Stat: Left Field Power
So far this season, six different men — Angel Pagan, Moises Alou, Endy Chavez, Brady Clark, Marlon Anderson, and Damion Easley — have played left field for the Mets and none has hit a home run while playing the position.
Traditionally, left field is the spot on the diamond where a team positions their best power hitter, and/or “hides” a slugger who has troubles with glovework. The theory is that left field is the least important defensive position, requires the least amount of skills, and so if you have a player who is a strong hitter but without a position, you “stick” him in left. Examples who immediately come to mind are Adam Dunn, Manny Ramirez, Barry Bonds (in his later years), and Josh Willingham.
So it’s ironic that the Mets’ left fielders have yet to bang one over the fence. Of course, Alou is likely to knock one soon, and his offensive production — when healthy — fits the “traditional” mold of a left fielder.
…added to by Ted Berg…
Joe’s point shows the Mets’ need for offensive production from left field, which they’ve now gotten from Alou. In 29 games without the Middle-Aged Hitting Machine, the Mets averaged 4.5 runs per game. In eight games with him, they’ve averaged 5.7 runs per game. It’s a tiny sample, but it shows how important he is to the lineup.
Now they just need to figure out how to replace his production if he gets hurt again.
