2021 Series #7 | Yankees @ Indians | April 22, 2021

[Montgo]

Luplow HAS hit MLB RHers well when allowed to play every day.

And thats the point. When he plays every day, he hits everybody.

When he plays sporadically, he only hit lefties.

Everybody talks about Johnson, who has not handled lefties well...but Luplow was the better hitter in the minors than Johnson by a fairly substantial margin....without significant splits.

This does not mean that Johnson won't hit, but if you go by the results, Luplow deserves the first long look as a regular.

When was this stretch when Luplow played everyday in the bigs and hit LHP well?

You are also completely missing the point I was making. I’m arguing against the route of slowly trying out fringe players as everyday players. They have 26 roster spots. Use them. Put guys in positions to succeed. It’s what Tampa has been doing the last few years and it hasn’t hindered player development or team performance. It’s the model the Indians should follow, especially with the logjam of players coming through the system.

Guys can play 4-5 games a week and still develop at the big league level. It’s not as black and white as many make it out to be.

 

[Montgo]

To clarify my point a little further, I don’t really object to playing Luplow nearly everyday. He’s the definition of the hot hand earning more time. The same cannot be said of Naylor and Rosario, though. They’re not helping the team win right now and should not be forced into everyday roles at the detriment of the team. Mix in a few other guys and see who makes the most of the opportunity, like Luplow has.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

To clarify my point a little further, I don’t really object to playing Luplow nearly everyday. He’s the definition of the hot hand earning more time. The same cannot be said of Naylor and Rosario, though. They’re not helping the team win right now and should not be forced into everyday roles at the detriment of the team. Mix in a few other guys and see who makes the most of the opportunity, like Luplow has.

They "mixed in" Gamel and Bauers and Chang. How's that working out?

 

[CATS44]

When was this stretch when Luplow played everyday in the bigs and hit LHP well?

You are also completely missing the point I was making. I’m arguing against the route of slowly trying out fringe players as everyday players. They have 26 roster spots. Use them. Put guys in positions to succeed. It’s what Tampa has been doing the last few years and it hasn’t hindered player development or team performance. It’s the model the Indians should follow, especially with the logjam of players coming through the system.

Guys can play 4-5 games a week and still develop at the big league level. It’s not as black and white as many make it out to be.

I think you meant RH pitching...lol.

Luplow has played fairly regularly four times in MLB...counting this month.

In Sept 2017 he played 21 games, had 75 PAs...with a .754 OPS.

In May 2019 he played 23 games, had 77 PAs...with a .883 OPS.

In June 2019 he played 18 games, had 60 PAs...with an OPS of .880.

He has played in 16 of our 25 games so far, has had 51 PA...with an OPS of 1.004.

Except for this month, I dont have the splits for those months. But unless you think that his success when playing regularly has come only because opponents were throwing almost nothing but lefties, those numbers are more than impressive. Those are JRam numbers.

At the plate he kinda reminds me of Casey Blake, who was a productive player for us for a long time.

Luplows pro career...major and minor..is very similar in terms of production at every level.

Compare OPS...Blake first, Luplow second.

MLB....778...799
MiLB...839...837
AAA....853...868
AA.....1.069..903
A+........784...784

You get the idea.

All Blake needed was a chance to play every day, and the Indians gave him that chance at age 29. Toronto, Minnesota, and Baltimore did not.

All Luplow needs is the same chance at age 27.

 

[Montgo]

They "mixed in" Gamel and Bauers and Chang. How's that working out?

Seriously? Two of those guys should not have been on the roster and the other is UIF. Those guys didn’t suck because of how they were being used. They just aren’t very good.

Odd response.

 

[Montgo]

I think you meant RH pitching...lol.

Luplow has played fairly regularly four times in MLB...counting this month.

In Sept 2017 he played 21 games, had 75 PAs...with a .754 OPS.

In May 2019 he played 23 games, had 77 PAs...with a .883 OPS.

In June 2019 he played 18 games, had 60 PAs...with an OPS of .880.

He has played in 16 of our 25 games so far, has had 51 PA...with an OPS of 1.004.

Except for this month, I dont have the splits for those months. But unless you think that his success when playing regularly has come only because opponents were throwing almost nothing but lefties, those numbers are more than impressive. Those are JRam numbers.

At the plate he kinda reminds me of Casey Blake, who was a productive player for us for a long time.

Luplows pro career...major and minor..is very similar in terms of production at every level.

Compare OPS...Blake first, Luplow second.

MLB....778...799
MiLB...839...837
AAA....853...868
AA.....1.069..903
A+........784...784

You get the idea.

All Blake needed was a chance to play every day, and the Indians gave him that chance at age 29. Toronto, Minnesota, and Baltimore did not.
Luplow has played fairly regularly four times in MLB...counting this month.

In Sept 2017 he played 21 games, had 75 PAs...with a .754 OPS.

In May 2019 he played 23 games, had 77 PAs...with a .883 OPS.

In June 2019 he played 18 games, had 60 PAs...with an OPS of .880.

He has played in 16 of our 25 games so far, has had 51 PA...with an OPS of 1.004.

Except for this month, I dont have the splits for those months. But unless you think that his success when playing regularly has come only because opponents were throwing almost nothing but lefties, those numbers are more than impressive. Those are JRam numbers.

At the plate he kinda reminds me of Casey Blake, who was a productive player for us for a long time.

Luplows pro career...major and minor..is very similar in terms of production at every level.

Compare OPS...Blake first, Luplow second.

MLB....778...799
MiLB...839...837
AAA....853...868
AA.....1.069..903
A+........784...784

You get the idea.

All Blake needed was a chance to play every day, and the Indians gave him that chance at age 29. Toronto, Minnesota, and Baltimore did not.

All Luplow needs is the same chance at age 27.

I appreciate your effort. And I like Luplow, too. He has earned the shot to play a little more. But to the examples you listed...

Apr 21 - he has primarily faced LHP as has already been mentioned. 15 PA’s vs RHP.

2019 - I’ll just address both as the same..he faced LHP 60% of the time that season. His wOBA splits that year were .474/.251 in 261 PA’s. Outside of the smallest sample size, it’s statistically impossible to suggest Luplow fared well against RHP for a consistent stretch. The guy mashed LHP that year.

Sep 17 - even splits....but he was merely an average player

I’m going to move on from this conversation. I’ve gone down a rabbit hole regarding Luplow and he isn’t even the focus of the point I was making. He definitely has earned more playing time. Just like Bradley and DJ have earned getting a shot on the club. And just like Naylor and Rosario still deserve to get playing time. I want to see them all play 3-5 times a week. Just like they have been doing to this point, but with more deserving players on the roster.

 

[xmasbuck]

I think you meant RH pitching...lol.

Luplow has played fairly regularly four times in MLB...counting this month.

In Sept 2017 he played 21 games, had 75 PAs...with a .754 OPS.

In May 2019 he played 23 games, had 77 PAs...with a .883 OPS.

In June 2019 he played 18 games, had 60 PAs...with an OPS of .880.

He has played in 16 of our 25 games so far, has had 51 PA...with an OPS of 1.004.

Except for this month, I dont have the splits for those months. But unless you think that his success when playing regularly has come only because opponents were throwing almost nothing but lefties, those numbers are more than impressive. Those are JRam numbers.

At the plate he kinda reminds me of Casey Blake, who was a productive player for us for a long time.

Luplows pro career...major and minor..is very similar in terms of production at every level.

Compare OPS...Blake first, Luplow second.

MLB....778...799
MiLB...839...837
AAA....853...868
AA.....1.069..903
A+........784...784

You get the idea.

All Blake needed was a chance to play every day, and the Indians gave him that chance at age 29. Toronto, Minnesota, and Baltimore did not.

All Luplow needs is the same chance at age 27.

man Cats, if luplow could hit as well as you cherry pick stats he'd be All-Star

he's basically had the same amount of PAs from both sides of the plate in his big league career - .974 ops v lefties, .622 v righties (and tito doesnt even make him face the gerritt coles of the world)

 

[CATS44]

I'm not cherry picking stats.

Luplow has over 2600 pro plate appearances in which EVERY time he has played regularly he has hit. They didn't all come against lefties, nor even most of the time. When he has played regularly in MLB, he has hit righties.

When he has played occasionally, he hasn't.

Its a simple concept.

Now, if you want to talk about players who have proven they can't hit same handed pitching to date, talk about Johnson, Jones, and Zimmer.

 

[CATS44]

Maybe we are looking at things differently and from a different starting point.

I dont view Luplow, Amed, and Naylor as fringe players.

 

[xmasbuck]

I'm not cherry picking stats.

Luplow has over 2600 pro plate appearances in which EVERY time he has played regularly he has hit. They didn't all come against lefties, nor even most of the time. When he has played regularly in MLB, he has hit righties.

When he has played occasionally, he hasn't.

Its a simple concept.

Now, if you want to talk about players who have proven they can't hit same handed pitching to date, talk about Johnson, Jones, and Zimmer.

no one cares what he did in billings or bradenton or bozeman - in his major league career he hasnt righties in boston or baltimore - i'm all for him playing every day for a month or so - on THIS team but that's as much a function of our poor O as on his ability to hit RHs - if Nazquin or Chiz were still around he would be a platoon player (till they got hurt) - luis medina hit minor league pitching, so did Ted Cox - didnt matter once they tried the bigs - and luplow's not done much to support tito once tito decided to give him more ab's v RH

 

[CDAV45]

Maybe we are looking at things differently and from a different starting point.

I dont view Luplow, Amed, and Naylor as fringe players.

How do you define a fringe player? Luplow in his role in Cleveland has been anything but a fringe player IMO. He's mashed LHP and he may have found his ability to hit RHP again. I don't know what to make of Naylor honestly. He could certainly be a good hitter. Amed, well....he might be a fringe player. He certainly looks like one right now, but maybe that will change.

 

[CATS44]

Its April.

 

[Tondo]

Luplow in 409 PA for CLE has produced 3.2 fWAR, wRc+ north of 125, 23 HR, ISO well over 250

Nice surprise

 

[CATS44]

At every level at every age in the minors, Luplows wRC+ has been at least 129, ranging up to 156.

Thats far better than either Johnson or Bradley.

Only Jones among our close to ready prospects has been better, although Freeman and Miller have been close.

I have never been able to figure out why Luplow was never on a prospect board.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

At every level at every age in the minors, Luplows wRC+ has been at least 129, ranging up to 156.

Thats far better than either Johnson or Bradley.

Only Jones among our close to ready prospects has been better, although Freeman and Miller have been close.

I have never been able to figure out why Luplow was never on a prospect board.

I don't think JRam was either. Sometimes a guy just pops out. I hope that's what we have.