A big part of Mark Reynolds’ low contact rate is probably from how he holds the wrong end of the bat.
This edition of Offseason Notes contains the following:
1. Arizona Fall League Action
2. Three True Outcome Leader- and Laggardboards for 2011
3. Mexican Winter League Rosters, Sorted by Parent Club
What happens when Joey Votto stops being polite and starts getting real?
Assorted Headlines
Reds Willing to Part with Votto, Maybe
Cincinnati first baseman and handsome Italian gentleman Joey Votto is signed for $9.5M and $17.0M, respectively, in 2012 and ’13. After that, however, he’ll become a free agent — one who’ll be getting paid for producing six to seven wins per annum. Assuming a win is worth something like $6 million in 2014 (a conservative estimate, probably), Votto is likely to make considerably more on the open market than Cincinnati can afford. Buster Olney is hearing that, while Cincinnati won’t actively shop Votto, they’ll entertain offers for him. That may or may not be a distinction without a difference, I can’t tell.
Episode Eighty-Nine
In which time is of an, if not necessarily the, essence.
Headlines
The Various DSes — Reviewed!
The CSes — Considered!
Robin Ventura, White Sox Manager — Mentioned Briefly!
The AFL — Largely Ignored!
Featuring
Dave Cameron, Full-Time Employee
Finally, you can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.
Audio on the flip-flop. (Approximately 40 min. play time.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Jesse Ventura: not the new White Sox manager.
Assorted Headlines
Ventura Named White Sox Manager
Former White Sox — and Mets and Yankees and Dodgers — third baseman Robin Ventura was hired Thursday to replace Ozzie Guillen as manager of those selfsame White Sox. Regarding Ventura’s qualifications as a Leader of Men, the present author is unqualified to comment; however, the announcement presents an opportunity for the Curious Reader to direct his attention to Ventura’s oeuvre as a player. In so doing, the Reader will learn again for the first time that Ventura was an excellent major leaguer, worth about 61 wins above replacement over the course of his career.
As Anthony Gose, so gose the Blue Jays’ future.
Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League Action
There some was Arizona Fall League action last night… if you know what I mean.
Notable Performances
Here are some notable AFL performances from Wednesday — where “notable performances” continues to mostly mean “hit a home run” (except, of course, when it means “hit two home runs”):
• Blue Jay prospect Anthony Gose hit a home run on the first pitch of Phoenix’s game at Mesa — Gose’s second home run in as many games.
• Pirate prospect, 22-year-old Robbie Grossman, answered in the bottom of the first inning with his second home run. Grossman has an interesting profile, with some power, some plate discipline, and some speed. He slashed .293/.418/.450 (.350 BABIP) with a 16.9% K and 18.0% BB in 616 plate appearances at High-A Bradenton this year — while also going 24-for-34 on stolen-base attempts.
• Mike Olt, a 23-year-old third baseman in the Ranger system, struck out and homered twice each. He will continue to do those things often, it seems, if his numbers heretofore are any indication.
Ray Knight, seen here mocking Red Sox fans.
Assorted Headlines
Dodgers Decline Options on Blake, Garland
The Dodgers declined to exercise 2012 options on pitcher Jon Garland and infielder Casey Blake, according to MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick. Garland would have received $8 million in 2012; Blake, $6 million. While the former has been roughly replacement level for the past couple years, Blake posted a 1.1 WAR this season despite making only 239 plate appearances.
Episode Eighty-Eight
In which the guest has plumbed a couple depths.
Headlines
Baseball and Gridiron Football — Compared, Statistically!
The NFL’s Most Glaring Inefficiencies — Revealed, Shockingly!
The Perfect Running Back — Built, Hypothetically!
Featuring
Brian Burke, Advanced NFL Stats
Finally, you can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.
Audio on the flip-flop. (Approximately 45 min. play time.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Greece: more the birthplace of “Western Thought,” and less the birthplace of “baseball players.”
Assorted Headlines
The 2011 Baseball World Cup Is a Thing That’s Happening
The 39th annual Baseball World Cup is happening this October in Panama. So far as the author can tell, the object of the event is for each team to construct the strangest possible roster it can assemble. The Americans have done pretty well, looks like, sending southward a team that consists of Quad-A outfielder Brett Carroll, actual Blue Jay prospect Travis D’Arnaud, actual Cub prospect Brett Jackson, and mostly anonymous middle infielder Joe Thurston. In related news, the Netherlands beat Greece 19-0 on Monday.
Dustin Ackley won the Arizona Fall League’s MVP and MHA (Most Handsome Award) in 2010.
Assorted Headlines
Some Triple-A Players Are Now Free Agents
As MLB Trade Rumors’ (and also FanGraphs’ own) Mike Axisa reports, a total of 22 players that finished the year in Triple-A elected free agency after the end of the regular season. Among the group, two players who might be worth something better than replacement level in 2012 are catcher Dusty Brown (199 PA, .285/.367/.506, .316 BABIP, at Triple-A Indianapolis this year) and erstwhile Cub prospect Felix Pie.
