the collective in each individual matchup. A good left handed hitter is still a good hitter even if he doesn't hit lefties as well as righties and the actual advantage at a per AB basis is probably miniscule. Julien's home run yesterday didn't prove anything because it's a small sample... just like Julien striking out against a lefty doesn't prove anything in such a small sample. But... Julien is a good hitter and probably more likely to go deep against a lefty than Margot is against a lefty... you got keep putting him up there against the southpaws for a couple of years before you decide... OK... He's Joc Pederson. 2. We are still talking about development. Exposure is necessary for improvement. Don't cement him into this lesser role for a marginal increase in odds of success. When you have a young players with 4, 5, 6 years of control... they can become so much more than what they currently are. Don't doom your talented lefties to this for a possible marginal advantage in one AB in one game. 3. And... this is often overlooked and it shouldn't be. Players get hurt... team context can change on a dime. Not letting Julien or Kirilloff face left handers in April, May, June and July is going to make your team vulnerable when Correa and Lewis both go down in late September and that almost happened last year. We didn't know the status of Correa and Lewis on the eve of the playoffs. If you lose a couple of key right handed hitters at the wrong time and you will be forced to turn Julien against Framber Valdez in the playoffs. Sorry... wouldn't let you face Angel Zerpa during the regular season but we need you to come up big against Framber now. Yeah... I know... we can always pull a Jordan Luplow or Kyle Garlick off the waiver wire and win the world series. 😄 4. Speaking of Luplow and Garlick. Perhaps an even more important point. In order to set up 3 platoons for Julien, Kirilloff and Wallner. You have to sign 3 lesser players to hold down the short side. Luplow, Garlick types... Margot for example. You are not going to sign JD Martinez for a short side platoon. 3 lesser players on your roster makes it impossible to have the decent depth necessary to cover for injuries that are going to happen or unforeseen bad performance that happens ever year. Last year Solano worked out decently but he wasn't brought on to play as much as he did. He had to play because of injuries. You actually sacrifice talent to maintain the platoon. Just go get talent instead is my opinion. In a nutshell... The collective stats absolutely support Rocco's extreme sheltering of lefties against lefties but I still say the 4 points above negate what could be a tiny margin statistical advantage at the individual AB level.

Ash has more likes than Rod Carew!!!

Adjustments are probably necessary however I'm not sure how you can change adjust for the modern day without causing serious upheaval to the data from decades past.

Thanks for sharing. That's why you are one of the best. And of course Kudo's to Do Young Park! That is above and beyond reporting.

Where did you get that? That is fantastic. I'd like my hands on something like that.

I agree with you. In that situation the lead runner is priority and the SS in that spot on the field for a cut 4 was either something they do in an effort for Correa to handle as many cuts as possible or a communication with Julien on the fly. I'm not 100% sure but most major league teams lineup a double cut with the 2b and 1b lined up in the shallow OF for a cut to direct and handle any type of throw. The only video I've seen to review it doesn't show Julien's position at the time of the throw. It does show Julien drift toward first base when the ball has hit. There was certainly enough time for Correa and Julien to switch roles. The one thing that you can see is that there wasn't a double cut lined up because the video showed that Santana was just kinda hanging around the 1B area in no man's land and was certainly not lined up to be a part of what was about to happen. It was Kirilloff to Correa and Correa to the plate. If either of those two blow the throw it's a tie game. IMO... I think it's smart for Correa to handle as many cuts as he can because he is fantastic at it so if they are off script on this. Kudo's.

6 Hits from 3 players total. This means that 6 players in the starting lineup yesterday have 151 games left to play.. 😉

Those moments between Grandpa and Grandson are special and shouldn't be taken for granted. Don't waste a moment, take every opportunity to tell him you were a major leaguer.

At some point this year. I will come to target field... buy that ticket, sit in that section, wear that yellow. If Pablo has a group of supporters... I want in.

Correa came a long way to be the cut on that throw to the plate. The cut system may have changed a bit since I was younger. However, normally on a ball into the RF corner like that. Correa would man the 2nd base bag and the 1st baseman would be the cut to the plate. I'm not arguing Correa taking the cut because I've always designed my cut system a little bit different than what was standard or used to be standard. I always wanted my strongest arm guy to handle as many cuts as he can. My strongest arm guy was typically the SS so he would get to whatever he could within reason. Anyway... Correa came a long way to be the cut on that wonderful throw to the plate. Kudos.

You were coming off an airplane during a Twins game before this year. I'm not sure if you are aware but in order to save you a few dollars. There are less expensive ways to watch the Twins.

Regardless of the result in today's game (Different Game Thread I know) I was happy to see Julien and Kirilloff stay in to face Vesia today. Miranda could have easily pinch hit for Julien in that AB. Unless the Dodgers were going to break out their long man Yarbrough it was going to be right handers the rest of the game. I like Gray area instead of Black and White decisions. It feels more managerial. Julien OPS against left handers is currently 1.750 which I'm sure is sustainable.

I did... I put together a contract stating acceptance of your bet. I quickly had it notarized to make it legally binding before the fact. Since the amount was never declared. You owe me 3 REALLY LARGE Dollar signs! If I don't get them... I know some guys who are all named Guido who will pay you a visit.

No doubt that Roberts plays the left right game and I'm sure Roberts has pinch hit early in the game before. In this situation. Despite 2024 small sample stats saying differently. Gavin Lux is the better offensive option over Rojas... although I do question what can be expected from Lux entering the game with two outs and the bottom of the order needing to string stuff together. The Twins and Dodgers never call me for advice.

1. I hope you right and I'd like to see if he could be. However... he watched others be the guy from the bench for 4 out of the first 5 games. 2, I was also not a fan. 3. After it is all said and done. I believe we are a better team in 2024 with Polanco and Martin for example on the roster over Santana and Margot... And... And... we'd still have your guy Noah Miller in the organization. 4. Young Left handed hitters should get the same opportunity to be an every day guy as others not cursed with such a disease... for many reasons with development being at the top of the list of reasons why.

@stringer bell "Well, Kirilloff has been good and with Buxton at DH, he has to bring a glove. Rocco could sit Santana and play AK at first or else put AK in an outfield corner. He’s chosen Santana over Wallner twice when BB has DHed". Rocco believes that Santana is one of our top 5 guys.

@USAFChief "All reverse splits are a mirage. All of em" Well Yeah... Who wants less shares at a higher price for the mirage of a more stable investment. Well Yeah... If the 7 pin slides over to the 10 pin spot while the 10 pin slides over to the seven pin spot. You still got to throw the ball the same way to get one of those slash thingies indicating a spare on that monitor above the lane. Well Yeah... If someone puts the right side of the banana on the left side and the left side of the banana on the right side... How would anybody know? And don't get me started about putting the banana in the middle and the ice cream split on the outsides!

Paxton had a pretty large reverse split and Rocco loaded up with Right Handers 1 through 9.

Which is interesting in itself because Buxton as the DH is one less OF to work with. Wallner sitting during those games is two OF down.

Good post and very Reasonable Responses. But... I will counter for discussion purposes. 1. Defense is something that I'm not really factoring in. I'm looking at it primarily via the offense. I get your point however, replacing Kepler's everyday plate appearances doesn't have to be direct. It can be indirect because Kirilloff and Castro can play OF. Clearing Infield space along with the DH spot to allow Farmer to replace Kepler's AB's. I only really named the Right Handers as candidates because the Right Handers are not platooned as hard. It's the left handed hitters that Rocco is consistently keep away from the same hand. 2. You and I both on Kepler... We were wrong but also right at the same time because we had to absorb 2.5 years of not so good play to get to that amazing half season. And we can still be right if Kepler reverts back to the Kepler that struggles for 2.5 years and we are now looking at 2024 concerns. But, Yeah he was amazing in the 2nd half and we need that Kepler again to fill the role of every day guy. On Santana... This is always my fear with these mid-level vets. Especially those with one year deals. Will they be allowed to struggle, keep playing and take us down with them? If you are struggling and not coming back next year. I would have a quick trigger. 3. On Polanco... We did not have to trade him because of our depth now or in the future. Santana sliding into an every day role illustrates that as loudly as possible. Lewis out for two months... illustrates that as loudly as possible. Injuries that are going to occur in the future illustrates that as loudly as possible. Julien not facing left handers illustrates that as loudly as possible. We didn't have to trade him because of depth. If we had to trade him because of budgets... OK... I understand however, we spend his money on Santana and Margot. So it's a wash. I would have kept Polanco. 4. I don't mind the occasional day off for Kirilloff against left handers. I also don't mind maintenance days for him or anyone. However, until he starts against a left hander like Kepler has, until he isn't replaced mid-game when a left hander enters the game like Kepler isn't replaced. He can't be considered every day or a candidate for Bucket #1. To my knowledge... Kirilloff is still a platoon guy.

Wallner has been struggling pretty hard so it's understandable but yet still big news that he is out of the lineup against a Right Handed Pitcher especially with a left hander scheduled to start for the Tigers tomorrow. So... This means Wallner is going to get two days in a row out of the starting lineup. Castro has also been struggling at the plate and he is also out today. So, Martin starts for a 2nd straight day against a right hander while Margot and Farmer break out of the short side platoon. Temporary or permanent for Margot, Farmer and Martin? We shall see. Rocco is trying to move some things around to try and get a jump start from someone. It'll be interesting to find out which player ends up with the lions share of Kepler AB's and interesting to see if Castro is going to be replaced for the lions share of Lewis AB's.

How I feel today... is exactly how I felt last year and this off-season. Nothing has changed because my concerns haven't been addressed. Only offensive performance will alleviate my concerns. You can put Rocco's utilization into two buckets. Don't let talent or performance confuse you on who goes into what bucket. Playing time is what determines what bucket you belong in. With two catchers taken out of the mix. With 6 players locked into a platoon. That leaves 5 players who will play nearly every day and therefore get the most plate appearances. Bucket 1. Those who play against both left and right handed pitchers and therefore get the most trips to the plate. Bucket 2. Those who are part of a left/right platoon and therefore those who get less trips to the plate. On opening day coming out of the off-season this is how the roster was allocated into those buckets. Group 1: Correa, Buxton, Lewis, Kepler and Santana. Group 2: Kirilloff, Julien, Wallner, Farmer, Margot and Castro. Anyone can argue that they think Kirilloff, Julien or Wallner belongs in group 1 from a talent standpoint and I actually may agree with you. Talent doesn't matter because it takes playing time and plate appearances to get into Group 1. As long as Kirilloff, Julien and Wallner are on the bench against left handed starters and taken out of the game in the middle innings when a left hander comes into the game. Kirilloff, Julien and Wallner can never be group 1. 5 players will need to be designated most every day guys in order to support 6 players being platooned. Here lies the problem in my eyes. The problem is Group 1. It was last year, it was a problem in the off-season and it's a problem today. Look at the opening day group 1: Player 1. Lewis is a superstar and absolutely belongs. Players 2 and 3: Buxton and Correa also absolutely belong although everyone should be aware that how they performed last year does not qualify them for what a team needs out of every day guys. Player 4: Kepler had an incredible 2nd half that belongs in the group 1 for any team in the majors. However for 2.5 years prior to that incredible 2nd half last year. Kepler was not that good and a group two guy at best. Player 5: Santana is a big problem in my opinion. He has not had a Group 1 type offensive season since 2019. There is no way that Carlos Santana belongs in group 1 playing nearly every day yet that is what we are asking of him once he basically replaced Jorge Polanco on the roster. As for group two... We got lots of those guys. Real nice depth here. The type of depth that winning teams can be built upon and we got capable guys behind those guys. Once Lewis went down... Castro moved up into group 1. Does Castro belong in Group 1? He's there... he needs to play like he belongs there. So now with Kepler out... Who moves into group 1. We are going to find out regardless of who it is... We are going to be playing that guy along with Santana and Castro like they Mookie Betts. So... to address the article. Can Santana replace Kepler? He isn't being asked to. He has his own major role in the lineup to worry about. The real questions are 1. Can Martin, Miranda, Margot or Farmer replace Kepler as a deserving every day guy. 2. Can Santana have a resurgence at age 38 to deserve nearly every day playing time and if he doesn't... how long will he be allowed to stay in group 1, play nearly every day and not deserve it. 3. Did we really need to trade a group 1 guy like Polanco for two bucket #2 pieces? We had a lot of those group two guys. 4. Will they ever get to the point where Rocco says... "I've got nobody else and we are going to have to slam Kirilloff or Julien or Wallner into an every day role.