A Portrait of a Working Platoon

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 21, 2009 11:30 PM EDT Comment 28 comments

Tampa Bay Rays' Gabe Gross, right, is congratulated by teammates Ben Zobrist and Dioner Navarro after Gross hit a two-run homer off Cleveland Indians pitcher Jensen Lewis in the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 25, 2009, in Cleveland. Zobrist scored. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

5 months ago: Tampa Bay Rays' Gabe Gross, right, is congratulated by teammates Ben Zobrist and Dioner Navarro after Gross hit a two-run homer off Cleveland Indians pitcher Jensen Lewis in the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 25, 2009, in Cleveland. Zobrist scored. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Browse more photos »

Gabe Gross versus righties: 125 plate appearances .269/.368/.398

Gabe Kapler versus lefties: 72 plate appearances .260/.333/.520

Both have gotten at-bats against their same-handed brethren as well. Gross has about an extra 20 at-bats, but otherwise the pair has combined to be something like a ~.250/.350/.450 right fielder with above average defense to the tune of about seven runs.

That's Jayson Werth, my favorite Matt Joyce comparison.

Even if Joyce were Werth from day one, it's basically a zero sum move at this point -- unless you make the point that having Gross/Kapler as a fourth outfielder everyday instead of every other day provides an upgrade.

0 recs | Comment 28 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I know a good right fielder

That’s right.

by putupyourDUKES on Jun 21, 2009 11:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah but he's not family friendly.

Actually, he’s too family friendly.

Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)

by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 21, 2009 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its been working good

Platoons are almost always better than someone playing everyday. Roster limitations just won’t allow teams to maximize, but rosters do give you the ability to have a platoon or two.

by matthan on Jun 21, 2009 11:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if Gross trys to convert Kapler.

I bet Gross and Zobrist corner him in the locker room every now and then, and try to show him the “light”

by putupyourDUKES on Jun 21, 2009 11:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Could you ever be friends with someone who hurt you badly?

Jesus forgave us for our sins and I believe if you’re truly a child of the lord then you will have the heart to forgive them to, so yes I would.

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 21, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

what did Kapler to to Gross again?

why am I even responding to this…

Regressing to the mean streets of St. Pete

by stpetelawyer on Jun 22, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing...

That was a quote from some bible thumping friend from my HS

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 22, 2009 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

kinda OT but I got to speak to Joyce for a few minutes after the Durham game tonight

really good guy, seemed a bit dissapointed he got sent down but I can’t really blame him. Hopefully he will be back up soon.

by Dbullsfan on Jun 21, 2009 11:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yahoo has their numbers a lot higher than yours.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 22, 2009 7:17 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

is yahoo not updated?

kapler http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6140/splits;_ylt=AtmDPuzufiXaCA7B35.93EmFCLcF

Gross http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7077/splits;_ylt=AtmDPuzufiXaCA7B35.93EmFCLcF

by walkoffwalk on Jun 22, 2009 7:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The 'zero sum move' line confuses me

The extra roster spot is worth something.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 22, 2009 7:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not to mention he's younger and cheaper.

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jun 22, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It wouldn't be an extra roster spot.

You would replace one of the two with Joyce. And his performance would be just about equal to the pair combined.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 22, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kapler's ISO is .247

oh snap

Selgy

by mittens on Jun 22, 2009 10:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That's Jewpower if I ever sawr it.

by Suttree on Jun 22, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he doesn't even have legs

Selgy

by mittens on Jun 22, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just for fun:

Gabe Kapler so far: 105PA .237/.318/.484, 4HR, 18RBIs, 12BB, 14k
Rocco Baldelli So Far: 71PA, .273/.342/.455, 3HR, 9RBI, 6BB, 18k

Rocco has already qualified for $500k in bonus money, for being on the active roster for 15 and 40 days. He is currently on pace to meet up to 115 days (the number of maximum days he can be on the active roster at this point is 139, the next bonus is 140). This will earn him $1.25M dollars in bonus money if he meets this task.

Rocco has not met any performance-incentive bonuses on his contract, which are based on plate appearances. At this pace, he will meet the bonus incentives for 325 and 350 PA (projecting final total at this time is 352). If he meets these incentives, he will earn an extra $500k.

Total guaranteed earned for Rocco so far: $1,000,000
Total guaranteed earned for Kapler so far: $1,000,018

Total projected earned for Rocco: $2,750,000
Total projected earned for Gabe of the Day Platoon: $2,255,018

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 22, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Josh Hamilton, part two.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 22, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Rocco were to blow his knee out and retire tomorrow, I will send Sternberg $18 to cover the difference in contracts.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 22, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also we don't have to worry about battling mysterious mydochondrians or whatever

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jun 22, 2009 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They're midichlorians, and Rocco doesn't have nearly enough of them.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 22, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It all sounds like fake bullshit scientology nonsense to me

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jun 22, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So I'm not the only one who saw that parallel?

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Jun 23, 2009 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Friedman'd.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 22, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

R.J.

I thank you for posting this so much…

Just wondering though, what stats are going into the equation on Joyce’s part to create a 0 sum move?

Also, Gross’s BABIP is at .320 when it should be around .370 if it follows his LD rate of 25%. Kapler is at 17% LD with .230 BABIP, so they are (combined) about 50 points (on average) lower than their LD rates say their BABIPs should be.

I love these two

by Navi's_Navy on Jun 22, 2009 6:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs