Hernandez: .105/.105/.150 OBP, Gonzalez: .000 / .000 /.111. I've always liked EE and want to believe in the improved discipline theory as much as anybody, but right now he's hitting consistently in front of perhaps the two worst regulars in baseball. The 7 and 8 spots are going to have to be addressed by this club if it's to get any better.
The bad pitches may be so much worse than usual that EE finds it easier to lay off them. Not much reason for a pitcher to get even close to EE's zones if he faces H and G next.
The funny thing is, I'm not sure who you would move EE ahead of in the order right now. All of these are tiny sample sizes, but
Taveras .267/.353/.467
Dickerson .300/.500/.400
Votto: .391/.462/.696
Phillips: .294/.440/.529
Bruce: .217/.280/.391
Edwin: .250/.520/.438
The only player it would make sense is Bruce, and that'd just be moving him up one spot. Obviously these numbers will come down, but if Taveras, Dickerson, Votto, Phillips, and Edwin continue to have success it could be a fun year.
it is early, but i wonder if the hitters realize that they are going to have to get on base more to win games? and can't solely rely on the long ball as they have in the past? i wonder what has hit this team. but it's encouraging thus far.
People always say you can't rely on the long ball to score...
Where does that theory come from? You are going to hit HR's and the more runners on base the more runs you are going to score when you do hit them. Why is the idea that you score a majority of your runs on HR's a bad thing? HR's are the easiest and most effective way of scoring runs in the game.
My points about Hernandez and Gonzalez weren't made by way of advocating a move of EE. I like him right where he's at and if we have to continue to have those two in the 7th and 8th spots, this is a good use of EE. He'll get walks there because no sane pitcher will pitch to him when he can pitch to Hernandez and Gonzalez. My question is simply about whether EE has actually improved his plate discipline or whether he is benefiting from the really astonishing weakness of the hitters who follow him. Personally I think the way the situation will have to be addressed is likely by catching Hanigan more and making some sort of change at SS.
Yeah, I was watching some game (maybe it was our game) and they made it sound like relying on homers to score runs was some awful thing. Who cares how you score as lond as you score?
As I said earlier today, we're looking for positive baby steps right now, nothing more. Edwin Encarnacion isn't a reincarnation of Babe Ruth, Ted Williams or Barry Bonds; he's not going to walk once every fourth time to the plate this season. But what we're looking for is a positive trend, the potential to turn a 9.5 PA/BB last season into maybe something like an 8 PA/BB this season (70 walks in 600 PAs). His start thus far is good news toward possibly heading down that path.
If Encarnacion's increased walk total is a product of batting 6th, then that still tells us that he has improved his plate discipline. Rather than swing at crap pitches and pile up the outs, he's showing the ability and willingness to lay off crap pitches and take a free pass to first base.
It also means Encarnacion gets it as far as the best piece of hitting advice a person can give a young hitter, advice that was passed on from Hornsby to Williams, among others ...
"Get a good ball to hit."
"Be patient."
"Be aware."
"Don't be a sucker and swing at the pitcher's pitch."
"Know the strike zone."
"Know what you can hit and what you cannot hit."
The Lost Decade Average Season: 74-88
2014-22 Average Season: 71-91
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