Eric Wedge proves once again that managers have no idea how to construct a lineup

[FirstTimer]

Then who bats leadoff?

Ackley or the fastest black OF'er you can find.

[Slateman]

LOL, that would, technically, be Figgins :D

[FedEx227]

Joey Gathright is the prototypical leadoff hitter in that he isn't very good at making contact, strikes out a lot and doesn't see pitches, but if he eventually does get to first there's a good chance he'll get thrown out at 2nd because he's not really even a good base stealer.

[Slateman]

Joey Gathright is the prototypical leadoff hitter in that he isn't very good at making contact, strikes out a lot and doesn't see pitches, but if he eventually does get to first there's a good chance he'll get thrown out at 2nd because he's not really even a good base stealer.

Sure. If by prototypical you mean crappy

[FedEx227]

But he's both fast and black and can play CF.

Five tools perhaps.

[Slateman]

Again, Chone Figgins. Just saying ...

[NAHSTE]

I don't disagree. But the condition was that Ichiro is, essentially, done. His OBP (by far his most valuable commodity) dropped almost 50 points. He doesn't get walks. He doesn't hit for power. His hits went down. His speed was the way he got on base. He's losing his speed.

He's not done. He was basically the exact same player he always was last season minus a few outliers.

I'm writing an article about this right now actually so I've been doing some research, and his rate stats seem consistent with career norms. See no reason he can't bounce back, unless the bat speed thing is true. I don't think any of us know that for sure yet though.

Walk rate is the same as it has ever been. His OBP will always be tied to his BA and last year his BABIP was (coincidentally) around .50 points lower than career norms. But I'm sure that doesn't mean anything, right?

He's hitting line drives at the same rate, swinging at slightly more non-strikes, but not too far from his career norms, and he hit a lot of infield fly balls.

That last part might be tied to bat speed, and I'll try to verify that with video, but there's no telling how much an extra year of aging will affect his swing until we see him. Maybe he's in better shape, maybe he's in worse shape ... but I think his rate stats point to him being roughly the same as he always was in 2011, with worse results.

[Slateman]

He's not done. He was basically the exact same player he always was last season minus a few outliers.

I'm writing an article about this right now actually so I've been doing some research, and his rate stats seem consistent with career norms. See no reason he can't bounce back, unless the bat speed thing is true. I don't think any of us know that for sure yet though.

Walk rate is the same as it has ever been. His OBP will always be tied to his BA and last year his BABIP was (coincidentally) around .50 points lower than career norms. But I'm sure that doesn't mean anything, right?

He's hitting line drives at the same rate, swinging at slightly more non-strikes, but not too far from his career norms, and he hit a lot of infield fly balls.

That last part might be tied to bat speed, and I'll try to verify that with video, but there's no telling how much an extra year of aging will affect his swing until we see him. Maybe he's in better shape, maybe he's in worse shape ... but I think his rate stats point to him being roughly the same as he always was in 2011, with worse results.

His batting average will always be tied in to his ability to get infield hits. He's slower now, thus fewer hits.

[Warner2BruceTD]

His batting average will always be tied in to his ability to get infield hits. He's slower now, thus fewer hits.

Im on my phone, and cant look it up, but I find this incredibly hard to believe.

Off the top of my head, I think he stole 40 bases last year, and was only caught 5 times. That's pretty much the same SB % he's had his entire career. And watching him play, he didnt look any slower.

[FirstTimer]

His batting average will always be tied in to his ability to get infield hits. He's slower now, thus fewer hits.

Thank you for showing you read literally nothing of what NAHSTE typed

:grandyman:

[Warner2BruceTD]

Ok, I looked it up.

He had the thrid highest SB% of his career last year, and the third lowest infield hit total (42, which is still a high number). He had four bunt hits, slightly lower than usual.

I suppose a few fewer infield hits contributed to his lower average, but I hesitate to say that its the primary reason, and even though stolen bases arent always the best measure, I dont think his speed has nosedived to a noticable point.

[FedEx227]

Ok, I looked it up.

He had the thrid highest SB% of his career last year, and the third lowest infield hit total (42, which is still a high number). He had four bunt hits, slightly lower than usual.

I suppose a few fewer infield hits contributed to his lower average, but I hesitate to say that its the primary reason, and even though stolen bases arent always the best measure, I dont think his speed has nosedived to a noticable point.

Either way he shouldn't be leading off anyway.

[NAHSTE]

His batting average will always be tied in to his ability to get infield hits. He's slower now, thus fewer hits.

Eh, partly true. He did get fewer infield hits last year, only 32 compared to 53 the previous year. But if he's in the three hole with runners on base, and still making contact at a freakish rate, and still hitting line drives at an above average rate, he will be a valuable offensive player. Thus, he is far from done.

:olhoss:

[Warner2BruceTD]

He had 42 infield hits, so the gap is even closer than you think.

Edit-oh, I think you subtracted oit the bunt hits, so nvm

[FirstTimer]

Ok, I looked it up.

He had the thrid highest SB% of his career last year, and the third lowest infield hit total (42, which is still a high number). He had four bunt hits, slightly lower than usual.

I suppose a few fewer infield hits contributed to his lower average, but I hesitate to say that its the primary reason, and even though stolen bases arent always the best measure, I dont think his speed has nosedived to a noticable point.

I agree but if he's dropped off speed wise enough to cause a BA drop and infield hit drop like we saw last season I don't think his SB% rate woul dbe that high. Dude had an off season.