Community Projection: Willie Ballgame
The tenth in a non-alphabetical and irregularly updated series of review pieces for each of the players we predicted last winter. (All entries are linked in the left-hand sidebar, below the Rotoworld stuff and the interviews.)
LL/USSM Community: 209 AB's, .243/.308/.297 (n=116)
Actual Line: .277/.321/.329
Closest Projection: Dave Cameron, .271/.319/.327
From last March:
"Ironically, when I don't try to do as much, I actually do more," he said.
...
He likened his new hitting technique to playing pepper with the pitcher. The harder the pitcher throws, and the better contact he makes, the better chance he has of hitting the ball hard and getting a hit.
...
"It's nothing huge," [Ballgame] said. "I'm not going up there trying to drive the ball into the gaps as much. I'm trying to cut down my swing and stay within myself. In the past, when I tried to hit the ball harder, my swing got longer and I started popping the ball up to right field. It looked like I had zero power."
Result: a different path to the same pile of crap destination. By "cutting down his swing" and no longer trying to do too much, Willie actually made less contact than usual, and for good measure walked fewer times than he did in 2006. But he did manage to put the ball on the ground a staggering 61% of the time, which helped him avoid the dreaded pop-up to right field. Because whenever I used to think about Willie's problems at the plate, I always found myself cursing those pop-ups to right field.
Whatever. You know what? So many people have spent so many hours over so many years writing so many analyses of Willie, but at the end of the day, he's a utility player, and the organization knows it. So I'm going to take this opportunity to not be long-winded about the guy. He's a lousy hitter who can put the ball in play and run enough to go on the occasional little hot streak like the one he had in early June. Yeah, he's useful as an energetic jack-of-all-trades who can play a lot of positions and steal a base, but much like with Jamie Kennedy, the more featured his role, the lower the quality of the show.
At least the inside-the-parker totally rocked. I'll give Willie one thing - his homers aren't dull.
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I have to agree...
by Gromky on Nov 18, 2007 11:31 PM PST 0 recs
Jeez Jeff
by I'm NOT Corco on Nov 18, 2007 11:32 PM PST 0 recs
Funny aside
I faced the Mariners and thought I'd check out their team (2011). Starting rotation of Felix, Baek, Feierabend, Gabbard, and Jake Woods!
I laughed..then crossed my fingers it won't happen.
by kentroyals5 on Nov 18, 2007 11:55 PM PST 0 recs
Dear...God!
by I'm NOT Corco on
Nov 19, 2007 12:03 AM PST
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ow, my eyes.
by Brick on Nov 19, 2007 12:02 AM PST 0 recs
You misspelled " "
by Librocrat on
Nov 19, 2007 1:29 AM PST
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Damn you, Jeff
by ningwers on
Nov 19, 2007 10:04 AM PST
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I'm not sure he's either of those
by Brick on
Nov 19, 2007 11:49 AM PST
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So Willie's contract is up in '08
by mark s on Nov 19, 2007 1:29 PM PST 0 recs
Yes there is
by Librocrat on
Nov 19, 2007 5:50 PM PST
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I doubt that
by chrisisasavage on
Nov 19, 2007 9:38 PM PST
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I know it's been doon to death

by chrisisasavage on
Nov 19, 2007 10:10 PM PST
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Yes, I know that.
There's a reason Jim Street thinks ballgame may challenge Lopez for the 2nd base job, and it's not just because Street makes poor decisions.
by Librocrat on
Nov 20, 2007 12:20 AM PST
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The Mariners know it.
by Jeff on
Nov 20, 2007 12:23 AM PST
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Where?
by Librocrat on
Nov 20, 2007 12:24 AM PST
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Anywhere.
The Mariners see Willie as a utility player. They think he's better than he really is, of course, but even they aren't dumb enough to want to see more of him.
by Jeff on
Nov 20, 2007 12:26 AM PST
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I'd change "see" to "saw"
by Librocrat on
Nov 20, 2007 12:33 AM PST
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He started a bunch when Beltre was hurt
by Jeff on
Nov 20, 2007 12:46 AM PST
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50 starts?
by JI on
Nov 20, 2007 8:26 AM PST
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Jeff is a girly man!
by Coach Owens on Nov 19, 2007 8:13 PM PST 0 recs
Little coaching tip, Coach
(looks around, sees nobody, starts shpiel)
Look. Here it is. If you don't want to get your balls busted continuously 'round here, this is probably the kind of comment you'd best steer clear of making.
Not because it isn't true - I have no idea of the masculofeminine qualifications of Mr. Sullivan, nor do I want to find out what they are - but it's kind of a needless taunt that doesn't really make sense, in the context of the discussion.
Save the jabs for when they're dished out. Join in, but don't start something you're not prepared to finish, and, as someone who's talked his fair share of crap in his life, I can say this: You gotta do better than calling someone a girly man, anyway. That's little league ball, and this is, well, it's at least short-season A ball, or something.
The point is, you gotta bring better stuff than that.
Here endeth the lecture.
by pdb on
Nov 19, 2007 9:12 PM PST
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Will just got Dr. Phil'ed!
by kentroyals5 on
Nov 19, 2007 9:25 PM PST
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The only similarity
by Coach Owens on
Nov 19, 2007 10:19 PM PST
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That's actually a really clever joke
by Librocrat on
Nov 20, 2007 12:22 AM PST
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THAT'S IT!!!!!!
by pdb on
Nov 20, 2007 8:43 AM PST
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Bloomquist is
Plenty of people complained that he go too many at-bats in '06. This past year he got fewer at bats and generally did better with them. So what's the problem? And if Yung Chi Chen pushes for the 2nd base spot sometime in the not too distance future and Lopez is dealt it might be nice to have a guy who can predictably, albeit not awesomely, fill in at 2nd.
by theclaw on Nov 19, 2007 11:08 PM PST 0 recs
Don't you listen to Chuckie???
//I got no problem w/Willie as a utility guy. None whatsoever...
by PositivePaul on
Nov 20, 2007 9:02 AM PST
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hit chart
by theclaw on Nov 19, 2007 11:34 PM PST 0 recs








