[quote]therajraj wrote:
Disastrous offseason for rangers?[/quote]
The more I think about this, yes this offseason has not panned out well for the Rangers. But the goal is not to win the offseason. The Rangers have done that before with A-Rod. Weve all seen plenty of teams (including last years Angels) that made a huge splash in the offseason only to be met with dissapointment at the end of the season. The Rangers offseason looks bad now, but the silver lining is the young talent theyve hung on to. Hopefully Feliz can come back strong and Yu and Harrison can build on their performance last season. The AL West is a long way from over. If anyone knows that it should be the Rangers lol.
I think losing Hamilton to free agency could be a blessing in disguise for the Rangers. It wouldn’t surprise me if Hamilton was fucking crushed by the pressure of performing up to the expectations of such a large per-year salary. And if he comes out and starts slow, it could get ugly quick. They were booing Pujols by late April last year and I don’t think Hamilton is anywhere near equipped to deal with derision from the home crowd.
In short, Hamilton is a super-talented player who happens to also be a mental midget with a history of underperforming when it matters most. He’s also injury prone and on the wrong side of 30.
Also, he has possibly the most braindead approach at the plate that I’ve ever seen, and this is coming from someone who’s watched Pablo Sandoval swing at every fucking pitch he sees for the last few years. Hamilton is a hacker, plain and simple. He gets up there and swings at anything close to the strike zone, which is fine when you have all the talent in the world. But when your skills begin to erode even a little bit, that approach becomes a huge deterrent to success. I highly doubt that a player like Hamilton is suddenly going to refine his approach and start exercising patience and intelligence at the plate.
It looks like it’s going to happen by all reports.
- Dickey
- Johnson
- Buehrle
- Morrow
- Romero
So is that starting rotation still weak?
I’d say it’s probably 2nd best rotation next to the Tigers in the AL
I can’t remember where I read this, but what do you guys think of this idea?
Hitters who wear protective gear at the plate other than a helmet, such as a protective shinguard or elbow pad or whatever, cannot be awarded first base if they get drilled with a pitch that hits their armor. Barry Bonds was the fucking worst. He looked Darth Vader up there with all the armor he’d wear. I think it would be a good way to give the inner half of the plate back to pitchers a little bit.
[quote]therajraj wrote:
It looks like it’s going to happen by all reports.
- Dickey
- Johnson
- Buehrle
- Morrow
- Romero
So is that starting rotation still weak?
I’d say it’s probably 2nd best rotation next to the Tigers in the AL[/quote]
I think the A’s could give them a run for their money, as could the Rangers if Yu Darvish figures out how to throw strikes. Tampa Bay has a much better rotation when you consider that their two best pitchers (Price and Moore, who I expect to have a HUGE season) are better than anyone on Toronto’s staff.
But Toronto definitely has upgraded a major weakness. The thing with Dickey is that last year was a complete aberration and I don’t think he’s going to be nearly as successful this year. Call me biased, but I’m always going to be skeptical about a pitching staff with a knuckleballer at the top of it. Toronto is going to need some career years from that staff to win consistently, but the talent is certainly there with guys like Johnson, Morrow and Romero.
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
Also, he has possibly the most braindead approach at the plate that I’ve ever seen, and this is coming from someone who’s watched Pablo Sandoval swing at every fucking pitch he sees for the last few years. Hamilton is a hacker, plain and simple. He gets up there and swings at anything close to the strike zone, which is fine when you have all the talent in the world. But when your skills begin to erode even a little bit, that approach becomes a huge deterrent to success. I highly doubt that a player like Hamilton is suddenly going to refine his approach and start exercising patience and intelligence at the plate.[/quote]
Hamilton is one of the purest hitters in the game. Yes he doesn’t have a ton of plate discipline but he’s hardly a “hacker”
Jesus. We get it, you don’t like the guy but he’s a generational talent.
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
I think the A’s could give them a run for their money, as could the Rangers if Yu Darvish figures out how to throw strikes. Tampa Bay has a much better rotation when you consider that their two best pitchers (Price and Moore, who I expect to have a HUGE season) are better than anyone on Toronto’s staff. [/quote]
Okay maybe A’s but I’m skeptical of Rays now that they’ve dealt Shields.
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
But Toronto definitely has upgraded a major weakness. The thing with Dickey is that last year was a complete aberration and I don’t think he’s going to be nearly as successful this year. [/quote]
Think again. He’s had 3 good years in row 2009-2012 and he’s gotten better ever year.
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
I can’t remember where I read this, but what do you guys think of this idea?
Hitters who wear protective gear at the plate other than a helmet, such as a protective shinguard or elbow pad or whatever, cannot be awarded first base if they get drilled with a pitch that hits their armor. Barry Bonds was the fucking worst. He looked Darth Vader up there with all the armor he’d wear. I think it would be a good way to give the inner half of the plate back to pitchers a little bit.[/quote]
No.
Then players would lose incentive to wear equipment and more injuries would occur as a result.
Dickey
2010 174 IP 2.84 ERA 1.19 WHIP
2011 208 IP 3.28 ERA 1.23 WHIP
2012 233 IP 2.73 ERA 1.05 WHIP
Another interesting fact: Dickey was born without an ulnar ligament so you definitely can’t tear something that isn’t there!
[quote]therajraj wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
Also, he has possibly the most braindead approach at the plate that I’ve ever seen, and this is coming from someone who’s watched Pablo Sandoval swing at every fucking pitch he sees for the last few years. Hamilton is a hacker, plain and simple. He gets up there and swings at anything close to the strike zone, which is fine when you have all the talent in the world. But when your skills begin to erode even a little bit, that approach becomes a huge deterrent to success. I highly doubt that a player like Hamilton is suddenly going to refine his approach and start exercising patience and intelligence at the plate.[/quote]
Hamilton is one of the purest hitters in the game. Yes he doesn’t have a ton of plate discipline but he’s hardly a “hacker”
Jesus. We get it, you don’t like the guy but he’s a generational talent.[/quote]
Dude, he’s a hacker. The guy swings at about 50% of the pitches thrown his way. I think the second half of last season will prove to be more typical of Hamilton than his amazing first half.
Sure, he’s a generational talent. By the end of this coming season I think we might be saying that he WAS a generational talent.
[quote]therajraj wrote:
Dickey
2010 174 IP 2.84 ERA 1.19 WHIP
2011 208 IP 3.28 ERA 1.23 WHIP
2012 233 IP 2.73 ERA 1.05 WHIP
[/quote]
Dickey
2010 35 years old
2011 36 years old
2012 37 years old
2013 38 years old
2014 39 years old
2015 40 years old
The pattern I just displayed is the only one that will remain constant. The fact is that pitchers RARELY perform well in their late 30’s.
I’m not trying to piss on your parade, Raj, and since there hasn’t been one in Toronto in 20 years there isn’t one to piss on in the first place.
I’m just urging you to temper your expectations a little bit. I don’t think the guy is going to go out and pitch to the tune of a 5.50 ERA, but I also don’t expect him to be an All-Star caliber pitcher this year either. He never has been before, aside from last year.
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
[quote]therajraj wrote:
Dickey
2010 174 IP 2.84 ERA 1.19 WHIP
2011 208 IP 3.28 ERA 1.23 WHIP
2012 233 IP 2.73 ERA 1.05 WHIP
[/quote]
Dickey
2010 35 years old
2011 36 years old
2012 37 years old
2013 38 years old
2014 39 years old
2015 40 years old
The pattern I just displayed is the only one that will remain constant. The fact is that pitchers RARELY perform well in their late 30’s.
[/quote]
Go look at Knuckleballers - Wakefield, Niekro etc.
They all pitched well into their 40s. Evaluating him on the same basis as a typical pitcher who works off his fastball is silly.
In all likelihood he has 5 years ahead of him.
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
[quote]therajraj wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
Also, he has possibly the most braindead approach at the plate that I’ve ever seen, and this is coming from someone who’s watched Pablo Sandoval swing at every fucking pitch he sees for the last few years. Hamilton is a hacker, plain and simple. He gets up there and swings at anything close to the strike zone, which is fine when you have all the talent in the world. But when your skills begin to erode even a little bit, that approach becomes a huge deterrent to success. I highly doubt that a player like Hamilton is suddenly going to refine his approach and start exercising patience and intelligence at the plate.[/quote]
Hamilton is one of the purest hitters in the game. Yes he doesn’t have a ton of plate discipline but he’s hardly a “hacker”
Jesus. We get it, you don’t like the guy but he’s a generational talent.[/quote]
Dude, he’s a hacker. The guy swings at about 50% of the pitches thrown his way. I think the second half of last season will prove to be more typical of Hamilton than his amazing first half.
Sure, he’s a generational talent. By the end of this coming season I think we might be saying that he WAS a generational talent. [/quote]
Was Vlad guerrero also a hacker? What about Sandoval?
[quote]therajraj wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
Also, he has possibly the most braindead approach at the plate that I’ve ever seen, and this is coming from someone who’s watched Pablo Sandoval swing at every fucking pitch he sees for the last few years. Hamilton is a hacker, plain and simple. He gets up there and swings at anything close to the strike zone, which is fine when you have all the talent in the world. But when your skills begin to erode even a little bit, that approach becomes a huge deterrent to success. I highly doubt that a player like Hamilton is suddenly going to refine his approach and start exercising patience and intelligence at the plate.[/quote]
Hamilton is one of the purest hitters in the game. Yes he doesn’t have a ton of plate discipline but he’s hardly a “hacker”
Jesus. We get it, you don’t like the guy but he’s a generational talent.[/quote]
Yeah, even with all that hacking he still hit over .280 and is tewo years removed from hitting almost .360. As far as not showing up in big moments, he sure did in the 2011 WS. I don’t think the pressure or the free swinging will be his downfall. It will be injuries. If he stays healthy, the numbers will be there.
He does have some duds in the postseason like every player, but in the 2010 ALCS against the Yankees Hamilton batted .350 with four HR in six games.
[quote]therajraj wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
[quote]therajraj wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
Also, he has possibly the most braindead approach at the plate that I’ve ever seen, and this is coming from someone who’s watched Pablo Sandoval swing at every fucking pitch he sees for the last few years. Hamilton is a hacker, plain and simple. He gets up there and swings at anything close to the strike zone, which is fine when you have all the talent in the world. But when your skills begin to erode even a little bit, that approach becomes a huge deterrent to success. I highly doubt that a player like Hamilton is suddenly going to refine his approach and start exercising patience and intelligence at the plate.[/quote]
Hamilton is one of the purest hitters in the game. Yes he doesn’t have a ton of plate discipline but he’s hardly a “hacker”
Jesus. We get it, you don’t like the guy but he’s a generational talent.[/quote]
Dude, he’s a hacker. The guy swings at about 50% of the pitches thrown his way. I think the second half of last season will prove to be more typical of Hamilton than his amazing first half.
Sure, he’s a generational talent. By the end of this coming season I think we might be saying that he WAS a generational talent. [/quote]
Was Vlad guerrero also a hacker? What about Sandoval?
[/quote]
Vlad was, but he had more talent than Hamilton by a long shot. Hamilton has always had a fairly high strikeout rate, whereas Vlad had the uncanny ability to hit anything he could reach with his bat really, really hard, and on a consistent basis. He never struck out more than 95 times in a season. Hamilton has two seasons in which he’s eclipsed 100 strikeouts (126 in 2008 and 162 last year). His 162-game average season works out to about 136 strikeouts per season. Guerrero’s average, over a larger sample size that includes the downside of his career, works out to 74 strikeouts per season.
The point is that Vladimir Guerrero’s ability to make consistent contact at least partially warranted his overly-aggressive approach. Hamilton’s inability to make the same sort of consistent contact does not warrant his approach.
Sandoval is about as braindead a hacker as Hamilton is, and not nearly the talent.
Whatever happened to Vlad? He had a pretty good year with the Rangers in 2010 and then his power numbers fell dramatically the following year with the O’s. He still hit .290 though. Whats amazing is that’s the lowest he hit in his career. .318 career avg with those free swinging ways, pretty impressive. I’m suprised no one picked him up last year.
The other thing to keep in mind, Raj, is who the Blue Jays are probably going to part with in order to get Dickey: Travis D’Arnaud and Anthony Gose.
Do you really think the Blue Jays are one knuckleballer away from contending for the pennant? And is trading their top prospect worth it, especially when they already parted with several second-tier prospects to get Johnson, Buerhle, Reyes, Bonifacio and Buck?
I actually think they might be contenders already if they catch some breaks along the way. I think they might be better served to go into the season with the staff that they have now and then try and work a trade for another starter during the season if the need arises. Who knows? If Romero, Johnson and Morrow all have big years they might not need Dickey. After all, if those three have really good seasons they’re going to be a lot better than Dickey.
[quote]Maiden3.16 wrote:
Whatever happened to Vlad? He had a pretty good year with the Rangers in 2010 and then his power numbers fell dramatically the following year with the O’s. He still hit .290 though. Whats amazing is that’s the lowest he hit in his career. .318 career avg with those free swinging ways, pretty impressive. I’m suprised no one picked him up last year. [/quote]
He was in the Jays minor league for a while last year.
I personally call productive hitters with poor plate discipline “free swingers” and save the term “hackers” for shitty players with no plate discipline.
I would never call Josh Hamilton a “hacker”
His style clearly works for him.