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Read: Trouble Hitting Southpaws

by Evan Drellich on March 21st, 2008 at 3:48 pm

With Moises Alou likely out until May, Adam Rubin of the Daily News is turning to Angel Pagan, Brady Clark and Damion Easley to step in in left field and balance out a predominantly left-handed bottom of the lineup.

Rubin writes:

“With three lefty hitters already in the Nos. 5-8 slots in the batting order … it’s virtually essential that a righty batter occupy the other slot and man left field.”

Pagan, a switch-hitter who entered today batting .333 in 60 at-bats this spring, has a .219 career average against left-handers—60 points below his career average against righties.

…pagan has to be the guy getting the majority of playing time out of the gate, but rubin’s right…opposing teams might need only a lefty reliever or two to plow through an alou-less mets lineup, or at least half of it…