For all the stats guys out there...

 

Have NL players--especially the bigger stars like Thome--adjusted well to AL pitching and style of play? Is there usually some adjustment period? If so, we may have to be patient...not expecting him to hit 4 HRs during the first week of play.

For all the stats guys out there...

 

Have NL players--especially the bigger stars like Thome--adjusted well to AL pitching and style of play?  Is there usually some adjustment period?  If so, we may have to be patient...not expecting him to hit 4 HRs during the first week of play.

 

 

 

 

 

:headshake

 

 

 

 

Jim Thome... Cleveland Indians... need I say more?

Jim Thome... Indians... spanking us at the Cell. That's all you need to know. Hell, he even destroyed us in interleague with the Phillies.

Edited January 30, 200620 yr by SSH2005

Hahahaha.

Renteria was a bust.

Vlad didn't do too badly.

Sheffield has been pretty good since returning to the AL after a lon NL stint.

Sosa sucked badly, but that was due to his smaller frame.

 

For some reason I can't think of too many big name NL hitters that have jump to the AL in the past couple years.

Renteria was a bust.

Vlad didn't do too badly.

Sheffield has been pretty good since returning to the AL after a lon NL stint.

Sosa sucked badly, but that was due to his smaller frame.

 

For some reason I can't think of too many big name NL hitters that have jump to the AL in the past couple years.

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Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre, although Sexson played with the Indians in the beginning of his career and Beltre only had one really good season in the N.L.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Jan 29, 2006 -> 11:45 PM)

Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre, although Sexson played with the Indians in the beginning of his career and Beltre only had one really good season in the N.L.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's right, and let's stay in the AL West.

 

Hey Anthrax, how's that $32 million contract for Orlando Cabrera working out?

 

Here's another: Steve Finley.

That's right, and let's stay in the AL West.

 

Hey Anthrax, how's that $32 million contract for Orlando Cabrera working out? 

 

Here's another:  Steve Finley.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Orlando Cabrera, man what a waste of money he would have been. :puke

 

I forgot about Finley. I think Finley's problem is either that he's just too damn old now or that he's finally off the juice, or both.

For all the stats guys out there...

 

Have NL players--especially the bigger stars like Thome--adjusted well to AL pitching and style of play?  Is there usually some adjustment period?  If so, we may have to be patient...not expecting him to hit 4 HRs during the first week of play.

 

Let's just say Thome hit 52 hr's his last season in the al. Him adjusting to al pitching is the last thing I would worry about.

Yep, Thome knows his AL pitchers. I'm not too worried about it.

I'm more concerned about health and any changes to his off season routine that may have occured. That may cause a slow start before adjusting to pitchers. And remember, they have to adjust to him as well. I'll take a HoF hitter adfjusting faster than a run of the mill 3-4-5 starter.

Yep, Thome knows his AL pitchers. I'm not too worried about it.

 

This is a good point. I know that Thome did play for the Indians, but he's still making a transition from NL to AL. Think of John Olerud, for example. Started with Toronto, played for the Mets for a while, then to Seattle... I just don't know his stats to know if when he first went back to Seattle to know if he did better, same, or not so good, especially in the first weeks back.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/o/olerujo01.shtml

I'm more concerned about health and any changes to his off season routine that may have occured. That may cause a slow start before adjusting to pitchers. And remember, they have to adjust to him as well. I'll take a HoF hitter adfjusting faster than a run of the mill 3-4-5 starter.

If Thome is Healthy...I expect him to put up very good numbers. Aside from last year, he put up very good, consistent numbers for the last 10 years or so. The only real question I have with him is health, and I'm hoping being a DH will be a good solution to that.

 

If he's healthy, I'm fully expecting 40 HR, and if he doesn't hit that while healthy, I will probably be disappointed.

If he's healthy, I'm fully expecting 40 HR, and if he doesn't hit that while healthy, I will probably be disappointed.

 

I wonder if you may be setting standards a little high. Think of this equation:

 

Rowand + Thomas = Thome + Anderson (speaking only offensively right now)

 

If this does happen, then it would be a wash. Is that a disappointment? Maybe. But if Thome and Anderson out produce what we would have expected from Rowand and Thomas, it's a net gain.

If Thome is Healthy...I expect him to put up very good numbers.  Aside from last year, he put up very good, consistent numbers for the last 10 years or so.  The only real question I have with him is health, and I'm hoping being a DH will be a good solution to that.

 

If he's healthy, I'm fully expecting 40 HR, and if he doesn't hit that while healthy, I will probably be disappointed.

 

 

 

I will say I was floored in how good of shape Thome looked when I met him on Friday. The guy was buldging out of his shirt like a pagan god or something, you could really tell in his face that he is feeling really good. I asked him how the cages are treating him, and he replied "Really great, my swing is right where I want it to be." To say that I was impressed is a severe understatement.

I wonder if you may be setting standards a little high.  Think of this equation:

 

Rowand + Thomas = Thome + Anderson  (speaking only offensively right now)

 

If this does happen, then it would be a wash.  Is that a disappointment?  Maybe.  But if Thome and Anderson out produce what we would have expected from Rowand and Thomas, it's a net gain.

 

If Thome stays healthy, which he should, I see no way in hell Thome and Anderson don't outperform Thomas + Rowand + Everett...Thomas did only play a month and hit like .219, though every other f'in AB seemed like a homer. I am not expecting a lot out of Anderson, quite honestly...I'd be satisfied with .250 10 .320/.400/.720, so long as he plays gold glove caliber defense in CF.

If Thome stays healthy, which he should, I see no way in hell Thome and Anderson don't outperform Thomas + Rowand + Everett...Thomas did only play a month and hit like .219, though every other f'in AB seemed like a homer.  I am not expecting a lot out of Anderson, quite honestly...I'd be satisfied with .250 10 .320/.400/.720, so long as he plays gold glove caliber defense in CF.

I dont mean to dissapoint you, but there is no way in hell he plays GG caliber defense this year. He is a rookie.

I dont mean to dissapoint you, but there is no way in hell he plays GG caliber defense this year.  He is a rookie.

 

Eh, I'll take good defense too probably

Eh, I'll take good defense too probably

I will add that I saw him at the bulls game on sat. And he looked to be close with crede, cotts, konerko, and BMAC.

I will add that I saw him at the bulls game on sat. And he looked to be close with crede, cotts, konerko, and BMAC.

Aww damn, Crede and BA were there too? I had to rush back into the room when I heard one of them announcers say "And we had some special guests here at halftime"...I only managed to make out Konerko, Cotts, BMac (hard to miss) and Man So Lee I think.

Aww damn, Crede and BA were there too?  I had to rush back into the room when I heard one of them announcers say "And we had some special guests here at halftime"...I only managed to make out Konerko, Cotts, BMac (hard to miss) and Man So Lee I think.

Baines, Polite. They were sitting right behind us, I happen to know Neil and his gf pretty well, so I got to say hi to the guys. total surprise.

For all the stats guys out there...

 

Have NL players--especially the bigger stars like Thome--adjusted well to AL pitching and style of play?  Is there usually some adjustment period?  If so, we may have to be patient...not expecting him to hit 4 HRs during the first week of play.

 

 

I don't mean to rub it in and have no desire to read the other 1 million posts on this, but Thome came up with the Indians and was a big smasher in the AL. I think the injries he has played with were since he went to the NL, but I am not sure. He played 1B most all the time with the Tribe and of course with the Phillies. My question is how he will adjust to DHing more often than not now he is back with the AL style of play. I think he had PK will be switched off quite a bit, but I guess that is really Ozzie's call.