At the last second, I decided to put that poll up in yesterday's post. At the last half-second of the last second, I decided to add the final choice. That choice - which was your inner Jaye P. Morgan running for the gong in response to the proposed topic - was the runaway winner. It seems as if you caught on to my ploy. Writing something about what I'm going to write, and asking you how much I should write about what I'm going to write when I do write, is the blogging equivalent to turning in a term paper in 16-point font. I'll eventually do my 42-part History of the Bullpen Empire, and try and save it for the days I can't post.
Spring training really isn't too far away, though, and that will bring current news to dissect. Jamey Wright v. Brad Hennessey should be a race to follow, and there will be chances to post about whatever non-prospect is hitting .728. Once that starts happening it could get tricky to keep up with the community projections, so there's no better time than the present.
Moises Alou
AB: 418
HR: 18
AVG: .322
OBP: .368
SLG: .489
The nagging injuries will continue, but I don't think Alou will decline too much at all. The theory goes something like: Alou has an incredibly unorthodox swing, where he generates almost all of his bat speed with his forearms and wrists. Therefore, the aging process, which would seriously affect other hitters of the same age, will not be as much of a factor for Alou.
There's no reason to think that. There's no evidence or sliver of proof supporting that theory, and there's a suspicious leap in logic from point A to point B. It makes about as much sense as the whole urine-on-the-hands bit, which I'm required by law to mention in any discussion of Alou. But it's the only way I can reconcile his continued production, advancing age, and bizarre hitting approach. Predicting how a swing like that stands up over time is like predicting how a knuckleballer will age. Or, if you want an honest explanation, it's a half-assed way to justify an optimistic projection of an old hitter. Half-assed is probably too generous. Three-sixteenths assed, then.
Your predictions for the 2006 season of Moises Alou, if you would.....
[editor's note]I can't believe I forgot to put this picture up. It was supposed to be the lead-in to the whole thing, dang it.
