First Half vs Career - Who is doing what - Hitters

Tuesday, July 15 2008 @ 03:08 PM EDT

Just for fun, while we have a few days with fixed stats, lets see how various Jays have done vs their lifetime numbers. Also included are a few high level prospects who might be here in 2009.

For the stats below I'm using Avg/OBP/Slg and OPS+. These tend to give a good view overall and with the sample size issues at mid-season it is hard to justify any other stats plus most people know these ones fairly well.

Starting at catcher.... aka 'the good news'

Greg Zaun... Doing well

• age 37 season, a few injuries but nothing too major so far
• 244/354/375 vs lifetime 251/345/387 plus he has had 2 stolen bases vs one caught stealing. OPS+ of 97 vs 91 lifetime.
• Caught 10 of 38 runners stealing (26%) which is better than his career mark of 24.6%
• Should crack 100 games played by seasons end (at 57 right now) which he has done only 4 times before but has 99 or more every season as a Jay (this is his 5th season here). His OPS+ here has been 96-94-112-98-97 so perfectly in line with past performance if not a bit higher than one should expect from a 37 year old catcher.

• age 32 season, fairly healthy
• 267/317/461 vs lifetime 242/290/414 - OPS+ of 107 vs 78 for his career, best ever was a 97.
• 32.4% of basestealers caught (12 of 37) vs career mark of 33.5% so pretty much on target
• Should crack 100 games as well, has played in 60 so far, which he has done just twice before. Looks like a very fine free agent signing and his option almost definitely will be picked up for 2009

• age 25 season, this was to be his year to break in
• Not enough ML time (1 for 6) to matter. Hitting just 226-266-323 in AAA catching just 8 of 49 (16.3%) stealing

• age 24 season, injuries have delayed his arrival
• 0 for 4 in the majors, 286-371-411 in AAA, 410/419/641 in rookie ball rehabbing
• Should be here in September, shooting for a full shot next year backing up Barajas

• Erik Kratz has been a solid AAAA guy, 246/293/520 between AAA and AA but is no more than an emergency call-up for potential.
• Brian Jeroloman has shown a fair amount in AA - 249/372/373 catching 17 of 51, 33%, basestealers - and will be in AAA next year ready for the first major injury.
• J.P. Arencibia is showing why he might be the guy we think of when we hear 'JP' - 309/331/553 between A+ and AA - and just might pass Jeroloman and Diaz on the depth chart by the time April comes around.
  
• And don't forget Jonathan Jaspe in low A hitting 369/427/544 at age 23. A quick climb next year and 2010 arrival is possible.

• Age 31 season, fairly healthy
  
• 269/371/399 vs career 282/363/447, OPS+ of 108 vs career 110 - loss of some power, but OBP still OK
• 15 GDP is a concern - his career high was 19 before this year.
  
• A nice recovery from his disaster of last year (122 games, 85 OPS+) but needs that power to return if he is to be a solid firstbaseman on a championship team
  

• Age 40 season and released after a very slow start. Hit well for Oakland before going on the DL at the end of May
  

• Age 40 season, fairly healthy
• 253/342/406 vs career 266/358/484. OPS+ of 101 vs 119 career
• 15 games in the outfield, but really shouldn't be out there. A decent pinch hitter, 24th guy on the team but shouldn't be an everyday player or even in a platoon.

• Chip Cannon in AAA is 26 237/345/356 and going nowhere.
• David Cooper is the only real prospect in the system for 1B and he is in low A now hitting 340/414/524 between low A and short season A. Hopefully he can make it to AA next year and be on the edge for 2010, and up permanently in 2011 when Overbay's contract runs out.
  

• Age 26 season, signed contract that could last through 2014
  
• 263/324/361 vs career 284/339/409 OPS+ of 85 vs lifetime 96
• Already reached a career high in sac bunts (4) in just 55 games
• Hitting was poor, but within a hot streak of his career norms. Just that head injury that is scary

• Age 32 season, signed for this year and next
• 261/347/333 vs lifetime 259/324/377 OPS+ of 85 vs career 86, a bit less power a bit more OBP otherwise just as hoped
• Has played over 20 games at SS/2B/3B plus 3 in each of LF and 1B. More at SS than 2B but generally viewed as more of a 2B

• Age 30 season, with just 66 games in the majors before this year
• 301/356/445 vs lifetime 295/346/418 OPS+ of 115 career of 100
• 23 games at 2B, 15 in LF, 8 in RF, 6 at 3B, 2 at SS, and 1 in CF
• Perfect compliment to Scutaro, a left handed hitter who can play anywhere

• Scott Campbell in AA age 23 hitting 332/422/451after showing a 390+ OBP in two previous seasons in the lower minors. Has just played 2B this year, but does have 11 games at 3B in the past two years plus 1 at SS. Could be here as early as September but questions on his defense exist
  
• Kevin Melilo in AAA age 26 has hit 246/331/406 but slumped since coming to Syracuse from the Oakland system and doesn't appear to have a bright future

• Age 33 season, missing at the start but solid since
  
• 267/358/431 OPS+ of 112 vs career 283/371/503 OPS+ of 125
• Worse than his first 9 years as a regular but much better than 2 of his last 3 years
• Troy Glaus is at 128 for OPS+ but given he demanded a trade I figure this isn't too bad

• Hector Luna is in AAA, age 28, 280/341/412, can play SS as well, could be a good utility guy (1 for 1 in the majors this year). Now off the 40 man roster
• Kevin Ahrens is probably the top prospect, age 19 in Lansing, but is hitting just 270/336/375 and is a long ways away, as are the other decent prospects

• Age 33 season, one significant injury and caused another
  
• 269/354/354 vs career 285/351/362, OPS+ of 92 vs career 89.
• Nothing to see here. He is here this year and that is it, probably trade bait for a contender with issues at SS

• Age 33 season, got hurt at exactly the wrong time, signed for 2009
  
• 182/237/200 vs career 238/277/312 OPS+ of 20 vs career 56
• 21 games at SS, 4 at 3B, 1 at 2B
  

• Danny Sandoval in AAA is 29 and hitting 289/337/390 between Syracuse & Buffalo. AAAA guy.
• Pedro Lopez in AAA is just 24 but is hitting just 233/315/300 with a lifetime 680 OPS in the minors
• Justin Jackson is 19 in Lansing (low A) and hitting 232/345/370 so some hope here if the bat develops but is a long, long way away

• Age 27, has played all but 6 games, wide awake from start to finish for about the same number of games
  
• 285/337/401 OPS+ of 98 vs career 287/338/445 OPS+ of 104 - much closer than expected, about mid way between his bad first 2 years and his solid past 2 years
• 32 games in CF plus 59 in RF, his defense is very solid when he is paying attention
• I suspect this is Cito's big project this year - getting Rios to reach his full potential

• Age 29 season, some (OK, lots of) injury issues
• 287/329/449 107 OPS+ vs career 282/330/477 108 OPS+, down a bit in power but vs the league is pretty much dead on his career figure
• This is actually his 3rd best OPS+ season so far. Go figure. Not a $20 million player, but not an anchor on the team either

• Age 24 season, getting along with the new manager
• 269/301/474 OPS+ of 105 vs career 262/302/442 94 OPS+. Since Cito is hitting 339/365/610 - wow.
• I think we have found our LF'er

• Age 34 season and might be done
• 240/325/303 OPS+ of 71 vs career 297/360/430 OPS+ of 105
• Now DL'ed and hopefully we won't see again until a final farewell in September

• Age 31 season, released by Seattle given a last shot here
• 230/326/327 78 OPS+ overall, 248/352/443 106 OPS+ lifetime
• His Toronto only stats are pretty much the same. Don't see him sticking around the whole season except in a 4th/5th outfield role and Inglett is probably ahead of him now on the outfield depth chart.

• Age 30 season, should be at or near his peak
• 231/307/338 74 OPS+ vs career 270/326/462 100 OPS+
• Has been sent down before, and will be again when Wells returns I suspect
  

• David Smith, age 27, has split time between A+, AA, and AAA hitting better at each level, 275/373/459 overall and right now would probably be as good a choice for RH OF as Mench. Slugged over 500 in AA last year.
• Travis Snider, age 20, has split time between A+ and AA hitting 267/340/459 in AA, 269/339/476 overall. Only 40 of his 95 games have been in the field, mainly DH'ing this year. Given Lind in the majors we just might see Snider stuck as a DH/4th outfielder in the majors, full time hitter but part time fielder. Time will tell.

9 comments

https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20080715154356901