NO Players are Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 11:21 am
I tire of folks telling me how good drafted their players are.
It's as if their players poop sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.
They don't.
No matter the player drafted, there are some good things and more importantly, some bad things about drafting them.
During the 'Tell All' draft, I began telling of the failures of my drafted players, rather than upside.
Believe me, it a lot easier!
Let's go through the best of the best and only speak deficiencies....
Ryan Braun-
Well, Braun has gone out and made this too easy for us, hasn''t he?
Braun may have less wrong with him than any other player. Still, he had small injuries through part of the year last year.
It was a small chink in his armor and it was to his credit that he played through most of the maladies.
He only missed eight games. But now, or still, we question whether he may have been 'helped'.
And the possibility of missing 50 games over his head makes him a tough pick.
Mike Trout-
Mike Trout came from nowhere to put up numbers that were unreasonable for a player of his experience.
It's the same reason why some are fearful to take him this year. Some think that 'he made a half court shot' on his first attempt last year. They doubt he can repeat the effort.
No track record of even playing in that many games, let alone setting a new standard in them on his resume.
Missouri/Missouri players will pass him by. Their thinking?
A Missouri/Miss
Miguel Cabrera-
Cabrera puts us behind in speed from the get-go. He is a four category player in a spot in the draft where we want five.
In the past, third base was a tough position to cover. There are plenty from top to bottom this year.
If only wanting a four category player with your first pick, Cabrera is the guy for you.
Robinson Cano-
I know a guy who will refuse to take Cano at any spot in the first two rounds this year. He's a Yankee fan and says that Cano was the last batter he wanted up with pressure on.
He may be right. Cano hit in the middle of one of the best lineups in baseball.
He had 82 extra base hits. And only 94 rbi. That's tough to do.
He hit .207 with runners in scoring position and two out.
Only .208 with the bases loaded
Only .268 with any runners in scoring position.
Then hitting under .100 in post season....yecchh.
Matt Kemp-
We already know he can't date a Hollywood beauty and play.
We also know he doesn't play with injury well.
And he goes into the season with question marks about his health.
Whether it's a beauty on one arm or an owwie on the other, Kemp is a very questionable pick.
Joey Votto-
When healthy they pitch around him. When not, they pitch to him.
Both tactics seem to work.
Votto probably won't run any more as well.
He is a four category player if healthy.
And lately, that is a big IF.
Albert Pujols-
Did we witness the (un)folding of Pujols last year?
Stepping from the top rung of the ladder and making his descent down?
Pujols was not Pujols last year. At the least, not Pujols of past years.
Some thought his swing had slowed and that maybe he was 'helped' by something in the past and laid off last year.
Either way, we can never expect him to be one of the eight or nine best players in baseball.
And that is what he would have to be for us to recoup the numbers needed in picking him.
Andrew McCutchen-
I was amazed that they didn't pitch around McCutchen more last year.
There is nobody we consider 'scary' in that lineup.
Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. They did.
It just took NL pitchers till after the All Star break to start pitching around McCutchen.
The Result?
In August, McCutchen walked 15 times, more than any other month previous and only hit .256 with just two homers.
In September, he walked 16 times, hit 7 homers and only hit .260
Those were the only two months that Cutch did not hit .300
It does not speak well going into 2013.
So there you have it.
We can find something wrong with any player, the same as we can find something right about a player.
We just don't like trumpeting the bad things, now do we?
After drafts, some have the need to 'sell' their players to others.
I get the feeling they are trying to sell themselves.
It's as if their players poop sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.
They don't.
No matter the player drafted, there are some good things and more importantly, some bad things about drafting them.
During the 'Tell All' draft, I began telling of the failures of my drafted players, rather than upside.
Believe me, it a lot easier!
Let's go through the best of the best and only speak deficiencies....
Ryan Braun-
Well, Braun has gone out and made this too easy for us, hasn''t he?
Braun may have less wrong with him than any other player. Still, he had small injuries through part of the year last year.
It was a small chink in his armor and it was to his credit that he played through most of the maladies.
He only missed eight games. But now, or still, we question whether he may have been 'helped'.
And the possibility of missing 50 games over his head makes him a tough pick.
Mike Trout-
Mike Trout came from nowhere to put up numbers that were unreasonable for a player of his experience.
It's the same reason why some are fearful to take him this year. Some think that 'he made a half court shot' on his first attempt last year. They doubt he can repeat the effort.
No track record of even playing in that many games, let alone setting a new standard in them on his resume.
Missouri/Missouri players will pass him by. Their thinking?
A Missouri/Miss
Miguel Cabrera-
Cabrera puts us behind in speed from the get-go. He is a four category player in a spot in the draft where we want five.
In the past, third base was a tough position to cover. There are plenty from top to bottom this year.
If only wanting a four category player with your first pick, Cabrera is the guy for you.
Robinson Cano-
I know a guy who will refuse to take Cano at any spot in the first two rounds this year. He's a Yankee fan and says that Cano was the last batter he wanted up with pressure on.
He may be right. Cano hit in the middle of one of the best lineups in baseball.
He had 82 extra base hits. And only 94 rbi. That's tough to do.
He hit .207 with runners in scoring position and two out.
Only .208 with the bases loaded
Only .268 with any runners in scoring position.
Then hitting under .100 in post season....yecchh.
Matt Kemp-
We already know he can't date a Hollywood beauty and play.
We also know he doesn't play with injury well.
And he goes into the season with question marks about his health.
Whether it's a beauty on one arm or an owwie on the other, Kemp is a very questionable pick.
Joey Votto-
When healthy they pitch around him. When not, they pitch to him.
Both tactics seem to work.
Votto probably won't run any more as well.
He is a four category player if healthy.
And lately, that is a big IF.
Albert Pujols-
Did we witness the (un)folding of Pujols last year?
Stepping from the top rung of the ladder and making his descent down?
Pujols was not Pujols last year. At the least, not Pujols of past years.
Some thought his swing had slowed and that maybe he was 'helped' by something in the past and laid off last year.
Either way, we can never expect him to be one of the eight or nine best players in baseball.
And that is what he would have to be for us to recoup the numbers needed in picking him.
Andrew McCutchen-
I was amazed that they didn't pitch around McCutchen more last year.
There is nobody we consider 'scary' in that lineup.
Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. They did.
It just took NL pitchers till after the All Star break to start pitching around McCutchen.
The Result?
In August, McCutchen walked 15 times, more than any other month previous and only hit .256 with just two homers.
In September, he walked 16 times, hit 7 homers and only hit .260
Those were the only two months that Cutch did not hit .300
It does not speak well going into 2013.
So there you have it.
We can find something wrong with any player, the same as we can find something right about a player.
We just don't like trumpeting the bad things, now do we?
After drafts, some have the need to 'sell' their players to others.
I get the feeling they are trying to sell themselves.