tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195084204316698108.post8480923141591253835..comments2024-02-19T07:12:32.248-06:00Comments on Baseball Outsider: The outfield plan: Ben Revere's playing timeEdward Thomahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10769979703606661737noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195084204316698108.post-32818131362442721592012-02-13T17:09:37.153-06:002012-02-13T17:09:37.153-06:00I think it is doubtful the Twin are going to deal ...I think it is doubtful the Twin are going to deal Span until they are convinced Revere is ready to replace him as the leadoff hitter. That will likely not happen this year.TThttp://grannybaseball.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195084204316698108.post-80559628805744126522012-02-13T12:57:53.733-06:002012-02-13T12:57:53.733-06:00There's nothing wrong with penciling in Revere...There's nothing wrong with penciling in Revere at this point as long as your pencil has a good eraser. I really think this situation will work itself out during Spring Training.<br /><br />IF everyone (especially Span, Revere, Plouffe and Willingham) is healthy... and IF Plouffe looks like he can play a serviceable LF... and IF Willingham looks like he can handle RF at least as well as Cuddyer did... I won't be at all surprised to see either Span or Revere traded away before Opening Day or shortly thereafter.<br /><br />Revere is exactly the kind of guy Gardy loves, but Ryan has talked up Plouffe a couple of times over the winter and I believe he knows as well as anyone that a team with a corner outfielder hitting 9th has one too many soft spots in the order.<br /><br />Hopefully, Ryan won't give away either CF, but if they both look healthy and productive as March winds down, I suspect there will be teams without legitimate CFs giving Ryan a call and I believe he'll be answering those calls.JimCrikkethttp://knuckleballsblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195084204316698108.post-69474975899138358012012-02-13T12:42:10.361-06:002012-02-13T12:42:10.361-06:00Sometimes when people talk about platooning they f...Sometimes when people talk about platooning they fail to consider other factors besides platoon splits. Not only is defense a factor, but you need to consider other things. For example, people used to complain when Gardenhire stuck Redmond in against a tough righthander when he could of put him in for Mauer the night before againsty a lefty. That failed to consider whether or not Mauer was going to used as a DH, who would be used at DH on each night, who would be left on the bench to pinch hit in either of those games, and who the Twins pitcher was-since pitcher/catcher combinations have to be considered as well.<br /><br />As TT pointed out, Kelly tended to use more platooning than Gardenhire, but he seldom used straight lefty/righty match ups. It often depended on the type of pitcher as much as the side the pitcher threw from. Gardenhire also pays attention to this. He tended to use LeCroy against soft tossing righties but almost never against hard throwing righties. LeCroy had huge problems with hard throwers, especially if they combined velocity with a good breaking ball.Jim Hnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195084204316698108.post-44532450337377896192012-02-13T10:05:31.216-06:002012-02-13T10:05:31.216-06:00People talk about Revere as if the Revere we saw l...People talk about Revere as if the Revere we saw last year is his ceiling. I don't think that is true. Under ideal circumstances, he likely would of spent the year at AAA. While people compare him to Tyner, that really isn't a fair comp. Tyner wasn't near as fast, had a long loopy swing that only worked against RH pitchers and not all of them, wasn't a good basestealer or a good defender. While it is true Revere has little power and will never hit home runs, he will get stronger and will likely develop gap power that will keep the defenders a bit deeper or they will be giving up a ton of doubles and triples.<br /><br />Plouffe always looked like he could be a good hitter, for a SS. Whether he can hit like an outfielder is an open question. I think he will get most of time in rf this year if both Span and Revere are healthy.<br /><br />Platooning was a lot easier to do when teams only carried 9 or 10 pitchers. Now it is more important to carry bench guys who can play multiple positions well, rather than a hitter who can only play one position.Jim Hnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195084204316698108.post-36920279799766545902012-02-13T08:48:16.713-06:002012-02-13T08:48:16.713-06:00The problem with platoon splits is that they refle...The problem with platoon splits is that they reflect how players are actually used. I remember lots of people, including Bill James, talking about Tom Kelly sitting Hrbek against lefties, despite his relatively good numbers against left handers. The problem was that Kelly didn't sit Hrbek against all lefties. He sat him against the hard throwing guys he thought Hrbek would have trouble with. Hrbek usually got a day off when Randy Johnson was on the mound. <br /><br />Revere does not have a severe platoon split. His defense is a given. Plouffe hasn't played the outfield enough to know what kind of defender he will be. And his offense is still a question. We don't know who will be the better offensive player, but we know for certain who is going to be the better defender. Why wouldn't you at least pencil Revere in as the starter?TThttp://grannybaseball.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195084204316698108.post-67244839291614150312012-02-13T08:03:04.256-06:002012-02-13T08:03:04.256-06:00I'd like to hear your overall take on Gardy. T...I'd like to hear your overall take on Gardy. This among many other things he does just really bothers me.<br /><br />Why does Revere start with the assumption of a starting position? He should have left it an open competition. He has nothing to gain from penciling in Revere.<br /><br />Also, it's clear Gardy has his favorites, see Revere, Ben and his perenial dog-house guys, see Ploufe, Trevor, & Valencia, Danny...<br /><br />I'd actually really like to see them hire a manager who is inclined to play based on performance and improving the probability of maximizing it...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com