Late game platoon adjustments (Mench/Jenkins)

[Robideaux]

In the eighth inning last night Guillermo Mota (a righty) was pitching for the Mets. With two outs and nobody on base, Kevin Mench came to the plate and flied out. Mench is a righty. Mota is a righty. Mench can't hit righthanded pitching--the exact reason that he is being platooned to begin with.

 

I've been trying to think of a good reason why you wouldn't bring in Jenkins to hit in that situation, but I can't. Do you think its simply an ego thing? Ned doesn't want to ruffle feathers in a situation that showed to potential to get ugly in spring training.

 

It seems to me that if you are acknowledging the fact that Mench and Jenkins have massive splits by virtue of platooning them. Thus, doesn't it seem counterintuitive to have the platoon advantage at the beginning of the game, but to ignore it in close and late situations--where arguably the value of that particular out is magnified to some degree?

 

I don't mean this as a bash Ned Yost thread. I would have asked the question even if Mench had gotten a hit last night. I am legitimately curious if there is some factor in this decision not to replace Mench or Jenkins late in games with their platoon partner that I am overlooking....thanks.

 

 

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[endaround]

Just that Yost was the worst manager in taking advantage of platoon situations last year. And its really worse than you think, Jenkins hits like Estrada vs LHP, Mench hits like a poorman's Chad Moeller vs RHP.

 

Mench vs RHP:

.223 .243 .311

[thablingster]

I'm going to assume the Mets had either Wagner or Schoeneweis ready had Ned pinch hit with Jenkins, just as the Mets had Sosa ready today when we pinch hit Mench for the pitchers spot with Schoeneweis on the mound.

 

It basically comes down to do you want Mench against a RHP or Jenkins against a LHP in that situation.

[Dragonbait]

For me.... Mench has had the better bat anyways over the last 3 weeks.... play the hot hand.....

[JJHardy7]

Does anyone else think our OFs offensive numbers just don't match that of a playoff team? Imagine if we didn't have Hart...we'd hardly have any power numbers from the OF. I don't really care who is in at this point since it's not going to make a difference except with Hart. I think our only shot to really get this thing going is for Hall to start raking. Jenkins, Mench, Hall, and Hart are not an OF you can win too many games with offensively. Thank goodness for Hart.

[MJLiverock]

Just that Yost was the worst manager in taking advantage of platoon situations last year. And its really worse than you think, Jenkins hits like Estrada vs LHP, Mench hits like a poorman's Chad Moeller vs RHP.

 

Mench vs RHP:

.223 .243 .311

Jenkins vs. LHP .217 avg. .294 OBP .435 SLG .729 OPS

Estrada vs. LHP .330 agv. .339 OBP .481 SLB .821 OPS I know it is popular to hate on Estrada on this site but he really isn't that bad at the plate for a catcher. I read all the posts ripping the guy but he actually is about the 10th best offensive everyday catcher in the majors, not the best but certainly not the worst.

 

Mench too seems to get a bad rap but he has put up an .890 OPS vs. LHP. Not sure what else he can do in his role as a platoon player. I too wish Yost would use the other late in games when the opposing pitcher has been changed and now the matchup favors the pitcher. I think Yost is afraid to run out of players in some cases or would rather hope to get things going when down by 2 or 3 run with what he has on the field so he can bring in Jenkins or Mench when they are the winning run and hope for the big fly.

[endaround]

I didn't mean Estrada vs LHP-though that is completely out of line for his career, but Estrada overall. And no it isn't Mench's fault that he has nearly as many PAs vs RHP as LHP. But thats the point. Mench shouldn't be seeing RH relief pitching in games the brewers are behind.

[Fatter than Joey]

A couple of points...

 

I don't think anyone here thinks JE is a bad rather offensive catcher, rather, he could be a better offensive catcher if he could take some walks and have a better OBP. OBP generally doesn't slump, and guys like Estrada that virtually have BA=OBP, when they slump, it gets real bad.

 

To address the original poster there are definitely a lot of times where Yost will not make a batting switch in the later innings with Mench/Jenks. Mench faced Sosa early enough in the game where Randolph would not have brought in a LHP to face Jenks, -- however, we have 13 pitchers now, so we have lost a bench player, and Yost will not use Miller/Estrada as a PH -- so that may be why Jenks was not entered into the game. This illustrates though how a platoon at a offensive position (corner OF) can be very inefficient.

 

I do think though that there are plenty times where Jenks/Mench do not get lifted because of their veteran status with Ned.

[sgtcluels]

Right on FTJ. That's why I kind of hate the platoon. It works grand for starting pitcher match ups, but loses it's effectiveness once we hit relief. The extreme platoon swings help but hurt in the late innings.