Is Jermaine Dye one of the most underrated players in baseball?

Do you like him or think he's just average?

 

I read this alarming stat on ESPN: "The 128 strikeouts he posted last year were a career high, while the 49 walks were the lowest total among the five seasons that he has logged more than 130 games. Perhaps the most telling stat, however, is that Dye hit just .240 with runners in scoring position."

 

I like the guy especially after the Series, I am no ingrate and tip my cap to him, but wondered if you all thought we could do better?

Edited February 16, 200620 yr by greg775

For the price, we can't do better. Dye earned $4 million last season and he will earn $5 million in 2006 with a $6 million team option for 2007. The Cubs just gave Jock Jones a 3-year, $16 million contract. Dye has an .803 career OPS while Jones has a .782 career OPS.

For the price, we can't do better.  Dye earned $4 million last season and he will earn $5 million in 2006 with a $6 million team option for 2007.  The Cubs just gave Jock Jones a 3-year, $16 million contract.  Dye has an .803 career OPS while Jones has a .782 career OPS.

 

^^^^

 

Dye more than earned his money last year.

Dye won't ever be a high OBP guy for us but he makes for a perfect #5 hitter with his high SLG and homers.

Dye performed well enough for a championship team that he deserves the benefit of any doubt to be the starting RF again in '06. One impressive thing about Dye's '05 season was how he overcame that horrific start without letting it get to him. He just kept working until his slump was history. That was leadership by example, and might have contributed to the Sox not having that total collapse that many thought they were having last August-September.

Jermaine Dye was a gamble that paid off. He was the best at that price point.

 

He is not Vlad Guerrero, but we could do a lot worse. He's an above-average right fielder that turned into a pretty good clubhouse guy.

 

He delivered big for us in the no. 3 slot in the postseason when he is a natural no. 5 hitter.

For the price, we can't do better.  Dye earned $4 million last season and he will earn $5 million in 2006 with a $6 million team option for 2007.  The Cubs just gave Jock Jones a 3-year, $16 million contract.  Dye has an .803 career OPS while Jones has a .782 career OPS.

 

Exactly, Dye is a great player for this price. Hopefully he works on cutting down the strikeouts this year, and upping the walks.

His numbers have always been good, while healthy. Another tribute to Herm Schneider was keeping Dye healthy last year

When healthy, he's as underrated a player as you will find. The one and only key with Jermaine is to stay healthy, because he's a very steady and very good right fielder when he's not dealing with injuries.

the guy took less money to play here and it paid off for him by winning the world series and the mvp.

 

i love his arm in right field too. very underrated.

Yea.

 

For the money, he is great. Solid defender, good power, and came out of his slump inpressively. He is perfect for RF and the 5-slot for us.

 

Jermaine Dye!

Dye won't ever be a high OBP guy for us but he makes for a perfect #5 hitter with his high SLG and homers.

 

 

unfortunately Ozzie wants him to hit #3... but he did extremely well in that spot last year, so I'll give the benefit to the manager of the World Champs.

unfortunately Ozzie wants him to hit #3... but he did extremely well in that spot last year, so I'll give the benefit to the manager of the World Champs.

 

Where are you getting this Dye hitting 3rd in 2006? Aside from the fact that Thome is clearly the better choice, everything I've read, including words from Williams, says Dye hits 5th. Do you have a quote from Ozzie or something, regarding this upcoming season?

I would put him squarely in the B category of outfielders. He's the kind of guy that everyone wants (if he's not injured). I think he will be a Reggie Sanders type as he gets older...decent outfielder, good hitter, winner.

Where are you getting this Dye hitting 3rd in 2006?  Aside from the fact that Thome is clearly the better choice, everything I've read, including words from Williams, says Dye hits 5th.  Do you have a quote from Ozzie or something, regarding this upcoming season?

 

This has pretty much been the consensus that I have heard since he did so well in the playoffs in that spot. I've heard Dye-Konerko-Thome pretty much ceaselessly since the acquisition of Thome...

I would put him squarely in the B category of outfielders.  He's the kind of guy that everyone wants (if he's not injured).  I think he will be a Reggie Sanders type as he gets older...decent outfielder, good hitter, winner.

He did lead all Rf'ers in HR's last season, and was the MVP of the WS. I dont know if that means hes in the B category.

He did lead all Rf'ers in HR's last season, and was the MVP of the WS.  I dont know if that means hes in the B category.

 

 

I would think that Dye is going to have a better year this year, getting the average closer to the .280 range... It takes a while to come back from those injuries, but with two years under his belt, I don't believe there will be as many slumps.

 

Give him the B+ category... for RF especially.

Yea.

 

Dye had a very solid campaign in 2005, overcoming a slow start to post a respectable 274 .333 .512. While not amazing numbers for a corner outfielder, throw in his salary and good defense and Dye is a keeper.

 

Couple interesting things to note about Dye last year:

 

1) His ISO power numbers where the highest of his career. Also, the percent of fly balls he hit that turned into HR's was 16%, a very healthy percent. It seems Dye benefits greatly from playing at homer happy US Cellular.

 

2) His BABIP was around 285, among the lowest number of his career. He consistently posted a BABIB of over .300 in his "prime" years. This suggests to me that he's lost some ability to make consistent good contact at the expense of greater power--not a bad tradeoff given he plays half his games at the cell.

 

3) His walk rate continued to decline, to only 8% of his PA's. As recently as 03, his walk rate was 11%. Like most of Dye's stats, this one was hurt by a very poor spring.

 

So what does this all mean? I think we can expect about the same from Dye this year. He benefits greatly from hitting at US Cell as a right-handed pull hitter, and he seems to have put his injuries behind him. Hopefully Ozzie's newfound depth in the outfield gives plenty of time to rest Dye and keep him fresh throughout the season.

 

A line of 500 PA .279 .332 .520 is what I see for Dye.

He's been worth the money so far but we'd be foolish to extend him after his deal completes. He doesn't seem like the type who will age particularly well . He's an average right-fielder with power numbers boosted by this park. That said, he's getting average money and has been a fine fit for us so far but he's not someone who should block Ryan Sweeney whenever he's ready.

This has pretty much been the consensus that I have heard since he did so well in the playoffs in that spot.  I've heard Dye-Konerko-Thome pretty much ceaselessly since the acquisition of Thome...

 

Ozzie says Thome or Konerko behind Uribe/2-hole:

 

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/courier...4SOXNOTE_S1.asp

 

Hemond and Williams say Thome 3 or 4:

 

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldn...LDTIMERS_S1.asp

ISO power numbers... BABIP..BABIB...PA's

 

This has pretty much been the consensus that I have heard since he did so well in the playoffs in that spot.  I've heard Dye-Konerko-Thome pretty much ceaselessly since the acquisition of Thome...

 

You've heard that around Soxtalk, I would guess. I haven't seen anything from the powers that be to indicate this is their thinking.

Thome should bat 3rd according to reason and I'm sure he would if KW was managing. However, Ozzie is managing and I'm not sure if he'll agree with reason on this one.

Thome should bat 3rd according to reason and I'm sure he would if KW was managing.  However, Ozzie is managing and I'm not sure if he'll agree with reason on this one.

 

Did you not read my post above, quoting Ozzie about Thome hitting 3rd?