Checking in on Mike Sweeney

by royalsreview on Aug 23, 2009 8:49 PM EDT in News Comment 16 comments

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

The Mariners bloggers joke about how Sweeney is the designated hugger. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

So how's Sweeney doing in Seattle this year?

Not great. Mike's triple slash line is .249/.305/.402 this season, down from a little more respectable showing last season with Oakland, when he hit .286/.331/.397. He did get over the 200 homer plateau this season, which I was happy to see him do, considering that he ended the 2005 season at 182.

Fangraphs had Sweeney at about dead replacement level last season, actually contributing more defensively than he did with the bat. This year, in less time afield, he's posted worse defensive stats.

In the last two weeks, despite not playing regularly, Sweeney's been sorta hot, hitting .290/.351/.548 in his last 37 PAs.

I guess that's your Mike Sweeney update.

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Beats Guillen's line

Guillen is hitting .245/.317/.371

So, who expected that Mike Sweeney would be better at hitting in 2009 than Jose Guillen?

Graduate with a B.S. from the Dayton Moore School of Stats Analysis

by BHWick on Aug 23, 2009 9:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the real question is

would sweeney be worse in RF

that would be quite the battle

by royalsreview on Aug 23, 2009 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I still miss Emil.

Who would have thought that statement could be offered without sarcasim in 2009?

When Guillen was signed I speculated he would be somewhat more effective than Brown, but not enough so to justify the salary difference between the two players. It turns out I was giving Guillen too much credit.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Aug 23, 2009 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

although i'd feel better about Emil if he was still around somewhere in the bigs

although he is hitting like hell in Buffalo this year

.295 /.360 /.655

by royalsreview on Aug 23, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good for Mike having work, I guess

I like him, but he should really hang it up. Not sure what the Mariners think having him on the team. It can only be some weird Grass-Creek related revenge thing

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

Can't get enough of me? Check out my Twitter feed.

by devil_fingers on Aug 23, 2009 9:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

it's the platoon

apparently the Mariners think that strategically starting hitters makes sense. Instead of what we do here.

Graduate with a B.S. from the Dayton Moore School of Stats Analysis

by BHWick on Aug 23, 2009 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anyways

when Sweeney hangs it up, then it’ll be time to have a coaching staff with Hal McRae, Randa, and Sweeney.

Or we can make this idea even weirder and have Seitzer manage the team with Randa as the third base coach, Sweeney as the bench coach, and McRae smashing things in frustration as the hitting coach.

Graduate with a B.S. from the Dayton Moore School of Stats Analysis

by BHWick on Aug 23, 2009 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sweeney should be more of a roving instructor or something

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

Can't get enough of me? Check out my Twitter feed.

by devil_fingers on Aug 23, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

roving to tell players that they are allowed to modify their approach with two strikes

In the scheme of things, the hitting problem is a problem of discipline. Which isn’t all that bad a word to use if you want to promote OBP-guys, since the guys who typically swing at craptacular pitches and fizzle when they need to hit are not OBP superstars. And it’s more realistic than the clutch fans and their fawning.

Graduate with a B.S. from the Dayton Moore School of Stats Analysis

by BHWick on Aug 23, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Team Chaplain

BOOM! ROASTED!

by GoBabies!! on Aug 24, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sweeney

His primary role on the Mariners (along with Griffey) is basically keep the clubhouse in line while not looking like absolute crap as a Major League player doing it.

I’m fairly certain this will be his final year but stranger things have happened. God I’d love to have him as part of our coaching staff though.

by ThundaPC on Aug 24, 2009 1:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thunda has it right.

Just wanted to add that from everything that the fabulous Shannon Drayer has written, Mike Sweeney seems absolutely beloved by his teammates – more so than any player I’ve ever seen. It’s pretty remarkable, and it seems that getting rid of him would be like a kick in the balls to the rest of the clubhouse.

by Decatur on Aug 24, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs