Rocco Baldelli
by Hobbes2d on Aug 2, 2008 12:22 PM PDT
37 comments
He's a FA this off-season. He's a considerable injury risk, but he's also shown more power and an improved walk rate both in 2006 and 2007 when he was healthy enough to play for the Rays.(better BB rate in 07 at least) He's currently in AA Montgomery rehabbing in the Rays farm system. They already bought him out, so its unlikely he will be back with them next year, especially in a reserve role. I think he's the perfect low risk, high reward type of player the Giants should be going after. He's also only 27. And best of all he fits the gamer mold!
And right now at AA through 13 games:
11/37 (.297) 6 R, 1 2b, 0 3b, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 6 BB, 7 SO, 0 SB, 1 CS, .409 OBP, .568 SLG, .977 OPS
Granted its a short sample, but a promising sign given he struggled earlier in his rehab in the FSL.
Thoughts?
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sure
The giants should take a flier on him, and even overpay a little bit if his contract demands aren’t inordinate.
Unfortunately he’d be in a reserve role in SF too, unless the Giants can find a way to unload Winn in the off-season.
by haverecords on Aug 2, 2008 12:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
A gamer spends more time on the DL than he does playing?
"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler
by JRPhillips on Aug 2, 2008 12:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Rowand’s been on the DL more than a few times.
by Hobbes2d on Aug 2, 2008 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
he's white
therefore he fits the gamer mold.
Fairley odd parent to Wendell
by WTF on Aug 2, 2008 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
slightly OT:
Am I the only one a little peeved that there’s always a huge complaint about the lack of blacks in baseball, but on the other hand, there’s not a white player to be found on the olympic basketball squad? I dunno…I’m tired of race in sports. I’m sure that’s not the point of what you said, but I felt like stepping on my soapbox for a few seconds.
Proud pappa of....STEVE HOLM!!
by UnleashTheGore on Aug 4, 2008 8:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well I think in the case of lack of blacks in baseball its a story because black athletes have been so prominent in baseball over the years. And the ones that still do choose to play baseball usually are very very good. IE Sabathia, Rollins, Crawford, Howard etc.
You can make the same case with white athletes for basketball that they once were a prominent part of the sport, but its also painfully obvious that in today’s NBA its almost impossible for a white athlete to compete with their counterparts. They simply are not athletic enough. Most of the ones in the league right now are only there because they are bigmen, or they are European and have shooting ability. But don’t get me started on the NBA because basically every single player lacks the overall skills that made the 80s and early 90s so great, and even before that but I wasn’t alive then so I can’t speak for the 70s.
by Hobbes2d on Aug 4, 2008 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
How about the all high risk high reward, soon to be DFA’d or toil in AAA for the rest of their career, team? I’ll start with the top that come to mind.
C –
1B -
2B – Jayson Nix
SS –
3B – Dallas McPhereson
LF –
CF – Rocco Baldelli
RF -Nelson Cruz
Down in Front Meat!
by homerdrew415 on Aug 2, 2008 1:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
1B-
Dan Johnson .301/.416/.554 in AAA.
by ned colletti's mustache on Aug 2, 2008 7:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
isn't he the one with the mitochondrial disorder?
I know he’s extremely talented, but if that is him who I’m thinking of, isn’t his future kind of limited with that disease?
by boonitez on Aug 2, 2008 1:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I'd read that his health issues were being treated and that was why he resumed playing again.
Down in Front Meat!
by homerdrew415 on Aug 2, 2008 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Such awesome advertising options
“Rocco plays all-out. He has no respect for broken mitochondria. Rocco is a gamer.”
Here's to Kemp, Loney, LaRoche, Hu, and Kershaw not panning out.
by Woody Wins on Aug 2, 2008 7:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
This team has enough outfielders in that age group
Sure, he’d be nice for a tryout, but every other team probably thinks so too.
If he were an infielder, maybe, but in this case, he’s not worth the trouble.
by DesertFox on Aug 2, 2008 2:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
As much as I like Lewis, he’s going to end up with 160 K’s this year, and might have trade value. To be fair, maybe Lewis is a better cog with him in the 3rd spot and I’d like to see for the rest of the year.
Down in Front Meat!
by homerdrew415 on Aug 2, 2008 2:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
i dont care about lewis’s strikeout’s this year, when he’s 16th in the NL in walks, 3rd in pitches per AB, and has only grounded into 3 double plays. every other player on the team could learn from his approach, not the other way around.
Bengie Molina: stretching doubles into singles since 1998.
by jasomack on Aug 2, 2008 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess it’s probably since as a leadoff guy he’s got to take pitches to get on for the guys behind him…
Down in Front Meat!
by homerdrew415 on Aug 2, 2008 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Baldelli can play all three OF positions and is a right hander with some pop. Winn could be dealt for a bag of peanuts, and Baldelli would be cheaper and better. He’d be a good balance to our young trio of lefties (Lewis, Bowker, Schierholtz), and insurance if one of them completely nose-dives next year. So I guess I want him if Sabean plans on trading Winn and using Bowk at first next year. I don’t want him robbing AB’s from those three…
Bengie Molina: stretching doubles into singles since 1998.
by jasomack on Aug 2, 2008 2:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Sabes won’t trade Roberts or Winn unless he can get someone else to pick up most of the $. Still I’d love to see Baldelli in a Gigantes uni
Down in Front Meat!
by homerdrew415 on Aug 2, 2008 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
speaking of Mr. Roberts can he just live on the claim wire all August long? Maybe some will put in a claim by accident and we can be out from under.
Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!
by daveinexile on Aug 2, 2008 2:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I gotta think that if anyone claims Roberts or Winn
The Giants may just say screw it, lets cut our losses and let this stupid team take Winn / Roberts contract….
Down in Front Meat!
by homerdrew415 on Aug 2, 2008 2:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am pretty sure a claim on Winn would only encourage Sabean Out of Control Man Crush for him.
I am hopeful if someone put a claim ( maybe someone feels the needs a "lead off hitter/ base stealer enough. Probably not though.) on Roberts he would “give him the chance at regular playing time.”
Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!
by daveinexile on Aug 2, 2008 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So you’re saying that Sabean will want the equivalent of Matt Cain for Roberts?
Down in Front Meat!
by homerdrew415 on Aug 2, 2008 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
that would be just my luck.
Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!
by daveinexile on Aug 2, 2008 8:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
too small of a sample size
those numbers dont mean much unless he gets at the minimum 100+ ABs
check out his numbers at the end of the season
"But if he's swinging at real flies, well, in that case there are two definite solutions: 1) Fresno 2) Ritalin." - howtheyscored
by CPGiant756 on Aug 2, 2008 5:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
He Has A $4M Buyout On His $6M Team Option
Do you really think the Rays won’t risk the $2M to keep him?
by giantsrainman on Aug 2, 2008 6:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I was under the impression that they had already declined the option..
Down in Front Meat!
by homerdrew415 on Aug 2, 2008 6:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
They already bought him out at the beginning of the year.
by Hobbes2d on Aug 3, 2008 12:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
No thanks
We already have a logjam of outfielders, and Baldelli isn’t likely to reemerge as even a good player, let alone a player that warrants sitting the likes of Fred Lewis or Nate Schierholtz … which would be the case, with Rowand and Winn most likely returning next season. Baldelli is not the next Josh Hamilton.
by StickRat on Aug 2, 2008 6:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Did anyone call him Josh Hamilton? No.
Schierholtz isn’t going to be better than Baldelli. You can pretty much be guaranteed of that.
by Hobbes2d on Aug 3, 2008 12:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
except for injury. And, as noted, that is a very real concern with Baldelli. In an Era that carrys 12 pitchers on the 25 man roster it kind of limits his chances.
Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!
by daveinexile on Aug 3, 2008 8:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Guaranteed?
That’s a pretty big gamble. Baldelli has been an exciting player, which makes him a different caliber than Schierholtz, I’ll give you that. But does that make Baldelli better? And does it make him SO much better that it warrants a replacement? Baldelli hasn’t shown much, if any, improvement in his strikezone judgemment. Schierholtz has actually shown more improvement in this department.
The two look to have similar futures. Here is the difference though. If Baldelli produces the same, or even marginally better, he will automatically land in the $3-million range arbitration wise. Why pay three to four times as much for virtually the same production? The only way to justify that is if Baldelli is vastly better, and to do that - considering Schierholtz is a career .300 minor-league hitter and figures to excel in most of the same areas of the game - Baldelli has to have a Josh Hamilton-type breakout. And I just don’t see that happening.
by StickRat on Aug 3, 2008 11:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
MORE CENTER FIELDERS
"he walked 18; new league record! Struck out 18, another new league record! He also hit the sportswriter, the PA announcer, the bull mascot twice..."
by i did my job on Aug 2, 2008 8:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Rocco Baldelli = rather ho hum
Rollo Tomasi—now there’s an intriguing prospect.
by Moggeee on Aug 2, 2008 10:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Have you a valediction, boyo?
"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK
by Josh from Hollywood on Aug 2, 2008 10:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rocco is no longer a center fielder
In fact, you would really be pushing your luck playing him in the field at all. I don’t see how he could amass more than 300 ABs for an NL team.
Skipping over some fairly boring medical stuff, he has a disorder which reduces the rate at which his cells produce energy. This has several effects:
1. He’s going to heal more slowly from injuries and from the “wear and tear” of a season;
2. He’s likely to wear down over the course of a game if he’s running around a lot;
3. He’s probably going to perform worse the more you play him.
The best case scenario I can see for him with the Giants is as a platoon player—not because he can’t hit righties, but because if you play him every day he probably won’t be hitting anything at all pretty soon. He really should be a part-time DH and emergency OF for an AL team.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Aug 3, 2008 5:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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