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Bats Right/Throws Left

Frayed Knot Feb 10 2009 07:22 AM

A piece in today's [url=http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/bats-right-throws-left-the-best-players-in-major-league-history/:kpnftx0x]The Hardball Times[/url:kpnftx0x] tackles this rare breed (just 57 position players since 1871) and finds several Mets in the 'Ten Best' among the group. Mark Carreon = 8th (says a lot about the group don't it?) Cleon Jones = 4th and (of course) Rickey as #1

Edgy DC Feb 10 2009 07:36 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Feb 10 2009 07:46 AM

Two things on Rickey. ]I don't know that I can recall anyone ever asking Henderson why he bats right-handed while throwing lefty, but I'm certain if anyone ever did they received an answer that's at once incomprehensible, funny, and somehow satisfying in a Rickeyesque way. I think he said he batted righthanded because that's the way every other kid batted and no coach told him there was another option until he got locked in that way. ]Henderson didn't display an extraordinarily strong platoon differential, but he hit lefthanders significantly better than he hit righties, particularly for power. Tremendous a performer as he was, imagine if he'd been able to switch-hit, and hit just as well if not better in the 70 per cent of his plate appearances against right-handers as he did in the 30 per cent against lefties. Wow. I like to think about if he threw righthanded. Instead of being the third or fourth or fifth best leftfielder ever, he'd be clearly the best secondbaseman the planet has ever known.

seawolf17 Feb 10 2009 07:45 AM

MiniWolf = #58 (drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft)

Vic Sage Feb 10 2009 11:43 AM

]Henderson didn't display an extraordinarily strong platoon differential, but he hit lefthanders significantly better than he hit righties, particularly for power. um... come again?

Centerfield Feb 10 2009 01:18 PM

It's easy. He hits righthanded pitching about as well as he hits lefthanded pitching. Except that he hits far better against lefthanders and for more power. This makes him a poor candidate for a platoon. Meaning you'd be stuck with having to run one of the greatest players the game has ever seen out there every day, as opposed to platooning him with, say Endy Chavez.