Xavier "The Professor" Paul

[New York Red]

I'd also love to see him bat 2nd even if that means L-L-L.

This will never happen, but I wish it could work. Maybe swap Votto and Phillips to make it L-L-R-L? Of course that would mean LLRLL. Just dreaming.

[Big Klu]

Jim Day just said on the postgame that the Reds are 24-3 when X-Man is in the starting lineup.

[Vottomatic]

All of the anecdotal things are nice, but at the end of the day, it's the production that matters. One can have a nice sports car with the most amazing paint job in the world, but if the car is constantly breaking down, it doesn't matter how good it looks.

Paul's worth is still going to come down to whether he maintains his production or reverts back to his career averages. As the days go along, it's looking more possible that he maintains something close to what he's doing. But the jury is still out.

I don't really see how his career averages mean anything because he really hasn't had an opportunity to play regularly until now, since Ludwick went down.

I think he's had a small sample size up until now. His minor league numbers were very good.

I think what we're seeing is who he is.

[Brutus]

I don't really see how his career averages mean anything because he really hasn't had an opportunity to play regularly until now, since Ludwick went down.

I think he's had a small sample size up until now. His minor league numbers were very good.

I think what we're seeing is who he is.

Xavier Paul's career OPS in the minors was .817. Good, sure, but if you adjust those to minor league equivalents, you get an OPS of about .700 (ish).

[Kc61]

All of the anecdotal things are nice, but at the end of the day, it's the production that matters. One can have a nice sports car with the most amazing paint job in the world, but if the car is constantly breaking down, it doesn't matter how good it looks.

Paul's worth is still going to come down to whether he maintains his production or reverts back to his career averages. As the days go along, it's looking more possible that he maintains something close to what he's doing. But the jury is still out.

Career averages based on a very limited major league track record mean very little to me.

Actually watching a hitter in repeated at bats is not anecdotal information.

This is why I disagree with some about both Paul and Heisey. Limited statistical base of information. Very clear info about their hitting approaches to be learned by watching them. Plus a statistical trend based on very current 2012 and 2013 performance, which is ongoing (or was until Heisey got hurt).

[Tony Cloninger]

Xavier Paul's career OPS in the minors was .817. Good, sure, but if you adjust those to minor league equivalents, you get an OPS of about .700 (ish).

Except if your a Cardinal hitter or pitcher. You actually have WORSE numbers in the minors and then ...magically you go to STL and you turn into something you never really were in the minors, with powers to hit in any situation or pitch to every perfect spot.

[malcontent]

Jim Day just said on the postgame that the Reds are 24-3 when X-Man is in the starting lineup.

Elephant in the room....Baker's lineup card when Chris Heisey returns.

[malcontent]

Xavier Paul's career OPS in the minors was .817. Good, sure, but if you adjust those to minor league equivalents, you get an OPS of about .700 (ish).

X-man saves it for when it counts.

[*BaseClogger*]

I don't really see how his career averages mean anything because he really hasn't had an opportunity to play regularly until now, since Ludwick went down.

I think he's had a small sample size up until now. His minor league numbers were very good.

I think what we're seeing is who he is.

Aren't you the guy against giving Mesoraco regular playing time?

[REDREAD]

Honestly, Dusty and Walt have done a great job covering up the Ludwick injury.

Ludwick is still missed, but they've made the best of it.

Got to give Walt credit for grabbing Robinson when KC DFAed him over the winter too. Not to derail the thread, but Robinson is potentially the backup OF that can cover CF and be a decent pinch hitter.

Also, great call to bring up Lutz.. I know the guy is not ready, but he's done pretty well considering he's not ready. He hasn't been an embarrassment like some of the bench guys we ran out last year.. (Negron, that AAA 3b that was like 1-50, etc)
Pretty sure Lutz will go down when Heisey comes back, but it was a good call to add him to the roster.

And of course, Paul has been awesome so far.
Not sure he will maintain this, but even if he can maintain a 750 OPS, that would be pretty huge.

[mth123]

Paul is pretty good against RHP. Can't hit lefties and can't play defense. One trick pony, but it's a really useful trick. Really nice bench player who'd be better as a platoon DH.

As for the record when he starts, he starts against RHP. That just so happens to be the times when guys like Choo, Votto and even Frazier have been at their best. Some others struggle aginst RHP, so Paul's presence lengthens the line-up and helps. Still, Choo and Votto both play at MVP level when a righty is on the mound. I'd say that whole record when Paul starts thing is largely from being in there when those guys are doing the heavy lifting.

[Big Klu]

Paul is pretty good against RHP. Can't hit lefties and can't play defense. One trick pony, but it's a really useful trick. Really nice bench player who'd be better as a platoon DH.

As for the record when he starts, he starts against RHP. That just so happens to be the times when guys like Choo, Votto and even Frazier have been at their best. Some others struggle aginst RHP, so Paul's presence lengthens the line-up and helps. Still, Choo and Votto both play at MVP level when a righty is on the mound. I'd say that whole record when Paul starts thing is largely from being in there when those guys are doing the heavy lifting.

I agree, the record when he starts is only in small part due to him, and is actually affected to a greater degree by factors other than him, such as Votto, Choo, Bruce, Phillips, and especially the Reds' pitching.

I just found it to be a strange statistical anomaly.

[Chip R]

Imagine Earl Weaver in the era of live mikes.

Or Twitter.

[KYRedLeg]

Terry Crowley is lucky he's in ******* baseball for *****sakes, he was released by the Cincinnati Reds, he was released by the ****** ***damn Atlanta Braves, we saw that Terry Crowley could sit on his ***** ass for eight innings and enjoy watching the game just like any other fan, and have the ability to get up there and break one open in the ***** 9th. So if this ********** would mind his own business, and let me manage the ******* team, we'd be a whole lot better off.

That's impressive. I once got an Infraction for starring out a single cuss word.

[reds44]

Elephant in the room....Baker's lineup card when Chris Heisey returns.

I have a hard time believing Paul will be taken out of the lineup against RHP. Heisey probably takes Robinson's time though.