Joe Maddon: Pinch-Hit Puppet Master

Anybody who claims to agree with every one of Joe Maddon's moves could not be more dishonest. In a sport where successfully reaching base 40% of the time is considered total brilliance, armchair managing an offense is a true feel-good business. Much has been been of Maddon's love for platoons and bizarre computer generated splits that go beyond traditional handedness. Merlot Joe, the sophisticated lunatic. Did you know the Rays have used 100 pinch-hitters to date this season? For perspective that's 23 more times than Boston, the team with the second most pinch-hit appearances in the American League (league average: 57).

What do we know about pinch-hitting? The Book finds that a player should expect about a 10% wOBA penalty from their true talent level when used as a switch-hitter. It sure sounds like leading the league in pinch-hit appearances would be a losing proposition for the puppet master. So just how has it worked out for the Rays in 2010?:

The Rays have the 2nd best on-base percentage and slugging percentage despite being the least selective about when to utilize pinch-hitters. To reach base 38% of the time is astounding. What factors might contribute to the Rays liberal pinch-hitting policy? For one, information. It's easy to criticize what we don't know, and we would all like to be a fly on the front office's black box reports, but you can't argue the results. Another factor that allows for so many opportunities is a well-constructed 25-man roster. The flexibility of Ben Zobrist, Reid Brignac, and Sean Rodriguezallows for all sorts of defensive realignments, giving Maddon the ability to select the best hitter for each situation without being burdened by position limitations.  

The next time Maddon pinch-hits or does not pinch-hit where you may have, and the result does not go in the Rays favor, remind yourself that Maddon's pinch-hitting platoon paratroopers only fail 62% of the time, which is quite awesome. While on the subject we may as well look at the individual makeup of the club in pinch-hitting situations:

All right, so maybe you are allowed to complain the next time Kapler hits for Joyce in the 5th inning with 2 outs and no one on against a lefty reliever!