Checking in on Johnny Giavotella

by Freneau on Sep 1, 2011 7:53 PM EDT in Kansas City Royals News

I really don't know what I expected from Johnny Giavotella this season, which is utterly pathetic, because he's precisely the kind of player who would be low variance. We know he isn't going to go Albert Pujols on the AL, and we also know that he's not going to fall flat on his face. Maybe. I guess.

I do know that he isn't Chris Getz.

In any case, Giavotella had three hits today, including a double, raising his triple slash line to .255/.291/.378. It isn't a great line, but he's still slugging 80 points higher than Mike Burroughs Moustakas. Then again, is he really any different than Getz? The BA/OBP is roughly the same, although over much more playing time, Getz managed an amazingly low .307 SLG (which again, is better than Moose has done).

Getz showed vague doubles power for a time as well, posting a memorable .347 SLG in 2009 with the White Sox. These things can happen, even with tiny guys like these two. And again, we're talking about slugging .350-.370, which is a low bar.

So... here we are. I'm glad Giavotella was called up, I'm glad there's less Getz in our lives. Have the Royals made a huge upgrade? Eh.

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The Biggest Difference?

Getz has now had over 1,000 Major League plate appearances…more than enough to judge what he is. Giavotella now has a shade over 100. Giavotella might not be the answer, but Getz most definitely is not.

by MikeGianella on Sep 1, 2011 8:09 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs

My main thing

is that Gia is a rookie. It’s extremely hard to judge what is going on. But I definitely agree that his defense is incredibly underrated and I don’t see any way he can be worse offensively then Getz,

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by AlexGordonHRmagnet on Sep 2, 2011 2:59 AM EDT up reply actions

his defense is underrated?

he’s made several WTF plays including 2 in one inning that cost us a game

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Sep 2, 2011 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions

And his range really isn't good

I think for some, unless his defense looks genuinely awful, then it’s pretty good.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Sep 2, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Gia's defense has been better than expected.

He’s made some bad plays, no doubt, but he’s also turned in some pretty good ones and he’s shown adequate range. I’ll take the guy with better range who makes some mistakes/errors over the guy who all the coaches call “sure-handed/mistake-free” but has awful range.

He looks like a probable .270/.330/.400 hitter to me. Decent BA and OBP, some doubles. Not awful, not that great.

Killing time until time kills me

by EspeciallyK on Sep 1, 2011 8:17 PM EDT reply actions

he's a butcher

he gets a lot of love for not being Getz so its ok unless he doesn’t improve with time.

I'm trying hard but some of this sabermetrics stuff sounds madeup.

by stram#1 on Sep 1, 2011 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't watch literally every game, but I watch most of them.

I don’t recall him making very many huge mistakes, outside of that one game where he completely fucked up. Maybe I’m missing something though. I’m definitely not trying to say he’s good defensively, I just haven’t seen much that says he’s unplayable at the position or is a liability. He seems below-average, but not that much so. We’ll see what the data says once/if he gets enough innings.

Killing time until time kills me

by EspeciallyK on Sep 1, 2011 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I think that so far he's shown himself to be a poor fielder

Not awful. Not horrendous. But a poor defensive MLB second baseman.

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by Scott McKinney on Sep 1, 2011 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

he so far is not good defensively

so he needs to hit about average for his position to justify playing daily

I'm trying hard but some of this sabermetrics stuff sounds madeup.

by stram#1 on Sep 1, 2011 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions

One nice thing about having a gold-glove caliber first basemen and a gold glove caliber shortstop is that you can absorb a second basemen who isn’t the best defender in the world in favor of putting a bat in the lineup. I liked what I’ve seen so far in flashes of what Gio can do and I’m willing to give him a full season in the bigs to see what happens.

by seelztlb on Sep 1, 2011 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions

He's Not Overwhelmed

By MLB pitching so far. That’s a good start.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Sep 1, 2011 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Have you seen how Hos has been grading out at 1B?

AWFUL. SSS, but so far, so bad.

by play4'ships on Sep 1, 2011 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I meant ABOVE average for his position

I'm trying hard but some of this sabermetrics stuff sounds madeup.

by stram#1 on Sep 1, 2011 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions

The botched plays have been killers

And there has been a lot of them, way too many. It’s routine for Giavotella to fuck up what should be routine to most players. Range isn’t everything, ESPECIALLY for a second baseman. Their job entails a lot more; relaying the cut off, turning the double play, tagging the runner on SB attempts, etc. These are all essential things that he has just straight up blown ass at.

by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Sep 2, 2011 1:23 AM EDT up reply actions

He reminds me of Callaspo

In fact, I would like to present the Callaspo comp for Johnny Giavotella. I’ve heard Uggla and Marcus Giles, both of which are/were far more talented than gia. When I think Giavotella I think….300 avg., 10 HRs, good contact hitter with decent discipline, average or below average power, below average concentration on defense. when i think Callaspo I think…300 avg., 10 HRs, good contact hitter with decent discipline, average or below average power, way below average concentration on defense.

by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Sep 2, 2011 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Oops...spoke to soon

Matt Klaasen already presented this below.

by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Sep 2, 2011 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions

70 more points of slugging, 4 years younger, cheaper

Even if this is all Giavotella becomes, it seems like a meaningful upgrade to me.

by KSinDC on Sep 1, 2011 8:29 PM EDT reply actions

With esky at ss, and whomever at c

We really can’t have a no stick at 2b. Not sure colon is gonna be an upgrade over Gia. But we know Gia is better than Getz. Not sure if we have any choice, as all money should be put towards pitching.

Stuck following the Royals since 1976.

by A. B. Aird on Sep 1, 2011 8:33 PM EDT reply actions

Thinking short term, he's been struggling lately, but not failing as spectacularly as Kila.

I’m hoping his game today breaks him out of his mini-slump.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Sep 1, 2011 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

Giavotella

He’s not the same type of player, but a good offensive comp might be a right-handed only Maicer Izturis (280/340/393, 321 wOBA) — without the defense obviously. Defense will be the key. If he ends up only a few runs below average defensively (or better), he can get by with a roughly league average bat. If he is significantly worse than that, though, he really has to become a solidly above average hitter to make it as a regular (and he probably would have to become an on-base machine to do that because there is not much room to grow power-wise).

by Gopherballs on Sep 1, 2011 8:48 PM EDT reply actions

I was thinking maybe Alberto Callaspo

Not too many walks or extra-base hits, but knows the zone and makes contact well.

Similar defensive “value” at second.

He might not work out, but he’s only a place holder for Sure Thing Colon, anyway.

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by Matt Klaassen on Sep 1, 2011 11:18 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Don't Worry, ATL

Will be ready to trade Uggla in 2013. He has a good contract

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Sep 1, 2011 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he's fine in the field

Encouraging at the plate. Dude’s performing above my expectations. Doesn’t seem fair to utter his name in the same breath as Getz’s’s’s’s.

by LaFLamme on Sep 1, 2011 9:27 PM EDT reply actions

It seems like

Moose, Gio, and Hosmer all hit home runs in their first series, Hos is the only guy to show a little bit of power, albeit more at bats

I can't wait for the Book..."Boom Yosted" a life inside baseball-by Ned Yost

by tiquanunderwear on Sep 1, 2011 9:38 PM EDT reply actions

Technically, Hosmer's first was in his second series, but, yeah, what you said is spot on.

I still have hope for Moustakas’s power long term. His ISO is a paltry .060, and I expect that to go nowhere but up from here.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Sep 1, 2011 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Aww I forgot Oakland

I think Gio and Moose are going to build on things…I see lots of things from them that reminds me why they were such big prospects, but I think Hosmer is going to be special

I can't wait for the Book..."Boom Yosted" a life inside baseball-by Ned Yost

by tiquanunderwear on Sep 1, 2011 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions

A guy that is bad at fielding second, and hits ok for the position.

I think I remember the Royals having a player like that they they chose Getz over.

I think his name was Mike.

Go Royals!

by BabyBlues on Sep 1, 2011 9:56 PM EDT reply actions

Isn't Gio younger by a fair bit than Mica?

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Sep 1, 2011 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Aviles got by on bat speed, which tends to disappear around age 30.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Sep 1, 2011 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Really?

Is there support for this?

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Sep 1, 2011 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Adam Dunn

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Sep 1, 2011 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I think this is where I read it:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/385783-adam-dunn-and-old-player-skills

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Sep 2, 2011 1:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Aviles doesn't fit the "old player skills" profile

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Sep 2, 2011 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

gio and moose are both young, so it’s ok. their better than the alternatives

by mmiller9 on Sep 1, 2011 10:33 PM EDT reply actions

Even if Gio decides to hit like TPJ

play second base as if he is Billy Butler’s Big Brother and turn into a stage 5 clubhouse cancer, he still won’t be Chris Getz. That’s good enough for me.

by Black and Gold on Sep 2, 2011 12:08 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs

which is a completely meaningless comment

Its a sad day when you hate a player with no clearly defined reason who doesn’t act like an ass out in public, isn’t rude to the media and keeps his nose clean.

‘he may suck worse than any player! But at least he isn’t Getz’

Awesome

The Royal Pork T....between inning snack of prized Royal Designated Hitters

by kd_in_kc on Sep 2, 2011 8:21 AM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions 1 recs

Followed by a much better comment...

I realize mine isn’t bringing anything new but black and gold saying “hey, he’s not the guy we know” isn’t a pointless comment.

Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk

by Warden11 on Sep 2, 2011 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Perhaps the hyperbole caused confusion

Getz should not be on a major league roster. He can be a nice guy while working for an accounting firm. I don’t hate him. I hate the fact that he clogs the roster and manages to end up playing on a regular basis. I’ll take Gio this year and next. If he turns out to be as much of a waste as Getz, then he can leave, too.

by Black and Gold on Sep 2, 2011 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

If only he clogged the basepaths more

by Your_Moms_Boyfriend on Sep 2, 2011 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions

So how many games has Getz, himself lost this year?

The Royal Pork T....between inning snack of prized Royal Designated Hitters

by kd_in_kc on Sep 2, 2011 8:57 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions

If I saw Chris Getz on the street, I'd punch him in the face for sucking so much

:) Have a nice day.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Sep 2, 2011 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions

hater

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Sep 2, 2011 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

please try Scott

Seeing an article in The Star about a guy attempting to assault Getz and ending up in the clink with a shiner would make me laugh and look for your mugshot….

The Royal Pork T....between inning snack of prized Royal Designated Hitters

by kd_in_kc on Sep 2, 2011 8:45 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions

I'm not convinced that Giavotella will be on the opening day roster next year

I think Kelly Johnson may be here. He’s a FA, a Dayton guy, and is probably an upgrade defensively. He may even be available somewhat cheap.

by WestCoastRoyal on Sep 2, 2011 1:33 AM EDT reply actions

no way...giavotella is a dayton guy...

he’s going to get every chance to succeed

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Sep 2, 2011 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions

BBB, why the Gia disdain?

Should we NOT give him a chance to play, even though he performed well at every level in the system? Who do you recommend gets a chance to play 2B instead?

He may not play a great defensive 2B or steal 30 bases, but he could have a decent OBP with some pop. Which is exactly what we need from that position.

by Rufus R. Jones on Sep 2, 2011 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions

no...there really was no negativity involved there...

i dont see johnson getting signed b/c giavotella deserves every chance to succeed and i think he’ll get it partially b/c he is a dayton guy but mostly b/c he’s earned it

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Sep 2, 2011 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions

i dont have alot of faith...but i have no doubt that dayton will have him starting

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Sep 2, 2011 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Sorry

I thought you were questioning the decision to give Gia a chance.

by Rufus R. Jones on Sep 2, 2011 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't think Moore is always going to play his draftees

I don’t think he loves every player he’s drafted and will make them or keep them as full-time regulars. I could easily see him going out and getting someone like Kelly Johnson as part of “going for it” in 2012. I’m not saying it definitely will happen, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Sep 2, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

id be shocked if he signed anyone to start at any of the 8 positions....

i think he’s got guys he likes at every spot…and some of them multiple guys

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Sep 2, 2011 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I think it's hard to say how much he likes some of them

Like Giavotella. I don’t think he likes below average defensive players up the middle.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Sep 2, 2011 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

gia, navarro, getz....one of them will be the starter

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Sep 2, 2011 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe

I don’t think he really values any of them very highly. I could easily see him buying an instant upgrade, particularly if he doesn’t land the FA pitchers he wants.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on Sep 2, 2011 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions