Something I haven't done in a while
I'm going to write about a topic on which I've been silent for a long time. Aside from mocking Jeff Passan's overly dramatic articles on Yahoo.com, which I admit is as easy as beating a dead horse if you spot me the dead horse and hand me a stick, I haven't written a lot about baseball lately.
So just to get back into it, I'm going to make some predictions and offer some insights, which may not be very insightful at all. I'll write one thought for a player (or three) at each position.
Catcher
Kenji Johjima is looking to surpass everyone's expectations this year. The man they call JoeMama hit home runs in his first two games, and has looked decent at the plate since. He hasn't walked or struck out excessively, but he's come up with timely hits, and the Mariners seem to like how he calls the game.
First Base
I think Justin Morneau can contend for the AL home run title. I know Papi, Manny, Mark Texeira and A Rod are formidable competition, but when Morneau hits, he hits very very hard. Another homer tonight gives him four on the year, and it still looks like he's in Spring Training mode to me. At least that's what the 8 K's and 0 BB's tells me (as I write this, he finally draws a walk). Morneau will K 100 to 120 times a season, but I do expect him to walk more. Once his contact rates increase, I expect the balls to really start flying out of the park.
Second Base
Marcus Giles is really taking to leading off. His average has dropped in the last couple of games due to a quad injury, but Giles has walked 11 times already. It took him until May 9th last year to draw as many walks. He did great in Spring Training, walking in something like 7 straight plate appearances, and he's apparently brought the same mindset into the regular season.
Shortstop
It looks like Edgar Renteria really needed to get back to the NL. He has hit in all of Atlanta's games, with more walks (3) than strikeouts (1). It is a small sample, but Renteria didn't draw a walk until the 11th game last season. I still don't really like how he looks in the field, but I am convinced that he was overwhelmed by Boston and the AL.
Third Base
Mike Lowell has hit a few wallballs already, and the Red Sox are just playing their second home game tonight. My only prediction for Lowell is that he's going to have an extreme home/road split this year. I don't know if his average will stay up, but I think he'll play much better at home than on the road this year. I can't say I'm positive, but it's a hunch.
Outfield
Oh, Jeff Francoeur. Pitchers have just been abusing him this year. He's striking out once a game, making poor contact, and has in general just been frustrated by his pitch selection. I think he'll come around, but at this point, it might be worth sitting him for two or three days, letting him see some pitches in batting practice, and then letting him get a fresh start. Right now he looks tired and angry, and that's not a very good mindset to take to the plate. Someone made the preseason prediction that Langerhans and Kelly Johnson would have higher batting averages this year than Francoeur, and it's looking like a very prescient statement at this point.
I don't really care that Nomar is hurt. I like Olmaedo Saenz anyway. But if JD Drew stays healthy, I can see the Dodgers winning the NL East. Their offense has been clicking, and I think the pitching will come around. Derek Lowe and Jae Seo won't be dismal the entire year.
The Red Sox could potentially start the worst fielding outfield in the history of baseball. They could theoretically start Manny, Wily Mo, and Trot Nixon all at the same time. I know Mohr will play center, and Wily Mo and Trot should be platooning, but it could happen.
Starting Pitching
It frightens me a little that we haven't heard any more about Zack Greinke. Either the Royals are just done with him, or he has seriously psychological issues. I suppose both could be true.
Greg Maddux will win more than 15 games this year.
Relief Pitching
Matt Wise will be the best middle relief pitcher in the AL this year. He made hitters look idiotic last year, and it looks like the trend won't stop anytime soon.
That's all I got for now.
Oh, and how has Adrian Beltre stolen 3 bases this season? He stole 3 all of last year and 7 the year before. Is no one watching him, or are the opposing catchers just that horrible?
So just to get back into it, I'm going to make some predictions and offer some insights, which may not be very insightful at all. I'll write one thought for a player (or three) at each position.
Catcher
Kenji Johjima is looking to surpass everyone's expectations this year. The man they call JoeMama hit home runs in his first two games, and has looked decent at the plate since. He hasn't walked or struck out excessively, but he's come up with timely hits, and the Mariners seem to like how he calls the game.
First Base
I think Justin Morneau can contend for the AL home run title. I know Papi, Manny, Mark Texeira and A Rod are formidable competition, but when Morneau hits, he hits very very hard. Another homer tonight gives him four on the year, and it still looks like he's in Spring Training mode to me. At least that's what the 8 K's and 0 BB's tells me (as I write this, he finally draws a walk). Morneau will K 100 to 120 times a season, but I do expect him to walk more. Once his contact rates increase, I expect the balls to really start flying out of the park.
Second Base
Marcus Giles is really taking to leading off. His average has dropped in the last couple of games due to a quad injury, but Giles has walked 11 times already. It took him until May 9th last year to draw as many walks. He did great in Spring Training, walking in something like 7 straight plate appearances, and he's apparently brought the same mindset into the regular season.
Shortstop
It looks like Edgar Renteria really needed to get back to the NL. He has hit in all of Atlanta's games, with more walks (3) than strikeouts (1). It is a small sample, but Renteria didn't draw a walk until the 11th game last season. I still don't really like how he looks in the field, but I am convinced that he was overwhelmed by Boston and the AL.
Third Base
Mike Lowell has hit a few wallballs already, and the Red Sox are just playing their second home game tonight. My only prediction for Lowell is that he's going to have an extreme home/road split this year. I don't know if his average will stay up, but I think he'll play much better at home than on the road this year. I can't say I'm positive, but it's a hunch.
Outfield
Oh, Jeff Francoeur. Pitchers have just been abusing him this year. He's striking out once a game, making poor contact, and has in general just been frustrated by his pitch selection. I think he'll come around, but at this point, it might be worth sitting him for two or three days, letting him see some pitches in batting practice, and then letting him get a fresh start. Right now he looks tired and angry, and that's not a very good mindset to take to the plate. Someone made the preseason prediction that Langerhans and Kelly Johnson would have higher batting averages this year than Francoeur, and it's looking like a very prescient statement at this point.
I don't really care that Nomar is hurt. I like Olmaedo Saenz anyway. But if JD Drew stays healthy, I can see the Dodgers winning the NL East. Their offense has been clicking, and I think the pitching will come around. Derek Lowe and Jae Seo won't be dismal the entire year.
The Red Sox could potentially start the worst fielding outfield in the history of baseball. They could theoretically start Manny, Wily Mo, and Trot Nixon all at the same time. I know Mohr will play center, and Wily Mo and Trot should be platooning, but it could happen.
Starting Pitching
It frightens me a little that we haven't heard any more about Zack Greinke. Either the Royals are just done with him, or he has seriously psychological issues. I suppose both could be true.
Greg Maddux will win more than 15 games this year.
Relief Pitching
Matt Wise will be the best middle relief pitcher in the AL this year. He made hitters look idiotic last year, and it looks like the trend won't stop anytime soon.
That's all I got for now.
Oh, and how has Adrian Beltre stolen 3 bases this season? He stole 3 all of last year and 7 the year before. Is no one watching him, or are the opposing catchers just that horrible?
posted by Satchmo | 8:45 PM
4 Comments:
"To Fuss is Human, To Rant, Divine!!" - I've heard this somewhere before... I just can't think of where...
~Vlad~
It's from a series of children's books by John Bellairs. Very underrated children's literature, and illustrated by the amazing Edward Gorey as well.
He had a character, a Massachusetts professor, who had a "rant closet," essentially a padded room where he could scream and shout and pound his anger out. A sign on the inside of the door read "To Fuss is Human, To Rant, Divine!"
Hence the name of the blog. This is my padded room.
John Bellairs! I loved John Bellairs back in the day.
That's all I got.
John Bellairs--a true genius, in the league of C.S. Lewis & E.B. White.
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