I'm a fairweather Mariners fan. If they're doing well, I'll get into them. If not, I'm not wasting 650+ hours watching their games.
But every time it looks like they might have a chance to make the playoffs, are on a big win streak, etc... I'll start to pay attention and then they take a huge dump. Every single time going back to my childhood. This year is starting to look the same.
I'm a fairweather Mariners fan. If they're doing well, I'll get into them. If not, I'm not wasting 650+ hours watching their games.
But every time it looks like they might have a chance to make the playoffs, are on a big win streak, etc... I'll start to pay attention and then they take a huge dump. Every single time going back to my childhood. This year is starting to look the same.
I am much the same way, but I will say this...Once they are done with the Yanks, they have a very comfortable schedule ahead. They got some complimentary pieces at the deadline, and they got the top available starting pitcher on the market.
They aren't as good as the Yankees or Astros, but they don't have to be. They've got 3 big time starters now, and that's what wins in the playoffs.
Great road trip. Take 3 of 7 from the 2 best teams in the AL and lose Julio and Ty halfway through. Castillo was fucking dominant today.
He's filthy. The Ms have a glut of nasty, hard throwing right handers.
Did it all with Torrens catching, who couldn’t frame a fucking pitch to save his life and CB Bucknor one of the worst home player umpires in the history of the MLB. Look at this “walk” from yesterday:
Yanks seemed to be getting every close call on balls and strikes. Imagine that. Even a guy who NY desperately wanted to trade for, who was the best pitcher available, can't get any respect from the umps against them.
What do you guys think about Haggerty? With Julio out he's been their best player and it hasn't been close. Is he good enough to keep hitting somewhere close to his season numbers? He's like the Adam Frazier we thought we'd get on the good roids. Or is he just the guy @Fishpo31 was talking about who comes out of nowhere, and helps carry the team down the stretch?
Or is he just a nobody on a career hot streak who can only be counted on to eventually quiet down and be forgotten?
What do you guys think about Haggerty? With Julio out he's been their best player and it hasn't been close. Is he good enough to keep hitting somewhere close to his season numbers? He's like the Adam Frazier we thought we'd get on the good roids. Or is he just the guy @Fishpo31 was talking about who comes out of nowhere, and helps carry the team down the stretch?
Or is he just a nobody on a career hot streak who can only be counted on to eventually quiet down and be forgotten?
I wouldn't say he's a nobody, he is a lunch-pail journeyman that is taking advantage of hitting down low in the order, and in a line-up where there is virtually no focus on him at all. He is a complimentary player that is right now on fire, and they should (will) ride him for all he's worth.
My question long-term is that he is listed as a SS / 2B / 3B, and he has played 2B / 3B in eight MLB games (out of 84 in his career), none at SS. Also, (I did some research, because I like him), he has not committed an error in the 77 non-DH games in MLB, which is a red flag, defensively, for me. That tells me that he may not have the twitch and/or range to play INF, especially with Frazier struggling early, they never put him in there. He catches what he can get to, but with no errors, that likely means he doesn't get to much.
He doesn't profile as an outfielder power-wise, and maybe defensively, although he has yet to be exposed. IF my observations are accurate, he's not a true "Super Utility" candidate if he can't play short for an extended time (Moore can), and if he can't play short as a fill-in, he's not going to be able to play the other two INF spots. He is plus-plus on the bases, which is big, as long as he gets on base. He's got a great approach for his tools at the plate (line drive-ground ball), but guys like that play in line-ups that mash 1 through 8, and they can carry that, in the world of "Three True Outcomes" that we live in.
I'm pulling for him (I had him for several years at a Christmas camp in Phoenix), and I think he is a very good "Baseball Player", a grinder, but there are reasons that those guys don't become everyday players. He is an "extra" player, and could stick in a PH/PR/defensive replacement role.
I hope I'm wrong, but he's on a helluva run right now...
After re-reading the above post, let me elaborate on Mr. Haggerty...in putting him in the category of "Baseball Player", for me it means that he has a very high level of baseball intelligence, ie; he knows his skill set, knows situations as far as what is needed in the moment, can execute it, plays multiple positions, and is very athletic.
He has bat-to-ball skills, with below-average power. The game has shifted from valuing high contact, to power (Captain Obvious potd)
He is fast, and knows how and when to run. A lot of guys are fast, and a lot of fast guys are shitty base runners,
He makes good decisions on offense (re: doesn't give away at-bats) and defense (plays hard), and uses his athleticism to his advantage.
There is value to this skill set, to a point...his best tool is the whole package
You can't build a team around these guys...He's a try-hard guy because he has to be. A balls-to-the wall "college guy", max effort. These guys can't take a day off mentally or physically, and over-exposure grinds them down. The hard-90's, SBs,infield hits, diving for everything is his game, and it's not sustainable over 162. The key phrase in talent evaluation is "Does he makes it look easy", which is what the tools guys do (Julio, et.al).
The game isn't built for guys scratching out hits and stealing bases, it is now all about good pitching and 3-run homers. They will put up with 0-20 stretches from guys that can change a game with one swing.
You can comp him to Marco generally (although Marco was a 1st rounder)...he has to be "on" to be successful, if he's off a little, it doesn't end well. Ray, Castillo, Gilbert, Kirby all can miss spots and get guys out, because 96-99...Marco can't.
He doesn't wilt under pressure, and doesn't try to hit "6-run homers", or over-try. There is most definitely a spot on a contending club for a guy like this, but he can't make you go from pretender-to-contender...
I never meant to suggest that Haggarty was a cornerstone player nor was that what I was asking.
I see him hitting over .300 with decent pn base and power numbers that aren't bad for a second baseman. I see, offense Shively at keast, what seattle needed Adam Frazier to be but with more power and more speed.
So my questions really were: 1) do you think what he's done this season is sustainable over 500 at bats? Has a light bulb come on? 2) is he good enough defensively to be am every day second baseman, given the (probably false) assumption he can produce on offense like he has?
That's really what I meant to ask your opinion on. I recognize that you don't build around. 300 hitters that hit 5 home runs a season. I do think one or two guys like that in your lineup is good to have though.
I think that if he is a legit 2B candidate, we would have already seen him there, with the early struggles of Frazier and Toro. He could sustain it over 500 ABs, but it’s highly unlikely. Just my opinion, there are a helluva lot more guys that flash and fade, than flash and stick. I’d need to see him at 2B for an extended time to make that call. I will say that if Perry Hill (inf coach) can’t get him out there, it’s not in the cards. Hill is one of the top 2-3 inf guys in the business…
I will also say this, Chuck...with my background, I am hyper-critical and super conservative on evals of guys. Scouts, in general are the O.G.'s of the "they all suck until they don't" mindset...
Comments
But every time it looks like they might have a chance to make the playoffs, are on a big win streak, etc... I'll start to pay attention and then they take a huge dump. Every single time going back to my childhood. This year is starting to look the same.
They aren't as good as the Yankees or Astros, but they don't have to be. They've got 3 big time starters now, and that's what wins in the playoffs.
The season starts September 1st.
Get healthy, get it done...
He looks like he should be carrying the Rays to a WS 7 game extra innings loss or something.
Or is he just a nobody on a career hot streak who can only be counted on to eventually quiet down and be forgotten?
My question long-term is that he is listed as a SS / 2B / 3B, and he has played 2B / 3B in eight MLB games (out of 84 in his career), none at SS. Also, (I did some research, because I like him), he has not committed an error in the 77 non-DH games in MLB, which is a red flag, defensively, for me. That tells me that he may not have the twitch and/or range to play INF, especially with Frazier struggling early, they never put him in there. He catches what he can get to, but with no errors, that likely means he doesn't get to much.
He doesn't profile as an outfielder power-wise, and maybe defensively, although he has yet to be exposed. IF my observations are accurate, he's not a true "Super Utility" candidate if he can't play short for an extended time (Moore can), and if he can't play short as a fill-in, he's not going to be able to play the other two INF spots. He is plus-plus on the bases, which is big, as long as he gets on base. He's got a great approach for his tools at the plate (line drive-ground ball), but guys like that play in line-ups that mash 1 through 8, and they can carry that, in the world of "Three True Outcomes" that we live in.
I'm pulling for him (I had him for several years at a Christmas camp in Phoenix), and I think he is a very good "Baseball Player", a grinder, but there are reasons that those guys don't become everyday players. He is an "extra" player, and could stick in a PH/PR/defensive replacement role.
I hope I'm wrong, but he's on a helluva run right now...
He has bat-to-ball skills, with below-average power. The game has shifted from valuing high contact, to power (Captain Obvious potd)
He is fast, and knows how and when to run. A lot of guys are fast, and a lot of fast guys are shitty base runners,
He makes good decisions on offense (re: doesn't give away at-bats) and defense (plays hard), and uses his athleticism to his advantage.
There is value to this skill set, to a point...his best tool is the whole package
You can't build a team around these guys...He's a try-hard guy because he has to be. A balls-to-the wall "college guy", max effort. These guys can't take a day off mentally or physically, and over-exposure grinds them down. The hard-90's, SBs,infield hits, diving for everything is his game, and it's not sustainable over 162. The key phrase in talent evaluation is "Does he makes it look easy", which is what the tools guys do (Julio, et.al).
The game isn't built for guys scratching out hits and stealing bases, it is now all about good pitching and 3-run homers. They will put up with 0-20 stretches from guys that can change a game with one swing.
You can comp him to Marco generally (although Marco was a 1st rounder)...he has to be "on" to be successful, if he's off a little, it doesn't end well. Ray, Castillo, Gilbert, Kirby all can miss spots and get guys out, because 96-99...Marco can't.
He doesn't wilt under pressure, and doesn't try to hit "6-run homers", or over-try. There is most definitely a spot on a contending club for a guy like this, but he can't make you go from pretender-to-contender...
I see him hitting over .300 with decent pn base and power numbers that aren't bad for a second baseman. I see, offense Shively at keast, what seattle needed Adam Frazier to be but with more power and more speed.
So my questions really were: 1) do you think what he's done this season is sustainable over 500 at bats? Has a light bulb come on? 2) is he good enough defensively to be am every day second baseman, given the (probably false) assumption he can produce on offense like he has?
That's really what I meant to ask your opinion on. I recognize that you don't build around. 300 hitters that hit 5 home runs a season. I do think one or two guys like that in your lineup is good to have though.