Jon Heyman reports that the A's have indeed come to an agreement with Petaluma's Jonny Gomes, on what is reportedly a major league deal.
The signing has been presumed for the past couple days, and as a result there has been some discussion already about whether or not you feel this is a good move. Perhaps a broader discussion is whether and when "strict platoons" are a good idea.
If Seth Smith and Jonny Gomes follow their career norms, a Smith/Gomes LF platoon could put up some awfully good numbers at the plate, with an expected OBP around .360 and an expected slugging percentage around .510. On the flip side, you use up 2 roster spots to field one position and do it with players who are, by nature, of limited utility. That is, were they great fielders or good hitters against "same-handed pitchers," they wouldn't be stuck in this kind of a platoon to begin with.
So in Smith and Gomes, you have two flawed players who might be able to combine for a robust .870 OPS. Are these kinds of platoons something the A's should be seeking as "clever," "undervalued," "affordable" ways to get good production from their lineup? Or is one man's trash just another man's trash in a different colored uniform?
