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Friday, January 25, 2013

Jonny Gomes: I’m no one-trick pony

Hackney pony nonetheless.

Throughout his 10-year career, Jonny Gomes has had success against left-handed pitchers, batting .284 with an .894 on-base plus slugging percentage, while struggling against righties (.223, .782).

Nevertheless, he’s preparing to be more than just a platoon left fielder for the Red Sox.

“You look at baseball cards, there’s no such thing as a position of a ‘guy that hits lefties’ or a ‘guy that hits righties,’” Gomes said before last night’s 74th annual Boston Baseball Writers’ dinner at the Westin Copley Place. “You either hit or you don’t. Are they different? They are different, 100 percent, lefty and righty. But I didn’t hit just lefties in the 12-year-old All-Stars. Coming up through the minors, I didn’t have a swing that just hits lefties. I work very hard in the offseason to condition myself to be ready for 162 (games).”

Repoz Posted: January 25, 2013 at 07:02 AM | 17 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: red sox

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1. salvomania Posted: January 25, 2013 at 08:23 AM (#4354711)

Isn't a .782 OPS really damn good for a crappy platoon split?

2. Greg (U)K Posted: January 25, 2013 at 08:28 AM (#4354712)

Yeah I would think the thing that makes Gomes a platoon player isn't so much his poor hitting against RHP, but the fact that his ok hitting against RHP can't make up for his glove.

3. Danny Posted: January 25, 2013 at 08:59 AM (#4354716)

He's actually .223/.307/.425 career against RHP (.732 OPS), which--as Greg says--is less than ideal from a guy with no glove.

4. Darren

Posted: January 25, 2013 at 09:09 AM (#4354719)

Even last year, which was a really good year for him, he was at .715. The East has a lot of lefties, though, so he should be pretty useful. If they can get 60 to 80 games out of him, heavily tilted toward playing at home and vs. lefties, he should be worth his deal.

5. Darren

Posted: January 25, 2013 at 09:09 AM (#4354720)

And when MCOA talks about pony plans, I hope he means something a bit more exciting than Gomes.

6. Darren

Posted: January 25, 2013 at 09:35 AM (#4354729)

Is Gomes in better shape than he was early in his career with TB? After the comment in this article, I checked out some pics of him and it's hard to tell.

7. Bitter Mouse Posted: January 25, 2013 at 10:23 AM (#4354759)

Best shape of his life!

8. NattyBoh Posted: January 25, 2013 at 02:18 PM (#4354977)

What about ponies? What kind of abnormal animal is that?

9. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: January 25, 2013 at 03:22 PM (#4355012)

Even last year, which was a really good year for him, he was at .715. The East has a lot of lefties, though, so he should be pretty useful. If they can get 60 to 80 games out of him, heavily tilted toward playing at home and vs. lefties, he should be worth his deal.

They'll probably use Gomes more often than that, right? Nava and Kalish are the only lefty-hitting OF on the 40-man, and neither of them looks to be that much better than Gomes against RHP. Nava's maybe marginally better, but it seems like they'd give Gomes plenty of chances to fail against RHP before handing the bigger side of the platoon to Nava.

10. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: January 25, 2013 at 04:03 PM (#4355044)

He's actually .223/.307/.425 career against RHP (.732 OPS), which--as Greg says--is less than ideal from a guy with no glove.

Yup, if he was a good glove OF, he'd be a starter, not great, but a starter. But if you believe UZR (-13/150) or BRef (-10/162) he's really crappy.

11. Walt Davis Posted: January 25, 2013 at 04:54 PM (#4355077)

Sorry, Jonny, I don't think balloon animals count as a "trick."

12. jyjjy Posted: January 25, 2013 at 05:37 PM (#4355105)

"Swears he is in fact a human and not a pony at all. More at 11."

13. Darren

Posted: January 25, 2013 at 05:48 PM (#4355118)

I think they signed Gomes because they're hoping Kalish is ready and want to give him a shot to win the big side of the platoon. If he's not, Nava was a solid .269 .383 .414 vs. righties last year, .261 .369 .399 for his career, and is a better fielder than Gomes.

14. Darren

Posted: January 25, 2013 at 05:52 PM (#4355122)

And now I'm reading on ST that Kalish needs more surgery. Oh well, this is your big chance, Nava!

15. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: January 25, 2013 at 05:58 PM (#4355130)

those numbers are understating the awful nature of gomes defense. he handles fly balls like a beagle puppy chases a butterfly: tremendous fascination, lots of effort, utter failure

16. jyjjy Posted: January 26, 2013 at 01:41 AM (#4355325)

Sudden realization: People, why are we wasting our lives watching men throw balls at other men who swing sticks at them instead of beagle puppies chasing butterflies?

17. Jack Carter, calling Beleaguered Castle Posted: January 26, 2013 at 06:43 AM (#4355356)

“You look at baseball cards, there’s no such thing as a position of a ‘guy that hits lefties’ or a ‘guy that hits righties,’”

And when you look at a baseball field, they put men, not cards, at the various positions.

“You either hit or you don’t. Are they different? They are different, 100 percent, lefty and righty. But I didn’t hit just lefties in the 12-year-old All-Stars. Coming up through the minors, I didn’t have a swing that just hits lefties. I work very hard in the offseason to condition myself to be ready for 162 (games).”

Congrats, but it doesn't change the fact that your teams are better off if you don't play 162.

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Friday, January 25, 2013

Jonny Gomes: I’m no one-trick pony

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