Offseason Discussion - Payroll/Random Blurbs

[Omar]

Also, strikeouts do not equal free swinging. Uggla has the best plate discipline on the Marlins aside from Nick Johnson.

Not sure how you can say that Uggla has the best plate discipline on the Marlins

[Swifty]

His mmmbop says so

[Beef]

His mmmbop says so

You are a baseball ignoramous

[SFiercex4]

Delmon's the exception to the rule, in terms of their acquisitions. Look at the other big(ger) name position players they've acquired recently: Hardy, Orlando Cabrera, Crede. All are a plus with the glove (well, Cabrera wasn't last year, but he kind of fell off a cliff defensively, and when they acquired him they could have reasonably believed his defensive struggles were due to the small sample size) and they're supposed to be "Twins players" because they can do stuff like "move a runner over" and "choke up to get the run in."

I'll say this. The Twins have decided to field a very good defensive infield, but have basically eschewed the outfield. Cuddyer and Young are awful, they've played Kubel out there, and of the only guys who were decent (Span and Gomez), one was dealt, and the other is an average center fielder and a plus corner guy.

But yes, they did sign decent defensive players, so you've got that in mind, you're right.

Just because that's how the Twins have been playing doesn't mean that's the team they "want to have." Like the Marlins, they stress their organizational philosophy is "pitching and defense." They also like to say they emphasize situational hitting (they're one of the few teams who emphasize just how much they practice situational hitting), and they say they don't like high K guys. Minnesota may be poor at executing that organizational philosophy (like the Marlins are, with regard to defense), but it doesn't mean that isn't their objective.

Agreed.

Also, "undisciplined free swinger" may not have been the best way to describe why Uggla doesn't fit the Twins. Undisciplined, poor situational hacker (who doesn't profile as someone with a good glove) with a strikeout problem works better.

Meh, he's very good at hitting, I won't quibble on how to say it exactly. He's a Three True Outcomes guy, most baseball fans will underrate that type all the time. Uggla has been around 3 wins each year here.
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Not sure how you can say that Uggla has the best plate discipline on the Marlins

Here's how:

Via FanGraphs

% swings outside of the textbook strikezone:

Year: Percentage (Team Average, Team Rank among players with 200+ PA)

2006: 21.6% (24.0%, 5th out of 12)
2007: 21.6% (26.0%, 2nd out of 10)
2008: 21.0% (25.3%, 4th out of 12)
2009: 18.7% (24.5%, 1st out of 11)

It's worth noting that only one player consistently had rates lower than Uggla in this mark, and that's Josh Willingham. We all know Hammer had a great eye for the strike zone and excelled at drawing walks; each year Hammer swung at under 20% of pitches out of the zone and walked in more than 10% of his PA. Ramirez had two seasons below 20%, but this year he started hacking more (26.3% out of zone swings) and was thankfully making tons of safe contact.

Uggla doesn't have that much of a problem determining what's a strike and what isn't. What he has a problem with is making contact, even when it's in the zone.

Year: Percentage of contact on pitches inside the zone (Team average, Rank):

2006: 84.0% (85.4%, 9th out of 12)
2007: 81.5% (85.5%, 9th out of 10)
2008: 79.6% (85.8%, 12th out of 12)
2009: 83.3% (87.2%, 11th out of 11)

Combine that with the fact that he does horribly trying to make contact out of the zone, and you get a guy who strikes out a lot. The contact problems are the reason why, not his so-called "undisciplined" approach.

You can call Boni undisciplined (swinging at 29% of pitches outside the zone this year). But Uggla probably has the best eye for the strike zone on the team.

[tjfla]

The Twins and Cardinals I think are more calling about Uggla as Plan B.The Cards would probably rather have Holliday or Bay. Same with the Twins I DO NOT think they really want Uggla however I think they wanna kick the tires and see. U don't think they were pissed when Morneau went down and could have used a power bat?

The Cubs right now seem like the favorites for Uggla. Got SP in Jeff Samardzija,Jay Jackson,Andrew Cashner,Chris Archer and Position guys like Wellington Castillo,Starlin Castro,Josh Vitters,Kyler Burke. All of which Chicago would trade if need be

All I ask is PLEASE give the guys a physical before the trade so no more Jose Ceda or PJ Dean's

[Beef]

r and Position guys like Wellington Castillo,Starlin Castro,Josh Vitters,Kyler Burke. All of which Chicago would trade if need be

Ohhh, BeefWellington

[emkayseven]

The Twins and Cardinals I think are more calling about Uggla as Plan B.The Cards would probably rather have Holliday or Bay. Same with the Twins I DO NOT think they really want Uggla however I think they wanna kick the tires and see. U don't think they were pissed when Morneau went down and could have used a power bat?

The Cubs right now seem like the favorites for Uggla. Got SP in Jeff Samardzija,Jay Jackson,Andrew Cashner,Chris Archer and Position guys like Wellington Castillo,Starlin Castro,Josh Vitters,Kyler Burke. All of which Chicago would trade if need be

All I ask is PLEASE give the guys a physical before the trade so no more Jose Ceda or PJ Dean's

we aren't the dolphins so no to samardzija please. i'd love to get vitters.

[Swifty]

Cubs can't take on much salary (if at all) and about what they move from Bradley is what they can take on.

I can't imagine them a favorite for Dan Uggla and his $7 million.

[Fishfan79]

any thoughts on smoltz for a vet presence in the rotation on the cheap 1 year deal? He would be back in the NL East that way, give him a chance for a solid team. He could be a nice pick up there,not sure if he is out of the price range but he seems a cheap vet type.

[Omar]

Here's how:

Via FanGraphs

% swings outside of the textbook strikezone:

Year: Percentage (Team Average, Team Rank among players with 200+ PA)

2006: 21.6% (24.0%, 5th out of 12)
2007: 21.6% (26.0%, 2nd out of 10)
2008: 21.0% (25.3%, 4th out of 12)
2009: 18.7% (24.5%, 1st out of 11)

It's worth noting that only one player consistently had rates lower than Uggla in this mark, and that's Josh Willingham. We all know Hammer had a great eye for the strike zone and excelled at drawing walks; each year Hammer swung at under 20% of pitches out of the zone and walked in more than 10% of his PA. Ramirez had two seasons below 20%, but this year he started hacking more (26.3% out of zone swings) and was thankfully making tons of safe contact.

Uggla doesn't have that much of a problem determining what's a strike and what isn't. What he has a problem with is making contact, even when it's in the zone.

Year: Percentage of contact on pitches inside the zone (Team average, Rank):

2006: 84.0% (85.4%, 9th out of 12)
2007: 81.5% (85.5%, 9th out of 10)
2008: 79.6% (85.8%, 12th out of 12)
2009: 83.3% (87.2%, 11th out of 11)

Combine that with the fact that he does horribly trying to make contact out of the zone, and you get a guy who strikes out a lot. The contact problems are the reason why, not his so-called "undisciplined" approach.

You can call Boni undisciplined (swinging at 29% of pitches outside the zone this year). But Uggla probably has the best eye for the strike zone on the team.

What are the statistics in individual counts? Swinging at a bad pitch with the count at 1-0 is not the same as when the count is 0-2.

[SFiercex4]

What are the statistics in individual counts? Swinging at a bad pitch with the count at 1-0 is not the same as when the count is 0-2.

I'd have to dig through Pitch f/x data to tell you that, and I haven't quite learned how to do that efficiently or well yet. I will say, however, say that over the course of Uggla's four-year career, he has walked in 11% of PA that have gone to two strikes. He's also struck out in 42% of those PA. Uggla's career unintentional walk rate is 10%.

For reference, the 2009 NL walk rate after a count hit two strikes was 8.2%, which apparently is just as high as the league average walk rate of 8.1%. The 2009 NL strikeout rate was 38%.

Also, since you specifically mentioned an 0-2 count, for Uggla's career, he has walked in 4.8% of his PA after reaching an 0-2 count (24/490 PA). The 2009 NL rate was 3%.

Of course, walks aren't the best measure, because walks have a lot more to do with taking pitches in general. But I'd say that this is a decent enough look at how patient Uggla is, even with a bad count.

[dgriot]

All I ask is PLEASE give the guys a physical before the trade so no more Jose Ceda or PJ Dean's

Speaking of Dean, what's his current status? I noticed on TK's Baseball Blog, there was this

http://tkbaseball.blogspot.com/2009/...marlins-2.html

6) P.J. Dean: RHP
Likely will make full-season debut next season.

Anyone know?

[nny]

I'm guessing the guy didn't know Dean went MIA

[Ralph]

A guy I'd love to get is Zach Britton from the O's for Uggla. Boy do I love his GB %'s.

[Ralph]

Uggla doesn't want to move from 2b.