Travis Snider Home Run

Travis Snider hit a monster home run last night against the Brewers.  People were upset last year when the Pirates traded Brad Lincoln for him, but I was optimistic that a change of scenery for Snider would help him out.

This year he has been pretty good, hitting .292/.364/.406, but he did not have a home run until last night, when he destroyed a baseball that went 458 feet and then rolls into the river.  The Pirates seem like they are using him in a platoon position and I do not know if that is necessarily right.  He has a very small sample size against LHP, but he is not terrible against them.

I have to ask the question, why do players develop a platoon split against right-hand or left-hand pitchers?  I imagine it has something to do with the ability of the hitter to see the ball and whatnot.  Younger hitters have not had the number of at-bats against LHP and have not made the necessary adjustments needed, so at what point should a team give up and go to a platoon?  Garrett Jones is someone that is good for a platoon, but are we ready to say that Snider is too?

Snider has 196 career ABs versus LHP and he is hitting .235/.280/.378.  That is definitely not good, but could that become better?  If you look at a Prince Fielder’s first full year, he had a similar line against lefties and then over time it got better.  His career line is below his RHP line, but not so much that he is a platoon candidate.  And no, I am not saying that Snider is like Fielder, but I am saying that maybe he just needs to get a chance against lefties.  Or maybe I am rambling.  Whatever.  Leave me alone.

Author: Ngewo