Oz is a "from the gut" guy. He doesn't go with matchups very often.

 

It's "wait and see", I guess.

 

Yeah that is definitely 100% incorrect... if anything Ozzie puts too much emphasis in matchups.

Yeah that is definitely 100% incorrect... if anything Ozzie puts too much emphasis in matchups.

 

Matchups as in..."Oh lefty hitting, must bring in lefty".

 

But there are times where he doesn't sit A.J. against tough lefties instead of letting Castro hit.

Edited April 3, 201115 yr by chw42

Yeah that is definitely 100% incorrect... if anything Ozzie puts too much emphasis in matchups.

Mmmm...

 

I don't really think 100%. I'd say 50%.

 

He hardly ever works the lefty/lefty matchup or starts a bench guy hitting .280 against a pitcher over a regular starter hitting .240.

 

He decides on the fly with input from his coaches.

 

Buck Showalter is a matchup guy. Ozzie is not.

Mmmm...

 

I don't really think 100%. I'd say 50%.

 

He hardly ever works the lefty/lefty matchup

 

I would say he does it too often. He wants his guys to be able to do more than be a LOOGY type, but he will bring a lefty in if there are lefties coming up and vice versa.

 

or starts a bench guy hitting .280 against a pitcher over a regular starter hitting .240.

 

I would applaud him for that because pitcher vs batter has very low correlation. It's a complete matter of sample size. When the Sox play the Rangers this year, do you want Ozzie to bench Dunn for Teahen when Dave Bush is on the mound? Dunn has a .571 OPS against him while Teahen is at .962.

 

Buck Showalter is a matchup guy. Ozzie is not.

 

Then I will let you explain to me how 92.5% of Mark Kotsay's plate appearances last year came against right handed pitching.

He hardly ever works the lefty/lefty matchup