The 2015 Mets were a more potent offense against righty pitchers both before and after the big trade deadline deals. The additions made during this past offseason have not really addressed that issue.
This table gives you career numbers for the 13 players who figure to be on the opening day roster.
| player | BA vs LHP | OPS vs LHP | BA vs RHP | OPS vs RHP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Wright | 0.340 | 1005 | 0.284 | 824 | |
| Yoenis Cespedes | 0.252 | 788 | 0.278 | 811 | |
| Travis d’Arnaud | 0.244 | 758 | 0.245 | 722 | |
| Juan Lagares | 0.279 | 753 | 0.254 | 627 | |
| Asdrubal Cabrera | 0.281 | 748 | 0.262 | 737 | |
| Ruben Tejada | 0.281 | 718 | 0.246 | 629 | |
| Curtis Granderson | 0.224 | 696 | 0.270 | 861 | |
| Wilmer Flores | 0.230 | 692 | 0.260 | 667 | |
| Lucas Duda | 0.229 | 670 | 0.254 | 842 | |
| Alejandro De Aza | 0.239 | 657 | 0.274 | 756 | |
| Neil Walker | 0.260 | 656 | 0.275 | 801 | |
| Michael Conforto | 0.214 | 481 | 0.275 | 872 | |
| Kevin Plawecki | 0.122 | 411 | 0.240 | 609 | |
| average | 0.246 | 695 | 0.263 | 751 |
The table is sorted by decreasing OPS versus lefties.
What we see is that Wright is the only true lefty killer in the bunch. With his spinal issue the big question will be how healthy he can remain for the season. For sure the club needs him in the starting lineup as often as possible when the opposing starter is a southpaw.
Cespedes is a star player yet he is one of the rare right-handed batters to consistently scuffle against lefties. His OPS splits in 2015 were particularly noticeable at 737 against lefties and 909 against righties. In all likelihood he will bounce back from that this coming season but it is entirely possible that he will still be a bigger force against same-handed pitching.
Walker is what I like to call a SHINO. This is a take off of the term RINO in politics (Republican In Name Only). A SHINO is a switch hitter who really is only competent from one side of the plate. Remember Wally Backman? A classic SHINO.
Even with his big salary it would behoove the Mets to find a platoon partner for Walker. Both Flores and Tejada would be reasonable candidates for the gig.
The splits for Granderson may surprise you. They are stark. Many of us bloggers spent the past few months hoping the team would add a righty batter who could play the outfield and thump lefties. Ryan Raburn, still out there as a free agent, would have been perfect as a platoonmate for Granderson.
The numbers in the table for Conforto are a bit deceiving in that he only had 15 plate appearances against lefties in his rookie season. His sweet swing and sound approach would lead one to expect that he will be able to hold his own against all but the toughest Kershawian lefties. It is entirely possible that his OPS split in the coming season could be on the order of 740/840.
One can also expect Plawecki to do a better job against lefties (and probably against righties too) in the coming season.
While Duda had a very good season against lefties in 2015 – an OPS split of 878/824 – it is probable that he will swing back to a normal lefty split in 2016.
All in all I would expect the team to have trouble with lefty pitching. Manager Collins could help his team out by keeping Granderson and Walker from facing too many lefties. GM Alderson should be on the lookout for a hitter who is tough on southpaws especially if he opts to swap out De Aza.
Good post, good point.
Scary when DW is the primary answer vs. LHP.
I definitely wanted them to add a RH power bat for the outfield corners and 1B, and must note, again, that De Aza does nothing to complement the Mets’ specific team needs — he can’t hit LHP either. Looks like almost $6 million flushed down the drain. That’s a hell of an insurance policy on a team that has actual needs.
I do think it’s reasonable to hope that Cespedes can turn it around vs. LHP. It would go a long way to solving the problem.
I think De Aza gets traded as soon as another team has a need that he fills… Mets will probably eat some $$’s and then hopefully they sign Rayburn, if he isn’t gone already. Also Wilmer’s #’s against lefties last year were much better then his career #’s. I expect that to continue.
Great point. We have to hope for improvement from d’Arnaud, Flores and Lagares.
I think you can bank on improvement from d’Arnaud.
Duda sustained that even split all year, despite a huge drop off in his production at times. I think he can replicate those numbers, or at least keep them close. His career .842 OPS against righties is the number I’m looking to return to norm. Juan Lagares could see a spike in his production by primarily seeing lefties. And I expect improvements in Kevin Plawecki’s number. None are perfect solutions, but I believe they can hold against most lefites.
I keep wondering if Plawecki is Ed Hearn or Vance Wilson.
The idea of getting his 600 OPS bat into other less-demanding defensive positions sounds a little screwy to me.
Yes, completely agree. Plawecki needs to be in the minors proving he can hit Triple-A pitching. The idea of finding ways to get him in the lineup is backwards thinking.
The best reasons for optimism regarding Plawecki’s offense are his 2013 season (838 OPS split between A and A+) and 2014 (825 OPS split between AA and AAA). This is encouraging in a young player, especially in a catcher. Plus this article http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-catcher-plawecki-opens-sinus-surgery-arnaud-article-1.2525470 discusses a debilitating sinus condition he played through last year.
Whether or not he should be tried at other positions gets the cart before the horse but IMO better offense can be expected in 2016 for this player.
There are two glaring weaknesses that need to addressed by the Mets against LHP. Walker is the obvious player and it has surfaced in the media. Flores should probably platoon with him. Tejada may have a higher OPS vs LHP but Flores had a strong OPS vs LHP in 2015 and the higher ceiling over Tejada.
The 35 year old Granderson had a stellar 2015 and accomplished it with a 556 OPS vs LHP ! It may be time to offer the elder statesman more days of rest.
Plawecki has not earned the right yet to be ” forced” into the linup and he would serve better to hone his batting skills at AAA.
Flores bowled a 955 and d’Arnaud an 1100 is their 2015 ab’s against LHP. If healthy, Wright should provide decent production against lefties. Cespee and Duda will be more than “good” against lefties.
The Big exposure is not the lack of big Lefty Killers, but it is the lineup holes versus lefties—– Grandy…. Walker. They will need to consider platoons, and the guys who fill need to produce.
Conforto’s progress becomes a major factor in this.