I think Bruce is going to have his best year ever this year.
joshua (04-17-2014)
Woah, some context would be nice. I said at times Jay looks like the best player in all of MLB; other times he looks like a left-handed version of Dave Kingman. (But that was more in past years since Jay is taking more walks now.) I added that we'll look up at the end of the year and Jay will be among the league-leaders in HRs.
I like Jay Bruce a lot. I think you misunderstood what I meant. He's the streakiest Reds' hitter I can remember. He literally looks like the best player in baseball when he's on fire. Not "one of the best." The best. But, when it goes south for him, it can go as far as Antarctica.
"Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?" ~ Jim Bouton
Chuckie (04-17-2014)
What I don't understand is why people take Bruce's so called streakiness personally or as some kind of character flaw.
I don't take it personally. In fact, I've just come to expect it. I have him on my fantasy team and I was recently thinking "It's a matter of when, not if, Jay will start looking like the best player in all of MLB." You know it's coming. You just don't know when.
It's actually kind of cool. I'd rather have that than a guy that was consistently above average. Jay Bruce brings a lot of excitement. He's a good ying to Votto's yang.
Bruce has walked in more than 20% of his PA and has a .156 BABIP. He'll be fine.
Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.
joshua (04-17-2014),Larkin Fan (04-18-2014),mdccclxix (04-17-2014),OnBaseMachine (04-17-2014),Raisor (04-17-2014),reds44 (04-17-2014),SirFelixCat (04-21-2014),smixsell (04-17-2014),wheels (04-17-2014)
Definitely agree, but are you concerned at all that his BABIP may be slightly lower than normal for this season due to the rise in shifts and his pull tendencies? I am sure a good amount is luck with a BABIP that low, but it does seem that it's not entirely bad luck that he hits the ball over and over again to an area that now has 3 fielders.
Barry On Baseball Also blogging at Banished to the Pen.
AtomicDumpling (04-19-2014),redsmetz (04-17-2014),wheels (04-17-2014)
"Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?" ~ Jim Bouton
"Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?" ~ Jim Bouton
FWIW Kingman actually walked 51 times per 162 game season. His top player comp on Baseball Reference is Dunn.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...ingmda01.shtml
And Dunn's top comp is Kingman.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...dunnad01.shtml
Obviously Dunn walks more frequently but while the comparison isn't perfect there is at least a basis for it.
These are Bruce's top comps through age 26.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...ruceja01.shtml
Not a bad bunch of ball players.1. Tony Conigliaro (969)
2. Tom Brunansky (960)
3. Reggie Jackson (955) *
4. Jack Clark (946)
5. Jeff Burroughs (944)
6. Troy Glaus (929)
7. Roger Maris (928)
8. Boog Powell (928)
9. Sammy Sosa (925)
10. Barry Bonds (924)
Last edited by klw; 04-17-2014 at 06:53 PM.
"Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?" ~ Jim Bouton
Well it seems that there aren't really great comps for either Dunn or Kingman and they are the strongest match for two unique guys. All 10 guys in Bruce's comp are stronger comps than Dunn is to Kingman.
Big Klu (04-22-2014)
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please. |