It’s that time. The weather becomes brisk, the leaves turn color, fall decorations come out of the attic, and playoff baseball arrives for its annual fall classic.
October brings an excitement to every sports fan because all in-game decisions, whether big or small, become crucial. Do you take the pitcher out now, or leave him in?
Should you pinch hit in the 5th inning and be forced to use your bullpen for 4 innings? Should you pinch run for the cleanup hitter even though that bat may come around in the 9th?
There are a thousand little decisions to be made throughout a game and most of them are overlooked by the casual fan.
Managers dissect scouting reports to find the best matchups and positioning to put themselves in the optimal position to succeed. Oftentimes, the biggest moves are the ones not made.
In part one of this two-part article, Bench Warmers, you will look at The Dugout; position players.
However, first, it is important to introduce the foundation of Playoff roster structure. Traditionally, a 25 man roster carries 12 pitchers and 13 position players.
The limitations of the game will set those parameters. A National League roster will be used so that you can implement more strategy.
The Designated Hitter, although adds another productive bat in the lineup, takes away from the “game within the game” of strategic moves.
Photo from The Dallas Morning News
In little league, high school, college, and even the minor leagues, the bench is made up of the inferior players on the roster.
They are “bench warmers” who “ride the pine”. During the regular season, in the big leagues, this can also be true, but in the playoffs, none of these guys are just collecting a paycheck.
They all serve a very important role. Let’s investigate into each of the five men and their purpose in contributing to a championship.
C – Backup catcher or platoon partner.
A backup catcher can oftentimes be an upgrade defensively. He may receive, frame, block, and throw better than the more offensively skilled starter.
Platoon partner (Left vs RHP/Right vs LHP), may play an irregular starting role.
Seldom does a manager use this player to pinch hit unless the game has been stretched into late extra innings.
This can be highly debated topic but a manager absolutely does not want to do is have his emergency catcher (Pirates’ second baseman, Neil Walker is an emergency catcher because he caught early in his minor league career) catching when the game is on the line.
Example: Astros catcher Jason Castro may start versus a RHP but be on the bench against a LHP. Switch hitting Hank Conger is a lesser defensive catcher but gives the lineup a better matchup versus a LHP.
UTC – Utility Corner Infielder and bat off the bench. Usually a corner infielder is a power hitter.
This is important because in a 2-out situation, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, and down by 3 runs, you’re looking for a power hitter.
This is the guy. He may be a right or left handed hitter depending on the matchup (LHP or RHP). If this player is a high on-base and glove-type player, the bench needs to provide a power option elsewhere.
Example: St. Louis Cardinals Mark Reynolds plays first, could play third and his career slugging percentage is over .450. In the above scenario, expect him to be at the plate.
Photo from Bob Levey/Getty Images
UTM – Utility Middle Infielder, pinch hitter, pinch runner, and defensive replacement.
This role, although not sexy, is extremely important. This player can allow the manager many options and are often used as the game situation dictates.
Ideally, they can “grind out” an at-bat. Typically, he would be used as a pinch hitter typically to start off an inning, on-base percentage dictating, for the pitcher.
He could also be used to play defense in the ninth with the lead as a replacement for the offensive-minded infielder.
There are many players who can fill this role in a limited fashion, but few are quality super utility players.
These super utility players, in addition to their role in the infield, have the ability to play the outfield and can be plugged into the lineup to provide a day off for a struggling player.
These players often carry four or five gloves in their bags. Example: Houston Astros Marwin Gonzalez is as good as it gets this season.
He can play 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF. He can pinch hit and pinch run. He will grind out the at-bat which gives you the option to use him with a runner at 3B and no outs.
Even as a starting player, he adds value because he can be shifted into other positions and become the perfect piece for the double shift.
OF – Outfielder, pinch runner, pinch hitter, and defensive replacement.
This player can often be described as a speedy defensive player.
Remember the most famous stolen base in postseason history? Dave Roberts of the Boston Red Sox pinch ran for Kevin Millar in the ALCS game 4 against the Yankees, who were leading the series 3-0.
He stole second base and came around to score the historic run when Bill Mueller singled off of Mariano Rivera and the Yankees.
This wasn’t random luck. Roberts’s role was as a do-everything outfielder, who was effective as a pinch runner, defensive replacement, and pinch hitter. At the lower levels, this would typically be your weakest player.
However, in the MLB Playoff situation, these players can change the course of an entire season's success in a blink of an eye. For the Boston Red Sox and Major League Baseball, history was forever changed by Dave Roberts' heroics.
Example: Jarrod Dyson of the Kansas City Royals is practically a younger Dave Roberts in skill set.
The Royals also have another pair of legs off the bench in 24 year old Terrance Gore who is 207 for 226 stealing in the minor leagues.
Photo from MLB.com
OF – Outfielder and bat off the bench. This player could have more skills in the perfect roster, but you’ll assume he is a power type corner outfielder.
If your other power bat off the bench is right handed then ideally this guy is left handed.
For example, during the ninth inning of a tight game, your team will need a left-handed power bat against Dodger’s closer Kenley Jansen because LHH’s are hitting 60 points higher than RHH.
Players, like Matt Stairs (retired at the age of 43), have had long careers because they were able to fufill this role exceptionally well.
Example: Josh Hamilton, at this stage in his career and depending on his health, will fill this role for the Texas Rangers.
Los Angeles Dodgers Scott Van Slyke is a right handed version of this spot.
With the bench set, it is now positioned well to succeed in many different in-game scenarios.
Pinch run with the game on the line? Jarrod Dyson, with plus-plus speed, was 26 for 29 stealing bases in limited time this year.
Defensive substitution at first base with a three-run lead? Marwin Gonzalez, with plus range at the position, has played in 42 games there.
Facing that tough left handed reliever in the 8th with the tying run at the plate? Mark Reynolds with his career .223 ISO (league average is .135) is the choice.
None of these definitions are set in stone, but some combination of these options give the team a stronger chance to succeed when the game dictates.
Scouting reports provided to the staff, before every series, are filled with data.
Matchups, defensive positioning, pitch-out counts, stolen base counts, pitch usage, hitters hot/cold zones and many other data points are gathered from sites such as AriBall.com, statspass.com, baseballreference.com, mlb.com, etc.
This data influences managers to make the right moves at the right time.
History has shown us time and time again, the playoff heroes are often role players.
Kirk Gibson, though injured at the time, was the left handed power bat off the bench when he hit game-winning home run off of Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the ’88 World Series.
As previously mentioned, Dave Roberts had his career defining moment at age 32 in the 2004 World Series.
When the lineups are set on October 6th, take a look at the bench warmers and ask, “Who will be called on to win tonight’s game?”
References:
1. "Baseball Reference." Baseball-Reference.com. Baseball Reference, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
NOTE: All statistics accurate as of 10/05/15
By Simon Ferrer
AriBall.com
