Lookout Landing: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: The Boxing Bulletin for Boxing Fans!

Yuni: The King of the Three True Outcomes

Most of us have heard of the Three True Outcomes at some point in our baseball watching. Basically the 3 outcomes are HR, BB, and K (Or pop-up to 2B, soft grounder to 1B and weak fly to right for pre-FuckingTheMan Lopez). Well there are some players who don't really like the Three True Outcomes and do eveything they can to avoid them. Craig Brown over at THT looked at 4 guys who cannot homer, walk or strike-out. He looks at Bengie Molina, Juan Pierre, Christian Guzman, and our favorite Cunab, Yuni. It's pretty interesting to see how these guys literally cannot walk, K, or go yard. But the Yuni writeup was pretty depressing.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/three-two-one-contact/

Yuniesky Betancourt: 3 HR, 4 BB, 16 SO in 236 plate appearances
True Outcome percentage: 9.7%

 

Four walks? Four?

That translates to a current walk rate of 1.7 percent. If Betancourt keeps that up, he’ll finish with the lowest walk rate since Shawon Dunston's 1.6 percent rate in 1997 playing for the Cubs and Pirates.

Since breaking into the majors in 2005 and taking a free pass in 5 percent of his plate appearances, his walk rates have declined every year.

2005: 5.0%
2006: 3.0%
2007: 2.7%
2008: 1.7%

I knew Yuni wasn't walking much, but 1.7%?? Good God.  I'm pretty sure that ~90% of LL-ers could walk in 1% of their PAs (and K the rest of the time). Someone needs to sit with Yuni and let him know that walks aren't bad and actually can help.

Currently, Betancourt is hitting .284/.294/.415 and he stands the best chance of the four at finishing below 10 percent. That is, if he can keep his job for the entire season.

I'm going to assume that is pure guesswork, but do we even have another SS capable of playing in the majors?

0 recs  |  Comment 13 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Triunfel

If he really is everything that he’s cracked up to be (and really I’m only going on how people here tend to rate him having not seen him play or read up on his history at all), then it’s a possible, although the USSM Future Forty has his ETA at 2009 and presumably that is only for bedding-in, as it were at that time.

What do those with a bit more nouse think of his projected timeline to the majors?

Accidental Mariner - P3 W1 L2 (.333)
Sponsor of Jamie Burke's baseball-reference page

by MarkE on Jun 13, 2008 9:03 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I doubt he'd get a shot this year...

1. He’s young. M’s hate youth.
2. He was just suspended, allegedly for an attitude adjustment.
3. I have heard it stated he doesn’t have the glovework to stick at SS.
4. He just isn’t ready yet. He needs to season a bit. Has he turned 18 yet?
5. He’s playing High-A ball.

He really isn’t an option.

by TheEmrys on Jun 13, 2008 9:07 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Then there isn't one, is there?

Unless WFB becomes a daily fixture (pfffffft!!).

Accidental Mariner - P3 W1 L2 (.333)
Sponsor of Jamie Burke's baseball-reference page

by MarkE on Jun 13, 2008 9:12 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

No chance he is up this year

I would doubt him being up next year, as well. His power still needs to develop, and even if it does the second half of this year and through next year, I would think they would try him another year in Triple A first. He isn’t even in Double A yet, and that is a pitcher’s league. Until he develops some more power (he hits line drives, but only 1 pro homer), I doubt they will move him up to Double A and expect his power to develop there. High Desert is a hitters paradise.

He is the real deal however, but he wont stick at SS. His defense still needs some work as it is. 3B or 2B is in his future, though I think he will end up sticking at 3B. His hitting is pretty good considering he is facing people 2 years+ older than him.

by Slica on Jun 13, 2008 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Isn't Tug Hulett a SS?

Just kidding.

I like midgets more than I should.

by Thingray on Jun 13, 2008 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Tug Hulett = Willie Bloomquist in 2011.

Jl/Robert '08: Promise for a CoachCage tomorrow!

by Fin on Jun 13, 2008 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

"Nous"

I’d say 2011.

2009 would only make sense if something massive changes in his results. I think it’s a good idea to really have him work with a single set of coaches each year – so 2009 is AA, 2010 is AAA. There’s no need to burn an option year just to sit him on the bench for a game or two before 2011.

At the moment, he’s dealing with a new position and staying consistent. There’s no need to rush, and that could be counterproductive.

by marc w on Jun 13, 2008 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

If he keeps his job?

Yuni’s bad but as bad as he is, he’s in the top half (offensively even) of AL shortstops.

by Matthew on Jun 13, 2008 11:01 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I'd be very surpised if he lost his job,

unless he went into a massive slump both offensively and defensively. I can see WFB getting a spot start here and there, but no permanent change.

I like midgets more than I should.

by Thingray on Jun 13, 2008 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah I was very surprised to see that

given that Yuni at his salary is an asset and it’s not like he’s old and we have a young guy waiting.

But the man needs to take a walk once in ahile. Maybe we can get Victor Mesa to tell him not to walk.

Go Nova

by dbroncos31 on Jun 13, 2008 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Plus we have a lot more problems right now than our shortstop.

But I don’t know what the hell this organization is doing most of the time.

by AtomicGarden on Jun 13, 2008 3:54 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

That's not a particularly high standard.

Someone stole all the shortstops’ bats this season.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on Jun 13, 2008 5:47 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

By reading a game thread of your own volition you agree to accept all liability for any and all damage done to your delicate sensibilities.
Start posting about the Mariners »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Max_small
FootbaLL IV (Nov 21st)
Small
The Sabermetrics of Cats

Recent FanPosts

Small
WAR gains major exposure
Laughing_man_elmex_small
AFL Championship game thread
Smell-the-glove_small
OFFTOP 11/19 - The Hand of Fraud
Small
Tony Blengino interview on 710 AM ESPN Seattle's Hot Stove League
Ichirocameron_small
OTFPOTD 11/16: Recipes Edition
Small
Lookout Landing as a communtiy
Small
Royals determined to unload Callaspo...
Ichiro_small
Ackley and Triunfel on MLB TV right now

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Sexy People

1_small Graham

Small Matthew

Small Jeff