FTW
Spring Training: In Like A Lion and Out Like A Lamb.
March 28, 2009 by kris · Leave a Comment
Does a drastic increase in OPS during spring training foreshadow a breakout season? Who knows. Regardless of such uncertainty, here’s a few gentleman that’ve been putting up very solid numbers.
Kevin Frandsen (2B – SFG) is hitting .303 with a .424 SLG which should probably be enough to hold off the charging Emmanuel Burriss (2B-SFG) who’s hitting .397 with a .492 slugging percentage. Eugenio Velez (2B/OF – SFG) isn’t that far behind hitting .339 and slugging .548. Everyone but Frandsen possesses solid stolen base potential, but it looks like a two-horse race between Frandsen and Burriss. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he’d announce the winner of the open-competition before the Giants left Arizona on Wednesday.
Daniel Murphy (LF – NYM) seems to be going higher and higher in drafts and with the spring he’s having; it seems warranted. Murphy’s hitting .333 with a .455 slugging percentage. He hasn’t hit a dinger yet, which should worry you a little bit considering he’s only going to have OF eligibility.
This may be the year that Corey Hart (OF – MIL) puts everything together. He’s your typical tools guy, who hasn’t quite put it together. Hart’s already got 6HR and is batting .404. It seems as though our favourite free-swinger may have put some time in this off-season. 13 strike outs to only 3 walks is still concerning though.
Our favourite error-prone Canadian Mark Teahan (2B/OF – KC) has hit 5 HR in only 39AB. He’s hitting .487, and only has 8 strikeouts compared to 5 walks. Fellow Royal, Mike Jacobs (1B – KC) has hit 6 HR, but has also struck out 18 times! I still would have some issues rostering Jacobs. Billy Butler (1B – KC) has been posting terrific numbers too.
Two aging first basemen are both healthy and raking. Todd Helton (1B – COL) and Paul Konerko (1B – CHW) are both hitting over .400 with 4 HR. Both of these guys should be rosterable in deep leagues, and borderline in shallow leagues. I wouldn’t be surprised if both of ‘em go through streaks where they perform in the top-10 first basemen.
Sweet-Swinging Jeremy Hermida (OF – FLA) may have finally put it all together. He’s hit 4 HR, and is batting .340 with 5 walks to 9 strikeouts while slugging .642. Delmon Young and Jeremy Hermedia are two post-hype sleepers you probably want to keep an eye on.
The perennial prospect, Brandon Wood (3B-LAA), looks primed for at least a useful year. He’s hitting .347 while slugging .735. The key stat for Wood is 8 strikeouts in 49 AB. For someone who’s known for putting up a 30 percent strike-out rate, this is spectacular.
I’m really starting to worry about everyone’s favourite American League Sleeper, Chris Davis (1B/3B – TEX). 21 strikeouts in 61 at-bats during Spring Training is concerning, very concerning. I’m sure he’ll put up solid numbers in Texas, but he’s going to be streaky. Two other youngsters, Colby Rasmus (OF-STL) and Chris Dickerson (OF-CIN) are also posting unhealthy strike-out numbers. Dickerson is still very worthy of a draft-pick at this point, even in shallow leagues.
Carl Crawford (OF-TAM) seems healthy again, Thank God. He’s stole 6 bases in 37 AB. Not many people think the Rays will compete with the Red Sox and Yankees in 2009. This should help Crawford’s stolen base numbers. 40 Stolen bases from this former first rounder isn’t out of the question.
I wouldn’t put too much weight on it, but Adam Jones (OF – BAL) is having a great spring. Jones is a ball player, with a very solid shot at 20/20 this year. Last year’s 9 HR and 10 SB just seems ridiculous considering his talent. Jones is one hell of a sleeper in just about any format. It also appears as though Jones will open the year hitting second in the new Orioles line-up, which should mean an increase across the board.
Pablo Sandoval ( UTIL – SFG) just won’t go away. I really don’t like Sandoval as a sleeper, something just seems off. He is however hitting .448 with 39 total bases in 58 AB.
Everyone’s favourite Toronto Blue Jay, Travis Snider (OF – TOR), is hitting a very solid .381 with a .690 slugging percentage. Snider’s my favourite player, so don’t expect unbiased information from this analyst. The single, paltry, walk is still concerning. We’ll see how long it takes pitchers to start adjusting to him. The Blue Jays won’t be hesitant to send him down, but he belongs on the big league roster.
Staying on Travis’, Travis Buck (OF-OAK) and his beautiful Man-Mane is starting to come into his own and continuing the Athletics trend of walking just as much as you strike-out.
One of my favourites, Kendry Morales (1B – LAA) appears to be posting a solid spring with a .356 AVG and .576 SLG. I’m not sure why more people aren’t hyping him up — when he came out, he had all sorta of hype, and then got the “fat and lazy” tag.
Hey, Shouldn’t You Be Striking Out?
Nelson Cruz (OF – TEX) strikes out at 25 percent clip has 5 strikeouts and 4 walks in 31 AB.
Hank Blalock (3B/UTIL – TEX) also seems to be showing last year’s huge decline in K-rate is the real deal. He’s struck out 6 times, and walked 7 times in 48 AB.
Ian Stewart (3B – COL) seems to have shown improvement over last year’s 35 percent strike-out rate. He’s only struck out 7 times in 44 AB, to go along with 5 BB.
In addition to killing spring training pitching, J.J. Hardy (SS – MIL) has only struck out 5 times in 52 AB. That’s the same amount he’s walked.
Does Rick Ankiel (OF – STL) ever stop improving? He, of the 2008 25% K-Rate, is hitting .356 with 12 K and 11 BB in 73AB. I’m starting to buy this whole “Rick Ankiel Is Awesome” talk.
Khalil Greene ( SS – STL) has seriously only struck out 3 times in 60 AB. Greene still doesn’t walk, but he’s an annual 25% strike-out guy. Maybe we’re onto something, maybe he’s just enduring one of his hot-streaks.
Jason Kubel (UTIL – MIN) and his 20 percent career strike-out rate has only 3 K’s in 45 AB.
Cameron Maybin (OF – FLA) and his 12 strike-outs to 7 walks in 54 AB, is intriguing — very intriguing. Every projection model out there has Maybin striking out at a 30 percent clip.
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