2017 NL CENTRAL DISCUSSION

[mutiger]

Big win for Cubs.....bad loss for Brewers

 

[navamind]

Reds fans are pretty excited but also realistic. Winker doesn't have the wheels to play anywhere but corner outfield, and as a lefty, that pretty well covers his weaknesses. But his OBP is going to be pretty good and he has surprising power, though I think a 20 HR season playing 81 in Cincy is realistic.

Right now, he's leading off but I don't know if he will win that job or not since the Reds insist on telling us that Hamilton will work on his hitting again this off-season and ... never will that happen. BH spends too much time crashing into walls.

the one question mark around him was (and still is, I suppose) whether his power would translate to the majors. So far, he's shown considerable pop (.213 ISO) but it's only 123 PA. The BA/OBP skills are exciting, and playing with a guy like Votto might help him even more in that department.

 

[JohnU]

the one question mark around him was (and still is, I suppose) whether his power would translate to the majors. So far, he's shown considerable pop (.213 ISO) but it's only 123 PA. The BA/OBP skills are exciting, and playing with a guy like Votto might help him even more in that department.

I think he will be a hard guy to shift against, which opens up his offense a little more than somebody like Jay Bruce. I think he may end up near the top of the batting order if IF IF Hamilton continues to struggle in the LO position.
Watching the Reds outfield these last 3 games against St. Louis, it's clear that Hamilton IS the best CF they can have. He simply gets to balls that nobody else can catch. So the mission now is to teach Hamilton to hit.
That, by extension, helps Winker.

 

[tabascojet]

nice mud flap hader......get a haircut

 

[tabascojet]

blown save in the 9th and the 10th....impressive

 

[navamind]

Kris Bryant continues to cut down on the K's. He's gone from striking out 30.6% of the time in his rookie year to 18.9% (below league average) in 2017. He's already an elite player, but he could be in for an even better year next year.

 

[JohnU]

Kris Bryant continues to cut down on the K's. He's gone from striking out 30.6% of the time in his rookie year to 18.9% (below league average) in 2017. He's already an elite player, but he could be in for an even better year next year.

Not that it's even a fair comparison, but looking at Bryant's K rate, even if it declines, is staggering compared to the great hitters of 60 years ago. I was looking up Mantle's career numbers for some other reason and ... get this ... he led the league in K's FIVE times ... and the most he ever had was 126. Bryant's low water mark will exceed that.

Admittedly, Mantle is pretty tough to compete against on any level, and so is Hank Aaron, who struck out no more than 97 times in any season.

Eddie Matthews, who might compare favorably to Bryant, had at most 119.

Strange stats, we have these days.

 

[Mitziman]

Yo, @scoutyjones2 remember what I said back in 2015?

Some Cardinal fans are just pitiful, and yes...you are one of them

 

[Mitziman]

No worries @scoutyjones2 Cubs playoff magic number is 1.

Cardinals magic number before they play another meaningful game is 184...before the start of the 2018 season.


Again, "get used to it". Enjoy watching the Cubs playoff baseball in 2017.

 

[packerzrule]

nice mud flap hader......get a haircut

mud flap



too funny

 

[tabascojet]

mud flap



too funny

that thing is too impressive just to be called a mullet....

 

[packerzrule]

that thing is too impressive just to be called a mullet....

agreed

when it is windy, it looks like an orgy of small mammals

 

[JohnU]

agreed

when it is windy, it looks like an orgy of small mammals

Brewers fans probably should be a little more worried about his tendency to melt down.
Man, last night he had it rockin' until a couple of foul balls on out pitches.
But he's got a ton of potential. After he cuts his hair.

 

[navamind]

Votto leads the NL in OBP by 40 points this year (.455 to Justin Turner's .415). This will be his 6th OBP title. He narrowly missed out in 2015 despite having a .459 OBP (Harper's was .460).

 

[Howie115]

Not that it's even a fair comparison, but looking at Bryant's K rate, even if it declines, is staggering compared to the great hitters of 60 years ago. I was looking up Mantle's career numbers for some other reason and ... get this ... he led the league in K's FIVE times ... and the most he ever had was 126. Bryant's low water mark will exceed that.

Admittedly, Mantle is pretty tough to compete against on any level, and so is Hank Aaron, who struck out no more than 97 times in any season.

Eddie Matthews, who might compare favorably to Bryant, had at most 119.

Strange stats, we have these days.

Different era in Mantle's days, for sure. We were just beginning to see African Americans and Latinos in the game, so the talent pool was not as wide. Nor did we have the relief specialists back then that we do now.

 

[JohnU]

Different era in Mantle's days, for sure. We were just beginning to see African Americans and Latinos in the game, so the talent pool was not as wide. Nor did we have the relief specialists back then that we do now.

A agree on the relievers.
The pitch variation was also different.
We are setting a record this year for K's ... overlaying players and eras is always tricky.

 

[navamind]

Bryce Harper is hanging with Kris Bryant at a Vegas Golden Knights game, so feel free to speculate wildly

I wouldn't read into it, but how great would this be after all the "he wants to be a Yankee" talk?

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Bryce Harper is hanging with Kris Bryant at a Vegas Golden Knights game, so feel free to speculate wildly

I wouldn't read into it, but how great would this be after all the "he wants to be a Yankee" talk?

Frankly, I think all he wants to be is paid like a mother fucker. Doesn't matter if it's by the Yankees or anyone else.

 

[navamind]

Dan Szymborski has started releasing his 2018 ZiPS projections. He started with the Reds.

2018 ZiPS Projections – Cincinnati Reds | FanGraphs Baseball

The position players look pretty good, but the pitching staff should once again keep them under .500. It'll probably be another year or two before they contend for a playoff spot again, but the future looks pretty good IMO.

 

[navamind]

Molina plans to retire at the end of his three-year extension