Lefthanded specialists

Sporting News, The, July 21, 2003

The lefthanded specialist is the ultimate in specificity. He is called on for one thing--getting lefties out.

1. Arthur Rhodes, Mariners

If you are lefthanded and can throw the ball over the plate with some movement, you have a chance to stick in the majors for many, many years. There are plenty to choose from, and many do it well. Some do it better than others, though, and Rhodes tops the list. He has been at the top of his game for the Mariners the last three seasons.

Rhodes broke into the majors with the Orioles in 1991, and he was a starter until 1996. That's when he started to establish himself as a scary reliever; his ERA as a reliever is nearly 2.5 runs better than his ERA as a starter. In his career, he has held hitters to a .209 average as a reliever but has been hit at a .271 clip as a starter.

Rhodes has evolved from being a starter to just a lefthanded specialist to a lefty specialist/top setup man. Rhodes uses his low- to mid-90s fastball and sharp slider to make lefthanded batters look silly. He has had to be extra sharp this season because the Mariners' closer, Kazuhiro Sasaki, has been out with a rib injury.

2. Rheal Cormier, Phillies. This has been a breakout season for Cormier--not only against lefthanded hitters but overall. Lefties are only 4-for-47 (.085) against Cormier, who spots his fastball well and does a good job of changing speeds to keep bitters under control. Cormier, a journeyman with his fourth big-league team, is one of several successful setup men in the Phillies' bullpen this season.

3. B.J. Ryan, Orioles. His overall numbers aren't good--5.76 ERA, 3-0 record--but he has done the job against lefties. Ryan, 27, who is in his fifth major league season, has a deceptive motion and an above-average slider to give lefthanded batters fits. Even though he struggles against righthanded batters, Ryan will remain a hot commodity as long as he continues to dominate lefties.

4. Jesse Orosco, Padres. His raison d'etre is getting lefties out. He has no other purpose at this point in his career. At 46, Orosco has made a pretty good career of this, pitching in 1,226 games (a major league record). He remains devastating against lefties, using his three-quarters delivery and an assortment of off-speed pitches to keep hitters off balance. This could be his last season, so enjoy him while you can.

5. Johan Santana, Twins. Santana has filled the specialist role well, though in time--probably sooner rather than later--he will become a top starter. With his explosive fastball and nasty slider, which is especially tough on lefthanded hitters, Santana has put up 81 strikeouts in his first 72 innings this year. He also is working on a changeup, a pitch he will need to master to be effective as a starter.

6. Scott Schoenewels, Angels. The one-time starter has thrived since a move to the bullpen last season. With his lively fastball and hard sinker, he has held lefthanded hitters to a .179 average this season. Righthanded hitters have thumped him, however, proving that Schoeneweis is a true lefty specialist. Expect him to thrive in this role for years to come. Forget that starting stuff.

7. Felix Heredia, Reds. He has bounced around over the years, playing for four teams (Marlins, Cubs, Blue Jays, Reds) in eight seasons, a mark of a lefty specialist. He always has been effective against lefties, holding them this year to a .202 average. As long as Heredia, 28, continues to get lefties out, he'll continue to have a job. He could play for four more teams before his career is over.