"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."
--Woody Hayes
I love Eaton specifically because he is a different kind of hitter and I'd personally love to see if he could do it at the major league level (high OBP, doubles power) BUT I just think its a huge risk in a pennant race to ask a rookie to jump in and not expect him to struggle at first even if he does get there eventually. I'd rather see someone who has proven he can do it at this point. I really think baseball will start turning to guys like Eaton and we'll begin seeing more high OBP guys again - the Carews and Motas and Sanguillens and Alous. The screw has turned for the big sluggers at the exclusion of all else. They'll always have their place but as pitching regains dominance the running game, speed, and swat hitters who just get on base a lot will also find a welcome role in baseball. Playing for 1 run and holding on is already surfacing in games and small ball strategies are being used more often - maybe better informed by percentages but still more often than the past couple of decades. Hamilton will help usher in the next generation of base stealers too, I'll bet. Wouldn't surprise me if Eaton didn't help usher in the next generation of Gwynn like left and right fielders who aren't power hitters but pesky get on base types, especially on teams that get power from middle infielders and their catcher or center fielder - non traditional power positions.
So don't be in such a hurry to downgrade guys just because they lack power. I would not call that a "foundational flaw". Not if they can get on base at a very high clip. Personally, if my leadoff hitter gets on base at a .375 or better clip I don't care if he ever hits a home run.
I never get that comment about guys throwing harder than they ever were before. They were throwing just as hard back in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's.
I think Eaton is a guy to pursue in the offseason.
Has anyone read where Eaton can't stick in center?
Whatever dude. My Dad and grandpa say you're wrong.
But since they didn't have the radar guns and all the stats they keep today, you're in the clear on your comments.
I dunno what is about today's younger generation dissing other generations so badly. It's like Kobe and Lebron dissing the Dream Team. Heck, the Dream Team was '92, but I was in Bloomington back in 1984 to see the earlier version olympic tryouts, and that team was pretty darn good.
Last edited by Vottomatic; 07-22-2012 at 10:44 PM.
Your dad and grandpa were wrong. Players will tell you that. I have a friend who is a scout. He is in his early 50's. When he was younger, well before he was scouting, he talked with Waite Hoyte, who played in the Majors, then of course broadcast games for a long time after his playing days were done. Hoye talked about how when he played that most pitchers were topping out at 85 MPH by the time August rolled around because of how often they were used and they simply didn't have any gas left. He also noted that as time went on that guys did throw a little bit harder in general than the guys before them.
I remember being younger, watching games on ESPN. They had radar guns. They didn't like up like they do now. Yes, some guys could do what a lot of guys can no, but most couldn't. Scouting still holds onto the idea that 89 MPH is average for a lefty and 90 is average for a righty. Really? When a guy throws 90 as a RHP these days he is a soft tosser, like Mike Leake.
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