I decided to look at Freel by month since 2004 -- AB's and the standard 3 stats.Originally Posted by Falls City Beer
4/04: 67 AB, .254/.296/.403 - .699 OPS, 3 SB
5/04: 86 AB, .244/.381/.326 - .707, 5
6/04: 84 AB, .274/.408/.321 - .729, 6
7/04: 92 AB, .315/.394/.348 - .742, 6
8/04: 83 AB, .253/.354/.325 - .679, 8
9/04: 93 AB, .312/.390/.484 - .874, 9
4/05: 44 AB, .341/.453/.455 - .907, 5
5/05: 92 AB, .304/.418/.467 - .886, 8
6/05: 45 AB, .200/.333/.222 - .556, 8 (DL on 6/19)
7/05: 41 AB, .366/.409/.439 - .848, 8 (5 in LA) (off DL on 7/20)
8/05: 44 AB, .182/.234/.295 - .529, 0 (DL on 8/16)
9/05: 95 AB, .253/.355/.337 - .691, 7 (off DL on 9/4)
4/06: 76 AB, .263/.434/.329 - .763, 8
5/06: 39 AB, .179/.220/.205 - .425, 2
I'm not sure if there's anything to be made from this other than:
- his worst OPS month in 2004 came after a 92 AB month
- he was horrible and injured in May 05 after a 92 AB month
- he was initiatially good upon returning from DL in July, hit & ran his ass off for 2 weeks, then sucked again and went back on the DL in August
- he played all of Sept 05 and had an average month
- he played quite a bit in April (busiest April of his career) then tanked in May in '06
Now I'm am fully aware of all sample size considerations and the inherent performance variabilty of any major leaguer. Offensively speaking, I would much rather have Freel out there than a Womack or Phillips. However, if sitting Freel twice week means a day of Rich Aurilia or Scott Hatteberg and it means the .280/.400./.450 version of Freel when he's in there and keeping him off the DL, I'd take it.
