Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - April 26

22 games corresponds to about 13.6% of the season. That's as good a time as any to take stock, right? No? Well, whatever.

It was a good win for the Jays tonight. The offense came out of their weekend funk with a nine hit, five walk performance, and three of the hits (homers by Patterson, Bautista and Rivera) gave Drabek enough support to pick up his second win. Let's go through what each member of the line-up did tonight and see where they're at on the season.

Escobar picked up two hits and struck out once. Yunel has cooled off since his torrid start, but his curent line of .286/.345/.442 is basically what we were hoping for when AA acquired him. Good contact, strong on-base skills, and some pop leading to an OPS near .800 which, when combined with good defense, is star-level for a shortstop.

Patterson hit a three-run homer. Good for him. Next.

Bautista... best hitter in the AL? I was actually asked this question a few days ago, and my first thought was to think of who else is in the running - I came up with the same guys as Dave Cameron did, Miggy and Adrian Gonzalez. Throw Hamilton, A-Rod and Teixeira in there if you want. But are any of those guys clearly better than José? Not the way he's hitting right now. I'm at the point where I expect every plate appearance to end in a walk or a home run. He still didn't have anyone on base when he went deep tonight, but at least Rivera and Patterson did.

Lind singled and walked, but he's been terrible, sporting an OPS just over .600. Weirdly, his OPS is over .200 points better against left-handers, his usual nemesis. Anyway, I've said for a while that I thought Hill would bounce back but was more worried about Lind. I'm starting to worry about Hill, too, especially since he keeps getting injured, but my opinion hasn't changed on Lind. The problem of where to put Cooper and Thames if they keep knocking the door down might have an easier solution than originally thought. (Note: I'm not advocating anything drastic - Lind has a long leash for me, but if he doesn't hit this year that'll be enough for me to label him a platoon player going forward.)

Rivera homered and walked. Great job, buddy! Honestly, how can anyone even care what Juan Rivera does? I can't see him staying with the team more than a couple months, and he won't bring anything back in a trade. Pure placeholder.

Snider singled, walked, and struck out. I'm not worried about Snider yet. The guy is 23! Still, he hasn't hit this year, and he's striking out a lot. Here's a question: Do you send him down? If so, when? One more month of this? Do you give him the whole season? If he goes down, he'll probably just mash at Vegas... will that help? It's not a problem yet, and here's hoping it's solved before it becomes one, but it's always good to have a contingency plan.

Seven base-runners in six innings for Drabek, though only two Ks. Still, he's pitched well. He's throwing a lot of pitches, perhaps being a little fine - would you rather see Drabek put it in the zone and get hit around a little bit to avoid walks/high pitch counts?

Tomorrow: Litsch vs. Harrison. Wednesday: Reyes vs. Holland, and Beer Club at Opera Bob's! Thursday: Morrow vs. Ogando

Posted by Dave Rutt on Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 01:50 AM EDT.

April 26 - 22 Games In | 73 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Sano - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 05:06 AM EDT (#233539) #

I'm with you on the worry about Lind. I was really hoping that Lind's good spring would translate into regular season success but it appears that he may have been a one year wonder. It's too bad because if he was performing to even a shade of 2009 he would be having an outrageous year the way Bautista is being pitched around.

scottt - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 06:01 AM EDT (#233542) #

Seven base-runners in six innings for Drabek, though only two Ks. Still, he's pitched well. He's throwing a lot of pitches, perhaps being a little fine - would you rather see Drabek put it in the zone and get hit around a little bit to avoid walks/high pitch counts?

Too fine? I don't think so. He had trouble finding the plate and 7 of hist first 10 pitches were balls. From there he threw mostly first-pitch strikes (9 out of 11) until the 5th. After sitting through the Jays big inning he wasn't as sharp against Cruz.. He threw a ball and then 4 consecutive strikes to Murphy to get the ground out double play. In the end, the high pitch count was more a result of Texas being patient at the plate and a fair number of foul balls. Just fine in my book.

Still bothers me that they traded Napoli and kept Rivera. Napoli would have made a great DH and would have covered for JPA to pinch hit or DH himself. Would have been easy to trade Napoli at the deadline and promote a bat from Vegas.

Mike Green - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 09:01 AM EDT (#233545) #

Let's go through what each member of the line-up did tonight and see where they're at on the season.

I'll continue where you left off. John McDonald has now hit for the cycle over the season making it the earliest that he has accomplished this feat (prior PB was May 7, 2003). Chris Woodward would make a helluva mascot when his playing days are over.

subculture - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 09:39 AM EDT (#233548) #

Still bothers me that they traded Napoli and kept Rivera. Napoli would have made a great DH and would have covered for JPA to pinch hit or DH himself. Would have been easy to trade Napoli at the deadline and promote a bat from Vegas.

I gotta agree with this - the lineup would be stronger with Napoli as a primary DH and occasional catcher. If JPA really struggles this year, then this will be more of a sore point. However if Francisco performs as expected and JPA continues to develop, it will ease the loss of Napoli (not to mention EE is an inexpensive component). And whether Rivera performs or not, I think Thames or another prospect will soon replace him anyways...

China fan - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 10:01 AM EDT (#233552) #

.....Still bothers me that they traded Napoli and kept Rivera....

Well, of course they didn't deliberately choose to keep Rivera ahead of Napoli -- it was simply the stark reality that Napoli had some trade value and Rivera had none -- but I agree that Napoli would look good in the Jays lineup now, especially since Francisco is not adding much value to the deep Jays bullpen at the moment. But in defence of Anthopolous, he didn't know that Lind would have a poor start and Encarnacion would be needed at 3B. Injuries have really played havoc with AA's planned lineup.

On the other hand, it does appear (in retrospect) that the Jays were trying to acquire a 3B in the off-season (perhaps Chavez?) and didn't think they would need Encarnacion to play 3B. They must have always known that Bautista is better-suited for RF, and they clearly knew that Lawrie wouldn't be ready until July or August at the earliest, so the failure to acquire a decent 3B remains an off-season mystery. Perhaps they were just willing to pay the price -- hence we see a depressing blend of Woodward and E5 and Nix at 3B for the first half of the season.

On the broader lineup issues: one short-term question is whether the Jays should keep Patterson on the team when Davis and Podsednik are both available. Will be interesting to see how that situation plays out. Patterson oscillates from looking very bad to looking like a worthwhile bench player. I'm optimistic that Podsednik can add a bit of badly needed energy to the lineup when he arrives.

The longer-term question remains, as it did in 2010, whether Lind and Hill will ever bounce back to 2009 form. This is going to be a crucial test for Anthopolous. We know he's done very well on the farm system, the scouting, the drafting, the trading. But the Jays don't have much of a chance in 2012 if there are sinkholes at 1B and 2B (especially since CF and LF are also question marks at this point).

The Jays often talk about the importance of hitters adjusting to a shift in tactics by opposing pitchers. Well, what about Anthopolous? Can he make a big adjustment to changing circumstance? Until now, he has gambled that Lind and Hill can bounce back. What if they don't? How will AA adjust? What's his back-up plan? So far, I don't see one.

Ishai - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 10:31 AM EDT (#233559) #

Lind and Hill's struggles are as real as Bautista's transcendence. You can see it when you watch them hit. Their swings are ugly. Before every at bat Lind gives the pitcher this "don't do anything funny now, I don't think I could handle it" look. Lind's swing looks like he's guessing. Hill's swing looks like he's a plastic toy with movable arms. He can't hit the outside pitch because he doesn't get his lower body involved. It's great to hit with just your hands if the ball is in on your body, but you have to use your body strength on pitches out over the plate, and Hill just sort of leans forward and waves at them.

Last season I didn't understand why people were so skeptical about whether Bautista was "for real." I mean, just look at his swing! People change. When you change, are you so likely to turn back? I know there are hitters who have one great year and then fade, but why is it assumed that reversion is the expected result? I don't know about everyone else, but I've watched enough of the new Hill and Lind (the terrible ones) that I can't remember what the old ones were like. And I suspect Aaron and Adam can't remember either.

Mike Green - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 10:33 AM EDT (#233560) #

Lind's W, K and batted ball numbers are all OK this year, except for his vile 3.3% HR/fly. He is hitting line drives, drawing a few walks and not striking out too much. He's hitting .103/.097/.241 on fly balls this year; for his career, he's at .279/.273/.812.

He did have that HR taken away in Boston, but most of his fly balls have been of the weak variety (particularly the flies to left). When he's on, he hits balls hard routinely to left field.

AWeb - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 10:47 AM EDT (#233562) #

One point in AA's favour is that he did not pick up Hill's option (or one of them, however that confusing mess of a contract works) before the season started. And second basemen are not generally hugely expensive in the free agent market - I'm fine with dumping Hill (if he continues to stink) and looking for decent players to fill that particular hole year-to-year. Look at catcher - the Jays find a decent/good one almost every year, it seems, although maybe they are going to solve that internally, finally. Not every spot needs a long term plan to work out, it's just when more than a couple of them fail - i.e., if the Jays need a 1B, 2B, CF and LF (sorry Snider, it's time to start hitting now, month long slumps start adding up at this point) - things can get bad quickly for a mid-level payroll team.

Good thing the Jays pitching has been good, at least to my eyes. This season could still take a drastic turn in either direction, given how many players aren't performing "like themselves" (Hill, Lind, Rivera, Snider, Bautista, McDonald). The offense is one guy playing at an MVP level away from being totally lost at this point.

Hodgie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:06 AM EDT (#233565) #

Further to what Mike Green said, Lind's BABIP seems to be out of line with the rest of his batted ball data so far. Using the Hardball Times simplified xBABIP Calculator one would have roughly expected Lind to have a BABIP of 0.306 instead of the .264 he is currently sporting. He is hitting his fair share of line drives (23.3%), striking out less (16.5%) and putting the ball on the ground less than at any point in his career. Not time to panic just yet.

I am more worried about Hill turning into the new Wells. His W and K rates are both trending in the wrong direction and while his line drive rate (20.8%) should be a good sign it is pretty much cancelled out by a horrific 28% infield fly rate. It shouldn't be surprising that he is swinging at pitches out of the zone at a career high rate as well given what appears to be his generally weak contact.

BlueJayWay - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:23 AM EDT (#233567) #

Before every at bat Lind gives the pitcher this "don't do anything funny now, I don't think I could handle it" look.

I admit, this made me lmao. I know the look you mean.

But as others have said, there's reason to think Lind has swung the bat quite a bit better than the slash stats would indicate. I remember a lot of times he's driven the ball well and it's just foul, or a player makes a good play. The batted ball profile is good, and he's handling lefties much better than last year. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lind turn it around soon and have a decent year.

dan gordon - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:26 AM EDT (#233568) #

If Hill continues to struggle, we may see the team deal one of their excellent pitching prospects for a 2B prospect. I believe that is a part of the organization's philosophy, that it is easier to trade pitching for hitting, than hitting for pitching.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:44 AM EDT (#233572) #

I'm a little more worried about Hill than Lind. I think he's seriously messed up. I think he's trying desperately to recreate what worked him in 2009. You can hardly blame him for that. He's trying to help his team, he's trying to earn his money, he's been given a key offensive role. The team is counting on him. But 2009 may have been the worst thing that ever happened to him, because it was a fluke - every fly ball he hit that year carried, generally just barely, over the fence. The harder he tries to get that back, the worse it gets. That's not who he is as a hitter, but it's who he thinks he needs to be.

blarry - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:46 AM EDT (#233573) #

Last season I didn't understand why people were so skeptical about whether Bautista was "for real." I mean, just look at his swing! People change. When you change, are you so likely to turn back? I know there are hitters who have one great year and then fade, but why is it assumed that reversion is the expected result? I don't know about everyone else, but I've watched enough of the new Hill and Lind (the terrible ones) that I can't remember what the old ones were like. And I suspect Aaron and Adam can't remember either.

Perhaps you have answered your own question. Lind and Hill each had great performances in 2009 which they are having trouble coming close to and both are younger than JBau.

Mike Green - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:58 AM EDT (#233574) #

Hill's 2009 wasn't a fluke- 12 "just enough" HRs and 4 no-doubters. If he had ordinary luck, he would have hit about 30 HRs and 40 doubles. He had actually been unlucky in 2007 (remember the Joey Gathright game), so if you pick a mid-point between 2007 and 2009, you have a fair idea of what he did for 2 years. The elephant in the room was that he was pulling everything, and that is something that pitchers can take advantage of. They have done so. Hill has to adjust by lining doubles into right-centre and down the line in right, and developing a little more discrimination (which he showed as a minor leaguer).

I still think that the issue is neither talent nor motivation, but approach. That, in my view, is the easiest of the three things to fix.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 12:25 PM EDT (#233575) #

I still think that the issue is neither talent nor motivation, but approach. That, in my view, is the easiest of the three things to fix.

I agree completely, with the caveat that getting a major league hitter to change his approach can be pretty tricky. Some guys just can't do it.

dalimon5 - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 12:27 PM EDT (#233576) #

"The Jays often talk about the importance of hitters adjusting to a shift in tactics by opposing pitchers. Well, what about Anthopolous? Can he make a big adjustment to changing circumstance? Until now, he has gambled that Lind and Hill can bounce back. What if they don't? How will AA adjust? What's his back-up plan? So far, I don't see one."

Sign Fielder for 1B

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 12:37 PM EDT (#233577) #

Sign Fielder for 1B

Yikes. I'd rather put my faith in David Cooper, or Adam Loewen, or maybe talk Willie Upshaw into making a comeback. Fielder is: a) going to want a truckload of money, and b) currently listed at 5'11, 275 pounds. (Which means he may already weigh 300 pounds.) Such players seldom age well. I'll be surprised if he has two more years left as an elite hitter, although he'll likely carry on for another five years after that on momentum and reputation.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 12:37 PM EDT (#233578) #

ayjackson - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 12:45 PM EDT (#233579) #

I'm gonna go get the papers; get the papers.

uglyone - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 01:04 PM EDT (#233581) #

All I know is that Hill out of the lineup is an improvement right now - not only because JMac and/or Nix are hitting better than him this year (and last year) - but also because the manager doesn't feel the strange need to stick JMac or Nix in the 5-hole every game, like he does with Hill.

As for Bautista being the best hitter in the AL? how about in all of baseball?

Here's the 2010 + 2011 leaders:

wRC+

1) J.Bautista (770pa): 178
2) J.Hamilton (615pa): 177
3) J.Votto (750pa): 177
4) M.Cabrera (744pa): 173
5) J.Thome (402pa): 168
6) J.Morneau (413pa): 168
7) K.Youkilis (517pa): 159
8) A.Pujols (798pa): 159
9) P.Konerko (727pa): 156
10)M.Holliday (743pa): 154

wOBA

1) J.Votto (750pa): .446
2) J.Hamilton (615pa): .442
3) J.Bautista (770pa): .437
4) M.Cabrera (744pa): .431
5) J.Thome (402pa): .421
6) J.Morneau (413pa): .421
7) K.Youkilis (517pa): .415
8) T.Tulowitzki (626pa): .414
9) P.Konerko (727pa): .411
10) A.Pujols (798pa): .411

BB%

1) J.Thome (402pa): 17.2%
2) J.Cust (511pa): 16.4%
3) D.Barton (782pa): 16.2%
4) J.Bautista (770pa): 15.7%
5) G.Soto (468pa): 15.4%
6) L.Berkman (559pa): 15.4%
7) K.Fukodome (486pa): 15.2%
8) P.Fielder (811pa): 15.2%
9) C.Pena (655pa): 15.1%
10) C.Jones (473pa): 15.0%

ISO

1) J.Bautista (770pa): .364
2) J.Thome (402pa): .316
3) M.Cabrera (744pa): .291
4) A.Pujols (798pa): .280
5) J.Votto (750pa): .274
6) T.Tulowitzki (626pa): .268
7) J.Hamilton (615pa): .264
8) A.Dunn (718pa): .263
9) P.Konerko (727pa): .263
10)N.Cruz (532pa): .259

HR

1) J.Bautista (770pa): 62
2) A.Pujols (798pa): 49
3) P.Konerko (727pa): 44
4) M.Cabrera (744pa): 43
5) J.Votto (750pa): 41
6) A.Dunn (718pa): 40
7) M.Teixeira (798pa): 39
8) D.Uggla (773pa): 38
9) A.Beltre (731pa): 35
10) C.Gonzalez (728pa): 35

OPS

1) M.Cabrera (744pa): 1.046
2) J.Votto (750pa): 1.040
3) J.Hamilton (615pa): 1.032
4) J.Bautista (770pa): 1.028
5) J.Thome (402pa): .990
6) J.Morneau (413pa): .985
7) A.Pujols (798pa): .985
8) T.Tulowitzki (626pa): .969
9) P.Konerko (727pa): .966
10) K.Youkilis (517pa): .963

Seems to me four guys have clearly separated themselves from the pack over last year and this year - Bautista, Cabrera, Hamilton, and Votto. And of course you never want to leave Pujols out of a best hitter convo. But for my money, as of now, it's those 5 battling it out for Best Hitter in Baseball.

And the ridiculous thing is that Joey Bats is doing this while posting horrific BABIP numbers.

BABIP

J.Hamilton - .394
J.Votto - .367
M.Cabrera - .337
A.Pujols - .285
J.Bautista - .247

now Jose is always going to post lower BABIP given his huge rate of HR, but still, that's a crazy low BABIP for a good hitter.

Chuck - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 02:03 PM EDT (#233583) #

I'm gonna go get the papers; get the papers.

Herc. Herc. It's the Chamelon Man. The Chameleon Man.

Patterson hit a three-run homer. Good for him.

On a pitch at his shoulders. Is that now officially the top of his already oversized strike zone?

he did not pick up Hill's option (or one of them, however that confusing mess of a contract works)

Prior to the start of this season, AA could have picked up the options for 2012-13-14. Prior to next season, he can now only pick up the options for 2012-13. Hill's play is making all this moot.

I know there are hitters who have one great year and then fade, but why is it assumed that reversion is the expected result?

Because it usually is, though often that reversion is to some middleground, not all the way back to square one.

92-93 - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 02:23 PM EDT (#233584) #

We're already coming up with excuses not to sign a 28 year old slugger who has hit .281/.395/.549 since his rookie year and never misses time?

TamRa - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 03:23 PM EDT (#233587) #

Until now, he has gambled that Lind and Hill can bounce back. What if they don't? How will AA adjust? What's his back-up plan? So far, I don't see one."

Why would you expect to see it now? This year is the payoff/bust for the gamble, late this year or more likely in the off-season is when you see the "back-up plan" (beyond EE and Cooper)

Remember, AA's goal is to have excellence at every position, excellent players are not just lying around in the park to be claimed - they come available at rare opportunities.

Furthermore, for all you know AA might already be preparing an offer sheet for Pujols (for instance) and you wouldn't know anything about it.Or he might be laying the groundwork for a July trade for a top-shelf player and you'd be in the dark until the deal was announced.

So your not being able to see the plan doesn't mean there's not a plan.

Sano - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 03:27 PM EDT (#233589) #

Let's be honest, Pujols isn't going to sign here. I mean, AA's a genius and all, but it's just not going to happen.

Ron - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 03:39 PM EDT (#233590) #

We're already coming up with excuses not to sign a 28 year old slugger who has hit .281/.395/.549 since his rookie year and never misses time?

With the rise in popularity of sites like Baseball Prospectus and Fangraphs, a lot of fans are a lot more skeptical of pretty much everything related to baseball. There are a group of fans that simply look down on almost every single long term contract and think all managers are idiots. I know people out there that think Tito is an average skipper and Brian Sabean is an average GM at best. Even the Ryan Braun extension was criticized around certain parts of the internet. 10 years ago the Braun extension would have been almost universally praised since a small market team was able to lock up an elite player for almost a decade and now alot of people are saying it was too much money/too many years.

The Jays should absolutely at least kick the tires with Fielder. Is the ultimate goal to win the World Series or to win 75-85 games with a low payroll?

China fan - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 03:58 PM EDT (#233592) #

....So your not being able to see the plan doesn't mean there's not a plan....

Of course. I'm just curious what it is. After all, we are starting to get to the tough decisions. It's easy enough to take the owner's money and spend it on scouting and acquiring prospects and telling the fans to be patient. But now (or soon) comes the true test. Do the Jays trade more of their pitchers to get a 2B or 1B or CF? Is there actually a surplus of pitching? (Doesn't look like it right now, with question marks surrounding Cecil and Litsch and Reyes and no certainty that the young prospects will be major-league-ready by 2012.) Do they gamble on the free agent market? Is there a suitable free-agent 2B or 1B or CF who will provide "excellence" without requiring a $100-million or $150-million contract commitment? Or do you ask the fans to be patient again for another rebuilding year in 2012 so that the young prospects can develop further?

I'm just saying that the next 10 months will be a lot tougher than the last 16 months, and I'm curious to see how AA manoeuvres through it.

uglyone - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 04:15 PM EDT (#233593) #

All I know is that we have plenty of money and payroll room, and that Bautista-Fielder would have an excellent chance of being THE best one-two punch in all of baseball for the next 5 years.

Jonny German - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 04:18 PM EDT (#233594) #

I know people out there that think ... Brian Sabean is an average GM at best.

This is a minority viewpoint?

Matthew E - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 04:18 PM EDT (#233595) #

I say be ready for more rebuilding years. No plan can withstand the onslaught of the young players you were counting on going permanently into their decline phase in their mid-'20s. If that's what's happening with this group, it's going to take quite a while to build anything that lasts.

Kelekin - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 05:08 PM EDT (#233597) #

That's almost the one reason I was upset we did as well as we did last year - because I was ready and mentally prepared for a full rebuild. Half-hearted rebuilds are worthless in this division, and having done as well as we did last year, fans started assuming we weren't that far away. The 'competitive' date I had in my head was closer to 2015 than 2012. All these draft picks are great, but they take years to filter through the system, let alone how long it could take them to adjust to the MLB level.

Mike Green - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 05:19 PM EDT (#233598) #

If Hill finds a half-way point between 2007/09 and 2010, he's still a valuable player. Lind has to get a lot closer to his 2009 form for him to be valuable. The third big piece is Snider being an above-average player. If two of those three things happen, there is really no reason for a team with a potential $140 million payroll to wait for 2016 when the 2010 high school draftees might be coming into their own. This is not 1977.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 05:27 PM EDT (#233599) #

excuses not to sign a 28 year old slugger

Certainly not as a rule, just in this case. And the number that worries me is not the millions of dollars, but the hundreds of pounds.

Kelekin - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 05:50 PM EDT (#233600) #

I'm certainly not saying we need to wait, but rather, let's be picky when it comes to free agency and not get them just because we can (Baltimore).

Of course, if I ran a team, I'd be pumping a good 30-40 mil in the draft.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 06:06 PM EDT (#233603) #

I was saying in the other thread that I originally liked Bautista because of his versatility, that in the era of the four man bench it's really useful to have a guy who can play anywhere.

Now it's a trivia question. Of all the men who have hit 50 or more homers in a season, no one has started a major league game at more different positions over the course of his career than Bautista, who has appeared in a starting lineup at six different positions (rf, lf, cf, 1b, 2b, 3b).

One other 50 HR guy started at six different lineup spots. Care to guess who and what?

AWeb - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 06:17 PM EDT (#233604) #

One other 50 HR guy started at six different lineup spots. Care to guess who and what?

I don't think Sosa ever made it to the infield, so he's out...I know Fielder did, and played games at second and third (I don't think he started at second base though), throw in first base, and I still can't see it. Luis Gonzalez ? All three OF spots seem possible, and the infield except at SS and C?

Kelekin - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 06:21 PM EDT (#233605) #

Jimmie Foxx! Although I'd say the difference would be Bautista has played no less than 5 at each position.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 06:26 PM EDT (#233606) #

Gonzalez has all three outfield spots and the two corner infield spots. If he'd only started a game as the DH, he'd have six as well. When Bautista finally starts a game as the DH, he'll have seven.

Naturally, you can eliminate everyone who threw left-handed. Ruth has the maximum there - all three outfield positions, first base and pitcher.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 06:30 PM EDT (#233607) #

Jimmie Foxx indeed!

The Beast ("he has muscles in his hair") came to the majors as a catcher. The A's happened to already have an all-time great at that position (Mickey Cochrane). So Foxx, who had a great arm, was tried at third base and as a corner outfielder before settling in at first base.

His career petered out early: he was a drinking man who carried more weight than was good for him, but during the war he came back and started a couple of games as a pitcher...

Mick Doherty - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 06:35 PM EDT (#233608) #

Kelekin's guess of Foxx would be mine, too, but I'm too lazy to look up confirmation. Are you counting DH as a spot? Cuz then Bautista would be at 6, hey?

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 07:01 PM EDT (#233611) #

Bautista is at six without the DH (he`s started at 1b, 2b, 3b, rf, cf, and lf).

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 07:06 PM EDT (#233613) #

The bb-ref columns, with their blanks beside the DH confused me. If we count DH as a spot, Bautista has started at seven different positions, and Luis Gonzalez matches Jimmie Foxx at six.

I do think the Beast would have made a pretty good DH

Ron - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 07:46 PM EDT (#233620) #

This is a minority viewpoint?

I would say it's the majority. He has made some horrible moves (...Pierzynski, Zito, Rowand) but the good far outweighs the bad. A GM that built last year's World Series Champion can't be merely average at his job.

Jonny German - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 08:03 PM EDT (#233624) #

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 08:14 PM EDT (#233625) #

I say it was magic. I also say that nothing works better than magic. Clever trades, shrewd drafting, skilled player development... all that stuff is well and good. But nothing works better than dumb luck and twists of weird fortune.

The thing is, you can`t count on magic. You can`t depend on magic. You can`t plan on magic. And so you have no choice. You have to do all that dutiful stuff and hope your virtue is actually rewarded. And just often enough to keep you trying, it is rewarded.

greenfrog - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 08:47 PM EDT (#233626) #

I'm also more worried about Hill than Lind. Lind at least seems to be driving the ball to all fields somewhat.

But both the Aaron Hill of 2007/2009 and the Adam Lind of 2009 seemed to have more fluid and dynamic games (which is exactly what Bautista is exhibiting right now). Somehow they seem to have bulked up and/or become stiffer over the last couple of years. Both seem to have become the hitting equivalent of "maximum effort" pitchers - not good.

Mike Green - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 08:55 PM EDT (#233627) #

Lind's HR to left-centre is a very good sign.

Maldoff - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 09:05 PM EDT (#233628) #

Tough break for Litsch in the 2nd there. Bautista won't get an error on the play, but he should have had that Murphy "double", potentially changing the entire inning

VBF - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 09:20 PM EDT (#233630) #

I would say it's the majority. He has made some horrible moves (...Pierzynski, Zito, Rowand) but the good far outweighs the bad. A GM that built last year's World Series Champion can't be merely average at his job.

I second that. The Giants ownership group is very involved in all roster moves--it's difficult to compare Sabean to other GMs who may be given a relatively huge amount of autonomy. He's done remarkable given the circumstances he's under.

Chuck - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 09:45 PM EDT (#233631) #

Bautista won't get an error on the play... Tough break for Litsch

A tougher break was when a change-up fooled the umpire and should have been called strike 3 on Davis to end the inning.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 09:51 PM EDT (#233633) #

Dave, could you please post a thread tomorrow explaining why you're worried about Travis Snider? When you have the reverse mojo working, you must take advantage.

greenfrog - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:22 PM EDT (#233635) #

"When you have the reverse mojo working, you must take advantage"

I may have some of the same reverse mojo (Lind banged out a HR a few minutes after my post, then launched another one the next inning). So, let me get the ball rolling:

I'm *really, really* worried about Snider's approach at the plate. In fact, it's keeping me up at night. I haven't been able to think about anything else for weeks...

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:25 PM EDT (#233636) #

reverse mojo

I might mention my own gloomy observation just yesterday that "the Jays are tied...for the worst road record in the majors. Whereas Texas has the best home record in the majors."

BWA-HA-HA!

greenfrog - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 11:47 PM EDT (#233637) #

Perfectly good r-mojo, but I don't think anyone can compare to ComeByDeanChance's comments at the time of the Bautista acquisition (adding to the offensive junkpile, piling crap on crap, describing him as Hector Luna v.2.1, etc). Now that's reverse mojo!

(Note: I have made many similarly bad calls myself, including a short-lived fondness for Russ Adams, and am therefore reluctant to throw stones at glass houses, but CBDC's post may take the cake, as Bautista has proved to be just about the best hitter in baseball from September 2009 - April 2011. If only Hector Luna had had Dwayne Murphy as a hitting coach...)

Ron - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 02:32 AM EDT (#233640) #

I think it's a matter of how much of the credit goes to Sabean for a great run of drafting and developing pitchers. I don't see anything else about the 2010 Giants that makes me think the man in charge was particularly savvy.

From everything I've read, the GM is the person that usually makes the 1st round selection. In the past 10 seasons, Sabean has drafted Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner (none of these players were picked 9th or higher). Posey is another player on Sabean's draft resume. He also obtained Torres, Huff, Uribe, Sanchez, and Burrell for very little. The Giants have made the playoffs 5 times under his leadership.

If Sabean isn't an above average GM, than they don't exist.

Sano - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 02:54 AM EDT (#233641) #

Don't know where to put this. But Cecil got roughed up. Bad.

4.1 IP, 13 hits, 11 runs, 10 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 3 Hrs allowed.

Ouch. What is going on with him?

Magpie - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 03:05 AM EDT (#233642) #

In his last 22 major league starts, going back to June 2008, Jo-Jo Reyes is 0-11, 6.51...

Reverse Mojo, do your stuff!

Magpie - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 03:07 AM EDT (#233643) #

What is going on with [Cecil]?

They mentioned that performance on the broadcast, along with the rather desperate suggestion that he's "working on something." Honestly, the first thing I wondered is if he was working on pitching right-handed.

TamRa - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 05:15 AM EDT (#233646) #

From everything I've read, the GM is the person that usually makes the 1st round selection. In the past 10 seasons, Sabean has drafted Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner (none of these players were picked 9th or higher). Posey is another player on Sabean's draft resume.

True. 2002-2008 no one did as well with the #1 pick as he did. Albeit those decisions were supported by good staff, the GM hires the staff. Before that though, '97-'02, he didn't take one significant player in the first round. So he's definately grown on the job (interestingly, most GM's don't get 6 years to fingure that out)

He also obtained Torres, Huff, Uribe, Sanchez, and Burrell for very little. The Giants have made the playoffs 5 times under his leadership.

None of those guys really impress me all that much, frankly. He's spent a lot of money on poor performance and traded away a lot of talent too. Heck the Zito and Rowand contracts cancel out a LOT of that good will. Still, such things will happen.

If Sabean isn't an above average GM, than they don't exist.

I'd call him above average, but just moderately so - like all of them he has strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, with so many new GM's that are too new to properly rate, one could argue that he ranks pretty high at the moment, though I've never been a fan. The success of the draft picks you mentioned have really raised his stock over the last 3-4 years.

TamRa - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 05:20 AM EDT (#233648) #

What is going on with [Cecil]?

It's not a full explanation, but there are SOME mitigating factors - the weather was AWFUL and the altitude is something he's not used to; spiraling lack of confidence wold cause the situation to escelate (since confidence was part of what got him demoted) also, the Sky Sox are about as hot as a minor league team can get offensively right now. Five or six members of the starting line-up are flaunting .900 or better OPS numbers right now.

Sano - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 05:24 AM EDT (#233649) #

Some interesting tidbits from Cecil's twitter feed.

"Brutal out there today 16 degrees...results don't matter to me anymore it's all bout finding myself again"

"It's like a bad bruise for me right now...it's gonna get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better!"

I just don't understand what has gone wrong with him. Has he changed or have people learned how to hit him?

China fan - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 07:10 AM EDT (#233650) #

For sheer honesty and revelation of character, Cecil and Snider are the most interesting Jays to follow on Twitter....

A lot of the other Jays are pretty boring on Twitter -- for example Bautista is very corporate in his Twitter feed, as if he's already shaping his future endorsements and business career -- but Cecil and Snider are the ones you want to watch. If only Snider would talk about baseball as candidly as he does about food....

China fan - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 07:26 AM EDT (#233651) #

The Jays have a good rationale for keeping their young prospects on the farm, but the roster situation is making it increasingly awkward to keep Lawrie, Cooper and Thames in the minors. Encarnacion is still injured and did not play last night. If he goes onto the DL, who do the Jays call up? Woodward and McCoy are already on the big-league roster. There's no need for another low-hitting utility bench guy (and there aren't any obvious candidates in Las Vegas anyway, except maybe Diaz who would be totally superfluous on the roster as it's currently composed). The obvious need is a power-hitting DH or infield type. Why not call up Lawrie, Cooper or Thames and give them a few games in the majors? Is it such a sin to depart from "the plan" when injuries necessitate it?

Similarly, the Jays system is overloaded with fleet-footed outfielders (Davis, Patterson, Podsednik, DeWayne Wise) and a total absence of power hitters on the bench. It's a weird situation, and you'd think that Anthopolous would eventually do something about it. Temporarily promoting one of the Lawrie-Cooper-Thames trio would be a way to help.

bpoz - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 08:15 AM EDT (#233652) #

I am wondering if a little time with Mel Queen might help Cecil.

rtcaino - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 08:52 AM EDT (#233656) #

I am wondering if a little time with Mel Queen might help Cecil. Or maybe Dr. Phil.

Gerry - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 12:12 PM EDT (#233685) #

Cecil went home for a few days, and to Dunedin, before reporting to Las Vegas. I doubt that he worked on anything with the AAA coaches before that start. He needs a few more starts before we begin to judge him.

Kelekin - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 12:29 PM EDT (#233686) #

I think I am seeing a lot of potential excuses for his performance, but no matter how you look at it, it was a bad performance. I don't think "going home for a few days" is something that a player can't deal with. Pitchers have pitched well after multi-month layoffs. The weather? Really? The other pitchers have to face the same weather.

No matter how we look at it, it's a poor start, and there is clearly some Phil Hughes-esque concerns right now in regard to Cecil.

pooks137 - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 01:30 PM EDT (#233693) #

I don't think "going home for a few days" is something that a player can't deal with.

I don't think Gerry's post was meant as an excuse. I took it more as "Cecil is still broken and hasn't had time to do anything about it" vs. "The AAA experiment isn't working!" which is the initial knee-jerk reaction after seeing that horrendous pitching line.

Kelekin - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 01:48 PM EDT (#233695) #

Yeah, and that's fair enough. I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up on the DL, though.

TamRa - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 05:35 PM EDT (#233718) #

I think I am seeing a lot of potential excuses for his performance, but no matter how you look at it, it was a bad performance.

Not "excuses" - relevant factors.

I don't think "going home for a few days" is something that a player can't deal with. Pitchers have pitched well after multi-month layoffs.

He's not saying what you imply he's saying - he's saying that the Cecil who showed up to pitch is basically the same guy who left Toronto - with nothing really changed.

The weather? Really? The other pitchers have to face the same weather.

And the other pitcher was used to it, having played in that home park the whole season. Cecil was in a controlled enviornment in TO and warm weather in Florida.

So you start adding it up:
1. pitcher has low confidence and is pressing
2. Pitcher trying to find lost velocity is potentially losing movement and control
3. Pitcher going from very plesent conditions to very harsh conditions.
4. Pitcher left in the game longer than he normally would have been to "work on" his stuff, regardless of score.
5. Pitcher possibly vulnerable to effects of altitude having not accustomed his pitch selection to that situation.

And so forth. Not excuses, factors.

No matter how we look at it, it's a poor start, and there is clearly some Phil Hughes-esque concerns right now in regard to Cecil.

Yes, it's a poor start, and yes one would be an abject fool to not be concerned, or worried abut hidden injury. None of that prevents an analysis of contributing factors.

Mike Green - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 09:21 PM EDT (#233730) #

Lots of good news on the farm tonight. Another homer from Moises Sierra, and a good outing from Asher Woj top the list.

greenfrog - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 11:59 PM EDT (#233751) #

Hechavarria also had a great night: 3/4, 2B, 3B, BB, SB, 3 R, 0 Ks, and no errors.

Mike Green - Thursday, April 28 2011 @ 10:04 AM EDT (#233761) #

I especially like the walk. It's not likely that Hechevarria is going to walk 80 times in a year anytime soon, but it makes a big difference whether the figure is 25 or 45.

ayjackson - Thursday, April 28 2011 @ 11:53 AM EDT (#233770) #

He has a developing split so far this year, but even if he turns into a lefty mashing defensive specialist, he can provide some good value to the back of a major league roster.

April 26 - 22 Games In | 73 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.