AJ Pollock

[DOUGHBOYS]

AJ Pollock's full name is Allen Lorenz Pollock.
Go figure.
Yet typical.
It's hard to nail down Pollock. Since coming into the league, he has always been termed a 'value pick'.
'Value pick' being a stupid way to say that such and such a player has the chance to be better than most think.
Now that Pollock is being taken in the first rounds of some drafts, nobody calls him an 'overvalue pick'.
Just a first round pick.
It makes sense, like his name makes sense.

Pollock was called a '5 category player' by one of my NFBC friends.
I disagreed.
What makes a five category player?
To me, it is a player who gives you a plus in every offensive category.
This player would have to be above average in each category, not only in terms of the average of each category, but also relative to where the player was picked in the draft.
Now that Pollock is being taken in the first round, I do not think of him as a 5 category player.
I'm harsh in that way. I also don't consider Mike Trout or Bryce Harper as five category players.
Not till they do something in their willingness to steal a base.

Stealing bases is not the problem for Pollock. He stole 39 last year.
And he did it in only 46 attempts.
Pollock falls short in being a home run and runs batted in player.
Before last year, Pollock had never even hit 10 homers in a single season.
Even in the minor leagues. Last year, hitting 20.
He also only drove in 76 runs. I understand that it is difficult driving in runs from the lead off or second spot in the lineup.
I get it.
And, there are rumors that Pollock will hit third this year, backing Goldschmidt to the clean up spot.
That is all good, but rumors are as good as a politicians speech.
Nobody should believe anything till the action begins.

Before last year, Pollock had never played in 140 games at any level.
Last year is fresh in our minds though and drafters are giving him a pass for past hurts.
He is not a reckless center fielder. If a comparison has to be made I would comp him to Jacoby Ellsbury in that he is smooth, not reckless, and injuries seem to find him, not the other way around.

The reason Pollock is being drafted as high as he is, is because of his breakout year.
.315/111/20/76/39 is delicious to be sure.
Sustainable?
First, the numbers have to be questioned.
His homers did not come via an easy park to hit homers in.
He actually hit two more on the road than at home.
Another good item is that he had at least one homer in each N.L. West park.
Three at Coors, two in Dodger Stadium, one each in San Francisco and San Diego.
Despite his past, I believe that the power is real for Pollock.
Not a one year phenomenon as it was for Ellsbury or Joe Mauer.
Of course, it is easier to believe in 20 homers than over 30.

Second, and more importantly, his health has to be questioned.
This is where it gets sticky for Pollock.
Before last year, he could be called a 'value pick' because it doesn't hurt much if an 18th round pick gets hurt.
We don't feel the same way about our top picks.
Now, we have to weigh fantasy gold against fantasy fools gold.
Troy Tulowitzki has been where Pollock is now. Hes been there for years.
When taking Tulo or a fellow like Pollock, we are taken back to 'Dirty Harry'.
"Do you feel lucky, Punk? WELL, DO YA?!

I can't and haven't pulled the trigger on Pollock in any draft. I lean a little bit on the side of security with most of my top picks.
Missouri/Missouri comes into play here.
I want to see Pollock not only hit 20 homers again, but also want to see him play in 150 games again.
In the end, whether he does or does not means little.
Except for my own peace of mind.
I believe that Pollock is not getting punished enough for past transgressions.
I believe I could take him near the bottom of the second round. In my mind, that would be the correct punishment.
Drafters do not agree and have made him a bottom of the first or top of the second round selection.
In other words, he won't make any of my teams this year.
Fickle in a way, but what you can you expect from a fella who's initials don't match his own initials.

[NorCalAtlFan]

translation: "get off my lawn!"

[Atlas]

AJ Pollock's full name is Allen Lorenz Pollock.
Go figure.

It makes sense, like his name makes sense.




Fickle in a way, but what you can you expect from a fella who's initials don't match his own initials.

FWIW..his father's name is also Allen. It's not unusual to shorten Allen Jr to AJ, or Ralph Jr to RJ.
I just can't swear he is a "junior", but it would appear to be so. Maybe its an east coast thing.

[DOUGHBOYS]

AJ Pollock's full name is Allen Lorenz Pollock.
Go figure.

It makes sense, like his name makes sense.




Fickle in a way, but what you can you expect from a fella who's initials don't match his own initials.

FWIW..his father's name is also Allen. It's not unusual to shorten Allen Jr to AJ, or Ralph Jr to RJ.
I just can't swear he is a "junior", but it would appear to be so. Maybe its an east coast thing.

Mystery solved!
And you're right, it must be an east coast thing. Had never heard of that.
And the Pollock family is from Connecticut.
His Father's name, indeed, is Allen.