tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post442437665723879360..comments2023-12-19T20:25:36.069-06:00Comments on Nick's Twins Blog: Built-In Advantage: For All Lefties?Nick N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00848574337121154690noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-2370146178610046512008-07-22T08:34:00.000-05:002008-07-22T08:34:00.000-05:00STRIB Headline:"If filed, grievance could take a w...STRIB Headline:<BR/><BR/>"If filed, grievance could take a while"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-60445001333443814572008-07-21T16:27:00.000-05:002008-07-21T16:27:00.000-05:00you can't file a grievance before telling the GM t...<I>you can't file a grievance before telling the GM that you are going to file a grievance?</I><BR/><BR/>No, you can't. Because you "file a grievance" with the team. As the language of the player agreement makes clear.<BR/><BR/><I>I will take every major news outlet's report</I><BR/><BR/>Of course you will. Which is why something repeated often enough becomes true.frzddAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-38025893212233485372008-07-21T14:34:00.000-05:002008-07-21T14:34:00.000-05:00No offense, but I will take every major news outle...No offense, but I will take every major news outlet's report over your interpretation of the agreement's language.<BR/><BR/>So you can go to the player's union and ask them to investigate before filing a grievance, But you can't file a grievance before telling the GM that you are going to file a grievance?Daymonsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16832485378852569696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-30548899148504220342008-07-21T14:06:00.000-05:002008-07-21T14:06:00.000-05:00Daymonster -A usual, the media, including the NYT,...Daymonster -<BR/><BR/>A usual, the media, including the NYT, got it wrong. Here is the language from the players agreement for filing a grievance:<BR/><BR/>"Any Player who believes that he has a justifiable Grievance<BR/>shall first discuss the matter with a representative of his Club designated to handle such matters, in an attempt to settle it. If the matter is not resolved as a result of such discussions, a written notice of the Grievance shall be presented to the Club’s designated representative;"<BR/><BR/>Smith said he hadn't heard anything about it. If Liriano had filed a grievance, he would have been the first to know.<BR/><BR/><I>"The players union won't look into a situation without a grievance."</I><BR/><BR/>I don't think that is true. The union has often got involved with issues before a grievance was filed.<BR/><BR/>This is another example of repeating something often enough that it becomes true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-57146484155302183052008-07-21T11:59:00.000-05:002008-07-21T11:59:00.000-05:00TT, According to the New York Times Grenske did fi...TT, According to the New York Times Grenske did file a grievance. The players union won't look into a situation without a grievance. All reports said that Grenske was going to file a grievance last week.Daymonsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16832485378852569696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-37208008451240588712008-07-20T12:00:00.000-05:002008-07-20T12:00:00.000-05:00Looking back on it, Jacque wasn't platooned becaus...<I>Looking back on it, Jacque wasn't platooned because Gardy thought he covered a lot of ground out there (and he did.) He may have given other reasons, but the Twins will almost always give the benefit of the doubt to guys who they think play good defense.</I><BR/><BR/>I think that Jones defense was part of it. Its always an advantage to be able to contribute even when you struggle with the bat.<BR/><BR/>The other issue here is that no team can platoon everyone and, once a player is platooned, whatever ability he has to hit lefties is going to atrophy. I think the Twins saw Jones as one of their everyday players.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-69021411720847382502008-07-20T02:09:00.000-05:002008-07-20T02:09:00.000-05:00I think you're missing the main point here. Becau...I think you're missing the main point here. Because so many pitchers are right-handed, it's easier for a LHB with a large platoon split to make it to the majors. This is why, in general, left-handed batters have larger platoon splits than right-handed batters.<BR/><BR/>As such, we should realize that, well, left-handed batters tend to have larger platoon splits than right-handed batters. There actually isn't a whole lot of evidence that any of the Twins' left-handed batters have a small or even normal split against LHP.<BR/><BR/><I>Granted, some lefties just plain cannot hit left-handed pitchers (Jacque Jones anyone?), but Kubel and Mauer aren't necessarily those kinds of hitters.</I><BR/><BR/>.625 -- Kubel career OPS vs. LHP<BR/>.628 -- Jacque Jones career OPS vs. LHP<BR/><BR/>Looking back on it, Jacque wasn't platooned because Gardy thought he covered a lot of ground out there (and he did.) He may have given other reasons, but the Twins will almost always give the benefit of the doubt to guys who they think play good defense.<BR/><BR/>I'll grant that Mauer is an elite hitter, and as such could be an exception to the general rule that left-handed batters have a smaller platoon split, but over 2,000+ plate apperances now, Mauer has an over 200-point OPS difference in his line vs. LHP and vs. RHP.<BR/><BR/>.326/.419/.503 -- Mauer vs. RHP<BR/>.290/.351/.362 -- Mauer vs. LHP<BR/><BR/>If you look closely enough, over short periods of time (like a season here or there), the split will look smaller, but the smaller split will only turn out to be a mirage--Mauer is at a significant disadvantage against left-handed pitching.<BR/><BR/>That's okay, though, because as a catcher, Mauer's going to need 25-35 games off every year, so we might as well just carry a right-handed backup catcher and give him his off days against left-handed pitching. Not really such a big deal.<BR/><BR/>Even Morneau--who is also an elite hitter--has a nearly 200-point OPS platoon split for his career.<BR/><BR/>In the long run, the Twins would absolutely benefit from the presence of two good right-handed hitters so that they could send out Mauer-righty-Morneau-righty-Kubel. Then teams would have to choose to let Mauer, Morneau, and Kubel mash RHP or let the right-handed batters get the platoon advantage against LOOGYs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-27090408481636385912008-07-18T22:18:00.000-05:002008-07-18T22:18:00.000-05:00I'm trying to figure out how a study that shows th...I'm trying to figure out how a study that shows that left handed hitters do better in general because they have a natural advantage against right handed pitchers indicates they should be allowed to bat against left handed pitchers. <BR/><BR/><I>There is no reason that a greivance should have been filed.</I><BR/><BR/>Of course there is - but it doesn't appear a grievance has been filed. Instead, the players union is investigating the situation. Looking into the issue isn't the same as filing a grievance.<BR/><BR/>The idea that the Twins are leaving Liriano at AAA in order to avoid having him eligible for salary arbitration is neither new, nor outrageous. There are several hundred thousand dollars at stake and the agent wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't pursue the issue. Frankly, the people being childish are the fans who are complaining about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-68790276585673194892008-07-18T09:57:00.000-05:002008-07-18T09:57:00.000-05:00I don't think my point is that Redmond doesn't pla...I don't think my point is that Redmond doesn't play. But Mauer certainly can DH more often too against lefties. Regardless of any of the specifics, the general point of the article and post is just to consider lefty advantages and how much we should value left-handed hitters.<BR/><BR/>As for Liriano, even if he is being diplomatic with the press, I have to agree with Seth at SethSpeaks. This is pretty ridiculous and players speak through their agents. There is no reason that a greivance should have been filed. Little could be more sulky or childish to me, except for maybe some "Manny" moments.Nick M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05029328242185237902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-20800135669487534852008-07-18T08:45:00.000-05:002008-07-18T08:45:00.000-05:00The Red Wings beat writer said that Liriano *said*...The Red Wings beat writer said that Liriano *said* he was curious that he hadn't been called up, but not frustrated, leading to speculation that it was the agent who was behind this grievence, not Liriano. Of course, Liriano could be being diplomatic to the press (which I actually like, rather than players who are sulky children and throw public tantrums all the time).<BR/><BR/>Joe Mauer has faced left-hand pitchers this year. It just makes more sense to put Redmond in against the lefties (he'll hit better in that situation than against right-handed pitchers), and Mauer does need rest from time to time.thisisbethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08764018111806835434noreply@blogger.com