Comments on: Opinion: Power Upgrade in Left Field

By: Metstastic

Metstastic — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:31:41 +0000

How do you figure?

Crawford is a perfect fit for the Yanks. Jeter is a free agent after next year. They’ll need a lead off hitter. They don’t need power… They led the majors in homers last year!

Meanwhile, the Mets… as the team is currently constructed don’t need speed. They need power. If the Mets get Agonz for 1B, that’s a different story. You need to fill your holes first and that’s power and then another pitcher.

By: Big Lou

Big Lou — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:51:15 +0000

Forget Holliday, give up the farm for A-Gon for offense and sign Cameron for defense in LF. That leaves plenty of cash left over for some much needed PITCHING. Harden, Sheets incentive deals and Wolf. IF healthy that is a 3 ace rotation.If they break down then we would still have PLENTY of cash for some starters next year.

By: LongTimeMetsFan

LongTimeMetsFan — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:04:03 +0000

I’d rather have Bay. Holliday is way overrated even with the stick. He’s a Coors Field beneficiary with holes in his swing.

Bay’s power is to left field where most Citi Field homers find their exit..

Holliday is venerable inside, especially, up. His bats too slow there to catch up.

By: LongTimeMetsFan

LongTimeMetsFan — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:47:23 +0000

Yes, these defensive stats are inadequate and can never replace the old fashioned way of evaluation – your own eyes and knowing what to look for.

I think Holliday is a poor defense player who doesn’t move very well, doesn’t takes good routes and has lead hands. Citi Field will swallow him up.

Perhaps all you need to know about the new age defensive stats is that Danny Murphy came out #1 on one of them at first base – I think it was UZR, and Texieria was something like 17.

I think Bay is a much better defender than Holliday and will not hurt us – unlike Holliday who will. What we saw of Holliday in that playoff defensive muff is the very same stiff moving, slower moving limbs and body of a big, muscled man hampered by it.

Bay, on the other hand is streamlined, with long legs….he moves with far greater ease.

And as he agent points out, there aren’t a whole lot of places to range in Fenway’s left field. Obviously the park configuration very much factors into that even when stats adjust for such.

You’ll see the truth about Holliday vs. others, when the new scientific tools of measuring reaction time, jumps, routes, ball to hand transfer, etc, become prominent – they’re on the way -and will open a whole new world to defensive measurement that will make the current “modern” metrics innacurate and obselete.

By: Coolpapabell

Coolpapabell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:32:22 +0000

I would love Crawford in RF next year. Denying Francouer arbitration and then sign Crawford. That won’t happen in a million years, but it would still be cool. I also don’t think it would be smart. They should spend their money on a front end starter next year.

By: Mets5rocks

Mets5rocks — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:23:16 +0000

F-core never has been a platoon player in RF, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

By: Ceetar

Ceetar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:02:24 +0000

Well, It’s unlikely Pagan will improve much. But Pelfrey’s is almost a definitely improvement and Maine and Perez, as well as other SP options, can have good years.

It’s not enough to hope Pelfrey improves a lot and Maine and Perez stay healthy and effective (and whoever they sign as fifth/Niese are good) but it’s definitely more important to fill the hole that’s less likely to give good production.

By: ItalPiazza31

ItalPiazza31 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:45:28 +0000

Unless the Mets get good power production out of 1B and RF, Carl Crawford is not a fit for the Mets. Right now the Mets have two platoon type players at those positions (Murphy and Francouer).

By: Coolpapabell

Coolpapabell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:37:22 +0000

Matt Holliday has always had a positive UZR save for one season four years ago. His UZR for the last three seasons are as follows, 2007 14.2, 2008 9.1, 2009 5.7.

Jason Bays UZR for the last three years: 2007 -11.5, 2008 -18.5, 2009 -13.0. In fact he has had a negative UZR for pretty much every season he has played.

By: Sylow59

Sylow59 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:24:11 +0000

My point is that if you rip Delgado’s 2008 then you cannot turn around and say Holliday is the Moses of baseball and will lead the Mets to the promised land.