"Giants notes: Linden to see plenty of work"
by kvdp12 on Mar 19, 2010 1:16 PM PDT
59 comments
I was going through and deleting the pile up of old emails in my account and found this one from the Giants that some of you might enjoy
It has been known since Spring Training that Todd Linden would occupy a significant role this season. Wednesday, Giants manager Bruce Bochy hinted that Linden might play more than many observers previously anticipated. Aware of the unexpected events every season brings, Bochy didn't want to commit to the number of at-bats that Linden could receive. But Bochy did reveal what he had in mind as an acceptable number. "I'd be surprised if he's not looking at close to 400, if not more, when it's all said and done," said Bochy, who started Linden in right field for the Giants' series finale Wednesday against the San Diego Padres. "But, you know, things change."
400. For those of you that dont remember, Linden ended with 60 ABs, before being designated that year.
Now I dont think the real issue here has so much to do with Linden as it does the Giants, Sabean and Bochy and their inability to play young players. I cant believe this team has been rebuilding for the whole time Bochy has been manager and we still dealing with this issue. But im sure F. Sanchez is going to be the shit this year.
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Still, I’ll be damned if his minor league career line isn’t sexy.
8 seasons, 109 career HRs, .291/.389/.491
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Also, according to his Wikie, he’s playing with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
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They suck.
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
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They’re supported by Hello! Project though, so I guess they have that going for them.
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
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Magellan !!
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Last year he had a .292/.366/.496 line in 73 games…
He struggled to make contact with the smaller baseballs though striking out 105 times.
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I dont think the real issue here has so much to do with Linden as it does the Giants, Sabean and Bochy and their inability to play young players.
Isn’t it possible the Giants correctly projected Linden as a career AAAA/Golden Eagle and decided to stop wasting everyone’s time? Shocking! Just because they often don’t play young players doesn’t mean that every young player should play more. If you know what I mean.
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Sure, it’s possible, and history seems to suggest that, but it makes no sense whatsoever for them to actually include him in their plans and then completely reverse that decision 60 AB’s later.
"Richmond, VA. For when West Virginia is too classy"
by Missing Barry on Mar 19, 2010 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions
I know! At least give it 115 AB like Garko got!
Obviously any links in the above post are probably NSFW
If you’re saying the Giants’ gave up on Linden too quickly, you’re probably right, but as it turned out it was the right decision. He went elsewhere and did nothing. What’s more important is if they do it on someone else and he goes elsewhere and becomes a star.
Dumped Edgar Renteria and adopted Buster Posey. Biggest upgrade since George Jefferson moved up to a deluxe apartment on the east side!
Ryan Garko says hello.
"I don’t know why people feel the need to come up with reasons 'why' for everything..." - Missing Barry
by victor frankenstein on Mar 19, 2010 2:10 PM PDT up reply actions
You know what’s even more ridiculous? We traded for two players last year. One of them hit .284/.295/.324 in 107 PA’s, the other hit .235/.307/.330 in 127 PA’s last year. So obviously we resigned the first one who did worse, knowing he was injured, while releasing the other one. This is why it’s so painfully obvious Sabean has no concept of what statistics actually mean. There’s no consistency in the way it’s applied, in addition to the obvious non-understanding of sample size. Stats are just there for Bochy/Sabean to confirm what they already think.
"Richmond, VA. For when West Virginia is too classy"
by Missing Barry on Mar 19, 2010 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions
The former NL batting champ thing is huge for Sabes.
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Jeremy Affeldt induces DP's
by Giant among Angels on Mar 19, 2010 6:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Then again, you can look at it in the complete opposite way, and say that Sanchez had similar stats to Garko despite the fact that he was playing hurt, while Garko compiled his while completely healthy. Perhaps they feel that completely healthy, Sanchez’ stats would be far better, and they’re gambling that he actually will be healthy after this shoulder thing is over with. You also have to remember the position difference, and the fact that you expect more offensively from a first baseman than a second baseman.
Dumped Edgar Renteria and adopted Buster Posey. Biggest upgrade since George Jefferson moved up to a deluxe apartment on the east side!
ALSO
a .620 OPS is really bad for a 2B, but it’s really, really, REALLY bad for a 1B. Especially one who seems to play pretty indifferent defense.
Of course, you are still correct in the whole, since 100-120 PAs is basically meaningless at any level.
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Ryan Garko says hello.
and then quickly says goodbye.
by Wonderful Terrific Monds on Mar 20, 2010 1:02 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree
If I recall correctly, Linden struck out almost every time he was at the plate that season and looked like a player who was completely lost out there. I don’t think it was a question of not playing someone because they were young or not giving them enough time, it was more of a this guy does not belong out there because he can’t lay off sliders ten feet off the plate.
by crazedcrustacean on Mar 19, 2010 3:14 PM PDT up reply actions
Aaron Rowand says hi.
Bochy: What’s this fancy stat here?
IT Guy: That’s how often they get on base. I do not know why you keep asking me, I am here to fix your server.
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Just read an article that says Fangraphs says that Rowand’s weakness is the curve ball, and last year pitchers finally figured it out.
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The final figured it out last year?? I saw an MLB Net replay of Mike Cameron’s 4 home run game vs. the White Sox. Rowand pinch hit in the game. The pitcher threw a curve in the dirt, moving away from him. He swung and missed to strike out.
The Giants offseason moves - "meh"
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And the Cameron game was around 2002 or so.
The Giants offseason moves - "meh"
Proud father of 2-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, who could do whatever he wants to do.
Here's the link
Stats based on Fangraphs. See #23. Apparently the percentage of curveballs thrown to Rowand didn’t go up until last year.
"The questions are so stupid. I don't believe in rivalries. I don't believe in curses. Wake up the damn Bambino, maybe I'll drill him in the ass."
- Pedro Martinez, asked about the Curse of the Bambino
by achiappanza on Mar 22, 2010 12:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Didn’t go back up, he was fed a similar percentage of curveballs early in his career.
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What’s your theory… that they forgot?
"The questions are so stupid. I don't believe in rivalries. I don't believe in curses. Wake up the damn Bambino, maybe I'll drill him in the ass."
- Pedro Martinez, asked about the Curse of the Bambino
by achiappanza on Mar 22, 2010 11:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Why do I need a theory? I’m point out an observed pattern, not predicting one. With the exception of 2005 (ironically, one of his high CB years) his wCB/C has always been negative. So yeah, it pretty much just looks like the league forgot. Either that, or his once fluke-good season against curveballs had a massive 5-season carryover effect (it also helps that he’s generally sucked against anything that breaks, so there wasn’t much impetus for pitchers to move away from sliders back to the curve until 2007).
VAE PVTO DEVS FIO
Isn’t it possible the Giants correctly projected Linden as a career AAAA/Golden Eagle and decided to stop wasting everyone’s time?
I guess my question would then be, Why waste everyone’s time to begin with? If they knew he was a AAAA player, why tell the newspaper he’s going to play a lot? To pump up the spirits of Linden — a guy they knew wasn’t worth the trouble in the first place?
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by Josh from Hollywood on Mar 19, 2010 10:02 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm going to have a tough time getting upset that Linden wasn't given more of a chance
To me he’s the classic AAAA like Lefty said.
From the outside, he stuck me as a guy who strutted around like a guy who had “arrived” even though he was a fringe player. If he had half the ‘tude he projected, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was uncoachable and/or had a poor work ethic.
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From the outside, he stuck me as a guy who strutted around like a guy who had "arrived" even though he was a fringe player.
Really? I never got the impression from Linden.
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I do remember the beat writers interviewing him, and he sounded a little huffy when asked about playing time.
i was rooting for Linden but
i think it was Krukow who said that after he hit an impressive HR against the Dodgers, Linden said something like “and there’s plenty more where that came from”.
by Lunatic Fridge on Mar 19, 2010 10:56 PM PDT up reply actions
The real lesson here...
…is never ever to believe anything Bruce Bochy says.
Adoptive parent of Kevin "The Stopgap" Frandsen.
very untrue and unfair
When he says they need to practice bunting, by gum they practice bunting!
"I treat Timmy differently from most pitchers: I leave him alone."- Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti
"What do I want you to do? What are you doing in the National League?"- John McGraw
"117 elements, and still no Stanfurdium"- carp (paraphrased)
by natteringnabob on Mar 19, 2010 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Royals 24, D-backs 9
So, who is the QB for Kansas City this year?
3 TDs, not too shabby.
"I don’t know why people feel the need to come up with reasons 'why' for everything..." - Missing Barry
by victor frankenstein on Mar 19, 2010 4:53 PM PDT reply actions
I’ve heard Ankiel kicks a mean field goal.
Proud parent of the new dominant pitching sensation out of San Diego State University.
Again, the problem isnt so much Linden..
..but more how stupid the giants are, by at one point saying, ‘This guy is so great I see him getting 400 at bats this year, if not more’, and then very very quickly saying ‘this guy is so bad we cant even have him in the organization any longer’.
THAT, is what i can stand about the giants. THAT to me is the epitome of the giants process of dealing with young players. Not just seeing what a kid can do, and then very quickly benching him, or sending him back down.. but being really big on a guy, to then wanting NOTHING to do with him really quickly.
Its funny because fuck the dodgers
THAT, is what i can stand about the giants. THAT to me is the epitome of the giants process of dealing with young players. Not just seeing what a kid can do, and then very quickly benching him, or sending him back down.. but being really big on a guy, to then wanting NOTHING to do with him really quickly.
It’s not just young players — this is essentially what they’ve done with players they’ve traded for as well:
A.J. Pierzynski was “an all-star catcher with playoff experience who knows how to lead a staff — a guy you can build around for the future” and his attitude problems were “overblown”, then less than a year later he was a guy with so little worth he had to be non-tendered rather than traded away. Dustin Mohr was “a young player on the upswing, just coming into his own”, then was released after one (pretty impressive) year. Ryan Garko was the type of “middle-of-the-order run producer” who was going to play every day because “you don’t acquire a guy like that to ride the bench” until he was almost immediately platooned, benched and then released.
Talent was given up for all those guys. They were all touted as young players who’d be a part of the team’s future. And all were released within a year after they were acquired with the team getting nothing in return for any of them.
Brian Sabean is the kind of guy who’d get divorced on his honeymoon.
Proud member of The Gentlemen of Leisure.
"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 Mar 19, 2010 9:38 PM PDT up reply actions
This is harshin' my buzz.
So, where does Sabean hang out? What places does he frequent, that we can gunny sack his sorry ass and put an end to this abject misery?
"I don’t know why people feel the need to come up with reasons 'why' for everything..." - Missing Barry
by victor frankenstein on Mar 20, 2010 5:25 AM PDT up reply actions
Its a chronic pathology
Sabean is the kind of guy who would go into a brothel, pass by all the hookers in the lobby and throw down a months pay to hump some 73 year old madam’s leg. Afterall, she was a centerfold during the Revolutionary War. Lots of veteran grit in all the right places too.
by E Ticket on Mar 20, 2010 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions
ew
veteran grit
Perhaps your grossest metaphor yet!
"I treat Timmy differently from most pitchers: I leave him alone."- Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti
"What do I want you to do? What are you doing in the National League?"- John McGraw
"117 elements, and still no Stanfurdium"- carp (paraphrased)
by natteringnabob on Mar 20, 2010 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions
“Dustin Mohr was "a young player on the upswing, just coming into his own", then was released after one (pretty impressive) year. "
OK, whenever I thjnk of Mohr (who actually could hit) I always remember a play he made against San Diego late in the 2004 season, a play which I’ll bring up because maybe it’ll steer this discussion away from wailing and gnashing of teeth, and actually look at some baseball strategy.
Score tied, bases loaded, one out, tenth inning. Lazy fly ball toward foul territory in RF, near the bullpen. Long run for Mohr and a difficult play for anyone not named Willie Mays. Mohr pursues it with all his might, barely snags it, trips over the bullpen pitcher’s mound and goes sprawling in the dust. Runner on third tags up and waltzes home with the winning run. Not only is Mohr unable to even attempt a throw, but as a nice bonus he injures his knee and is lost for the final week of the season.
The resulting loss cost us a chance to gain a game on LA in a race we lost by one game.
So, I ask you: shouldn’t he he have just let the @#%^&! thing drop? Or not? Why not?
Magellan
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i think you guys are missing the point here...
the fact that bochy has been here since linden was still around is a surreal kick to the nutsack
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by Headhunter Rollins on Mar 22, 2010 8:32 AM PDT reply actions
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