Series Thread: Battle for the bottom.....Houston 8/8-10

[RevSader]

JPA is a .194 hitter. He is simply temporarily overachieving and will once again be a terrible hitter who doesn't play any position very well. As bad as Gimenez is he is better than JPA.

JPA is playing first though. I doubt he will catch anymore. The org moved him to first, where he will likely play if he stays with the Rangers org. Gim tried first, but they obviously didn't like him there, because they called up JPA to do it.

 

[scotsman1948]

JPA is a .194 hitter. He is simply temporarily overachieving and will once again be a terrible hitter who doesn't play any position very well. As bad as Gimenez is he is better than JPA.

with the present team what difference does it make who we keep?

 

[Nightcrawler]

JPA is playing first though. I doubt he will catch anymore. The org moved him to first, where he will likely play if he stays with the Rangers org. Gim tried first, but they obviously didn't like him there, because they called up JPA to do it.

What happens when JD's favored son Mitch gets back? Do you guys think the organization will let JPA finish the season at first base if he continues his high level of play?

 

[saddles]

with the present team what difference does it make who we keep?

That is a good point. Now if they still have JPA in the organization when we are good enough to make a run for the playoffs in 2016 or 2017 then I will be a lot more concerned.

 

[jta4437]

JPA is a .194 hitter. He is simply temporarily overachieving and will once again be a terrible hitter who doesn't play any position very well. As bad as Gimenez is he is better than JPA.

JPA's career BA is higher than .194, so in essence he's still technically underachieving, and Giminez is a nobody, JPA at least offers power potential, its an uneventful move that ultimately doesn't mean much now or later

We're talking about a career .2 WAR player in 498 plate appearances (-.1 before this season) vs a career .4 WAR player in 1530 plate apperances (.7 before this season), its a nothing move and certainly not worth getting bent out of shape about it

 

[Justinkm83]

What happens when JD's favored son Mitch gets back? Do you guys think the organization will let JPA finish the season at first base if he continues his high level of play?

Mitch won't be back this year.

 

[saddles]

What happens when JD's favored son Mitch gets back? Do you guys think the organization will let JPA finish the season at first base if he continues his high level of play?

JPA will not continue this level of play. Look at his career stats and his recent year's stats. This is an aberration.

 

[saddles]

JPA's career BA is higher than .194, so in essence he's still technically underachieving, and Giminez is a nobody, JPA at least offers power potential, its an uneventful move that ultimately doesn't mean much now or later

We're talking about a career .2 WAR player in 498 plate appearances (-.1 before this season) vs a career .4 WAR player in 1530 plate apperances (.7 before this season), its a nothing move and certainly not worth getting bent out of shape about it

He hit .194 last year and is hitting that this year so that is why I called him a .194 hitter. That is what he has become.

 

[jta4437]

JPA will not continue this level of play. Look at his career stats and his recent year's stats. This is an aberration.

Gimenez's career average is all of 5 points higher than JPA's, he's the one playing over hid head right now, not JPA

.215, .301, .308.... .609 career OPS, absolutely stellar

 

[Justinkm83]

Gimenez's career average is all of 5 points higher than JPA's, he's the one playing over hid head right now, not JPA

.215, .301, .308.... .609 career OPS, absolutely stellar

I really hope our bench is good enough where neither one of them are on the team next year. If I had to choose it would be JPA because of the power, but it's close.

 

[donaldson79]

I agree. I think if you looked at Yu's 10 best efforts while here that he would have had them with a variety of catchers. He is too good to need just one particular catcher catching him. Soto has missed a whole lot of time this year and Yu has had some very good outings without Soto behind the plate.

He's the one dictating who catches him. He didn't like AJP last year so Soto got the job, and he doesn't like JPA or Chirinos this season so Gem got the decision this season.

 

[donaldson79]

He doesn't get hurt as often as Soto and he doesn't get in trouble with drug use like Soto has recently. I just don't understand the Rangers fascination with JPA or Soto. Gimenez has done an admirable job this year and I feel he should be here more than those two. One thing I like about Gimenez is that he has improved his offense over the past couple of chances that he has gotten in 2012 and this year. He is also more versatile than Soto.

Once we get good enough for decisions like this to matter Alfaro will be here anyway. Starting any of those 3 behind the plate in 2015 pretty much signals what kind of season next year will be.

So I guess the fact Soto was going to be our starting catcher for 2014 meant - in your eyes - our season was doomed before it began?

 

[Justinkm83]

So I guess the fact Soto was going to be our starting catcher for 2014 meant - in your eyes - our season was doomed before it began?

I know you asked him, but I wanted to clear up my point on Soto. Before the year started I thought Soto would be decent enough from our C position. I wouldn't say I was thrilled about it, but I hoped he would return to his CHI days. That said, I would still rather give Telis or Nicholas a shot. I just think there's more to gain giving youngsters a shot at this point of our season. If it doesn't work out then you have Soto still in the minors. IMO this year is the perfect time to see what we've got in minor leaguers that are playing well and have gotten plenty of AB's in the minors.

 

[saddles]

Gimenez's career average is all of 5 points higher than JPA's, he's the one playing over hid head right now, not JPA

.215, .301, .308.... .609 career OPS, absolutely stellar

Gimenez's arrow is pointing up and JPA's is pointing down though. Look at JPA's numbers the last 2 years and look ar Geminez's numbers the last two years he played in the bigs. That is what I am going on. Look, neither of them are good, but Giminez does appear to be getting better as he gets experience in the big leagues and JPA has regressed.

 

[jta4437]

I know you asked him, but I wanted to clear up my point on Soto. Before the year started I thought Soto would be decent enough from our C position. I wouldn't say I was thrilled about it, but I hoped he would return to his CHI days. That said, I would still rather give Telis or Nicholas a shot. I just think there's more to gain giving youngsters a shot at this point of our season. If it doesn't work out then you have Soto still in the minors. IMO this year is the perfect time to see what we've got in minor leaguers that are playing well and have gotten plenty of AB's in the minors.

Telis makes contact, but doesn't walk and has no power, can't say much about his overall catching kit, but he only throws out 28% of attempted basestealers... looks like backup material

Nicholas, not as good with the bat, but walks more and has a little power but also doesn't offer much with the glove

 

[donaldson79]

I know you asked him, but I wanted to clear up my point on Soto. Before the year started I thought Soto would be decent enough from our C position. I wouldn't say I was thrilled about it, but I hoped he would return to his CHI days. That said, I would still rather give Telis or Nicholas a shot. I just think there's more to gain giving youngsters a shot at this point of our season. If it doesn't work out then you have Soto still in the minors. IMO this year is the perfect time to see what we've got in minor leaguers that are playing well and have gotten plenty of AB's in the minors.

I get this. Your point is understandable.

My problem with Saddles was he said if Soto is our starter next year, then we're in world of hurt. So I'm wondering how he viewed the fact Soto was going to be our starter this year, and by most accounts, we were semi happy with this.

 

[saddles]

So I guess the fact Soto was going to be our starting catcher for 2014 meant - in your eyes - our season was doomed before it began?

That was just one example as to what was wrong with this club from the beginning. We had a poor catcher and a poor DH. We had a 1B who had shown last year that something was wrong with him. We also had JPA and Rosales as bench players. Our offense was doomed to keep us from making the postseason based on its poor construction. The choice of Soto at C was a very bad sign to me.

 

[saddles]

I get this. Your point is understandable.

My problem with Saddles was he said if Soto is our starter next year, then we're in world of hurt. So I'm wondering how he viewed the fact Soto was going to be our starter this year, and by most accounts, we were semi happy with this.

You might have been happy, but I wasn't. I didn't have much expectations for 2014 once I saw how the offseason was unfolding.

 

[RevSader]

You might have been happy, but I wasn't. I didn't have much expectations for 2014 once I saw how the offseason was unfolding.

After Holland got injured I was a lot less hopeful. I thought they might be able to over perform and hang in there, but the bottom fell out after the Cotts homer to Kyle Seager.

 

[jta4437]

Gimenez's arrow is pointing up and JPA's is pointing down though. Look at JPA's numbers the last 2 years and look ar Geminez's numbers the last two years he played in the bigs. That is what I am going on. Look, neither of them are good, but Giminez does appear to be getting better as he gets experience in the big leagues and JPA has regressed.

so selectively looking at the numbers? Which ever ones help make your point, lets just ignore the body of work as a whole? So ignore last year when he wasn't even good enough to play in the bigs? But DO choose to look at 2 years ago when it helps your point?

Gimenez is 32, his arrow isn't pointed anywhere but where it is, mediocre roster fodder at the end of his prime, destined to be passed around like a bong from roster to roster, this is who he is at this point,

JPA is on a hot streak, and is in the middle of his prime, might as well ride the hot hand until its not, who knows maybe he's made adjustments while he was in AAA, we don't know unless we let him play