Switch from left to right should help

Before anyone blows a gasket about J.D. Drew being out of the lineup, here’s something to think about: the Red Sox went 25-13 against left-handed starters this season – only the Los Angeles Angels were better among American League teams – and they now have three switch-hitters at the bottom of the lineup.

All of them are better from the right side of the plate.

So, while Saunders has held lefties (.260 against him) and righties (.250) to similar batting average this season, further examination suggests that the Red Sox will have an advantage with this lineup. Of the 22 home runs Saunders allowed this year, 19 of them were to right-handed batters. The Nos. 7-9 hitters in the Boston lineup – switch-hitters Jed Lowrie, Jason Varitek and Coco Crisp – all better hitters with more from the right side, which could put more pressure on Saunders from the bottom of the lineup than the Sox have been accustomed to generating against left-handed pitchers for much of this season.

To wit:

* Lowrie is hitting .338 and slugging .525 from the right side this season as compared to .222 with a .344 slugging percentage from the left;

* Jason Varitek batted .284 with a .484 slugging percentage from the right side while hitting .201 with a .323 slugging percentage from the left;

* Crisp batted .295 from the right side with a .474 slugging percentage as a right-handed hitter while hitting .278 with a .383 slugging percentage from the left side.

Get the picture?

``I know that normally you get to this time of year and you send eight or nine guys out there and just stay with it,’’ said Sox manager Terry Francona, who has uncharacteristically shuffled his lineup through the early part of these playoffs. ``I don’t know if that’s how we’re built right, that that’s the best way to do it.’’

Will the results bear him out? Time will tell.But there’s more going on here than just a simple swap of Drew for Crisp.