Even if you've never stepped up to the dish in a Little League game, you can likely still imagine why left-handed pitchers have an advantage over left-handed batters, just as right-handed pitchers have an advantage over right-handed hitters. The pitch is released on the same side that the hitter stands, making it more difficult to see the ball. Breaking balls tend to move down and away from the same-handed hitter. Even the greatest hitters in the game have been unable to overcome this - the platoon advantage - entirely, although pronounced lefty/righty splits can have grave effects on a fringe starting player.

Take the case of Brandon Moss. In 2012, the Athletics first baseman enjoyed the greatest season of his career, with a batting line of .291/.358/.596, 21 home runs and 52 runs batted in over 84 games at the Major League level. Combining his numbers with Oakland and Triple-A Sacramento, Moss finished the season with 36 home runs, 85 runs batted in and a .288 batting average, strong reason for fantasy owners to salivate at the potential of picking up a power-hitting first baseman/outfielder late in the draft. Entering 2013, even with the hot Spring Training put up by Rule 5 addition Nate Freiman, Moss was expected to have primary possession of the first base job in Oakland.

However, fantasy owners who drafted Moss based on his power surge last season and his positional versatility have been largely disappointed by his decrease in playing time. Athletics manager Bob Melvin has chosen to sit Moss against left-handed pitching in favor of the righty-swinging Freiman, and a quick look at his platoon splits tell the story.

Against left-handed pitching, Moss has only nine hits in 46 at-bats this season, four of which have gone for extra bases. He has struck out 24 times and walked only five. Freiman, on the other hand, has hit .329 against lefties through 73 at-bats, and has struck out only 14 times and walked seven. Against right-handers, Moss has a slash line of .253/.342/.500, 11 home runs and 28 runs batted in through 166 at-bats. While Freiman’s sample size versus righties is small, he is batting .115 with no extra-base hits in 26 at-bats. With lefty/righty splits this pronounced, and with two viable first basemen on his roster, Bob Melvin has chosen to play the platoon advantage when possible. Melvin and the Athletics have become notorious for utilizing platoons in recent years with Moss and Chris Carter at first base, Seth Smith and Jonny Gomes in the outfield and at designated hitter, and recently, Eric Sogard and Adam Rosales at second base.

Does this hurt Moss’s fantasy value? Undeniably so. A part-time or platoon player cannot be an asset at a power position on your fantasy roster, simply by virtue of the lack of at-bats. My strong recommendation would be to drop Moss in favor of an everyday player. Since going 3-for-4 in Boston on May 11, Adam Lind has hit .391 with eight home runs and 24 runs batted in. Owned in roughly 41 percent of leagues, even if Lind regresses to his 2010-2011 form rather than his breakout 2009, his run production, combined with his eligibility at both first base and outfield slots make him a far more desirable option. A second pick, though perpetually frustrating due to his high strikeout rate, is Chris Carter, now of the Houston Astros. Despite a .216 batting average, Carter will contribute plenty of pop to your lineup, whether you slot him in at first base or in the outfield.

Whether you agree with his strategy or not, Bob Melvin is a master of playing the matchups. As long as Freiman continues to pound left-handed pitching, Moss will continue to ride the pine when a southpaw starts. If Moss is on your roster, it is time to take a good, hard look at the at-bats he's slighting your lineup.