A few thoughts on ST trip.....
by Steve Hovley on Mar 22, 2009 11:54 AM EDT
Email
PrintAfter watching games and practices for a few days this past week here are a few humble, and quite possibly wrong, observations:
-Buck looks good at the plate. Selective, strong, confident, quick. Shorter swing.
-B. Pena, although a 'wide body' seems to move very athletically. Looks pretty good at the plate and runs well. I think he is a legitimate backup C if there is a market for Buck or Olivo. I would prefer to deal Olivo. (My bias.)
-Gordon looked lost at the plate. Always behind in the count, timing off, unbalanced, uncomfortable. Looks much better in the field than last summer. Wednesday night he made a great diving play to his left in the 7th.
-TPJ is playing like a guy who knows he will not be on this team. No confidence, enthusiasm, or inspiration. Actually made 2 errors Wed. though only credited for one. Still has the long swing at the plate. Sad.
-Callaspo in profile is not a pretty sight: big butt, huge thighs, bit of a gut. No wonder he's slow. And this after he supposedly lost 6-8 lbs. But, as Billy Beane said "we're not sellin jeans." I still think he's the best choice at 2B. His hitting will come around IMHO.
-Teahen is looking great at the plate. Aggressive, confident, and in command. Hitting the ball hard. This would be the wrong time to deal him. Pray for an injury (or incarceration) for Guillen and put him in RF everyday. It's obvious to everyone that he's no second baseman and I don't think he'll become one.
-Bloomy makes Gload look like a smart signing. But he's a DM/Trey kinda guy......
-Billy seems like the idiot savant of hitting. For some reason he was blessed with the specific skills/talent to be a MLB hitter even though he has none of the other usual attendant capabilities. He fields like a slowpitch softball first baseman and runs like a 40 yr. old CPA. That being said, he looks thinner and moves much better than last year. He seems to be more comfortable in the field. He should be the opening day 1B.
-Jacobs can hit the ball hard, when he hits it. With enough AB's he may just hit 30 HR's at Kaufman but there's a lot of outs in that swing. He's a DH, not a 1B...duh.
-Didn't see much of Shealy. Find that telling?
-Outfield: Jose was back for the Wed. night game and K'd three straight times. Maier looks really strong at the plate. He hit a HR in Monday's game at Camelback 420' to RC. Coco looks like he's taking the leadoff job seriously: selective, working the count, hitting behind runners, etc. DDJ will be ready.
This is getting too long so I'll not comment on the pitching.
The comments above are made with the recognition of the meaninglessness of ST stats and the small sample size of a 4 day visit but I thought some of you might enjoy.
In conclusion, Ms. Hovley and myself had a great time. I got some great tips from some of the posts here at RR before the trip. Thanks. - P.S.- Buddyball, I looked for a man with a RR t-shirt on and dozens of beautiful women fawning over him but alas......
32 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Great stuff. Thanks
Guillen has been lost at the plate since the beggining of spring training. Does the man REALLY need 2 months to get into game shape? jeeze…
by Royal from Queens on Mar 22, 2009 1:30 PM EDT reply actions
To me it looks as though Guillen is leaning his top half back just before contact
This creates a lot of GBs because you swing over the ball… And produces lots of swings and misses….
I wonder if Seitzer can reach him?
That's why we play the season on paper.
I wonder if he would listen to anyone.
Particularly some white bread, born-again that had a modicum of success in the late eighties.
by Steve Hovley on Mar 22, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Not that it matters
but Seitzer was a way better player than Guillen. Seitzer’s best was way better than Guillen’s best, according to CHONE’s numbers. Seitzer’s comeback year in 1996 is as good as Guillen’s second best year.
Im’ sure pointing Guillens to Rally’s site will fix everything…
BUt seriously, I wonder if that’s the way Guillen has always hit, or if it’s the way he’s always hit. He’s always been pretty bad about grounding into double plays, although last year he was bad even for him (ah, the ravages of age).
Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.
by Matt Klaassen on Mar 22, 2009 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions
For some odd reason I DVR'd all his ABs and burned them onto a DVD last season
it was before he went psycho on the Yankees…. so I’ve got the best and the worst of his season last year. I had been impressed with his ability to drive the ball the other way and wanted some of my HS ballplayers to see a good oppo swing… then he lost everything….
From my observations, he hasn’t always hit like that. And he hits MUCH better when he is flat on the topside keeping his hands high out of his load. But they kind of drop with his lean…..
That's why we play the season on paper.
I don't think anyone who spends as much time as I do
worry about whether I set the FIP-Scale and lgRA in a blog series not one reads is in a position to call anyone a loser.
But my reference to CHONE’s site is totally not geeky.
Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.
by Matt Klaassen on Mar 22, 2009 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree with you. I was speaking from what I perceived JoGui's POV might be.
I’d take Sietzer over Jose anyday.
by Steve Hovley on Mar 22, 2009 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions
sure
I was just taking the chance to be a dork
Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.
by Matt Klaassen on Mar 22, 2009 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Jesus, '87 and '88 were killer years--4.4 and 4.2 WAR?
Guillen should be kissin’ his ass and taking any advice Kevin should deign to give such a piece of shit.
by Steve Hovley on Mar 22, 2009 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Here's Kevin's favorite thing for advice.
Have a proper approach and use the middle of the field.
That's why we play the season on paper.
I went to the same two games and concur totally
Teahen = good
Guillen = not so good
you must have been on the wrong side of the diamond from me and my “posse”.
what did you do on Tuesday?
"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell
Jerome and Sedona with the better half.
We liked Jerome but t;he road construction and the touristas at Sedona dimmed the vortex experience. No epiphanies………..
We did the Sedona thing, but not Jerome
when we returned, we went to Montezuma Well. Mrs. Buddyball likes the ancient Native American stuff. It was pretty cool. The roadwork in Sedona did suck. Lots of tourists is a bit offputting. Did you go on the Red Rock loop? There were good vistas and some pretty spectacular homes.
"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell
Agreed. Cool vistas.
We went to the Catholic church in the rocks outside of town and found it to be pretty cool. But right across the road this large, garish mansion was being constructed. We inquired about the house and were told that the guy who discovered Lasik surger;y chose to build there. Perhaps even ridiculously wealthy people are seeking the Vortex……………….
by Steve Hovley on Mar 22, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions
we didn't find any vortexes
although it would be fun to go to some of the “mystical” places and hear the schtick. Having said that, I have a low tolerance with the crystal people.
"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell
I find the diversity of belief to be strangely interesting and comforting but...
I am truly an agnostic and do not subscribe to new age dogma.
by Steve Hovley on Mar 22, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, Wednesday night....
when the Mariners were shelling Zach and Tejeda. We did finally identify them when we saw the final score.
by Steve Hovley on Mar 23, 2009 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions
yes, they looked like little white spheres that left the
yard at incredible speeds. There is no other possible explanation.
"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell
Good interesting post
I have to disagree on Bloomquist though…. From what I saw on the TV last night (I couldn’t watch Friday’s game until then) I saw a guy who made a lot of tough plays and played the game hard. He was athletic and has the ability to be a leader on the team. I actually think he’s better than Callaspo for us at the moment. He may not be at the end of the season if Callaspo loses that beer belly he’s got, but he’s a wild card. Bloomquist is a solid veteran player who has weaknesses, but also has intangibles that are part of a playoff caliber team.
That's why we play the season on paper.
I'm Not Sure
About the intangibles, but Bloomers has always been reasonably athletic and does not embarrass himself in the field at 7 positions. I still want Callaspo at 2B, but I’m not all that down on Sporqie as a frequently used utility player. To me his versatility is his value.
I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.
by philofthenorth on Mar 22, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Ok, this really cracked me up.
Billy seems like the idiot savant of hitting. For some reason he was blessed with the specific skills/talent to be a MLB hitter even though he has none of the other usual attendant capabilities. He fields like a slowpitch softball first baseman and runs like a 40 yr. old CPA.
If you were thinking, you wouldn't have thought that.
releasing players that you traded major league talent for
the new market inefficiency
Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.
by Matt Klaassen on Mar 23, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Affeldt
Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.
by Matt Klaassen on Mar 23, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
