McCovey Chronicles: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:



Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: Backing the Pack for NC State Fans!


Fleas Uses Right Field?

I had to keep from crashing my import SUV into the side rail, but I believe I heard Kuiper say yesterday the Fleas bombed one over the right field wall.  Could this be true?  And Kruk was saying that this is a new swing he has been working on over the winter and Kruk thinks Fleas will have a great year.  First, let's not get carried away.  Second, I sure what happened after Fleas hit the ball, and this was not broadcasted over the radio, was after Fleas made contact with the ball and took his one or two steps out of the box, after he saw it was going to right field, he stopped himself, slammed his hands on his thighs and started to walk back to the box to pick up his bat and get ready for the next pitch.  At which point, the umpire asked him "what are you doing" and Fleas responded "I had to foul off that nasty pitch".  Bochy then had to come out of the dugout and explain to Fleas that the outfield is made up into three parts, left field (which Fleas is very knowledgable) center field (which Fleas has traveled to, but it is like going to an exotic place for a vacation, every once in a while) and right field (which Fleas thought was like Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster, legends and fairy tales).  After Fleas stood there for a few moments, pondering what was just said, he dropped his bat and started to run to first base laughing and repeating to himself under his breath "right field, who would have know there is actually a right field".

I guess Kruk and Kuip were just trying to be polite and not broadcast the entire homerun scenario.  And know after thinking about it, I thought it was kind of weird they went to commercial right after he hit the homerun and the Royals not making a pitching change or anything.

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

0 recs | Comment 30 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
  A new swing? Same old "Um , well , okay" swing...ten feet to the right and it would have been a foul ball.
Aiming for - er , AT the Top Dog!(Mr. Safeway Himself)

by victor frankenstein on Mar 19, 2007 6:52 AM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
Nothing wrong with that - how many dozen homers has Bonds hit over the years that would've been a foul ball ten feet to the right?
You're nobody 'til everybody in
this town thinks you're a Matos

by EliminateMe on Mar 19, 2007 9:38 AM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
But...but..Barry's a lefty and is getting around on it.
Piedra is a righty and is not. At least not that time.
But hey , two runs is two runs. Get 'em any way you can.
Aiming for - er , AT the Top Dog!(Mr. Safeway Himself)

by victor frankenstein on Mar 19, 2007 5:39 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It would be a change..
Here are Pedro's hit charts for 2006, 2005, and 2004 seasons.  Illustrated in yellow is the area of his singles with infield hits and the two most extreme singles taken out.  Illustrated in orange (sorry with the .jpg conversion it's more of a dark yellow I guess) is the area of his doubles with the two most extreme doubles taken out.  Illustrated in red is the area of his home runs with the two most extreme home runs taken out (note, in 2006 all his home runs minus outliers were virtually in a line).

2004

2005

2006

To me, it seems that he has decreased his ability to hit to the opposite side.  I'd be surprised if he could return to his 2004 form of "spraying hits across the field." (At least comparitavely I guess.)

Of note there is an opposite field home run by Pedro Feliz.  When?  2003.

Here's to a good 2007. Or 2008. Or 2009. Or 2010. Or...

by WalrusMan on Mar 19, 2007 8:58 AM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: It would be a change..
Those are cool, but I think it's better to show the "dot plots" so we can count.  I mean, 1 opposite field dinger in 2003 does not a spread make!  (even removing some outliers)

by zenbitz on Mar 19, 2007 10:59 AM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: It would be a change..
Somewhere last year I posted the dot ones you speak of.  I'm too lazy to go looking for them again though, suffice it to say, EVERY base hit of his was to the left of the 2nd baseman.  
Proud adoptive papa of the one, the only, Omar Vizquel.

by PacBellBoozer on Mar 19, 2007 11:53 AM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Wow...
...Fleas really puts the "dead" in "dead pull hitter".
You're nobody 'til everybody in
this town thinks you're a Matos

by EliminateMe on Mar 19, 2007 1:33 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Wow...
Actually Fleas puts the "dead" in "dead". Like please somebody burn up his uniforms and put him on bus to Calgary or Calexico or Copenhagen.
Save Matt Morris. Save The Pitchers. Save The World.

by E Ticket on Mar 19, 2007 4:13 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
Like I said once before: I wasn't aware that he could even throw the ball to the opposite field.

There are black magics at work, for sure.

Coming to you by proxy (I adopted: Dave Righetti!)

by howtheyscored on Mar 19, 2007 9:14 AM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
Jesus I knew it was bad but the last opo bomb was in 2003? It boggles the mind to think that the man is a starting major leaguer at a power position.
I live life like every week is shark week. Oh and ignore the spelling. I do.....

by someguynamedg on Mar 19, 2007 11:52 AM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
And '04 - '06 has what to do with '07?

by allfrank on Mar 19, 2007 1:28 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
It's called a track record.  A good way to predict his future output.  He's beyond change at this point, as those graphics and his age clearly show.  
Proud adoptive papa of the one, the only, Omar Vizquel.

by PacBellBoozer on Mar 19, 2007 2:01 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
A simplistic and flawed way to look at anything

by allfrank on Mar 19, 2007 4:45 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
If you flip a coin 30 times and it comes up heads each time, you've probably got a bad penny. But I guess that's a simplistic and flawed way to look at it...
You're nobody 'til everybody in
this town thinks you're a Matos

by EliminateMe on Mar 19, 2007 4:57 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
Ok...seriously, that is one of the most foolish retorts I've ever seen.

I was merely trying to state that history has shown us his dead pull tendency.  If I was to predict that Omar would have an error on every ball hit to him, and Barry wouldn't be able to hit the ball out of the infield all season long, you'd call me an idiot would you not?

God forbid we look at Omar's mantle crammed full of gold gloves or Barry's 12 Silver Sluggers (holy crap that's alot) to make an educated guess as to what they're capable of this year.  

Proud adoptive papa of the one, the only, Omar Vizquel.

by PacBellBoozer on Mar 20, 2007 9:38 AM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
import SUV? do you really talk like that?
We'd be pretty good if we didn't suck so bad.

by nostocksjustbonds on Mar 19, 2007 1:52 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
jack clark doesn't mention brand names unless he's getting paid to endorse 'em!
You're nobody 'til everybody in
this town thinks you're a Matos

by EliminateMe on Mar 19, 2007 1:56 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
exactly, unless someone wants to hand over cash to contribute to my drinking and cocaine habits i am not giving free advertising
Damn it, why isn't Rush in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

by Cynema the Band on Mar 19, 2007 2:13 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
drinking and cocaine?  You've given up on the puppy-strangling and heroin habit?

I'm sadly disappointed

Proud adoptive papa of the one, the only, Omar Vizquel.

by PacBellBoozer on Mar 20, 2007 9:39 AM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
unfortunately, i have learned that the puppy-strangling has been mastered by someone else.  as for the heroin, i am married.  that is my slow and painful death (just kidding if you see this dear).
Damn it, why isn't Rush in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

by Cynema the Band on Mar 20, 2007 4:02 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
hahahaha...CLASSIC.

Hi Steph !

Proud adoptive papa of the one, the only, Omar Vizquel.

by PacBellBoozer on Mar 21, 2007 1:14 AM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
If you look at the complete hit chart, you'll see that Pedro's flyball outs at AT&T were evenly distributed in 2006 and 2005, and in 2004 the majority of his fly outs went to right field. He hits the ball that way fairly often; he's just not successful when he does so. AT&T is brutal to most lefthanded hitters, so it makes sense that it wouldn't be too friendly to righties who hit the ball the other way.

I suppose that if Feliz made more of an effort to hit the outside pitch to right instead of pull it, a lot of his double-play balls to short would end up being lazy flies to right, which is at least a small improvement. But he'd be a much better hitter if he just laid off that pitch altogether, and waited for a mistake that he could drive over the left field wall.

"Robb Nen is going to get you" - Benito Santiago to Chipper Jones, 10/7/02

by Pants Man on Mar 19, 2007 3:30 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
did i just read that right?  were you defending him?  just because he flys out a lot to right field doesn't mean he is trying to go that way.  the reason he flew out so much is because he was late on the pitch.  not because he was driving the ball the other way.  there is a difference.  
Damn it, why isn't Rush in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

by Cynema the Band on Mar 19, 2007 3:50 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
Nope... not defending him. He's an awful hitter. And given his pitch recognition skills, he'll be an awful hitter even if he tries to hit to right field.
"Robb Nen is going to get you" - Benito Santiago to Chipper Jones, 10/7/02

by Pants Man on Mar 19, 2007 5:23 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
Based on this, it would make sense of there were comparable hit charts for other righties hitting opposite field... I'd like to see those before I'm willing to consider that Feliz's charts might have more to do with the park than I believe right now.

It's a very interesting thought, though.

Coming to you by proxy (I adopted: Dave Righetti!)

by howtheyscored on Mar 19, 2007 5:04 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
The 2004 chart is particularly interesting... he had a handful of 400+ foot outs that season.

Very few Giants righties have hit opposite field home runs at AT&T in the park's history. I remember a few from Feliz (one of Gagne, I think), and a real cheapie from Santiago. Jeff Kent only hit one during three seasons at the park. Aurilia never hit one during four seasons at the park. Some visiting mashers like Sosa and Piazza have hit the ball out that way.

When I first walked into the park in 2000, I had visions of numerous opposite field pop-ups (like the one Santiago hit) floating over that short porch in right, but it almost never happens.

The ball travels well to right field in Arizona and Colorado, though. Aurilia never homered to right at home as a Giant, but he had five opposite field home runs in Arizona during those years.

"Robb Nen is going to get you" - Benito Santiago to Chipper Jones, 10/7/02

by Pants Man on Mar 19, 2007 5:38 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
Oh, well I'll believe all that no problem.

What I'm more interested in has a little less to do with power, though. Just based on hits vs. outs do righties tend to struggle going the opposite way the way that Feliz so clearly does from his chart, or am I actually 100% accurate in believing that Feliz's problems going that way have almost nothing to do with the park itself.

Coming to you by proxy (I adopted: Dave Righetti!)

by howtheyscored on Mar 19, 2007 6:16 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
I don't know. The park does suppress hits and not just homers to right field, since the right fielder can cheat a little towards the infield or towards the gap given the short porch. But Jack Clark was probably right in supposing that Pedro rarely tried to hit to right field. He made plenty of outs that way, but I would imagine a lot of them were off the end of the bat when he took his normal pull swing.
"Robb Nen is going to get you" - Benito Santiago to Chipper Jones, 10/7/02

by Pants Man on Mar 19, 2007 7:18 PM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
excellent point on the end of the bat.  when you pull off of every swing, when you are late you are going to hit it off of the end of the bat, resulting in a weak fly ball.  and also, my point for this entire diary is not necessarily that he hit one out the other way, which is a bonus, it is that he can drive the ball the other way.  how many times has he come up to bat with a runner on first with no outs and rolled one to short to start a double play, killing any hope of a potential rally.  if was to drive the ball the other way, he can put it in a gap or down the line or over the right fielder's head off of the wall to ignite a rally. it is not solely about homeruns, as nice as they are.  you want to put more than one run on the board in an inning when you can.  and i have noticed a ton of comments regarding his hitting at the phone booth.  the giants also play half of their games away from the booth where it is easier to get it out of the park or in a gap.  teams that have a winning record on the road, generally do well and make the playoffs.  and let's face it, the way the pitching has looked this preseason (thank you morris and lowry for you crappy contributions) we are going to need as many runs as we can get.
Damn it, why isn't Rush in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

by Cynema the Band on Mar 20, 2007 6:53 AM PDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Fleas Uses Right Field?
And THAT'S when you yell at Chase Library!

Thank you , Richie! Good times!

Aiming for - er , AT the Top Dog!(Mr. Safeway Himself)

by victor frankenstein on Mar 19, 2007 5:45 PM PDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about San Francisco Giants.
Start posting about the Giants »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
All-Star Voting Deal
Small
Sandoval gets the shaft.
Statsjail_small
Giants Position Production 1999-2009
Phoney_small
Players who do and do not have options
Terrorist_small
OT:Thank You McCovey Chronicle

Recent FanPosts

Small
It's ONLY Day One!!!!!
Goofus_small
Season half over...about those predictions
Small
If Johnson Goes to the DL
Timbreakin_small
1/2 Season Review: The Best Games
Timbreakin_small
1/2 Season Review: The Worst Games
Small
Things to love about minor league baseball
Muddy-grace_small
Giants "Fan Appreciation Night" Tonight!
Lucy-liu_small
Organization Prospect Depth Chart: Centerfield

Post_icon New FanPost All FanPosts Carrot-mini

SPONSORS


Overlord

174246766_ea2fd78204_small Grant

Minions

Fawlty_small WalrusMan

Dog2_small kenshin1

Phoney_small Natto

Howtheyscoredcat_small howtheyscored

Goofus_small Goofus

Minor League Guru

Small steve S

Official Partner of Yahoo! Sports