PLAYS. . . OF. . . THE WEEK!!!!!!!!
All right. Here is the beginning of regular posting.
A few comments:
1) Durant apparently tested very poorly at the NBA combine - 0 bench presses of 185 - smaller vert and slower than Oden. Blah, blah, blah. Did anyone not expect this? The misperception of Kevin Durant is that he is some sort of 6'10" athletic freak ala Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, or Shawn Marion. What in the hell were you people watching? Oden is the physical freak. (Although KD did measure a freakish 7'4" wingspan.) Durant isn't nuts athletically but neither were Dirk Nowitzki, Scottie Pippen, or Larry Bird. Kevin Durant, is frankly one of the most skilled basketball players I've ever seen. His absolute basement as a player is less athletic/worst defensive, much better offensively Shawn Marion. His basement! (Can anyone help me out with a better comparison. Super super Tim Thomas maybe . . .maybe his basement is More talented, super-motivated Tim Thomas.)
2) Just beginning to buy the Oden hype. He really is going to be the best center in the NBA for 5 years. Just think about ALL the shitty 7 footers that have been drafted. Other than Yao, the only serviceable center to come out of the draft in the last 7 years is Chris Kaman, right? Al Jefferson could maybe play some center, but he can't guard anyone. Let me know if I'm wrong.
3) Wow, do I love baseball. Although, I swear to god the Yankees and the Red Sox play every weekend. I'm convinced of this. Every Sunday night game is Yankees-Sox. And you know what? I always watch it. Usually because the Red Sox always have an entertaining pitcher on the mound. I love good pitching and getting to watch Beckett, Schilling, Dice-K, and Wakefield is usually worth it.
4) Other pitchers that you should really mark down to watch him throw this year:
1) Danny Haren - this guy has more guts than any pitcher in the league. Only strikes out guys when he needs to, and will always have entertaining facial hair. He has been hands-down the AL Cy Young so far. He's a durable Roy Halladay.
2) Cole Hamels- long hair, laid back, but a totally huge power pitcher. A little inconsistent, but he's always the coolest guy in the ballpark. Always capable of a Pedro-like 9 inning 15 strikeout masterpiece.
3) Chris Young - if only because he is 6'10" and incredibly awkward but effective. Effortlessly throws the ball in the low 90s. Yet, is so effortless and big it takes him forever to get the ball to the plate ANYONE can steal on him. In 2006 he gave up 41 stolen bases on 42 attempts. This year I've seen Edmonds, Rolen, Preston Wilson, and So Taguchi steal off him. Always exciting.
5) This list will be updated: But, currently, this would be my uber baseball team:
1. SS Jose Reyes
2. 2B Chase Utley
3. 1B Pujols
4. RF Vlad Guerrero
5. CF Beltran
6. LF G. Sizemore
7. C R. Martin
8. 3B Aramis Ramirez
9. P J. Santana
SU: Papelbon
C: Nathan
Now the explanation. Feel free to skip this whole section.
1. I take Reyes narrowly over Hanley Ramirez and by a few more paces over Jeter and Renteria. Jeter and Renteria have both been smashing the ball this year. But, Renteria's days of an elite fielder are finished and Jeter has even been worse than his usual self at his position this year. He has zero range and this year he's making errors. Not much to choose from between Ramirez and Reyes, accept to say that while Ramirez is a good SB guy. Reyes is the best since Henderson at swiping a bag. I was watching a Mets game. They were tied with 2 outs bottom of the ninth. The opposing team throws a pitch-out, and Reyes still stole the bag! Still wondering where Reyes power is that he showed last year, though . . . Ramirez may overtake him. I actually didn't love Reyes leading off here, cause I like a guy who's going to get on base. But you can't have anyone in front of him to clog the paths up. And a quick hello to Adam Everett who has been the game's best defensive SS for about 5 years running.
2. Utley is far and away the game's best second baseman. A shout-out to Dan Uggla and Brian Roberts who are having very good years in their own right, but Uggla doesn't have the defense or average and Roberts is great on defense but has zero power. Should probably be batting further down in the order on this team. But I don't see much use in putting a basestealer on in front of Pujols or Vlad. You'd like them to hit whatever pitch they want.
3. Pujols is the best offensive, defensive, and baserunning 1B in the game. The game's best player hits in the three-hole. Obviously, Fielder and Lee have been outstanding this year as well.
4. Vladimir Guerrero has been the game's best player so far this year. Has to be included in any talk of the best outfielder of our era. Still has a cannon and is having his greatest season hitting this year. He'll be a perfect hitter behind Pujols because no pitcher EVER wants to throw to Guerrero - just too damn scary to face.
5. I believe Beltran is one of the game's best defensive CF at this point in his career and also one of the best on offense.
6. Sizemore gets the call in Left. Sure he's a CF in real life, but this is my ueber team, and he'd make a hell of a left fielder. A solid gamer, and could jumpstart the offense by stealing a bag or two right after the power guys are through.
7. Catcher was the toughest call to make. Mauer has been banged up and hasn't developed quite as much power so far as I expected him too. But he's probably still the choice if he had been healthy. Don't love McCann or Posada's defense and I HATE V-Mart's D. So I'll go with Russel Martin who's healthy and would swipe 20 bags for my team.
8. I'm sorry, A-Rod is just too awkward and too weird to put on my team. That and he can't play defense, and he can't celebrate a home run. Rolen, as usual, isn't living up to his potential for the 10th consecutive year, and I LOVE Cabrera as a hitter, but he would have to play outfield for me because he has zero range. I hate Aramis Ramirez, but in the 8th spot all I really want is a lot of pop, and Aramis has as much pop as anyone. And, sadly, his defense has gone from god-awful to slightly above average. But, David Wright, A-Rod, or Cabrera would all make fine choices. It seems like 3B is turning into 1B. You just put a big bomber there and hope he makes up for his defense with his offense.
9. I have to go Santana. He hasn't been great this year. But in about 4 weeks, he'll turn it on and win 10 straight with a 1.03 ERA. It happens every year. I don't like passing up on Peavy or Haren here -who have been dominant. But I have to go with track record. And even though he hasn't been phenomenal so far. He's still been easily top 10 in the league.
SU and C: Papelbon and Nathan have assumed the role of game's best closers. I like Papelbon to get a tough strikeout with men on in the 7th and Nathan to have a clean slate in the 9th. It's that simple. Mo Rivera has finally dropped off completely. Something isn't cutting, because I see guys hang around for 10 pitches against him. That NEVER used to happen. Hell of a career for a guy who only had one pitch. I will say I've never seen Al Reyes pitch. Statistically, he looks impressive though considering his division.
posted by Anthony @ 2:41 PM
12 comments
12 Comments:
Posada is having one of the finest offensive years for a catcher in recent memory. Clear anti-Yankee bias.
Also, Tim Wakefield, while normally a solid pitcher, is never such against the Yankees.
In a response to Chubbs. First of all, he's not having as good of a year as Mauer did last year. And, this wasn't my All-Star team; it was who I would want playing for me tomorrow if a series was on the line. I'll take Martin's D and speed at the bottom of that order.
You do have a legitimate beef about A-Rod, though. He really deserves to make the squad. But that's more anti A-Rod bias than anti-Yankee bias; as you also have anti A-Rod bias.
And I predict Posada will hit below .328 this year. Would you like to make that bet?
Ooh. And final comment. I don't particularly think Wakefield is a solid pitcher. However, I do enjoy knuckleball pitchers more than I enjoy warm Icehouse.
This comment has been removed by the author.
a couple of things.
1. russell martin is sweet. he's really clutch. fine choice mr. robertson. fine choice.
2. i was completely shocked that durant couldn't lift 185 pounds on the bench. this isn't to say he's going to suck, but i would just think that he'd be able to do it once.
3. i think utley is the obvious choice at second base. it's not even close. i would have also probably taken david wright at 3rd over aramis. i haven't really been following the mariners this year, but i was just kinda surpised not to see ichiro in there... i mean, you could bat ichiro second and have him play right, swing vlad over to left, and put utley in sizemore's spot. and the whole arod thing... i mean, maybe he'd make my team tomorrow. but he'd certainly get cut prior to october.
4. adam everett was not a better fielder than cesar izturis 5 years ago (or even 3 years ago for that matter).
5. santana is a good choice. peavy also would have been a fine choice.
6. i don't really follow closers these days. i will say that takashi saito hasn't blown a save all year. but he's 37 and injured now.
yop.
Response to Bickel:
1) Do you know how hard it is to bench press with 7'3" arms. I mean, it's unnecessary. The only thing that I'd really be worried about is him staying in shape. Maybe he's not a workaholic gym rat. That'd be a problem
2)David Wright is not good at third base. He just isn't. Very Jeter-esque.
3) Everett is and has been the best for 5 years.
4) Peavy can't carry Santana's lunch. With all due respect to Peavy, who's a great pitcher. Petco Park and NL West is nowhere near AL Central and Metrodome. Santana is an all time great.
David Wright's arm is HORRIBLE at 3rd base
like i said, i said i still think durant is going to be a great player and definitely the #2 pick, you do have to be somewhat concerned with his lack of upperbody strength. it takes a lot more strength to finish in the lane against nba guys than it does against college players. that being said, strength is something you can work on. he has an insane level of talent and would be the #1 pick in any draft in the past 7-8 years. he's just happening to go pro in a draft with the most sure thing at center that's come into the league in a while.
i'm also withholding all further comments about the defensive ability of everett at ss without until i read the fielding bible, however i did look at their 2004 numbers and cesar izturis made far more (almost 2x as many) out of zone plays than everett during that season and had a slightly worse percentage of plays when the ball was hit in the zone.
as far as peavy vs. santana, i wasn't disagreeing with your choice. i was just saying i could you picking peavy if the game would be played tomorrow. the guy's era this year is below 2. i believe he's 7-1. having a great year. santana has struggled a bit his last few starts (at least by his standards).
i still think wright is a better choice at third than aramis ramirez. i'm just not a big aramis fan, don't know why, i just am not. i also think adrian beltre is a fine choice at third. and in your original post you said all you cared about was pop. so i don't understand why all of a sudden you're talking about how poor a defensive player wright is when in your original explanation it didn't seem to matter and you yourself even stated you almost chose him.
1) Durant has plenty of strength to finish in the lane. He's still my number one pick.
2) Aramis and Wright hit the same.
3) BELTRE AT THIRD!!! AND HIS .315 OBP. I mean, I know I said I only care about pop, but that's a ssuming we're dealing with all-star caliber players. Beltre has hit well for exactly one full season.
4) Santana would have at least as good as numbers as Peavy in his park/league this year.
PArt 2: The best part of the fielding bible is the section on Jeter. Speaking of bad arms . . . ahhh . . the major's worst shortstop. . .
Izturis was the best SS in the league in 2004. But Everett was better in 2003.
the adrian beltre comment was meant to be sarcastic.... although he plays a mean third base.
THE FIELDING BIBLE!
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