Guillen vs. Fukudome

by Jerry on Sep 30, 2007 4:06 PM PDT Comment 84 comments

Well, now that the season's over, it is never too early to start chatting about the offseason.

It seems like most people are pretty comfortable with the assumption that Guillen will be back next year. He is supposedly looking for a multi-year deal, with Eric Byrnes' recent contract as a guide for what he may be looking for. The negotiations are going to be starting around 3yrs/30mil, and 4 years, at over $10 mil per is a real option.

I thought that Guillen was a solid pickup by Bavasi, but I think the M's should seriously consider other options.

In my opinion, the most interesting alternative is Japanese RFer Kosuke Fukudome.

I like the idea of going after Fukudome instead of Guillen for several reasons. One, Fukudome gives you pretty much everything Guillen does: good RF defense, an excellent arm, solid bat, and slightly above average power. However, Fukudome gives you a lot of things Guillen doesn't: a lefty bat, excellent plate discipline, and more speed. The lefthandedness and ability to get on base are the biggest factors. All the scouting reports on Fukudome talk about how he has a very new-school, US approach at the plate, and draws a ton of walks. More Hideki Matsui than Ichiro. He probably won't hit 30+ HRs, but he will likely hit 20 or so, with a lot of doubles and a great OBP.

All in all, he sounds like a Bobby Abreu or JD Drew type player. He also gets plus grades for athleticism and defense, so sticking him in RF would probably be a slight upgrade at least.

Nobody is talking about Fukudome right now because he had surgery to remove bone fragments from his elbow and missed a much of the second half of the season. However, this is actually a good thing for the M's. His elbow injury is less serious than Guillen's last offseason, and will help keep his price down. He is projected to be ready by the opening of spring training, no problem.

Even if Fukudome costs a bit more, I think the M's should pursue this guy aggressively. He fits perfectly with what this club needs: walks, lefty bat, and good OF defense. Plus, he won't cost the club a draft pick.

This is a no-brainer to me.

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Comments

He's a free agent, right?

So no need to deal with the posting system?

by Nick S on Sep 30, 2007 4:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yep.

Wait, what? We refuse to PROgress now? Whatever... Refuse to progress!!

by Double06 on Sep 30, 2007 4:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What concerns me about Fukudome

Is the high strikeout rate. Hideki Matsui is the only hitter who has done well at the plate in the Major Leagues who struck out a lot in the NPB, and he didn't strike out as much as Fukudome and also had better plate discipline and plate patience. I'd be very interested to see what he has to offer to MLB, but I'd be more wary than confident in him as a Mariner.

However, it's not like we have a much better option. I'm not optimistic that Guillen will do as well next season, and I'd take Fukudome for one year over Guillen for three. I'd probably like Fukudome more if we kept Wlad in the system as a Plan B.

Wait, what? We refuse to PROgress now? Whatever... Refuse to progress!!

by Double06 on Sep 30, 2007 4:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well.

If you deflate Fukudome's numbers the same way Hideki Matsui got deflated going from Japan to the US, you get something like .350/.450.

That doesn't exactly make him lightyears better than Guillen. Guillen doesn't walk, but add in his HBPs and he DID post a .353 OBP this year.

I think the difference would be that Fukudome might be better defensively.

by eponymous coward on Sep 30, 2007 4:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I would take a LH version of Guillen

10 times out of 10.

by Matthew on Sep 30, 2007 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Certainly.

That, and the dollar figures and commitment. And that doesn't include the worst-case scenario.

Wait, what? We refuse to PROgress now? Whatever... Refuse to progress!!

by Double06 on Sep 30, 2007 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Left handed.

by Graham on Sep 30, 2007 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right...

but Guillen is hitting that well RH, at Safeco. So they offer comparable offensive production any way you slice it.

by eponymous coward on Sep 30, 2007 6:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

but lineup balance. adding a LH bat in RF, means we can more easily push Vidro to #10 hitter role and put a RH hitter at DH or something.

by Matthew on Sep 30, 2007 8:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is lineup balance that meaningful?

You can easily adjust for it by platooning more aggressively. This also has the bonus of having your bench players stay relatively fresh. Granted, veterans might whine, buy Lou managed to do it without pitchforks and torches...

Or, hell, they could FIX THE FUCKING FENCES AT SAFECO so their right handed hitters aren't automatically screwed and their lefty hitters look better.

by eponymous coward on Oct 1, 2007 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm just saying that if you have

a choice between a 350/450 RH hitter and a 350/450 LH hitter (after park adj even), I'm picking the lefty 10/10 times.

It's really hard to have too many LH bats in your lineup.

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 2:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why?

Seriously.

Yes, I can understand platoon splits- but the idea is the platoon splits MAKE LHB better hitters as a group than RHB (lefties as a group will hit righties better than righties do, and while it's reversed for LHP, since there are more RHP than LHP, as a group, LHB would do better).

We're discussing two equivalent hitters independent of platoon splits, though, so the performance in aggregate should be a wash.

by eponymous coward on Oct 1, 2007 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

scarcity

there are less LHB than RHB, so take a LHB whenever you get the chance, all else being equal.

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right...

... but hitters capable of .350/.450 aren't a infinite resource, either.

I'm saying "why does it matter what hand they hit with if the net performance is identical"?

by eponymous coward on Oct 1, 2007 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

uhhh, for the reason I just said, scarcity

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 6:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

OK...

So you have an ultra-scarce car that goes 0-60 in 5 seconds.

I have one that's not scarce that goes 0-60 in 5 seconds as well.

So if the point is to go 0-60 as fast as possible, why do I care if it's scarce or not?

You're focussing on handedness. I'm focussing on performance.

by eponymous coward on Oct 1, 2007 9:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Platoon advantage

A LHB will have more at-bats with the platoon advantage than the RHB. There are more RHPs (i.e. Jered Weaver) with extreme platoon splits than LHPs (a LHP with extreme platoon splits is either a LOOGY or out of baseball).

So even if they're both true .350/.450 hitters the LH is better because the pitching he'll face is likely to be worse.

by Trev on Oct 1, 2007 9:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's true

but even that's stronger than the point I'm making. I'm talking about performance after platoon splits, after ballpark adjustment.

If you had a choice between Jose Guillen in 2008 who will put up, in SafeCo a .350/.450 line or Fukudome who will put up in SafeCo a .350/.450 line, you take Fukudome everytime.

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 10:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

because you have to own 9 cars

how is this hard to understand? You're telling me you take a RHB over a LHB if their expected performance was the same?

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No.

I'm saying I wouldn't care what hand they hit with if the expected performance between Generic RHB and Generic LHB was the same.

I think the OFFENSIVE differences between Fukudome and Guillen aren't going to be real big either way, and they are basically comparable at the plate, even boiling off the LHB/RHB difference. So it all comes down to a) baserunning and b) defense. If Fukudome projects as a more credible defender and you could get him on a deal comparable to Johjima's (3/18, though with inflation it's probably more like 3/21), I'd pick him easily over Guillen, who's likely at 3/33 or something like that and is a sub-par defender who oles at too many balls for my taste.

by eponymous coward on Oct 2, 2007 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also...

Note that LHB AS A GROUP hit better than RHB. Which is why teams like lefties.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/bsplit.cgi?lg=ML&team=TOT&year=2007

RHB: .268/.331/.420
LHB: .269/.343/.426

However, if a particular RHB == a particular LHB in performance, then it's meaningless which one you have.

by eponymous coward on Oct 2, 2007 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

no, it's still not

for the simple reason that there are less LHB than RHB.

by Matthew on Oct 2, 2007 6:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Again

We're discussing performance.

Wlad's the only MLB baseball player from Willemstad. Let's say I find another OF who will perform in a similar fashion to him from San Pedro de Macoris in the DR (where there are a ton of MLB players). Is Wlad more valuable because there are less MLB players from Willemstad? No- both players have the same value because we're concerned about player performance levels, not where they were born,

Now, substitute "LHB" and "RHB" through that discussion. I don't care about scarcity of a particular skill (LHB vs. RHB) if the net result between the two players, in terms of performance, is functionally identical performance (now, you COULD argue Fukudome will be a BETTER hitter because he's LH- but that's not what I'm arguing; I'm arguing he and Guillen are going to be peas in a pod). It's like caring about two mechanically identical cars that are racing because one's the only model of its kind painted blue. If one had a spoiler and things to make it race better, than SURE, I care- but a difference between two players that makes no difference in offensive performance is irrelevant to me.

by eponymous coward on Oct 3, 2007 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It appears that you are looking at this in

isolation, in which case, yeah, it wouldn't matter. But reality is no such thing.

If you get the chance to acquire a LHB, you do it because, it being rarer, it gives you more flexibility in your other roster decisions. Adding a LHB to RF means you can now remove Vidro or Ibanez from the lineup and not effect the overall handedness of your lineup. Those are important things.

by Matthew on Oct 3, 2007 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There's a 70 point OPS difference

Between road Guillen and home Guillen.

by Graham on Oct 1, 2007 1:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right...

Which means Guillen is a worse hitter 81 games a year, and a better hitter 81 games a year.

So, it's still a push that depends on defense.

by eponymous coward on Oct 1, 2007 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

Warning: very loose 'analysis' ahead. If you don't think I'm being fair here, I apologise in advance.

You project Fukudome as a .350/.450 hitter, which would be park neutral.

Now can we see how a .350/.450 left hander does at Safeco? I think Ibanez's 3-year splits from 2004-2006 should be a decent sample size, and he was .341/.459 away over that time, making him a great proxy for Fukudome. Anyway, at home he got boosted by +27 OBP, +34 SLG, so let's apply that to Fukudome's expected stats.

So we have:

H: .377/.484, A: .350/.450 (Fukudome)

and now Guillen's 2007 numbers...

H: .342/.433, A: .363/.485 (Guillen)

Taking the average by just assuming equal time H/A...

F: .364/.467/.831
G: .353/.459/.812

That's not exactly a push. The fact that Guillen's actually a better hitter in your projection is killed by Safeco Field's weirdness.

by Graham on Oct 1, 2007 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't agree.

Perhaps using GENERIC splits for LH at Safeco would be fairer. Bet they aren't as extreme.

by eponymous coward on Oct 1, 2007 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you have generic LH splits for Safeco

Be my guest.

by Graham on Oct 1, 2007 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Safeco Park Factors

I'll be honest, I don't remember if these are from a Bill James Historical Almanac or John Dewan from somewhere.

(all for 2004-2006)
Total LHP RHP
Avg 94 96 92
HR 93 101 88

by Trev on Oct 1, 2007 10:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That doesn't tell you much about

batting lines though...

by Graham on Oct 2, 2007 12:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the park

Why woudn´t you pick a player who is not likely to be hurt by his home park.

You are operating on the assumption that Fukudome and Guillen are exactly equal players, which is anything but a safe assumption.

Guillen is the type of guy who has trouble at Safeco. Fukudome isn't. Simple as that.

by Jerry on Oct 1, 2007 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why would I pick that player?

Because players play 81 games a year on the road, and a player who's hurt by the home park might still be a good player (see: Beltre, Adrian).

"You are operating on the assumption that Fukudome and Guillen are exactly equal players, which is anything but a safe assumption."

Yeah: Fukudome could flop horribly coming to MLB. Guillen could blow out an ankle again. And so on.

So, how would YOU evaluate Fukudome?

And don't try and seriously argue Fukudome's power won't take a big hit; we've seen it happen with pretty much every J League premier hitter who's come over (Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, Johjima and so on). Once that happens, you'll see walks go down, too. I don't think projecting .350/.450 is being very unreasonable- and Guillen, when healthy the last few years, has posted the following OBP/SLG numbers:

.359/.569
.352/.497
.338/.479
.353/.460

You can make an argument that Guillen's actually a .350/.480 player. Hideki Matsui's lifetime SLG in MLB, BTW, is .485.

by eponymous coward on Oct 3, 2007 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and:

Matsui's lifetime stats in J League:

.304/.582/.413

Fukudome's through 2006:

.306/.545/.393

Unless there are just ridiculous park factors involved, Matsui > Fukudome as a hitter.

Oh, and here's Joh:

.299/.517/.360

by eponymous coward on Oct 3, 2007 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

conversions

How do you figure that Fukudome projects to hit .350/.450? Is that based on some sort of legit projection system, or just a hunch.

You seem to be assuming that this projection is a near certainty, when these things are anything but.

At the most basic level, most people say that the leve of competition in Japanese baseball is a bit higher than AAA.

Wouldn't you take a guy who has raked at AAA? I know that power often doesn't transfer as well as other tools when players go between Japan and MLB, but Fukudome's most important tool is plate discipline.

Which brings us to another issue. We really haven't seen too many hitters cross over at all, and very few have had a similar approach to Fukudome. I would imagine that guys with a US approach would have less trouble here than more aggressive hitters like Johjima, little Matsui, and that 3B who bombed in NY. But I don't really have any data to back that up with.

by Jerry on Oct 1, 2007 6:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ummm

"That 3B that bombed in NY"? I do wonder if you're actually talking about Nori Nakamura, who played for LA, not NY...? Who's currently batting third for Chunichi instead of Fukudome and putting up a .291/.355/.467 (19HR) line as a third baseman?

I ♥ Nori, even if he kicked my Morino out of third base yet again.

by Deanna on Oct 1, 2007 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would never talk up a player

by comparing him to JD Drew

by Matthew on Sep 30, 2007 4:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey now

JD Drew is going to be a hell of a player once they find a cure for sand in a vagina

by Robert on Sep 30, 2007 10:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ha

god dammit cartmen!

district = denmark

by MarinerintheDistrict on Oct 1, 2007 2:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Definitely go for it.

We need lefties.

What do I look like, a guy who's not lazy?

by Rollo Tomasi on Sep 30, 2007 5:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If we let Guillen go

Would we get Type A compensation for him?

It seems to me that could be a deal-breaker.

by Fett42 on Sep 30, 2007 5:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't believe so.

In order to get compensation we'd have to offer Guillen arbitration, and I don't know if we can do that after turning down his option.

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 30, 2007 5:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

we could certainly exercise his team option

and he'll opt out with 100% certainty. Still not sure where that leaves us vis-a-vis draft comp. though

by Matthew on Sep 30, 2007 5:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn you're faster than me.

by SethGrandpa on Sep 30, 2007 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't get why we don't offer him the option.

I mean he won't take it, and the Mariners know that. But if it gives the M's more options I don't see why they wouldn't. They shouldn't be afraid of pissing him off or anything like that because if they offer him the money his looking for he'll sign regardless.

by SethGrandpa on Sep 30, 2007 5:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If it means we get compensation if he opts out

then the Mariners will exercise the option.

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 30, 2007 5:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who Knows

I don't think that there is a rule that they can't get a pick, but that some contracts keep teams from offering it. As far as I know, these things vary by contract. So who knows.

by Jerry on Oct 1, 2007 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If those are the M's options

expect the M's to go with the familiar option if they can help it.

by Gomez on Sep 30, 2007 7:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Please dear God no long deal

Though I can't quantify what it adds to the team, I love his aggressive spirit. But Guillen isn't that great. Our payroll is loaded with mediocre talents. The last thing this team needs is to add more mediocre talent for multiple years. We should try to cut off as much fat as possible, and use that extra cash for LEGIT, proven talent. I'd rather overpay for dependable output than overpay for slightly above-average or average ability.

But that's just me, y'all are much more intelligent and knowledgable. I know it can't be quantified, and it's highly speculative, but I just want to say it. This team wasn't that much better on paper than in previous years. Was it luck that got us so far? I think not. If Guillen's attitude affected the teams outlook and morale, and had an effect in how they played, then that must be considered. I still think the organization needs to be douched out.

Fukudome would be more attractive than Guillen, if we could get a 1-year deal. He can save Wlad's spot.

Willie is ours, and you can't have him

by spittle8 on Sep 30, 2007 8:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd sign Fukudome in a heartbeat.

Problem is, the M's won't.

Considering how badly the M's want to go with the status quo, since they were soooooo cloooooose to making the playoffs, they're only going to want to change a few things. Considering, too, how much they like Guillen and see him as an integral part of this team, they're not going to be quick to get rid of him. Especially since they value his clubhouse leadership at least equally as much as they value his performance.

Replacing Guillen with Fukudome makes too much sense, so plan on the M's doing exactly the opposite.

I'm thinking Guillen will be given 3/36 with an option for a fourth year. The M's are that stupid...

Yes. Shrubberies are my trade. I am a shrubber. My name is Rogerthe Shrubber. I arrange, design, and sell shrubberies.

by PositivePaul on Sep 30, 2007 8:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You can't mess with chemistry!

by PetRock on Sep 30, 2007 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

NO! WE NEED HIM HERE!

I hope Kosuke re-signs with the Dragons. They need him a lot more than the Mariners do. On the other hand, they were pretty awful in the contract negotiations last year, so it seems unlikely. They've done okay without him in the outfield this year since Hidenori and Morino have both really stepped up, but dude, I don't know how they're going to replace his bat, especially with Woods turning 40 next year and Tatsunami being almost completely phased out at this point. It's pretty depressing. Maybe they can have Jose Guillen.

Also, putting Fukudome in the AL means he'll be exposed to his greatest arch-nemesis: Hideki Okajima.

(just kidding -- you had to have seen last year's Japan Series to get that one)

by Deanna on Sep 30, 2007 9:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Couldnt

we just use Wlad?

by Slica on Sep 30, 2007 10:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Bavasi

said that Jones and Balentien will not both be in the outfield next year.

by naviomelo on Sep 30, 2007 11:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

what team have you been following?

by Matthew on Sep 30, 2007 11:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, I know guys

but as long as we are talking unlikely scenerios, we cant just throw out the obvious.

And signing Fukodome is only going to hinder Wlad playing for us two years from now. Then again, there is always that pesky 'he will be traded' possibility.

by Slica on Oct 1, 2007 3:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wlad dropped off quite a bit in the 2nd half

even before his injury. He probably could use at least a couple more months in the minors working on his plate approach.

But yeah, Bavasi will probably trade him.

by G_ on Oct 1, 2007 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is not a problem...

...if what we get is decent (like a good Tampa Bay pitching prospect).

This IS a problem if what comes back is veteran pitcher who is just entering his decline phase.

What's more likely with this bunch of fools (and that includes the people around and above the GM position)?

by rtang on Oct 1, 2007 9:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wlad's peripherals

stayed amazingly constant first half to second half.

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

Plus, he didn't hit a home run (in the minors) after his finger injury.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 1, 2007 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He only played 10 games after getting hurt

His BB/9 and ISO both dropped, and he did not get hurt until the middle of August, and played in only 10 or so games after that. Much of his good first half was the unsustainable high BABIP.

His final numbers are probably closer to his true talent level, which are still pretty good, but just not "this guy has nothting left to learn in AAA" good.

by G_ on Oct 1, 2007 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think what Matthew is getting at is this:

April-June: 19.8% LD%, 1.25 GB/FB, 4.7 AB/K
July-End: 21.6% LD%, 1.22 GB/FB, 4.6 AB/K

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 1, 2007 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The walk rate slipped

April-June: 9.0 AB/BB (or 11.1 BB%)
July-End: 12.3 AB/BB (8.1 BB%)

If you take a step back, look at his numbers in 2006 (AA) and 2007 (AAA):

230/337/435 (13.4 BB%, 26.8 K%, 284 BABIP)
291/360/509 (10.4 BB%, 19.2 K%, 330 BABIP)

Obviously, Balentien took a big step forward this year, significantly cutting his strikeouts and performing better overall against better competition. Still, the walks slipped, the BABIP is a little high, and this is really the first year he put everything together (limiting strikeouts, maintaining a decent walk rate, hitting for average, etc.). And there are some scouting concerns with his approach at the plate.

Given all this, I think it is reasonable to give him a couple more months in AAA to confirm that he can sustain his progress and to cement the improvements he has made to his approach at the plate.

by G_ on Oct 1, 2007 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I definitely agree with that

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 1, 2007 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

overall agree

but is the BABIP high? We're looking at a LD rate just over 20%, so a 330 BABIP isn't unusual at all, that's actually pretty much where you'd expect a AAA line to be no?

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"a little high"

I called his BABIP "a little high."

Using expected BABIP (LD% + .120) and Balentien's 19% LD% (per First Inning), his expected BABIP would be .310, so "a little high" is a fair description of his .330 actual BABIP.

by G_ on Oct 1, 2007 2:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

For the record

not that it changes your point or anything, but I don't know that the LD% + .120 rule extends into the minor leagues. I suspect that the constant is actually a little higher, due to worse defenses.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 1, 2007 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

it doesn't extend

the constant goes up each level.

I'm not sure how Wlad ends up with a 19% LD rate when Jeff lists each split as higher. Jeff, where did your LD% numbers come from?

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

MinorLeagueSplits

I know, I know, firstinning is better.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 1, 2007 10:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

also, it wont matter

since Wlad only sees Tacoma from the visiting clubhouse in '08

by Matthew on Oct 1, 2007 2:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You misspelled 'Nationals dugout'

by Gomez on Oct 1, 2007 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

FELIPE LOPEZ FOR SECOND BASE!

by JI on Oct 2, 2007 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess I'm in the minority

But I'll be very happy to have Guillen resigned.

He's a good hitter, a real good hitter away from safeco, he fields reasonably well, and there's good reason to think he'll be faster next year than this year.

But that's not why I want him signed. His slides into second base is the reason I want him signed. The guy wants to win as much as anyone I've ever seen, and shows he it more. I'm not making an appeal to team chemistry here, but having a guy who takes the legs out from opposing second basemen and tells the press he wants to kill every Angel player is a guy I like to have around.

there should be three levels of terror alert: Jesus Christ, Goddammit, and fuck me! -LB

by Bearskin Rugburn on Oct 1, 2007 8:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs