Manny being Manny,
So is this the way things will be? Is this the legacy he will be left behind? Does he ruin the chances of the Dodgers making the play offs? Does he make the Hall-of-Fame? will he able to hit 700+ home runs? Will he be chased from the game to live in exile like Palmario, Mcgwire, Bonds, Sosa, or Canseco? These questions and more will be answered on the next episode of MANNY BEING MANNY
Seriously, though who are we kidding. Manny has proved through the years that he is far and beyond the most flakley players of all time. From leaving million dollar checks in his locker for months on end to demanding that he wouldn't sign with boston unless they hired the former cleveland indians clubhouse attended who happened to set up the pitching machines for him.
Bill Simmons wrote a great piece him
It brings the thought to your mind that could manny really cheat? Someone that is just so light hearted and loves to play the game?
Look at his numbers over the years....
Top BA Yrs
2000 - .351
2001 - .349
2009 - .348
1999 - .333
2008 - .332
Top Hr Yrs
2005 - 45
1998 - 45
1999 - 44
2004 - 43
2001 - 41
Top RBI Yrs
1999 - 165
1998 - 145
2005 - 144
2004 - 130
2001 - 125
Top Hit Yrs
2003 - 185
1997 - 184
2008 - 183
2004 - 175
1999 - 174
What to me is amazing is he has years that he jumps statistically but then he levels out and then jumps again. back to where he was.
Take last year for instance, 37 Hrs 104 Rbi's he hits .332
The year prior (2007) he hit 20 Hrs 88 RBIs and hit .296 but still lead his club to a world series win.
then from 96-98 he took another little dip..
33 Hrs 112 RBIs and hit .309 1996
26 Hrs 88 RBIs and hit .328 1997
45 Hrs 145 RBIs and hit .294 1998
In 1997 and 2006 did he take steroids to get his stats back up to what he was the year prior?If that was the case how come he didn't hit 40 or 50 or even 60 home runs the following year. You might say that he didn't try that hard through the first half of the season. If he was serious he really could have hit 50+, okay if thats the case then he suddenly decided that he was going to start taking steroids to make him play better but then didn't want to play quiet as good? yeah he's manny and yeah he's flakey. but..... really??? that makes NO sense. Is this what he has become someone who is desperate to stay ahead? he never has been that person, he's manny. He revolutionized "being yourself"
No one could possibly get away with doing what he does at their job and then have their boss say. "Well that's just Harrison, being, Harrison." ... NO WAY. the bottom line is that he has solidified himself as the best player in baseball. he is a game changer and despite his suspension the NL West is not a race. Manny has already put the Dodgers 6 games ahead of anyone else and while that maybe only a week's worth of games and manny is gone for approx 2 months. Upon Manny's return he will continue on his torrid streak and push the Dodgers to the NLCS and possibly the World Series. While it's only a month into the season, the only team in the National League at this point shows the possibility of contention with them is the St. Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols. I'm sure this will make my boss(Nick) especially happy but, in all seriousness thats what i think with the way the league is shaping up this season.
Going back to Manny, he has compiled perhapes the greatest stats for a hitter of our generation with the exception of Ken Griffey Jr and Pujols. However, griffey has never lead any of his teams to the play-offs or even to a world series championship. Pujols has however it's been far from dominating like the teams Manny has been apart of. His statistics compare him to the likes of Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Willie Mays and Jimmie Foxx. Not a bad bunch of people to compared too.
The bottom line is that there is no creditable evidence statistically that he did infact take steroids. With all the other players there has been some type of tip off statistically. in some form or way. home runs or speed, and in what was said by a couple of the guys at my class during the discussion today. Steroids dosn't give you hand-to-eye coordination...
He's a ligitmate hall-of-famer and one bad decision (one influenced by a credable doctor)
Bottom-line...the Dodgers will go on to be fine and so will Manny. He's a first ballot HOFer and he makes every team he's apart of that much better.
Showing posts with label LA Dodgers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LA Dodgers. Show all posts
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The quiet things that no one ever knows
Well, the life has been crazy of late. Just havn’t had time to write as much as I would have liked in the past week. BUT, I’ll try to play some catch up with some observations that I havn’t seen made and maybe some that have…
#1 Derek Holland was called up by Texas
This guy is is considered to be their #2 SP prospect and #46 in the entire MLB. This has to be a sign that the Rangers think he’s ready. I guess they just wanted him to get some work at OKC before coming on up. He’ll be in the bullpen to start off but I gotta think that if he shows any signs of being able to handle major league hitters he’ll be thrusted into the pitching rotation.
MLB article here
Holland, a lefty could very easily take Benson, Padilla or Matt Harrison’s spots should they continue to struggle. I think the aging Padilla or Benson is more likely. As Harrison 23, is still young and learning his way around the biggs. I would think that Benson is on his last leg at this point, while Padilla is a has been Benson at this point is a #1 pick. That has show signs but never fully panned into the pitcher he was thought he could become.
In 10 years Benson has only hit 200 IP twice. He has been injury prone and has been with 4 Other Major League Clubs in 3 years. I gotta think the Rangers can only allow this experiment go on for so long. Even after a slow start the Angels and Athletics have been brought down to a new low-level and the division is up for grabs. I would love to see Benson succeed but I just don’t see it happening with Holland now in the bull-pen
#2 Pedro Martinez STILL is unsigned
Are you kidding me?! Did anyone see this guy pitch. I know it’s 3 weeks into the season. But with teams taking interest in Ben Sheets, John Smoltz, and Chris Carpenter. How do you not take alittle interest in one of the best pitchers of the decade?! This is a shocker to me and it leaves me a bit curious as to who is going to be the one team falling all over themselves come time that division leaders start to pull away. MARK MY WORDS~ this will end up impacting a division race this year in a huge way.
#3 Kevin Millwood and Jarrod Washburn have 1.17 and 1.29 ERAs
I was looking at League Leaders and this stood out to me. Um… I really didn’t want to do another post on the Rangers again and I’ve been thinking about Washburn and with all the pressure there is to perform on him and then Hayden and I started talking about Millwood the other day it got me thinking these two are in a very similar boat right now. ON TOP of the fact their teams both needed them to earn their contract with economic times getting tight.
I just think this is amazing. I totally don’t think either one can keep this up. It’s the very definition of sell high. However the huge difference between the two pitchers is that Millwood was once an arguable #1 or 2 pitcher and Washburn has always been a #3 starter. But I guess the M’s could very well get a 200 inning season out of Washburn the same with the Rangers and Kevin Millwood.
Anyone else curious on the lines of each player getting Injured before their 10th Start or even which pitcher lasts the longest?? It would be an interesting bet for sure!
#4 Matt Holliday is hitting .267/.313/.400 (BA/OBP/SLG ) /w 0 Hr’s and 9 RBIs
Wow … so this is the guy that’s going to be the next 200 mil guy? Yeah right. I said he was going to flop moving to the AL and so far in TWO WEEKS I WAS RIGHT! LOL, okay maybe it’s a little too soon to call it a flop. He does have 9 RBI’s but .. I mean Compare him to Griffey right now, .206/.357/.382 /w 2 Hr’s his monstrous 2 RBIs. He also is has 13 more Abs and is well.. atleast 50 years younger. With that said I don’t see him having another +30 HR season. I know there was some issues last year that really prevented him from being his best and he’s only 29. BUT! I just don’t see this guy hitting 15+ homers in Oakland.
Check out holliday’s batting splits…
in 1378 ABs he has 84 HRs at home
in 1323 ABs he has 44 HRs on the road
that’s a huge decline! And something that people need to start looking at, a team is going to completely over pay for him after he declines and hits 23-27 homers this year.
Please don’t mistake this for a flaming I hate Matt Holliday post. I think this guy is a great hitter.
he has declining stats in more than just HRs on the road to include walks, hit and increased strikes outs. It maybe that Matt Holiday does not play as good on the road than during a home stand where he gets to sleep in his own bed. He’s not the first and not the last. But I do believe that his “home run power” comes from the majority of the parks he plays in.
time will only tell if come July he is sitting around 10-15 home runs and hitting around .280-90 that Coors field had a bigger impact on his hitting than people care to admit.
#5 The Dodgers, Blue Jays and Marlins are the first teams to 10 wins
Wow .. just an observation..Oh, and I totally called the Marlins before the season starts. Ask Hayden.
------------------------------------------------------
My most recent favorite headline…
------------------------------------------
cool place to watch home runs hit at Safeco field
-----------------------------------------
Yet proof that I could go from the Air Force IT to working the MLB!!!
#1 Derek Holland was called up by Texas
This guy is is considered to be their #2 SP prospect and #46 in the entire MLB. This has to be a sign that the Rangers think he’s ready. I guess they just wanted him to get some work at OKC before coming on up. He’ll be in the bullpen to start off but I gotta think that if he shows any signs of being able to handle major league hitters he’ll be thrusted into the pitching rotation.
MLB article here
Holland, a lefty could very easily take Benson, Padilla or Matt Harrison’s spots should they continue to struggle. I think the aging Padilla or Benson is more likely. As Harrison 23, is still young and learning his way around the biggs. I would think that Benson is on his last leg at this point, while Padilla is a has been Benson at this point is a #1 pick. That has show signs but never fully panned into the pitcher he was thought he could become.
In 10 years Benson has only hit 200 IP twice. He has been injury prone and has been with 4 Other Major League Clubs in 3 years. I gotta think the Rangers can only allow this experiment go on for so long. Even after a slow start the Angels and Athletics have been brought down to a new low-level and the division is up for grabs. I would love to see Benson succeed but I just don’t see it happening with Holland now in the bull-pen
#2 Pedro Martinez STILL is unsigned
Are you kidding me?! Did anyone see this guy pitch. I know it’s 3 weeks into the season. But with teams taking interest in Ben Sheets, John Smoltz, and Chris Carpenter. How do you not take alittle interest in one of the best pitchers of the decade?! This is a shocker to me and it leaves me a bit curious as to who is going to be the one team falling all over themselves come time that division leaders start to pull away. MARK MY WORDS~ this will end up impacting a division race this year in a huge way.
#3 Kevin Millwood and Jarrod Washburn have 1.17 and 1.29 ERAs
I was looking at League Leaders and this stood out to me. Um… I really didn’t want to do another post on the Rangers again and I’ve been thinking about Washburn and with all the pressure there is to perform on him and then Hayden and I started talking about Millwood the other day it got me thinking these two are in a very similar boat right now. ON TOP of the fact their teams both needed them to earn their contract with economic times getting tight.
I just think this is amazing. I totally don’t think either one can keep this up. It’s the very definition of sell high. However the huge difference between the two pitchers is that Millwood was once an arguable #1 or 2 pitcher and Washburn has always been a #3 starter. But I guess the M’s could very well get a 200 inning season out of Washburn the same with the Rangers and Kevin Millwood.
Anyone else curious on the lines of each player getting Injured before their 10th Start or even which pitcher lasts the longest?? It would be an interesting bet for sure!
#4 Matt Holliday is hitting .267/.313/.400 (BA/OBP/SLG ) /w 0 Hr’s and 9 RBIs
Wow … so this is the guy that’s going to be the next 200 mil guy? Yeah right. I said he was going to flop moving to the AL and so far in TWO WEEKS I WAS RIGHT! LOL, okay maybe it’s a little too soon to call it a flop. He does have 9 RBI’s but .. I mean Compare him to Griffey right now, .206/.357/.382 /w 2 Hr’s his monstrous 2 RBIs. He also is has 13 more Abs and is well.. atleast 50 years younger. With that said I don’t see him having another +30 HR season. I know there was some issues last year that really prevented him from being his best and he’s only 29. BUT! I just don’t see this guy hitting 15+ homers in Oakland.
Check out holliday’s batting splits…
in 1378 ABs he has 84 HRs at home
in 1323 ABs he has 44 HRs on the road
that’s a huge decline! And something that people need to start looking at, a team is going to completely over pay for him after he declines and hits 23-27 homers this year.
Please don’t mistake this for a flaming I hate Matt Holliday post. I think this guy is a great hitter.
he has declining stats in more than just HRs on the road to include walks, hit and increased strikes outs. It maybe that Matt Holiday does not play as good on the road than during a home stand where he gets to sleep in his own bed. He’s not the first and not the last. But I do believe that his “home run power” comes from the majority of the parks he plays in.
time will only tell if come July he is sitting around 10-15 home runs and hitting around .280-90 that Coors field had a bigger impact on his hitting than people care to admit.
#5 The Dodgers, Blue Jays and Marlins are the first teams to 10 wins
Wow .. just an observation..Oh, and I totally called the Marlins before the season starts. Ask Hayden.
------------------------------------------------------
My most recent favorite headline…
------------------------------------------
cool place to watch home runs hit at Safeco field
-----------------------------------------
Yet proof that I could go from the Air Force IT to working the MLB!!!
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