Community Projection: Ray Durham

Difference between baseball players and basketball players: I understand that Ray Durham is short relative to his peers, but not freakishly so. Still, I saw him outside Mays Field once, and I was about the same height. I didn't expect that. Contrast that with Lil' Monta Ellis, who darts in and out of NBA traffic because he's so wee and quick. I walked past Ellis recently, and the guy was mammoth. Huge. Your perspective gets warped watching this stuff on television.

Basketball players are taller than baseball players. How much longer can I avoid charging for this stuff?

If anything opens a community projection better than a pointless anecdote, I'd like to read it. I was optimistic about Durham last year, but I still underestimated him. I'd love to underestimate him again. The power can't last, though. Players can develop some late-career power, sure, but that's much more an exception than a rule. Durham had the best non-Barry power season from any left-handed hitter in the history of Mays Field, and expecting that to continue is silly. The Giants didn't sign him thinking he'd do it again, but, hey, they'd take it.

Ray Durham

AB: 489
AVG: .278
OBP: .363
SLG: .481
HR: 18

Number of times someone refers to his defense as if he were a legless Steve Sax: 1240

Number of times he deserves it: Five? Six? Seriously, he isn't that bad. He has reverse Jeff Kent range - not bad to his left, a little dicey up the middle - but he turns a fine double play. I'd rate him as slightly below average.

He'll still have some power, but he ain't a five-hitter. He's still a very nice player to have, and has been the least of the Giants' worries for the past four years. He's the least of their worries now; it isn't his fault the Giants don't have any other power threats.