Southpaw Suckage

[TransMonk]

Since August 1st, the Mets are 27-15 in 42 games played. That's a .642 winning percentage over what equals a quarter-season's worth of games. I haven't done the math, but I would venture that's as good if not better than any 40+ game stretch they've had this season. Not too shabby.

Over that same period of time, the Mets are 22-3 when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. 22 and freaking 3!. However, they are 5-12 when facing a left-handed starting pitcher.

List of potential playoff teams and their lefty starters:

Padres - David Wells
Cardinals - None
Dodgers - Mark Hendrickson
Marlins - Dontrelle Willis, Scott Olsen
Giants - Noah Lowry, Jonathan Sanchez
Phillies - Cole Hamels, Randy Wolf, Jamie Moyer

A's - Barry Zito, Brad Halsey
Yankees - Randy Johnson
Tigers - Kenny Rogers, Wilfredo Ledezma, Nate Robertson
Twins - Johan Santana, Francisco Liriano (maybe)
White Sox - Mark Buehrle

If Pedro turns out to be OK healthwise(which after his start against Pittsburgh, I'm not so sure about), the Mets' inability to hit starting southpaws may have trumped the starting pitching as their biggest weakness. Looking at that list, it may not be as bad as it seems...but hopefully San Diego wins the WC and the Tigers bow out early.

[Frayed Knot]

It's def a cause for concern as a LHP (somewhat) negates Delgado, Floyd, Endy & Green, plus turns Beltran & Valentin around to their weaker sides. Oddly they had a pretty good record against LHPs during the first half of the season.
Part of the downturn could be due to Nady being dealt, part of it is that Wright was absolutely mashing LHPs early on and has reverted to more human numbers since, and part of it's probably just a quirk of numbers.

[Guest Edgy DC]

More human numbers across the board for Wright.

Before ASB: .316 / .386 / .575 // .961
After ASB: .297 / .378 / .458 // .836

Vs. Lefties though, it gets fugly:

Before ASB: .367 / .463 / .646 // 1.109
After ASB: .182 / .313 / .288 // .601

It's a like it's 1998 and we replaced Piazza with Castillo.

[MFS62]

Good job, Monk, but you forgot those two kid lefty starters LA threw at the Mets.

Later

[TransMonk]

I don't know that the Dodgers would bring either of those 2 rookies to start in the playoffs. I figured their playoff rotation would be Penny, Lowe, Maddux, Billingsley and then Hendrickson as the fifth starter. I guess they could take one of the kid lefties along if they knew they were playing the Mets, but it would take a lot of guts to start them with the season on the line. I believe the only reason we saw either one of those pitchers last week is because this is September and the rosters have expanded.

[Valadius]

I doubt the Dodgers would take Kid Pro Kuo into the playoffs.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I'm thinking Willie should start Endy and Lastings in the corner outfield spots against lefties in the playoffs.

Vs. Lefties: Reyes Lo Duca Beltran Wright Delgado Chavez Milledge Valentin

Vs. Righties: Reyes Lo Duca Beltran Delgado Wright Floyd Green Valentin

[MFS62]

Nothing wrong with that logic.

Side note, has anyone heard whether Ramon Castro will be ready to play by the end of the season? He might provide some righthanded punch against lefties.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't mind subbing Milledge in for Green, but Floyd's done as well as anybody against lefties recently, hasn't he?

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Has he done as well as Endy has?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Unable to get mlb.com's secondary splits going, I'm going to go ahead and doubt it. Endy has hit lefties most of the year.

But I'm going more by impression than results. Seems to me Cliff has been hitting the ball hard against lefties in September, if not always getting hits.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Well, if it turns out that Floyd is hitting lefties well, then I'd consider revising the lineups I posted above to include an outfield of Floyd, Beltran, and Chavez against lefties.

I'd put Chavez above Milledge on the depth chart.

Valentin's been struggling (I'm sorry, "scuffling") against lefties, too, but I'd still rather have him in there than Woodward. Too bad the Mets didn't activate Tim Teufel before August 31.