Welsh on Dusty

[Ironman92]

Choo has an OBP over .300 vs LHP and a babip below .200. It's likely his numbers won't be as bad in the future and, as bad as they are, he is still finding his way on base.

.300 OB% belongs near the bottom....I guess unless you play SS or CF then OB% is moo.

[edabbs44]

.300 OB% belongs near the bottom....I guess unless you play SS or CF then OB% is moo.

Agreed, with the benefit of hindsight this time period of less than normal babip and less than career OBP may have been better placed lower in the order.

[Ironman92]

I would love to see a stat of what % of the time the CF is placed at the top of the order (1st or 2nd) over the past 5 years.....and then a comparison of OB% by the top of the order guys over the past 5 years.

I would guess for the Reds (Dusty) the Reds would have the highest % in MLB (maybe 95+%) and would be near the bottom on the OB% part (guessing 25th ish)....but Choo is hurting that a bit.

[Norm Chortleton]

I would love to see a stat of what % of the time the CF is placed at the top of the order (1st or 2nd) over the past 5 years.....and then a comparison of OB% by the top of the order guys over the past 5 years.

I would guess for the Reds (Dusty) the Reds would have the highest % in MLB (maybe 95+%) and would be near the bottom on the OB% part (guessing 25th ish)....but Choo is hurting that a bit.

I've been as frustrated as anyone about running Taveras, Patterson and Stubbs out there in the leadoff spot (especially Stubbs), but it's not like they've had a lot of choice. Phillips has pretty much been the only other choice, and I can see why they'd rather hit him 2nd or 3rd, ideally.

The criticism, IMO, is not that they've installed the CF in the leadoff spot, it's that they didn't acquire a leadoff hitter to play CF until this year.

[Ironman92]

I've been as frustrated as anyone about running Taveras, Patterson and Stubbs out there in the leadoff spot (especially Stubbs), but it's not like they've had a lot of choice. Phillips has pretty much been the only other choice, and I can see why they'd rather hit him 2nd or 3rd, ideally.

The criticism, IMO, is not that they've installed the CF in the leadoff spot, it's that they didn't acquire a leadoff hitter to play CF until this year.

I have a very hard time believing Dusty hasn't wanted (Patterson/Taveras) and once he saw Stubbs him as well. It's fine to have the fast CF who can't hit or get on base.....it's ridiculous to put them there at .290 OB%. They argue there really wasn't anyone better....but then argue that for the 4 hole as well. He's been here 5 1/2 years and can't find a person for those 2 crucial batting order spots?

[Tony Cloninger]

Is playing CF wearing him out? I do not think it is.....it is not like he is chasing line drives all over the place.

I think NL pitchers adjusted to him and he has been unable to do it himself. June has been a bad time for half this team anyways.

[Norm Chortleton]

I'm trying to agree with you, pretty much. Until this year, the Reds have gone about filling these lineup spots in a bassackwards way. Instead of acquiring legitimate MLB 1 and 4 hitters, they've tried filling them with personnel that was already on the team, although none were suited to hit there.

[BluegrassRedleg]

I'm trying to agree with you, pretty much. Until this year, the Reds have gone about filling these lineup spots in a bassackwards way. Instead of acquiring legitimate MLB 1 and 4 hitters, they've tried filling them with personnel that was already on the team, although none were suited to hit there.

^ This.

[nate]

I would love to see a stat of what % of the time the CF is placed at the top of the order (1st or 2nd) over the past 5 years.....and then a comparison of OB% by the top of the order guys over the past 5 years.

I would guess for the Reds (Dusty) the Reds would have the highest % in MLB (maybe 95+%) and would be near the bottom on the OB% part (guessing 25th ish)....but Choo is hurting that a bit.

Here's the first part, the last is more difficult:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
P	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	94%
C	0%	0%	0%	0%	2%	7%	20%	67%	2%
1B	0%	2%	71%	3%	6%	6%	11%	1%	0%
2B	16%	15%	11%	51%	0%	1%	3%	2%	0%
3B	1%	4%	0%	21%	18%	34%	15%	5%	0%
SS	19%	47%	0%	0%	1%	3%	8%	20%	1%
RF	3%	3%	15%	12%	42%	18%	6%	1%	0%
CF	53%	19%	0%	0%	1%	6%	17%	2%	0%
LF	7%	9%	1%	12%	28%	22%	19%	1%	0%

It looks like the CF has hit 1 or 2 72% of the time since 2008.

[Redlegs]

I'll (hopefully) never be accused of being a Baker apologist, but Welsh is clearly not the brightest bulb in the tanning bed.

What a ridiculous statement about the Creeper. Clearly, you've never seen Tech Talk.

[Tom Servo]

For my money, Welsh is one of the best baseball color commentators going today.

[Norm Chortleton]

For my money, Welsh is one of the best baseball color commentators going today.

When he tells it like it is, he is very informative and entertaining. That Chris Welsh is very, very good. Too bad we don't get that one nearly enough.

[Crumbley]

For my money, Welsh is one of the best baseball color commentators going today.

Welsh is awesome, perfect blend of old and new school.

The story he told a few weeks back about working an off season teaching sailing lessons at one of Steinbrenner's hotels because the Yankees forbid pitchers from playing winter ball was something else.

[Norm Chortleton]

I like the story he told last night about Mitch Williams replacing him on the Rangers roster in 1986 and replacing him in the booth opposite Thom tonight.

[New York Red]

For my money, Welsh is one of the best baseball color commentators going today.

I like him too.