Yuni: The King of the Three True Outcomes

by dbroncos31 on Jun 13, 2008 8:38 AM PDT Comment 13 comments

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?

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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