RealGM

Point of interest:

If the roster shakes out as currently projected, your 2010 Toronto Blue Jays will begin the season without a single switch hitter in the lineup. What are the odds of that!?

Merely a curiosity, except for the fact that the Jays will have to rely even more on Cito's in-game player management.... Heaven help us! Plus, I don't see too many lefty pinch hitters coming off the bench here...

Catchers B/T
14 John Buck-------------------R/R
8 Jose Molina-------------------R/R

Infielders B/T
15 Edwin Encarnacion--------R/R
3 Alex Gonzalez---------------R/R
2 Aaron Hill -------------------R/R
18 Mike McCoy----------------R/R
6 John McDonald--------------R/R
35 Lyle Overbay---------------L/L

Outfielders B/T
19 Jose Bautista--------------R/R
26 Adam Lind-----------------L/L
45 Travis Snider--------------L/L
10 Vernon Wells--------------R/R

Designated Hitters B/T
21 Randy Ruiz----------------R/R

Huh. That's sort of interesting. Of course switch hitters are only useful if they're good. Case in point: Greg Zaun.

youngLion wrote:Huh. That's sort of interesting. Of course switch hitters are only useful if they're good. Case in point: Greg Zaun.

But Gregg Zaun was an above average hitter for a catcher...and still is. That's why he's got the starting job with the Brewers at age 38.

Never really understood all the hate for the Z-Man. http://www.greggzaun.com/

Well when your leftys are Lindd a potential 40HR hitter and Snider a a potential 30HR Hitter if not more, I guess you would rather just take what you get and whose to complain who will you pinch hit for ? Wells? Hill? Batista? We have relatively good bats in are line up its are pitching that is out of wack.

Switch-hitters are quite a bit less common than they were 20 years ago. There were teams last year without a single switch-hitting regular, as well; no switch-hitter even appeared on the Cards' roster, and a few (the A's, White Sox, and Reds) had only one backup who hit from both sides. Now it's becoming more common for teams to convince youngsters to focus on their dominant side...there was talk that the Jays might with Ahrens, and they likely would if not for the fact that he's awful as a lefty or righty.

Randle McMurphy wrote:

youngLion wrote:Huh. That's sort of interesting. Of course switch hitters are only useful if they're good. Case in point: Greg Zaun.

But Gregg Zaun was an above average hitter for a catcher...and still is. That's why he's got the starting job with the Brewers at age 38.

Never really understood all the hate for the Z-Man. http://www.greggzaun.com/

Before going to the Rays he had averaged about .240 for the past three seasons. I know there's a dearth of hitting catchers but to me that doesn't qualify as "above average", despite his decent OBP.

Now Greg Myers, THAT guy could hit. For one season

youngLion wrote:

Randle McMurphy wrote:

youngLion wrote:Huh. That's sort of interesting. Of course switch hitters are only useful if they're good. Case in point: Greg Zaun.

But Gregg Zaun was an above average hitter for a catcher...and still is. That's why he's got the starting job with the Brewers at age 38.

Never really understood all the hate for the Z-Man. http://www.greggzaun.com/

Before going to the Rays he had averaged about .240 for the past three seasons. I know there's a dearth of hitting catchers but to me that doesn't qualify as "above average", despite his decent OBP.

Now Greg Myers, THAT guy could hit. For one season

Zaun took a walk once every 10 plate appearances those years, and slugged over .400 in two of the three, making his OPS+ 98, 88 and 99 for those years. The middle year might just be average, but the other two really are above average for a backstop.

gregg zaun has a nice website. although it needs more z-tunes.

I wasn't aware people on the internet still used batting average to evaluate baseball players. Carry on, then.