Is there any hope for Jose Lopez?

by Grant H on Jul 23, 2007 7:07 PM PDT

This diary is meant to be similar to the posts Sickels does over at minorleagueball.com. Lopez is currently sporting a .686 OPS, five points worse than his career figure of .691 and hasn't had an extra base hit in god know how long (it may not have actually been that long but I haven't been able to see a game in like a week). Lopez is creeping up on 24 years a old and nearing what should be his prime as a hitter. Its unlikely that his OBP will ever be above average, but I fully expected his slugging percentage to approach a .500 in a full season at some point in his career. Obviously the Mariners have fucked with his approach, but what do you think his peak will be like now? Discuss.

Also it looks as though Lopez is a better defender than a lot of people thought. How does that effect his value and when do you think his defense will begin to deteriorate?

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Hmm

24 isn't prime for a hitter but you are right. Both he and Yuni just slap at the ball. No power behind it, just a flail.

by Dylan @ Lookout Landing on Jul 23, 2007 7:34 PM PDT reply actions

He'll never be a .500 slugger

Not in Safeco, even if he was pulling every ball he could. Seriously, .750-.800 is probably the best you can expect from him, but spray hitting will make him a more consistent threat to get on base than if he just pulled pitches to LF.

by Gomez on Jul 23, 2007 7:41 PM PDT reply actions

A .750-.800 OPS 2B w/ Decent Glove

at safeco is a good player.

by chrisisasavage on Jul 24, 2007 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions

I briefly talked about this

in Friday's game thread here. It's not an over the top analysis by any stretch but I don't feel like getting into it at all after this game.

by Trent on Jul 23, 2007 7:43 PM PDT reply actions

no, there's no hope

no hope for anything.

by Matthew on Jul 23, 2007 8:30 PM PDT reply actions

/South Park hockey episode

by Jeff Sullivan on Jul 23, 2007 8:33 PM PDT up reply actions

It's like his body is in a tie

by Robert on Jul 23, 2007 8:42 PM PDT up reply actions

my hope for him is that he goes away...

preferrably forever after that horrible baserunning!

by basebliman on Jul 23, 2007 9:15 PM PDT reply actions

Jesus tapdancing Christ.

Aramis Ramirez, age 24: 234/.279/.387
Jose Guillen did not post a +100 OPS until he was 27.

Quit making this guy's career be over at age 23.

by eponymous coward on Jul 24, 2007 10:31 AM PDT reply actions

Yeah, but A-Ram's age 23 and age 25

seasons were both much better.

I like Lopez, and I'm not giving up on him, but I don't think that Aramis is a fair comp.

by Katal LM on Jul 24, 2007 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions

I think EC's point

is that a lot of good players have posted weak age 23 numbers, and that giving up on Lopez because he's not hammering the ball is a bit rash.

by Gomez on Jul 24, 2007 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, that's my point.

by eponymous coward on Jul 24, 2007 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Big difference

Ramirez's first season came at age 20 after destroying A+ and only getting 47 G in AAA. He returned briefly at age 21 for 18 games and then was called up for good at 22 and hit .256/.293/.402 in 254 AB's. His first full season in the majors at an age of 23, he hit .300/.350/.536.

But that's splitting hairs. Ramirez destroyed minor league pitching at every stop. He slugged under .500 only once in his first stop in AAA. At age 20. Lopez was grotesquely overrated coming up through the M's system. He's hitting almost identically to how he hit in the minors in the majors currently. He's never been a very patient hitter and played in the PCL. To expect him to suddenly become this monster power bat isn't fair. Can he get better, sure. But to expect him to become this MOTO bat who can be counted on for 30 bombs and 100 RBI's isn't fair to him.

by Trent on Jul 24, 2007 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions