Don't Buck with the White Bear
Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:00 pm
Nobody talks about John Buck anymore. John Buck was Mr. April. April Mash Crash, May. The surprise pick for those who drafted him near the end of drafts.
Buck kicked April's ass.
Now, it's June. His owners still roster him. Searching for another April. Knowing they'll have to wait till next year or do the wise thing in dropping Buck.
Through the first 16 days of June, Buck's line looks like this .205/1/0/0/0.
That's right, his only contribution for half of June is one measly run.
Since May 4, Buck has had one home run.
One in six weeks.
He had 10 in the first five weeks.
So what happens with a hitter like Buck. A guy that hit everything in sight in April, and now hits like, well, John Buck.
We can say that pitchers adjust. And they do.
We can say it's regression. But, I don't want to. It's not regression when somebody gets hot, then not.
It's somebody gets hot, then not.
During the hot streak, Bucks confidence is like that of a porn star in a room of virgins.
The baseball looks like a volley ball.
And as quickly as it came (not the porn star), it's over.
John Buck now hits like John Buck again. Mild-mannered John Buck, catcher for the Mets.
Not SuperMan John Buck, who was 'on pace' for 60 homers.
During this hot streak, I asked the question in a post about who would have the better stats at the end of the year,
John Buck or Evan Gattis.
The 'At Bat' folks were clearly in Buck's camp, figuring that he would get more at bats leading to more stats than Gattis.
Well, Buck has beaten Gattis like a drum in at bats.
The scoreboard there, reads Buck 211, Gattis 160.
But, there is a problem for the 'at bats folks. And that problem is that they forgot a factor more important than at bats.
Evan Gattis is a better hitter than John Buck.
He just is.
If Gattis played on a team that could utilize him every day, he may be among the home run leaders.
As is, Gattis is still 16th in homers, tied with such high picks as Adrian Beltre and Evan Longoria.
Those 211 Buck at bats to 160 Gattis at bats has only served to worsen Buck owners batting average.
Here's the comparison:
Buck- .223/26/11/35/2
Gattis. 256/24/14/37/0
It looks close. But even a John Buck owner or Mets fan expect nothing when Buck gets to the plate.
Reality has kicked their ass.
Gattis is still menacing. A force.
Gattis, along with JP Arencibia leads all catchers in baseball in homers.
Only Buster Posey has more rbi from the position. And Posey has 70 more at bats with just four more rbi than Gattis.
In some ways, Evan Gattis, to date, has been the best catcher eligible player in baseball.
Matt Wieters is tied with Gattis in rbi at 37, Gattis beats Wieters in average, homers, and runs
For those of us already looking forward to drafts for next year, Gattis will be a name that will come easy for drafters.
John Buck, again, will be taken near the end of the draft.
Or, not selected at all, in telling him to 'Buck off'.
Something, Buck owners are muttering now.
Buck kicked April's ass.
Now, it's June. His owners still roster him. Searching for another April. Knowing they'll have to wait till next year or do the wise thing in dropping Buck.
Through the first 16 days of June, Buck's line looks like this .205/1/0/0/0.
That's right, his only contribution for half of June is one measly run.
Since May 4, Buck has had one home run.
One in six weeks.
He had 10 in the first five weeks.
So what happens with a hitter like Buck. A guy that hit everything in sight in April, and now hits like, well, John Buck.
We can say that pitchers adjust. And they do.
We can say it's regression. But, I don't want to. It's not regression when somebody gets hot, then not.
It's somebody gets hot, then not.
During the hot streak, Bucks confidence is like that of a porn star in a room of virgins.
The baseball looks like a volley ball.
And as quickly as it came (not the porn star), it's over.
John Buck now hits like John Buck again. Mild-mannered John Buck, catcher for the Mets.
Not SuperMan John Buck, who was 'on pace' for 60 homers.
During this hot streak, I asked the question in a post about who would have the better stats at the end of the year,
John Buck or Evan Gattis.
The 'At Bat' folks were clearly in Buck's camp, figuring that he would get more at bats leading to more stats than Gattis.
Well, Buck has beaten Gattis like a drum in at bats.
The scoreboard there, reads Buck 211, Gattis 160.
But, there is a problem for the 'at bats folks. And that problem is that they forgot a factor more important than at bats.
Evan Gattis is a better hitter than John Buck.
He just is.
If Gattis played on a team that could utilize him every day, he may be among the home run leaders.
As is, Gattis is still 16th in homers, tied with such high picks as Adrian Beltre and Evan Longoria.
Those 211 Buck at bats to 160 Gattis at bats has only served to worsen Buck owners batting average.
Here's the comparison:
Buck- .223/26/11/35/2
Gattis. 256/24/14/37/0
It looks close. But even a John Buck owner or Mets fan expect nothing when Buck gets to the plate.
Reality has kicked their ass.
Gattis is still menacing. A force.
Gattis, along with JP Arencibia leads all catchers in baseball in homers.
Only Buster Posey has more rbi from the position. And Posey has 70 more at bats with just four more rbi than Gattis.
In some ways, Evan Gattis, to date, has been the best catcher eligible player in baseball.
Matt Wieters is tied with Gattis in rbi at 37, Gattis beats Wieters in average, homers, and runs
For those of us already looking forward to drafts for next year, Gattis will be a name that will come easy for drafters.
John Buck, again, will be taken near the end of the draft.
Or, not selected at all, in telling him to 'Buck off'.
Something, Buck owners are muttering now.
