Quote:
Originally posted by Kc61
I'm about to give up on statistical dueling here. Larue strikes out about once in every three plate appearances. Even Adam Dunn is about one in four. Larue almost never walks. When any batter makes contact so infrequently, he is a huge detriment. It may be acceptable when the guy hits 25 home runs. But a major league hitter (non-pitcher) has to make contact.
Larue is not the man for the Reds.
I can see why you're giving up, you're fighting a losing battle. All you can keep saying in your defence is Larue strikes out at an alarming pace. It's true. But I'm more concerned about overall performance. SO's for batters are very much overrated. Larue does not ground into excessive DP's. He's not an elite hitter. So what?? He's a better than average hitting catcher. He's an elite thrower as a catcher, the best in the majors. He's below average at fielding his position and calling a game. But if you had to rate the Reds players this year based on expectations, Kearns and Walker would be above average, Larue and Boone would be average, and Casey, Larkin, Dunn, Griffey would be below expectations. I'm not so sure why Larue should get blamed for giving us what we expected...a slightly above average year for a catcher. Can we do better?? I doubt we can unless we take $$$ from we we need it the most...pitching. I can assure you that the Reds management aren't thinking that catching is a huge hole to fill. And I doubt that Larue will be traded unless another frontline catcher has been, or will be, obtained. Miller and Stinnett are not the answer. Unless the question is "The thought of what catching duo makes you want to puke?"