The Counselor elevates our usual shtick to higher courts. Thusly:
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A platoon player is a benchie by a different name. Every team has a four man bench, except the one that McClendon manages; it has a three man bench. If there is going to be a platoon, the player should be part of double coverage of up the middle defense, since that is necessary anyway.
Catcher platoons are ideal. This is because catcher is too physically demanding to play every day. So if a team can set up two catchers with a platoon advantage, this is all gravy.
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Fo' sho'. Wasn't it the Red Sox who, about a decade ago, had a lefty-hitting catcher they could use in a platoon?
;- )
Problem is, if you get a lefty catcher who can actually rake and catch and throw, he's A.J. Pierzynski. Even supposing his teammates can tolerate standing within 50 feet of him, more likely that you come up with a B.J. Surhoff. Who you play at "catcher" even if his rep is roughly that of Jesus Montero behind the plate.
Here's a list of the best lefty-hitting catchers ever. Darren Daulton is in the top 10. Rich Gedman's in the top 25. :- )
The middle infield isn't a lot different of a problem - Gordon is the only one who ever talks about Brad Miller's lefthandedness as being part of why he's such a treasure. But there you go again: if Miller jells, nobody's going to give 25% of his AB's to a right hand shortstop ...
Point is, Brad Miller is one whale of an organizational asset.
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Consider the 2014 Orcs,