Well, Gathright and Baldelli are it...unless you prefer Willits?

 

If the Sox get Gathright, can they replace Pods in LF with a real hitter? Two trades is probably too much to ask for and I get the impression Gathright can't actually hit. I'd probably be happy to see either Willits (good minor league OBP) or Baldelli get a shot. The DRays need a closer like crazy, maybe MacDougal and some B-level minor league pitchers (Haegar and Broadway?) could be offered.

 

Anyway, I didn't say that I expected Williams to pull something off, but I hope he is looking. If Erstad starts hitting he'll probably still only produce a .700 OPS with a low OBP.

Until Konerko and AJ start batting above .200, I am going to withhold my judgment on Erstad.

 

Erstad is batting .273 when leading off, so he may be best in that position if he can keep it up and get on base around a 1/3 of the time. He looked much better this series and it seems like the Sox are holding onto BA until they feel completely comfortable with Erstad.

 

I figure once Pods gets back, they will send BA down and keep the extra pitcher (so Ozzie can use 5 pitchers per game).

Until Konerko and AJ start batting above .200, I am going to withhold my judgment on Erstad.

 

Erstad is batting .273 when leading off, so he may be best in that position if he can keep it up and get on base around a 1/3 of the time.

 

 

The last time Erstad had a .330 OBP he had to hit .295 to do it. And that's still just a terrible OBP at the top of the order IMO. I'd rather see Iguchi and Mack up there 1 & 2.

All of Erstad's hits have been placed, not hit hard in any way. They are just groundballs that find holes. You can't count on that.

He's had some very hard hit balls. Especially today.

He's had some very hard hit balls. Especially today.

 

I've seen a metric f***ton of groundouts to the right side as he tries to pull balls on the outside half. His approach has been disgusting to me. If he possibly tried to stay back on the ball a little more, I don't think it'd be an issue. I didn't see today's game, but I do know that he had three hits. I remember he had one in the infield.

 

Anything he gets any air under gets caught.

QUOTE(RME JICO @ Apr 22, 2007 -> 08:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Until Konerko and AJ start batting above .200, I am going to withhold my judgment on Erstad.

 

Erstad is batting .273 when leading off, so he may be best in that position if he can keep it up and get on base around a 1/3 of the time. He looked much better this series and it seems like the Sox are holding onto BA until they feel completely comfortable with Erstad.

 

I figure once Pods gets back, they will send BA down and keep the extra pitcher (so Ozzie can use 5 pitchers per game).

Where are you getting .273 from?

 

This year his line from the #1 spot: .176/.222/.176

Career #1 spot (spiked with 2000): .298/.353/.454

 

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Apr 22, 2007 -> 09:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He's had some very hard hit balls. Especially today.

Looks like 15% of the balls he has made contact with have been line drives. That sucks.

Where can I find a spray chart for him?

 

Of course, then the justification for Brian not getting time is his one at bat every 8 games.

You don't need one. He has hit two balls to the OF, 6586893679035 to 2b, and the rest have been K's.

 

i wanted a visual, but yea

Looks like 15% of the balls he has made contact with have been line drives. That sucks.

 

Wow -- excellent post. Just watching the games, I haven't seen Erstad hit much hard. It is a worrisome start, because it's not like he's just been getting unlucky...

great first post ya tool

At Home:

 

 

 

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player...&statType=1

Edited April 23, 200718 yr by santo=dorf

I pray that some of you stop slurping Brian Anderson.

i wanted a visual, but yea

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player...&statType=1

 

Try that.

My god, it's almost like he doesn't have a goddamn hit trying to pull aside from that hr.

 

I pray that some of you stop slurping Brian Anderson.

 

I pray that our managerial staff stops slurping Darin Erstad as the Jesus of the Outfield.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Apr 22, 2007 -> 09:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I pray that some of you stop slurping Brian Anderson.

Why don't you show an example by not talking up every former and current Angels player.

 

Anderson isn't a bonafide lock to help the team, but Erstad is playing worse than him last April.

 

Rookie Anderson in April 2006: .161/.264/.290

Veteran Erstad in April 2007: .169/.234/.220

 

Yet some how the rookie blew his chance and the veteran can't be removed from the lineup.

I almost long for the days of Aaron Rowand here which is saying something in itself.

 

If BA's not giving 100% effort as well, it's probably time to make a move and trade him to a team like Florida for young pitching.

I pray that some of you stop slurping Brian Anderson.

It's no more silly than the 'Erstad doesn't have to play well to be a good player' school.

 

I wish BA would get a chance, or at least get regular abs. But at this point I just want to see the Sox s*** or get off the pot. There's no conceivable way this is helping the Sox or BA. Do something, for chrissake.

 

And it's been said a million times, but not often in this thread, so it bears repeating -- I haven't seen a suggestion that the Sox have soured on BA, only that Ozzie's soured on him. KW's been his biggest fan, and I don't understand this apparent assumption that that fact has changed.

At Home:

 

 

 

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player...&statType=1

 

Sweet Jesus! Second base has more reds than Senator McCarthy's worst nightmares!

Sweet Jesus! Second base has more reds than Senator McCarthy's worst nightmares!

A sly reference to Brian Anderson's political beliefs. I dig, I dig.

Ya, cause I've clearly talked up every former/current Angel player (they happen to be a good team so I will say good things about numerous players on them, just like I think the Yanks have a lot of good players, so do the Twins, Mets, Dodgers, and quite a few other teams that have made the playoffs over the past couple years).

 

Why don't you realize there is more to baseball than a calculator. I'm not saying Erstad has been good, he's been horrible offensively but I also know he's played fantastically out in center field (and I also know last season I never complained about BA because he was playing great d, but right now Erstad is doing an even better job).

 

I have a problem with Anderson because he seems to think things should be handed to him as opposed to going out and earning things. (and this is when people are going to say he had a better spring than Erstad, but I will say that his attitude has been absolutely terrible and I not only know that based on what I've read in the paper but what I've heard from people close/involved with the org).

 

He had his one free shot at a job and failed. Whether Ozzie was right or wrong in his handling is unimportant anymore, what matters is Brian didn't take advantage of his situation and he only made matters worse by not putting in proper effort when it came to his lacadasical way of watching film and getting prepared for games (and when your struggling and than don't work hard to not struggle/suck offensively, you are not going to be respected nor should you and you aren't going to get the benefit of the doubt).

 

Erstad on the other hand, whether you like it or not (and you clearly don't but thats your opinion), has earned the respect of baseball and his teammates and he says and does the right things on the field and that in itself has given him the shot to get some time to see if he can get rolling offensively (and the past couple games its looking like he just might).

 

Bottom line is Anderson should take notes of the baseball side of things (I'm not saying he should try to put up the same stats) but look at how Erstad approaches the game, he could learn a s***load and maybe stop being overly cocky about whats been a fantastic major league career thus far (I don't think I need any green for that one).

 

And by all means I'm not saying I'm happy with the way the outfield has produced, I'm not, but I'm not furious nor do I think its time to panic and make a move (because I think Erstad could be the guy and Anderson could even very well be the guy). Although I'd definitely like to have a leadoff hitter producing better than Darin has thus far this season.

I'm more concerned with Paulie's inability to hit with runners on base than I am with anything Erstad right now. Pablo should be leading off when he is in the line up, anyway, not batting 2nd.

I almost long for the days of Aaron Rowand here which is saying something in itself.

 

If BA's not giving 100% effort as well, it's probably time to make a move and trade him to a team like Florida for young pitching.

The only way you trade BA is if you actually get some value for him. Otherwise let him pay for his mistakes and hope he figures things out (and that Ozzie forgives him). It be one thing to help him out and give him a change of scenery. That is if Brian worked hard and things didn't work out but he made some serious mistakes at the major league level (and he's young, it happens and he should be given the chance to redeem himself but you also have to understand he needs to first earn that by consistently getting away from those bad habits) and when you do that he has no right to b**** about playing time or anything else (because truth be told he buried his own grave and now has to unbury himself).

 

Hopefully he can, but I wouldn't just get rid of him (there is too much talent there) and I'll hope like many young players he can learn from those mistakes and do what it takes in the clubhouse/practices/games to re-earn the respect of his teammates, coaches and the manager.

If Ozzie refuses to play him, he has to be sent down. You have to agree he needs consistent atbats.

Where are you getting .273 from?

 

This year his line from the #1 spot: .176/.222/.176

Career #1 spot (spiked with 2000): .298/.353/.454

 

.273 is 6 for 22. The .176 was for his 3 for 17 before his 3 for 5 today in that position.

 

With the way everyone else is batting this season, it is hard to evaluate Erstad based on numbers alone.