Does AA value OBP?

[Chappy]

This team currently ranks 19th in MLB with a .315 OBP. We also rank 2nd in HR's with 98, yet we sit 10th in total runs (although we have been climbing the ranks for sometime now).

 

My question is if this lineup is built around game changing power, wouldn't it be simple logic to have a high OBP guy over a speedster who can't get on base? The runs created by SB, surely don't outweigh the runs created by being on base more often by a significant margin.

 

If this team is looking to win now, then why are we not going with the better win now options? As minor as some moves may be, everything adds up in the end.

 

Adding Reyes to the lineup provides a significant OBP jump for this team, and bumping one of our better OBP guys to the bench in favor of a guy who can't get on base at even league average would make sense wouldn't it?

 

This has nothing to do with sentiments over Kawasaki, because honestly, I couldn't give a s***, I care more about the quality of our team on the field.

 

I just wonder if one of AA's biggest deficiencies as a GM is that he is a player hoarder and lets this get in the way of what is really best for this team? When were demoting guys who are well above the teams OBP for guys who are well below MLB average, questions need to be raised. Especially when you consider Kawasaki is a better defender at SS than the other three options (Derosa, Boni, Izturis).

 

Wouldn't DFA Boni, having Izturis/Derosa as our b2B options, Reyes/Kawasaki/Izturis as our SS options and Derosa/Izturis as our 3B options until Lawrie returns be sufficient? We already have Davis as a 4th OF, why do we need 5 when we have other guys who could step into LF on an emergency basis as well? Plus we have Gose and Sierra in AAA who could step in ASAP if an injury hit.

[o2cui2i]

I wish the jays had someone who had actually played the game or someone who knows all the numbers in charge, jays have neither

[Hawkguy]

AA only values pitchers - no matter how good they are. Can you throw a ball? Welcome to the Blue Jays, son!

[o2cui2i]

Wouldn't DFA Boni,

 

 

he's bet his career on Boni by saying he was the clincher in the miami deal- AA would have to eat s*** forever if the DFA'd Boni now and I dont know if there's another GM dumb enough to take Boni.

[Chappy]

he's bet his career on Boni by saying he was the clincher in the miami deal- AA would have to eat s*** forever if the DFA'd Boni now and I dont know if there's another GM dumb enough to take Boni.

 

Well it's certainly not helping his career by keeping Boni on this team over better options.

[o2cui2i]

Well it's certainly not helping his career by keeping Boni on this team over better options.

 

promises are so much better than good players and wins. Vetrins know this.

[Dr Negative]

he's bet his career on Boni by saying he was the clincher in the miami deal- AA would have to eat s*** forever if the DFA'd Boni now and I dont know if there's another GM dumb enough to take Boni.

 

Don't worry, that was probably just a lie.

[Stangstag]

Izturis should play 2B everyday over Kawasaki. Izturis holds a career OBP of .331 which isn't spectacular, but I think it is better than what Kawasaki could do. Plus we owe Izzy 9 million.

 

As for Boni, I ultimately think we trade Davis at the deadline and Bonifacio takes his place as late game defensive replacement and pinch runner.

 

Sending Kawasaki down right now made the most sense. This way, we don't lose any players. Plus I think it will take him time to adjust to playing 2B.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kawasaki back with the team in a couple weeks once AA makes a trade.

[over500]

I wish the jays had someone who had actually played the game or someone who knows all the numbers in charge, jays have neither

Yeah, I'd love to have Zaun, Tabler, Buck in charge. Former players are usually dumn.

[KSaw]

If you want OBP Josh Willingham is very, very available and wouldn't cost much in a trade.

[IronLadle]

I wish he did. I'd DFA DeRosa before Boni though.

 

Yeah me to, DeRosa is the player who adds the least. Obviously none of us our in clubhouse to witness his veteran presence - but from a pure baseball standpoint DeRosa adds nothing.

 

Was really hoping AA would DL Melky - can barely run at the moment and can't hit worth s***.

[G-Snarls]

AA only values pitchers - no matter how good they are. Can you throw a ball? Welcome to the Blue Jays, son!

 

And power >>> control of course...

[HERPDERP]

If Kawasaki remains on this team, no way in hell he's a regular. He won't be playing at 2B.

 

Kawasaki would be able to contribute more if he played more. But with Reyes back, that wouldn't be the case.

 

Izturis, DeRosa and Bonifacio contribute more to this team in a part-time role than Kawasaki would in a part-time role.

[KSaw]

If DeRosa starts every single game until Lawrie returns, I have no problem with your statement. The moment Bonifacio plays one inning in the infield, I have a problem.

[CHRIS]

Izturis, DeRosa and Bonifacio contribute more to this team in a part-time role than Kawasaki would in a part-time role.

 

Disagree with this. Kawasaki seems more fundamentally sound than Boni/Izturis (approach at the plate, bat control) which likely allows him to perform better with less playing time relative to his counterparts.

[KSaw]

Disagree with this. Kawasaki seems more fundamentally sound than Boni/Izturis (approach at the plate, bat control) which likely allows him to perform better with less playing time relative to his counterparts.

 

Boni has an approach at the plate?

[kcjaysfan]

Boni has an approach at the plate?

 

He subscribes to the JPA school of thought:

 

http://s22.postimg.org/6g39ny7mp/image.jpg

[Deadpool]

Izturis should play 2B everyday over Kawasaki. Izturis holds a career OBP of .331 which isn't spectacular, but I think it is better than what Kawasaki could do. Plus we owe Izzy 9 million.

 

As for Boni, I ultimately think we trade Davis at the deadline and Bonifacio takes his place as late game defensive replacement and pinch runner.

 

Sending Kawasaki down right now made the most sense. This way, we don't lose any players. Plus I think it will take him time to adjust to playing 2B.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kawasaki back with the team in a couple weeks once AA makes a trade.

 

Kawasaki should be the starting 2B against RHP IMO, batting 9th.

 

I never in a million years thought I'd say this about ANYONE, but I'd rather move Bonifacio over Davis (who has, admittedly, grown on me now that he's being used more effectively.)

 

I don't think it would take that long for Kawasaki to adapt to 2B, the position is very similar, and it's not like he's just going to forget which bag to throw to or something.

 

You're 100% correct that Kawasaki will be back in a few weeks.

 

Yeah me to, DeRosa is the player who adds the least. Obviously none of us our in clubhouse to witness his veteran presence - but from a pure baseball standpoint DeRosa adds nothing.

 

Was really hoping AA would DL Melky - can barely run at the moment and can't hit worth s***.

 

DeRosa is a right handed bat off the bench with some pop and (limited) positional flexibility. Bonifacio, Izturis and Kawasaki are all very similar players and the move should come from one of those 3 (and it did.)

 

Yeah, Melky needs some time off, he's brutal in the field, and he's scuffling badly at the plate. Hopefully it's not 100 games (unless that lets AA out of his contract, wouldn't shock me of AA had a "get caught with PEDs again and the contract is void" clause in there...)

[TheHurl]

Well it's certainly not helping his career by keeping Boni on this team over better options.

 

it's such a nothing move though. There is so little that suggests any one of the 4 will be better than the rest by enough going forward to really matter. There is an obvious issue with Boni's approach. How does a guy with an 8% career BB rate suddenly become a 2.9% BB rate guy? The guy had 46 Bunt for hits over his past three seasons (13% of his hits in total) he's had 3 here. I hate the guy, I hated the guy coming in but why isn't he at least playing like the player that he is?

[KSaw]

It's warning track power disease. A guy like Boni comes from Miami which has an extreme pitcher's park and sees the hitter friendly dome and thinks, hmmmm I can go yard here. He then looks at the plastic grass and figures that he can't bunt on it. Then you get horrible results.

[KSaw]

Also keep in mind that teams would play the infield back on him when he batted 8th. It was an invitation to hit bunt singles with the pitcher on deck.

[TheHurl]

Also keep in mind that teams would play the infield back on him when he batted 8th. It was an invitation to hit bunt singles with the pitcher on deck.

 

that would make sense except for he was a 1 or 2 hitter for almost his entire career in Florida. He only had about 9% of his PA's batting 8th.

[Sammy225]

Disagree with this. Kawasaki seems more fundamentally sound than Boni/Izturis (approach at the plate, bat control) which likely allows him to perform better with less playing time relative to his counterparts.

 

I would have Izzy easily on my team over Saki for the simple reason that he is WAY more versatile. He can play SS/3B/2nd and not look out of place, he is always put up solid OBP throughout his career compared to a 2month wonder who can play ss and possibly 2nd (arm probably wont play at 3rd). I just don't see how people think this side show is head over heals more valuable than Izturis considering the way Izturis has been playing as of late.

[Deadpool]

It's warning track power disease. A guy like Boni comes from Miami which has an extreme pitcher's park and sees the hitter friendly dome and thinks, hmmmm I can go yard here. He then looks at the plastic grass and figures that he can't bunt on it. Then you get horrible results.

 

From what I have seen, I am about done with Bonifacio trying to bunt. For a speedy guy, he is really, really bad at getting bunts down.

 

Also, death to bunts (unless it's the NL, and you're the pitcher.)

[KSaw]

that would make sense except for he was a 1 or 2 hitter for almost his entire career in Florida. He only had about 9% of his PA's batting 8th.

 

That says so little for the Marlins. I was about to go look it up. Thanks for the leg work. Alright, just 9% and for whatever reason the exact situation jumped to mind because I saw it happen. Oh well.

[KSaw]

From what I have seen, I am about done with Bonifacio trying to bunt. For a speedy guy, he is really, really bad at getting bunts down.

 

Also, death to bunts (unless it's the NL, and you're the pitcher.)

 

I have no problem with bunting for a hit. I don't like giving away outs unless its a late game tying or winning run situation. Even then, I'm not big on sacrificing a man to 2b. You still need a hit and have given away an out. Now if I have a leadoff double and that's the winning run, I'm all for bunting him to third.

[TheHurl]

From what I have seen, I am about done with Bonifacio trying to bunt. For a speedy guy, he is really, really bad at getting bunts down.

 

Also, death to bunts (unless it's the NL, and you're the pitcher.)

 

but it was so much of what made Boni have some value in Florida. 8 out of 11 in 2012, 16 out of 27 in 2011, 15 out of 28 in 2009 (does not include how many times he attempted for a strike and got himself into an unfavourable count). That's probably higher than his BABIP on line drives. He's got a useless bat but why not work more on the bunt and get him back to being that guy...it's not like there is anything else he can work on which will give him these results.

[Chappy]

it's such a nothing move though. There is so little that suggests any one of the 4 will be better than the rest by enough going forward to really matter. There is an obvious issue with Boni's approach. How does a guy with an 8% career BB rate suddenly become a 2.9% BB rate guy? The guy had 46 Bunt for hits over his past three seasons (13% of his hits in total) he's had 3 here. I hate the guy, I hated the guy coming in but why isn't he at least playing like the player that he is?

 

Seems like he thinks he is a power hitter. Maybe he wants to get in on the HR action.

[Chappy]

Fact remains, this team needs guys on base when those HR's are hit and this team overall doesn't have a great OBP. Reyes coming back helps out big time, but it was an opportunity to improve the quality of AB's we see off our bench with Kawasaki possibly taking some AB's away from guys like Boni.

 

I just don't get this f***ing fetish AA has with relievers. Our pen has been lights out, but guys like McGowan and Perez hardly ever see the light of day. When guys like Oliver are your third best LHP out of the pen, I think its safe to say we don't need Perez on this team.

 

Overall its not a huge move since Kawasaki would have been destined for the bench anyways, but these little things can add up over the course of the season. Having a fundamentally sound defensive SS on your bench who can get on base at an above average rate seems a hell of a lot better to me than a guy like Boni who can't get on base to save his life and his approach at the plate leaves little to believe he will ever be an above league average OBP player. Not to mention his questionable D.

[Chappy]

I have come to the conclusion that AA is a pussy.