Add new comment

Well, I think we'll just have to agree to disagree.
60 ANYTHING out of 1900 ANYTHING is a small sample.
It's looking at a 3% sample of data -- taken specifically from the *ONLY* year where he actually played truly badly against LHPs, (.625 OPS) -- and drawing a conclusion.
It ignores the DRASTICALLY higher sample of *YEARS* of previous data which says - yes, he CAN hit LHP. 
Would it be reasonable to conclude after the 2008 season - that the then 34-year-old Ichiro (turning 35 the next season), needed to be platooned -- because in 227 PAs against LHP during 2008 that his OPS was only .678?  Who is more likely to continue swooning - the guy who is 35 or the guy who is 27?  Ichiro - with twice the LHP sample size of Kotchman's 2009 would appear to be an absolute lock for the platoon pile.
For his CAREER, Ichiro has an .825 OPS in well over 1000 PAs against lefties.  But, in 2008, that swoons by 150 points.  Would it be reasonable to conclude - based on that 2008 sample, which is DRASTICALLY larger than 60 pitches -- that Ichiro is done against lefties?
=====
And while I get that the CBs are spread out - 60 pitches is SAMPLE-SIZED at about 15 PAs. 
Branyan saw roughly 60 pitches (of a mixed variety) in 2008.  He got zero hits - and fanned 8 times. 
And saying he only got 1 hit off 60 curves - does NOT say he got 59 strikes on the others.  It is likely that he walked a few times (3?).  And it is likely he fanned a few times (4 ... 5)?  And it is likely he put the ball in play a few -- (8?) 
For all I know  - Kotchman went 1 for 8 with 3 walks on those pitches.  Saying he only got 1 hit on those pitches SOUNDS like something really, really, really bad.  It SOUNDS like he went 1 for 60.  Or, MAYBE he walked 10 times on those 60 curves, because they were out of the strike zone. 
In 2009, Russell Branyan got 108 hits -- and failed to get a hit on 1970 pitches.  Guess his year was a complete waste.