As much as Wells has been sucking recently, I still have respect for him. Always played his heart out, risked injuries by diving and jumping for near impossible catches, and always showed hustle and heart on every play. Even though he took all the heat in the world here, he always was very classy. That's a lot more than you can say about Rios, who still had all the ability, but just mailed it in.
If you need some clear proof of Rios mailing it in:
He's never been given a fair opportunity though. He's struggles for a month, and gets sent down to the minors.
I just want to see how he does with 500-600 AB's over one season, at the major league level.
That is true to an extent but when Snider struggles he doesn't have good at bats and that is the main problem. Usually when players struggle they are still able to have good at bats and make good contact until they break out of it. Snider completely fails to make contact and his strikeouts shoot up. He needs to work on pitch selection and discipline before he can be a good hitter and to now he has not done that.
He's never been given a fair opportunity though. He's struggles for a month, and gets sent down to the minors.
I just want to see how he does with 500-600 AB's over one season, at the major league level.
My question to you is...
Why don't you want the SAME thing for Eric Thames?
Thames has proven he can hit major league pitching to a degree in that one month window, he was sent down and recalled because he showed that he could.
Now that he's with the big club it seems like people don't want to afford him the right to a full seasons worth of at bats like they are willing to give Snider.
Its like if Thames was the first round pick everyone would be happy with the way things are, but because Snider was once highly touted people want to afford him an opportunity that he hasn't earned over affording it to a guy who did earn it but came more or less "out of nowhere"
It's funny how Snider .767 OPS at the age of 22 doesn't qualify as hitting but Thames .769 OPS at the age of 24 does.
It probably has more to do with the fact we expect much more out of Snider. If Kadri performs as a great 3rd line winger does that make him a success? No, because he should be much better then that.
It probably has more to do with the fact we expect much more out of Snider. If Kadri performs as a great 3rd line winger does that make him a success? No, because he should be much better then that.
So we should instead play a guy who hits about as much as him instead of giving the guy with a much higher ceiling a chance? Yeah, that makes no sense.
And Thames can't play a lick of D and Snider is better on the basepaths.
If a player is struggling in the majors, you don't bury him in the minors and hope he can magically improve, you have to let him make that adjustment. Snider has never even had 300 at-bats in a freaking season and we're pretending like he is a bust and can't make any adjustment at all. That's a joke.
It's funny how Snider .767 OPS at the age of 22 doesn't qualify as hitting but Thames .769 OPS at the age of 24 does.
I think the main counter to that is his .616 OPS the year after, combined with the fact that his K ratio shot up and his BB and HR ratios fell off.
I agree its a little bit of the "what have you done for me lately?" mentality, but you're really looking for improvement from your young hitter and not regression. Major league teams got the book on him and he hasn't found a way to adjust... yet. I'm sure that management and coaching has given him specific things to work on, similar to what they did with Lawrie. Get that K rate down, see more pitches, have better AB's, all things that he wasn't doing last year.
He's got the power, oozing with potential, he's got all the tools, no toolbox.
Why don't you want the SAME thing for Eric Thames?
Thames has proven he can hit major league pitching to a degree in that one month window, he was sent down and recalled because he showed that he could.
Now that he's with the big club it seems like people don't want to afford him the right to a full seasons worth of at bats like they are willing to give Snider.
Its like if Thames was the first round pick everyone would be happy with the way things are, but because Snider was once highly touted people want to afford him an opportunity that he hasn't earned over affording it to a guy who did earn it but came more or less "out of nowhere"
Is that so?
Thames hasn't hit better than Snider at the major league level, his defense is terrible, and he doesn't offer any value on the bases.
I don't see how he's shown any more than Snider at this point. Thames has just been given more of an opportunity to do so.
This is probably going to be my last post on the Snider topic, but i'd absolutely lose it if the Jays gave up on Snider.
He's only 24. If you look around the majors, Seattle's hyped up player Dustin Ackley is only... less than a month younger than Snider. And Ackley, at 23 years old, had only slightly better numbers than Snider did when he was 21 years old. Alex Gordan of Kansas City also had 800 more plate appearances than Snider before his big year, last season.
If you look at AA's history, the best players he acquired were those same young players that other organizations gave up on. For example, see: Brandon Morrow, Colby Rasmus, Brett Lawrie and Yunel Escobar.
If you look at Snider's numbers in the minors, he has hit .322/.388/.542. What else do you want him to prove down there? That he needs to 'fix his swing'? We all know he is proven down there and has struggled in the Majors, so why can't he be given a chance to get over his struggles you know, in the Majors?
Everybody and their mother knows that young players need consistent at-bats to mature and find a groove in the Majors. Yet, he has not been able to get in a string on consistent at-bats without sitting out, has not been able to hit in batting-order positions for success that Thames has had (i.e., before Bautista), and cannot even be a bench player, like other organizations have some prospects do to at least sit on the bench and learn for a bit in a low-pressure role. He could be coming off the bench as a defensive sub and spot start once-twice a week; it would help him get comfortable and allow him to produce, and then take on a larger role gradually. For example, he's already better than Thames, Fransico, and Davis defensively -- are you actually saying Snider's bat as a pinch-hitter could not be used? We've also seen Snider's attitude and how he's handled being jerked around by this organization. He'd be a great guy to have on the bench.
Worst of all, Thames projects to be a fourth outfielder. And his defense is below replacement level. He's basically a Frank Catalanotto (who was surprisingly not bad, but not a starter outfielder on a team with contending hopes in the AL East).
So we should instead play a guy who hits about as much as him instead of giving the guy with a much higher ceiling a chance? Yeah, that makes no sense.
And Thames can't play a lick of D and Snider is better on the basepaths.
If a player is struggling in the majors, you don't bury him in the minors and hope he can magically improve, you have to let him make that adjustment. Snider has never even had 300 at-bats in a freaking season and we're pretending like he is a bust and can't make any adjustment at all. That's a joke.
I think the main counter to that is his .616 OPS the year after, combined with the fact that his K ratio shot up and his BB and HR ratios fell off.
I agree its a little bit of the "what have you done for me lately?" mentality, but you're really looking for improvement from your young hitter and not regression. Major league teams got the book on him and he hasn't found a way to adjust... yet. I'm sure that management and coaching has given him specific things to work on, similar to what they did with Lawrie. Get that K rate down, see more pitches, have better AB's, all things that he wasn't doing last year.
He's got the power, oozing with potential, he's got all the tools, no toolbox.
That was in two very short stints and the team changed his swing and reverted back to his old one which is stupidity on the organization part. And I'm not sure if Snider was even healthy last season with the little power he showed all of last season. I know he had some wrist problems earlier so it's possible that may have affected him last season but it seems it's back now.
Snider might be a bust but I want the organization to finally give Snider a full legit season of 500-600 PA and see what he can do. If he struggles, then you know, you move on but at least you got to see what he can. I don't understand the mentality of not playing in the major leagues because he has struggled in it because how else is he going to improve? If you don't think he can improve, then freaking trade him. Don't just keep him around and let him rot his career in the minors.
That was in two very short stints and the team changed his swing and reverted back to his old one which is stupidity on the organization part. And I'm not sure if Snider was even healthy last season with the little power he showed all of last season. I know he had some wrist problems earlier so it's possible that may have affected him last season but it seems it's back now.
Snider might be a bust but I want the organization to finally give Snider a full legit season of 500-600 PA and see what he can do. If he struggles, then you know, you move on but at least you got to see what he can. I don't understand the mentality of not playing in the major leagues because he has struggled in it because how else is he going to improve? If you don't think he can improve, then freaking trade him. Don't just keep him around and let him rot his career in the minors.
I think if Snider does what he's been asked down at AAA there will be no choice but to bring him up. And thats the way it should be. I don't think anyone is giving up on him within the organization.
Its really a matter of having two guys who are very close in every which way, both lefties, one year apart etc.
I don't think we'll be trading him any time soon, unless the perfect deal comes around.
Really instead of worrying and arguing about this amongst ourselves we should just be happy that we've got two legitimate young outfield left handed bat options to work with. Its certainly better than struggling to find someone who can play the position.
This is probably going to be my last post on the Snider topic, but i'd absolutely lose it if the Jays gave up on Snider.
He's only 24. If you look around the majors, Seattle's hyped up player Dustin Ackley is only... less than a month younger than Snider. And Ackley, at 23 years old, had only slightly better numbers than Snider did when he was 21 years old. Alex Gordan of Kansas City also had 800 more plate appearances than Snider before his big year, last season.
If you look at AA's history, the best players he acquired were those same young players that other organizations gave up on. For example, see: Brandon Morrow, Colby Rasmus, Brett Lawrie and Yunel Escobar.
If you look at Snider's numbers in the minors, he has hit .322/.388/.542. What else do you want him to prove down there? That he needs to 'fix his swing'? We all know he is proven down there and has struggled in the Majors, so why can't he be given a chance to get over his struggles you know, in the Majors?
Everybody and their mother knows that young players need consistent at-bats to mature and find a groove in the Majors. Yet, he has not been able to get in a string on consistent at-bats without sitting out, has not been able to hit in batting-order positions for success that Thames has had (i.e., before Bautista), and cannot even be a bench player, like other organizations have some prospects do to at least sit on the bench and learn for a bit in a low-pressure role. He could be coming off the bench as a defensive sub and spot start once-twice a week; it would help him get comfortable and allow him to produce, and then take on a larger role gradually. For example, he's already better than Thames, Fransico, and Davis defensively -- are you actually saying Snider's bat as a pinch-hitter could not be used? We've also seen Snider's attitude and how he's handled being jerked around by this organization. He'd be a great guy to have on the bench.
Worst of all, Thames projects to be a fourth outfielder. And his defense is below replacement level. He's basically a Frank Catalanotto (who was surprisingly not bad, but not a starter outfielder on a team with contending hopes in the AL East).
So the fantasy threads have nothing about baseball as far as I can tell so I figured I'd pose the question here?
Napoli has been stinking it up at the plate this season so far, should I start Ramos over him? It's not like Ramos has been lighting it up (not awful though).
Here's what Valentine, during an appearance on Boston's WHDH, had to sayabout third baseman Kevin Youkilisand his .498 OPS: "
I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason," Valentine said. "But [on Saturday] it seemed, you know, he's seeing the ball well, got those two walks, his on-base percentage up higher than his batting average, which is always a good thing, and he'll move on from there."
Whatever Valentine's thought process (or lack thereof), Youkilis, who won't be in the lineup for the series finale against Tampa Bay, begs to differ with his conclusions. "Everyone here knows I go out and play with emotion," he told reporters Monday morning. "The only time there has ever been a question is because I've been too emotional."
The most revealing response, however, may have been Dustin Pedroia's: "I really don't know what Bobby is trying to do," Pedroia said. "That's not the way we go about our stuff around here. He'll figure that out. The whole team is behind Youk. We have each other's backs here."
After being asked whether Valentine's comments could serve to motivate, Pedroia said, "Maybe in Japan or something."
I keep on saying this but Boston is in trouble. I would be very shocked if they finished higher than fourth.
Maybe if they still had Lackey and DiceK in their rotation. Even Dubrount and Bard are upgrades. There's no way they finish that low in the standings even with their early season struggles.
