All We Need Is Just A Little Patience
Nook Logan has given up switch hitting. Give his lack of success from the left side, it's not a surprising decision, and were he a line-drive hitter instead of a slap-hitting sometimes-bunter, they'd likely have helped him make the decision a bit earlier.
For now, Manny Acta has decided to platoon him with Ryan Langerhans in center. I think that that's probably the right decision. The platoon puts both batters in a position where you can maximize their production (though we should note that Langerhans actually has done better against lefties in his career).
But OMG makes a solid case that the team is being unfair to Nook Logan, and that the latest machination is a sign of a dysfunctional decision-making process. Given the revolving door the team has had for 2-3 years with players getting 20-30 ABs to show their stuff, it's not a crazy argument. Interestingly, he cites the example of Matt Chico and the patience they've had with some lousy pitchers as a counter-example.
For now, Manny Acta has decided to platoon him with Ryan Langerhans in center. I think that that's probably the right decision. The platoon puts both batters in a position where you can maximize their production (though we should note that Langerhans actually has done better against lefties in his career).
But OMG makes a solid case that the team is being unfair to Nook Logan, and that the latest machination is a sign of a dysfunctional decision-making process. Given the revolving door the team has had for 2-3 years with players getting 20-30 ABs to show their stuff, it's not a crazy argument. Interestingly, he cites the example of Matt Chico and the patience they've had with some lousy pitchers as a counter-example.
posted by Chris Needham at
8:51 AM
2 Comments:
And thank you so much for putting that G'n R song in my head this morning.
There are two sets of numbers that tend to disprove OMG's point:
1. Logan, career (AVG/OBP/SLG):
vs. RHP (batting LH): .244/.299/.300, 430 AB
vs. LHP (batting RH): .317/.349/.446, 186 AB
2. Logan, 2007
vs. RHP: .189/.231/.270, 37 AB
vs. LHP: .294/.314/.382, 34 AB
Those career numbers are marginally tolerable to justify full-time switch-hitting (and no platoon), if the defense is superb, and if he can do other things as a hitter (SAC bunts, SAC flies, moving runners over with grounders, SB). He can steal (for his career, 37 SB/47 SBA), but the other stuff. I haven't seen it?
He can make the occasional "where the hell did he come from?!" catch, but overall, I don't think he's good enough to explain away the LH batting mediocrity.
The point is that Logan has had enough ABs, over his career, to show that he's not much of a left-handed batter, and his defense isn't vastly superior to Langerhans, so there's no real reason not to platoon.
Should the Nats have switched him to RH-only in spring training? In theory, yes, but I'll give them some leeway, since the team was spending most of its time auditioning 4/5 of the starting rotation.
Now, the Langerhans reverse-platoon split...that's another subject, although it's pretty pronounced.
By
Ben, at 6/08/2007 10:04 AM
Nook Logan got screwed.
He works all off-season on hitting from the left side, and after one month of play, Acta and/or Bowden decide to end this whole switch-hitting thing.
Logan will see much less playing time in a platoon. He's been demoted, pure and simple.
To give him a real chance to prove his worth, bat Logan right-handed against right-handed pitchers every day.
And if he's not good enough, bat Langerhans every day.
While I haven't been overwhelmed with Logan's defense, I wish the Nats would just make a "plan" and stick with it.
By
Anonymous, at 6/08/2007 2:11 PM
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