THE BOOK--Playing The Percentages In Baseball

Too tough of a vote.

Bloomquist career OPS+:  79
Berroa career OPS+: 78
Borchard career OPS+:  67
Freeman career OPS+:  55
Niekro career OPS+:  85
Phillips career OPS+:  71

But then you have to take position into account.  Which is worse:  A guy who can play many positions poorly (Bloomquist), a guy who can’t play any positions (Phillips), or a guy whose defense at the most important defensive position is awful (Berroa)?

Then you have to balance true awfulness with failing to meet expectations?  Berroa won ROY, Freeman and Borchard were high draft picks with large signing bonuses.  But does that make them worse?  Probably not.

I voted for Berroa, but Phillips and Niekro (who is at least good with the glove at 1B) were also considered.

Poll will close the day I get the 100th vote (currently at 86).

I’ll bet Willie still looks good on the days Jarrod Washburn throws batting practice.

Good poll over here:

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/poll_vote/1165442731_BohMJMmI

Great news for Bloomquist, as Cristian Guzman is going to be playing in 2007.  When he signed his free agent contract, I had called it one of the worst, if not the worst, free agent contract of that year.  Whenever you sign a replacement level player to a free agent contract that is anything but month-to-month, it’s guaranteed to make the worst-signing list.  To give such a player four years?

I can’t wait to see how he performs.  Just by luck, he can put up an overall average line.  Just by luck, he can also put up with one of the worst lines ever. Can’t wait.

willie bloomquist rocks.
shut your face.

Willie Bloomquist is a spectacular outfielder and thirdbaseman, a good first and secondbaseman, and an okay shortstop.  That kinda versatility’s gotta be worth something.  Plus he’s a great pinch runner.  So he can’t hit.  That doesn’t make him a totally worthless player.

Spectacular?  What would that make Ichiro and Beltre?  Super Duper Spectacular?

Here’s what Mariner fans had to say:
http://www.tangotiger.net/scouting/scoutResults2006_SEA.html

How well did we pick the candidates for replacement-level players?

Let’s see… Joe Borchard has an OPS of 620 on 150 PA.  He’ll be in the running this year again.

Angel Berroa was sent to the minors.  So was Lance Niekro.

Andy Phillips has been in the minors all year, as has been Choo Freeman.

And our hero?  WFB has 34 PA, with an OPS of 306.  Just a matter of time, Willie. It’s been nice knowing you.

What did we learn?  We learned that you guys know exactly what a replacement-level player looks like.  And that the Mariners are in denial.

When Mr. Bloomquist was a student at Sedgwick J.H. in Port Orchard, I supplied the school store there.  I take a lot of pride in that.  “My” Willie is a success and no one can take that away from him.  Name calling anyone is a silly activity, so I say, “Go Willie!” And boy does he ever.

I must give props to WFB.  This guy used to get close to 3 PA per game, but is now all he way down to 2 PA per game. 

Yet, he’s already having his best clutch year of his career.  Dude has already added +0.9 clutch wins, in only 91 PA.  Since 2004, he’s +3.0 clutch wins, in only 842 PA.  This is David Ortiz clutch, without all the benefit of the HR. 

Of course, bringing your performance from absolutely dreadful, to just under league average with the game on the line is nothing to write home about.  Ortiz goes from being great to unbelievable.

Gotta give him props.... whether he’s been extremely fortunate to time his very limited abilities to coincide with when they really need him, or he has intangibles that make women swoon, who knows.  Gotta admire a guy for hanging on as he has.