Cubs infielder Jeff Baker is one of the most interesting players in the majors to me. Surely you've never heard anybody else say that.

Why is he? Well, it's just unbelievable to me how he's absolutely sensational against left-handed pitching, and absolutely abysmal against left-handed pitching. If it were reversed and we're talking about a left-handed batter, that would make complete sense to me. However, as a right-handed hitter, you've been seeing mostly right-handed pitching your entire life, so it shouldn't be a major difference at this point.

Yes, I realize a right-handed batter is going to see the ball better out of a left-handed pitcher's hand, and they are more likely to hit a breaking ball moving towards them rather than away from them like a right-handed pitcher's slider would. But his splits are just beyond weird.

Let's take look at Baker's splits against left-handed and right-handed pitching:


Career vs. right-handed pitching

586 PA, .250 AVG, 11 HR, 59 RBI, 40 BB, 159 K, .304 OBP, .391 SLG, .695 OPS.


Career vs. left-handed pitching

343 PA, .295 AVG, 17 HR, 59 RBI, 29 BB, 64 K, .353 OBP, .555 SLG, .908 OPS


2010 vs. right-handed pitching

31 PA, .034 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 BB, 13 K, .097 OBP, .034 SLG, .131 OPS


2010 vs. left-handed pitching

57 PA, .346 AVG, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 6 K, .386 OBP, .615 SLG, 1.001 OPS


So what does that all say? Well for one, it shows how much Baker's former manager, Clint Hurdle, used him incorrectly in Colorado. But the main thing to take away from those numbers is that Jeff Baker needs to stay far away from the lineup against right-handers, and should be starting every game against left-handers. Furthermore, he should be batting in the 2-5 spots in the lineup against left-handers.

Just how good is Baker against southpaws? Well his career .555 slugging percentage against them would've been the 7th best slugging percentage in the National League in 2009 .His .908 OPS(on-base+ slugging percentage) would've been the 12th best OPS in the National League.

Basically Jeff Baker is an All-Star against left-handers, and Aaron Miles against right-handers. Use him correctly, Lou.

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