Granderson Against Lefties

by jscape2000 on Dec 11, 2009 11:00 AM EST in New York Yankees Analysis

Pitcher	PA	BA	OBP	SLG
Lee	38	.278	.316	.417
Buehrle	25	.217	.280	.478
Liriano	25	.182	.250	.364
Danks	20	.053	.053	.053
Sabathia	20	.158	.158	.158
Saunders	19	.250	.333	.438
Gobble	15	.385	.429	.923
Perez	15	.167	.333	.417
Perkins	15	.364	.533	.455
Thornton	15	.143	.200	.143
Santana	14	.000	.077	.000
Sowers	14	.286	.286	.500
Lily	10	.100	.100	.100
Logan	10	.222	.222	.556

Joe Poz mentions a thought I'd been mulling in his piece about Granderson (he makes a Granderson Central quip- FreeBradshaw, you'd email me and let me know if you were really my sports writing idol travelling incognito among the unwashed blogging masses, right?).

In the AL Central, Granderson must have faced some great left handed pitchers. If those guys dominated him, it would go a long way to quelling my still substantial worries that we've traded for a platoon player.

Granderson had a .245 OBP against lefties. As the chart to the left indicates, familiarity breeds contempt; Granderson beat his average against 7 of the 9 pitchers against whom he had the most PA.

The JoePoz "good lefties" theory: busted.

My new hypothesis: Granderson simply doesn't pick up the ball well.

It certainly explains his profile as a high strikeout hitter- his success depends on his natural talents (reaction and bat speed) overcoming his limitations. The incredible difficultly of this limitation is highlighted when he faces a left- he has less time with both eyes on the ball and the pitch breaks away from him, so it's harder to pull.

So tell me, with the usual disclaimers about small sample sizes and bad luck, do you think I'm wrong?

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Comments

there is no way

Just listen to the guy sometimes

by cashman bashman on Dec 11, 2009 11:55 AM EST reply actions

Now, I am not a baseball scout/officianado.....

But I feel with that lineup surrounding him maybe the pitches he will be seeing may change…..I dunno, just a thought.
If you get my drift, a play going a certain way means to me that if the circumstances were to change on that certain play…..will the next pitch/at bat/ETC be the same. I hope I am explaining myself.

Rick
Goooooooooooo MSU BOBCATs
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Almost 60 years as a YANKEE Fan

by ramyankee on Dec 11, 2009 12:25 PM EST reply actions

One of the things that has shown up in the studies I’ve read of the pitch f/x data they’ve collected over the last few years is that there doesn’t seem to be much “lineup effect.”
Because I just threw 3 sliders to Posada doesn’t really effect the way I’m going to pitch to Cano. The scouting report on Cano is the scouting report, and we’re going to pitch to him the best way to get him out.

On the other hand, being in a deeper lineup that sees more pitches should get Grand Central some extra ABs against the underbelly of the bullpen. That will certainly help.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Dec 11, 2009 12:42 PM EST up reply actions

So I guess what you are saying.....

Is that if you allow a base hit to Posada and the next batter is Grandy, ETC then it will not change the pitches to Grandy, ETC….So bases empty or a man or men on base will not alter that plan.

Rick
Goooooooooooo MSU BOBCATs
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Almost 60 years as a YANKEE Fan

by ramyankee on Dec 11, 2009 1:13 PM EST up reply actions

Um… sometimes? They might make different choices with men on vs bases empty.

I’m trying to say that over the course of a season, the average pitcher won’t throw a noticeably different selection to a hitter because he bats 1st, 4th, 8th in the lineup (in the AL). Contrary to popular opinion, Tex did not see more fastballs once Arod returned to the lineup, he simply starting hitting the ones he was seeing.

Obviously, some pitchers in some situations will change their approach, ex. Lidge didn’t want to throw his slider once Damon got to third.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Dec 11, 2009 5:54 PM EST up reply actions

Just wait until you see him hit righties

by Scooby Snacks on Dec 11, 2009 12:43 PM EST reply actions

It is high...it is far...it is GONE...

Let’s see your best John Sterling call for Granderson. Here’s a couple.

“…Next stop Grand Central!!”
“…That was a GRAND slam!!”

and a couple really bad ones

“…GRANDIOSE!!”
“…Curt is Grander, son!!”

by Jaybat on Dec 11, 2009 2:05 PM EST up reply actions

“…A Dandy! From Grandy!”

by pinstriper on Dec 11, 2009 9:41 PM EST up reply actions

I'm sure Sterling will be spending hours this fall

thinking of a call for him!!! This is what he lives for!!!! lol thank god he’s good at it.

by nyyrocks29 on Dec 11, 2009 10:11 PM EST up reply actions

I am not Joe Poz.....

and i agree jscape..its definitely not just good pitchers, tho facing the mostly RH dominated AL East (not even KAZMIR anymore…), Grand Central may have an MVPish year this year.

We gotta facton in coaching. Guys like Damon and Matsui may have been good against LHers before, but I think we do have to give Kevin Long credit for helping them consistently be good against LH (funny…we wanted him and Eiland sent to Siberia in May…)

I hope we retain one of Mats or Damon just to talk with Grand Central on this.

"It ain't over till its over"---

How come no one covers Steve Smith?

by FreeBradshaw on Dec 11, 2009 5:28 PM EST reply actions