Comments on: Titanic Struggle Recap

By: pinson343

pinson343 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:29:09 +0000

The problem is, Jay is trying to pull everything,
including fast balls on the outside corner.

If he would go the other way with outside pitches, he’d be hitting outside fastballs over the left center field fence.

By: earl

earl — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:06:59 +0000

As soon as Jay Bruce learns how to take that slow outside stuff the other way, he will be fine. I think just having Votto back means he will see more fastballs.

By: Travis G.

Travis G. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:41:05 +0000

Jocketty signed him in December.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:31:34 +0000

Does anyone know? Was Tavaras a WJ move or did Krivsky make that one?

By: Glenn

Glenn — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:30:48 +0000

Now Mike, that’s a very telling stat!

By: mike

mike — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:14:09 +0000

Want to see a sad and staggering #?

12 times this season the Reds have lost a game by 1 or 2 runs and Taveras has made 4 or more outs in the leadoff spot

By: Travis G.

Travis G. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:08:00 +0000

The problem is that neither this last year’s dreadful .251/.308/.296 line and his meager .276/.324/.330 career line nor his CF defense qualifies him as a major league starter & leadoff hitter.

Where’s the “like” button?

By: mike

mike — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:48:38 +0000

I think this would be a good time to look at who’s been the most valuable Reds.
I’m very bothered by the idea that Bruce should get knocked by his performance so far this year. He’s been no world beater but at his age and experience, I’ll take it. Plus when it comes down to it, he has been one of the most valuable Reds

WAR (which includes defense)
2.3 Phillips
1.9 Harang
1.6 Votto (obviously because he missed time)
1.4 Bruce and Cueto
1.2 Dickerson
1.1 Hanigan

and the big minuses?
-1.0 Lincoln
-0.7 Taveras
-0.5 Gonzo
-0.2 Maloney

and another way to look at it.
Win Shares
9 Phillips
8 Cueto and Votto
6 Hernandez, Hanigan, Harang, Cordero
5 Bruce

By: mike

mike — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:37:36 +0000

wow comparing Bruce and Taveras, now that’s a new one.
Even if it were true that Bruce didn’t get “hammered” and Taveras does every day (what is this some high school playground?) I think even the idea is WAY off line.

I have made it a point NOT to get down on Bruce.

Bruce is 22 years old and playing his first full season in the bigs.
22!!! I hope everyone leaves him alone all season even if he does terrible

and implying that he should take heat like ONE OF THE WORST HITTERS IN THE GAME is absurd

Lets see
a highly paid, 27 year old veteran, who has hasn’t hustled and has an OPS+ of 42(!!!!!)
or
a cheap, 22 year old prospect, in his first full season who has busted his @#$%$ and has a 98!!!!! OPS+

If you think Bruce should be taking more heat and willy less, well, I don’t even know what to say

By: pinson343

pinson343 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:15:54 +0000

I doubt we’ll get Tejada. The Astros have been much further out of it than this without giving up. In fact, for better or worse, they never give up.

By: pinson343

pinson343 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:14:02 +0000

I haven’t seen Bruce make any “boneheaded” plays in RF, just on the basepaths. Keep playing him, and it doesn’t really matter whether we complain about his growing pains a lot or just a little.

By: GregD

GregD — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:03:34 +0000

The problem is that neither this last year’s dreadful .251/.308/.296 line and his meager .276/.324/.330 career line nor his CF defense qualifies him as a major league starter & leadoff hitter.

Taveras is crucified every day on this blog, but Jay Bruce gets a free pass.
Free pass? No. I don’t know anyone who’s happy with his numbers or consistency this year, but most are patient to see him realize his potential. He has the potential to have a 2009 Justin Upton type breakout. Upton’s doing it in his 3rd year. Bruce is just into his 2nd.

Taveras has the potential to repeat what he did in Colorado last year? Maybe 330obp with no power?

Bruce has scored 1 more run than leadoff hitter Taveras.

I don’t see what there is to complain about his defense?

By: Travis G.

Travis G. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:39:51 +0000

There is nothing to suggest Willy’s play is anything but the norm.

You mean, aside from his past performance?

This (.220/.269/.273) has been his worst season of an undistinguished Major League career by a fairly substantial margin, and that’s including last year’s dreadful .251/.308/.296 line and his meager .276/.324/.330 career line.

Those three data sets don’t describe a particularly good ML baseball player, by any means, but Taveras is playing the worst baseball of his life after being surprisingly competent for a stretch earlier this season. His swoon coincided with a hamstring tweak, which suggests he might once again suck slightly less once he’s fully healed.

Of course, a player who depends on his speed to get by should have been disabled with a hamstring injury, but that’s on management, not him.

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:14:53 +0000

Bruce takes a walk more than once every 3 weeks and he plays an above average outfield. Plus, we haven’t seen Bruce have this kind of a season in his career. With Willy T this has been the norm and Dusty STILL has his head stuck in the sand about it.

There is reason to believe that Bruce will play out of it. There is nothing to suggest Willy’s play is anything but the norm.

By: Chad Dotson

Chad Dotson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:58:10 +0000

Well, that’s just obviously not true. Bruce has been hammered in the recaps multiple times. No one has made any excuses for him.

And Bruce has been great defensively this season.

By all means, though, keep making stuff up.