.

:: taps live mic ::  First workout THIS Wednesday.  Amirite?  Opening ST game against the Padres, two weeks exactly.  We made it through another winter!  :: crowd goes wild ::

Bob Dutton's series on the roster groups has been very good.  This one on the outfield features his thematic structure.  I - Opinion/report on the likely winners and losers for playing time.  With surprising incisiveness and commitment.  II - Rotisserie-guide style 50-word summaries on each candidate.  III - Meaty little Keys To The Game.  Nicely done, amigo.

...

Word is, Jarrod Dyson will get a chance to play full time, batting against lefties also.  Dr. D had been under the impression that it's an open-and-shut case against Dyson LH-on-LH, and so had the Kansas City Royals.

2016:  34 ups against LH ... 304 vs RH.

2015:  41 chances against LH ... 184 vs RH.

That, amigos, is an awfully strict platoon.  It's hard to keep it down near 10% even if you try to, because of RP swaps and "flu-like symptoms" with your platoon mate and the fact that Dyson is often in there for his defense.  But the Royals had noticed Dyson's .590 life OPS against lefties, and .590 is blinkin' hard to do when you can bunt for more than that.

...

So what are the M's thinking?  They're thinking SOMEthing, because Dipoto knows more than we do.  We do notice that in 2016, last year, he batted .379/.438/.552 against lefties.  (Yes, yes, Egbert, it was in very few at bats.  Very good.  Now sit down.)  It's actually chuckle-inducing because he got 34 plate appearances in 28 games against lefties.

But there's the possibility that Dyson has improved against left hand pitching, has sorted something out.  It's something for a Denizen to watch, because Dipoto will be watching it.

Enjoy,

Dr D