LOOGY. Unfortunately, I do wonder whether Fredi Gonzalez knows it. He's only pitched 4 times in August, which is odd for a guy who is death against left handed batters. Shouldn't he be pitching in more games, when all he should be called upon is to get 1 guy out? Those type of guys could probably throw 100 games a year if asked, as long as they are only used to get one or two guys out at a time. 100 games I suppose could be pushing it, but 90? I think he could handle it if used properly. However, it is tough for me to remember how many times Fredi has actually brought him into the game to get one left hander out. I have missed some games, and I know it has happened, but I also know that it should have happened far more frequently than it has this season.
However, I think I have an idea why Fredi hasn't gone to him more. My theory is that Fredi actually thinks Sherrill hasn't been very good against left handers. Here are Sherrill's triple slash lines vs. righties and lefties:
RH: .236/.348/.364
LH: .270/.280/.351
Numbers are clearly better vs. LHs. However, look at that batting average against. LH batters actually have a higher batting average against Sherrill than RH batters do. And knowing that Fredi is no sabermetrician, this is what I think he sees when he doesn't bring in George Sherrill to pitch to LH batters (like, say, Tyler Colvin yesterday in the 6th inning). It's too bad, because George Sherrill is having one of the best LOOGY seasons in recent memory when you delve deeper into the numbers.
Going back to 2002, which is all the data FanGraphs will give to me (and all the data I need to make my point), 2011 George Sherrill has the lowest FIP against LHBs of any pitcher who has thrown at least 10 innings pitched against lefties in one single season. Lowest of all of them, at .59. Yes that is .59, and it is supported by Sherrill's preposterous 31 to 1 K/BB ratio. So for those counting at home, he's walked 1 of 75 LHBs he's faced this year, while striking out 31 of 75 batters he's faced (40.8%). Only Aroldis Chapman and David Robertson have struck out a higher percentage of LHBs faced this year with more than 10 IP against lefties. And for comparison's sake, 31 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio blows those 2 out of the water. The only thing that doesn't support Sherrill's dominance of lefties is his mind numbing .442 BABIP, which makes no sense considering how good his stuff has been vs. lefties this season.
With Scott Proctor finally gone from the bullpen, 2 things I will be watching will be a) when and how Peter Moylan comes back from injury, and b) whether Fredi Gonzalez trusts George Sherrill in big spots against a LH batter. Because everything you could look at with the exception of batting average against and BABIP suggests that he absolutely should. A Braves bullpen filled with riches has a diamond in that I don't think he knows about.
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