Why can't the Angels hit left handed pitching?

[beatlesrule]

This is no longer a sample size. It's been bad for too long. Is this just a flawed philosophical position the front office has regarding the approach to lefties? Is it just a collection of players that can't hit them and nothing to do with coaching? I believe Terry Smith said that before tonight, Minor only had 1 CG and no shutouts. Does anyone have any idea why this team is and has been so bad against left handed pitching and if there is any hope in sight?

2017 The Angels were 29th in AVG and 28th in OBP

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/year/2017/split/31/sort/avg/order/true

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/year/2017/split/31/sort/onBasePct/order/true

2018 the Angels were tied for the lowest average against lefties and 26th in OBP.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/year/2018/split/31/sort/avg/order/true

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/year/2018/split/31/sort/onBasePct/order/true

So far this year, Angels are last in average and 24th in OBP.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/split/31/sort/avg/order/true

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/split/31/sort/onBasePct/order/true

Those are the only stats I checked but I am sure they are last or close to last in every category but it's too sad to even research. I did however notice that most of the world series winners of the last 8 years or so were top 10 in AVG against lefties.

[GrittyVeterans]

Maybe it's the fact that David Fletcher is our 2nd best hitter. The talent just is not there, man. 

We've got people on this board who have talked themselves into Jonathan Lucroy and Albert Pujols being acceptable players because they aren't Zach Cozart/Peter Bourjos. That's how bad we are offensively right now.

[Lou]

14 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Maybe it's the fact that David Fletcher is our 2nd best hitter

not a fact 

[Second Base]

[kevinb]

Show me facts that only the Angels can't hit left handed pitchers. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap and move on till tomorrow and turd the page. The Angels will win tomorrow.

[beatlesrule]

2017 The Angels were 29th in AVG and 28th in OBP

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/year/2017/split/31/sort/avg/order/true

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/year/2017/split/31/sort/onBasePct/order/true

2018 the Angels were tied for the lowest average against lefties and 26th in OBP.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/year/2018/split/31/sort/avg/order/true

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/year/2018/split/31/sort/onBasePct/order/true

So far this year, Angels are last in average and 24th in OBP.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/split/31/sort/avg/order/true

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/split/31/sort/onBasePct/order/true

Those are the only stats I checked but I am sure they are last or close to last in every category but it's too sad to even research. I did however notice that most of the world series winners of the last 8 years or so were top 10 in AVG against lefties.

[kevinb]

So your saying they’re getting better. 

[Dtwncbad]

Yet how many times have we heard in assessing a possible free agent signing or trade that the Angel could use a left handed bat for "balance"?

 

[Stradling]

They could use a left handed everyday player, and yes it could help balance a line up. 

[arch stanton]

When you see that Albert is 3-16, Bourjos 1-16, Cozart 1-16, Fletcher 2-21 against lefties you wonder if it matters

[maestro]

Maybe something from the Leftorium would help 

[Dtwncbad]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

They could use a left handed everyday player, and yes it could help balance a line up. 

Can you tell me specifically what benefit would be achieved with another left handed bat?

You use the word balance, but I literally do not understand this.

Everyone knows, generically speaking, how lefty vs righty and righty vs lefty works.

But in the real world of baseball, also generically speaking, we don't really see everyday right handed hitter thatvsuck against right handed pitching.  We do see lefties that struggle against lefties.

So my personal theory is (again generically speaking) that there is really no such thing as a lineup that is "too right handed" but there would be such a thing as a lineup that is "too left handed."

If you had all lefties, there us a very good chance a few of them would be a problem against a lefty.  That's a problem to solve.

If you had all righties, I really doubt you would have multiple players in the lineup that would be problems against right handed pitching.

So I do not understand the notion that a heavily right handed lineup NEEDS more left handed bats for "balance."

Yes you can cherry pick some players to make a point, like finding a left handed bat that destroys righties and is more than fine against lefties too.

I also am not sure I want to have that extra lefty in the lineup to draw the tough left handed reliever that dominates lefty hitters in the game in the 8th inning with the game on the line.

Anyway, if I am missing something I want to know.  It just seems to me that this notion of "balance" is a bit old school and may not actually pass an actual analysis of benefit versus vulnerability. . .simply because generally speaking right handed batters do not have the level of vulnerability you typically see with left handed batters.

I dont see the need for more lefties in a right handed lineup.  My guess is the righties hit the righties fine.  Otherwise they wouldn't be major league hitters.

Do I have a point?  Or let me know what I am missing in this point.

[Stradling]

11 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Can you tell me specifically what benefit would be achieved with another left handed bat?

You use the word balance, but I literally do not understand this.

Everyone knows, generically speaking, how lefty vs righty and righty vs lefty works.

But in the real world of baseball, also generically speaking, we don't really see everyday right handed hitter thatvsuck against right handed pitching.  We do see lefties that struggle against lefties.

So my personal theory is (again generically speaking) that there is really no such thing as a lineup that is "too right handed" but there would be such a thing as a lineup that is "too left handed."

If you had all lefties, there us a very good chance a few of them would be a problem against a lefty.  That's a problem to solve.

If you had all righties, I really doubt you would have multiple players in the lineup that would be problems against right handed pitching.

So I do not understand the notion that a heavily right handed lineup NEEDS more left handed bats for "balance."

Yes you can cherry pick some players to make a point, like finding a left handed bat that destroys righties and is more than fine against lefties too.

I also am not sure I want to have that extra lefty in the lineup to draw the tough left handed reliever that dominates lefty hitters in the game in the 8th inning with the game on the line.

Anyway, if I am missing something I want to know.  It just seems to me that this notion of "balance" is a bit old school and may not actually pass an actual analysis of benefit versus vulnerability. . .simply because generally speaking right handed batters do not have the level of vulnerability you typically see with left handed batters.

I dont see the need for more lefties in a right handed lineup.  My guess is the righties hit the righties fine.  Otherwise they wouldn't be major league hitters.

Do I have a point?  Or let me know what I am missing in this point.

You have a point in lefty on lefty as it relates to relievers.  However looking at the starters which are usually half the at bats the OPS of lefties against right handed pitching is a pretty big margin.  I don’t have super recent data but here is something from a few years back.  It really doesn’t help either side of the argument after factoring in relief pitching, but I figured you’d like to see it:

 

[arch stanton]

The problem now isn't that the LH hitters can't handle lefties. It's that the RH hitters can't handle lefties

[TBailey]

18 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Can you tell me specifically what benefit would be achieved with another left handed bat?

You use the word balance, but I literally do not understand this.

Everyone knows, generically speaking, how lefty vs righty and righty vs lefty works.

But in the real world of baseball, also generically speaking, we don't really see everyday right handed hitter thatvsuck against right handed pitching.  We do see lefties that struggle against lefties.

So my personal theory is (again generically speaking) that there is really no such thing as a lineup that is "too right handed" but there would be such a thing as a lineup that is "too left handed."

If you had all lefties, there us a very good chance a few of them would be a problem against a lefty.  That's a problem to solve.

If you had all righties, I really doubt you would have multiple players in the lineup that would be problems against right handed pitching.

So I do not understand the notion that a heavily right handed lineup NEEDS more left handed bats for "balance."

Yes you can cherry pick some players to make a point, like finding a left handed bat that destroys righties and is more than fine against lefties too.

I also am not sure I want to have that extra lefty in the lineup to draw the tough left handed reliever that dominates lefty hitters in the game in the 8th inning with the game on the line.

Anyway, if I am missing something I want to know.  It just seems to me that this notion of "balance" is a bit old school and may not actually pass an actual analysis of benefit versus vulnerability. . .simply because generally speaking right handed batters do not have the level of vulnerability you typically see with left handed batters.

I dont see the need for more lefties in a right handed lineup.  My guess is the righties hit the righties fine.  Otherwise they wouldn't be major league hitters.

Do I have a point?  Or let me know what I am missing in this point.

I agree with you. I think we are too analytical as fans from time to time. The Angels are fielding an everyday lineup right now, which is ultimately the biggest issue.

[TBailey]

Just now, TBailey said:

I agree with you. I think we are too analytical as fans from time to time. The Angels are fielding an everyday lineup right now, which is ultimately the biggest issue.

Aren't*****

[Dtwncbad]

15 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

The problem now isn't that the LH hitters can't handle lefties. It's that the RH hitters can't handle lefties

I know.  It is actually weird.

[Docwaukee]

they can't hit lefties because the platoon RHers suck.  

[beatlesrule]

I guess that most of you are taking this as a joke but it's a serious concern.

[GrittyVeterans]

4 minutes ago, beatlesrule said:

I guess that most of you are taking this as a joke but it's a serious concern.

Nothing is really a serious concern right now. The team isn't talented enough to compete this year (possibly next year too). It's only a serious concern if you think they can/should win 88-92 games this year

[Jeff Fletcher]

Yesterday Ausmus was asked about this and he said essentially he has no idea why. 

[Dick B Back]

On 4/16/2019 at 9:10 PM, Kevinb said:

 turd the page. 

 

[angelsnationtalk]

Because we have no lefties in the pen that's why. That's the only reason why....

[Angel Oracle]

23 hours ago, Dochalo said:

they can't hit lefties because the platoon RHers suck.  

One of these years, they are going to have enough RHH's that can rake vs LHP.    Or will that be when I'm 80?  

[Reveille1984]

Four guys in our lineup are hitting under .200 over 10% into the season.  

Left handed, right handed, it doesn't really make a difference at this point.  We have tons of guys getting regular playing time that just shouldn't be everyday players.  The loss of Upton/Ohtani is exemplifying how little depth we have.