Jack Article via ESPN

[wazzu31]

Jackson is nothing great, he's solid, but not great. He rates #12 in dWAR according to fangraphs. Ranked #14 last year. #15 in 2013.

The fact that he plays alongside Cruz probably doesn't help. According to fangraphs, Cruz ranks #47 out of 48 players at RF who have played at least 100 innings.

Interestingly enough, Seth Smith is the highest rated player defensively at RF, despite only playing 154 innings there. Yet, he is ranked 30th in LF in 186 innings. Pretty strange.

I don't think Jackson is a great defensive player, but right there is the reason this team was constructed so poorly. Every offseason move was centered around Cruz being the DH, with Cruz in RF it completely makes the OF a joke. Jackson is above average, Ackley is comparable with Johnny Damon, Smith isn't fast enough to track down gappers, Trumbo is Raul Ibanez and Cruz is a less mobile Jay Buhner. Buhner would've been nothing but a guy with a strong arm out there had it not been for Griffey. When you box yourself into a corner where you need a gold glove caliber CF you have created your team wrong IMO.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I don't think Jackson is a great defensive player, but right there is the reason this team was constructed so poorly. Every offseason move was centered around Cruz being the DH, with Cruz in RF it completely makes the OF a joke. Jackson is above average, Ackley is comparable with Johnny Damon, Smith isn't fast enough to track down gappers, Trumbo is Raul Ibanez and Cruz is a less mobile Jay Buhner. Buhner would've been nothing but a guy with a strong arm out there had it not been for Griffey. When you box yourself into a corner where you need a gold glove caliber CF you have created your team wrong IMO.

Jackson is average/above average, and is surrounded by Cruz who is the worst defensive RF in baseball, and Smith/Trumbo/Ackley who are varying degrees of mediocre at their position.

When you play half your games in a stadium like Safeco, you need guys who have good range. An outfield of Alex Gordon, Ben Revere and Nori Aoki would do this team wonders.

 

[unlvmariners]

I see we having the leverage because we don't have to trade him. Keep him another year and when he walks we get a draft pick for him. That is how I would approach anyone thinking they have leverage.

If I was an opposing teams GM and I was negotiating a trade with Jack Z I would tell him: "Listen Jack, if you take this trade I can guarantee your team will be worse than it is already." Jack Z would reply: "You have yourself a deal!"

Point is Jack Z doesn't know how to use leverage when he has it and other teams don't need it to get Jack Z to do what they want.

 

[seahawksfan234]

OBP AND DEFENSE WIN GAMES

Using fangraphs data:

Cardinals: 49-24
Royals: 43-28
Giants: 41-35
Dodgers: 42-34

These are the four teams that are top ten in both OBP and defense.

 

[NWinAZ]

OBP AND DEFENSE WIN GAMES

Using fangraphs data:

Cardinals: 49-24
Royals: 43-28
Giants: 41-35
Dodgers: 42-34

These are the four teams that are top ten in both OBP and defense.

Yup and we go for the opposite type player. I just think Jack is ahead of his time. Ya, that's the ticket!

 

[Anointed One]

Yup and we go for the opposite type player. I just think Jack is ahead of his time. Ya, that's the ticket!

His approach is suited for Coors Field and that's about it...

 

[NWinAZ]

About right.

 

[wazzu31]

To be fair to Jack, if every offensive player had a career year the offense would be good

 

[NWinAZ]

To be fair to Jack, if every offensive player had a career year the offense would be good

They are having career years. Just not very good careers.

 

[cezero]

even on paper, the only improvement to the offense was cruz. surely the people touting the magical platoons back in march even understand that now, right?

outside of cano, where people are getting the "underperforming" thing regarding this team's bats is puzzling as hell.

 

[SeattleCoug]

His approach is suited for Coors Field and that's about it...

Or a softball field