Around Baseball 2015 Edition

[thethe]

How much did he want to get paid?

Apparently more than 20 a year because the 5 for 80 would have paid him ar9u d that in his FA years.

Again, you can believe the info ramadon passed along or not. So far, the Braves valuation of Heyward has been spot on.

[weso1]

Players can look really good in short peroids. Both offensively and defensively.

But I would think range and arm strength would be much easier to spot with eyeballs than offense would be. I mean he's clearly getting to balls out there that a lot of other players wouldn't.

[thethe]

He has been good but I still think he looks awkward sometimes out there... He also gets to a lot of balls by stopping them but doesn't make the play - either by not catching them cleanly or having a strong enough arm. These aren't easy plays by any streatch of the imagination - but he's not Simmons

Nobody should be compared to Simmons. I know you're not. Just wanted to say that.

[thewupk]

I'm not sure you can fake defense in the infield that Jace is playing right now. He has been really good out there and since he is a great athlete I feel like he will only improve with more reps.

It's not about faking anything. Whatever his DRS is right now. He's saved that many more runs then the average 2B to this point in the season. That is fact. What is not fact is he will continue at that rate. Even Simmons has varied from month to month.

[chop2chip]

Jace has made some great plays but to me he often looks very awkward and clunky out there

I have noticed the awkwardness as well. I thought he had a poor defensive series against the Giants.

But he also has incredible range and he doesn't make errors. Those two things usually equate to elite defense.

[weso1]

All that just means is that he has room for improvement. This could be the base minimum we see from him defensively.

[sturg33]

I have noticed the awkwardness as well. I thought he had a poor defensive series against the Giants.

But he also has incredible range and he doesn't make errors. Those two things usually equate to elite defense.

Agreed

[sturg33]

I think Jace is a fine player to have if he's our 8 hitter and starting second basemen. Unfortunately, he's much more than that on our team

[thewupk]

But I would think range and arm strength would be much easier to spot with eyeballs than offense would be. I mean he's clearly getting to balls out there that a lot of other players wouldn't.

I mean I don't see anything to suggest he's going to fall off a cliff. It's not like offensive where you can tell someone is getting lucky with BABIP, etc. I'm just saying there is no baseline yet and while he should be not bad for the forseeable futuere we don't know how good that is, yet.

[thethe]

I think Jace is a fine player to have if he's our 8 hitter and starting second basemen. Unfortunately, he's much more than that on our team

I'd hit him 9th when Mallex is up next year.

[gilesfan]

Kelly Johnson hasn't played extended time at second base since 2012. I doubt he would be anything less than a well below average defensive second baseman.

KJ has played 6800+ innings at 2B in his career and isn't a well below average 2B. I don't think he's gotten significantly slower or less agile to conclude that he would be a "well below average defensive second baseman." WHile, he hasn't had extended time he has played over there some in the last 3 years and likely workouts at 2B all the time.

[gilesfan]

Thoughts on Cameron Maybin? Legitimate change in approach or still SSS?
Klaw (1:09 PM)

I'm buying. He's had flashes of this before, but wasn't healthy a lot of the past two years.

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I'm buying as well. We need to consider moving him to RF next season when Smith is ready.

I would be very leery of playing Maybin in right field, I just don't think his bat plays there. There is nothing super outstanding about his batting numbers this year. He has walked slightly more than average and struck out slightlhy less. His power is right at career averages. The main difference is his batting average is 46 points higher (BABIP is 47 points higher). I expect a bump up from going from SD to Atl, but I don't think his power (or maybe not even defense) plays well in right field. I expect him to settle in the .275/.330/.400 range.

[chop2chip]

I think Jace is a fine player to have if he's our 8 hitter and starting second basemen. Unfortunately, he's much more than that on our team

Since Jace was made a full time starter on April 26th:

167 PA
.297/.368/.379
111 wRC+

SSS ALERT! Arbitrary End Point Alert!

If that is roughly the player he is, then he's much more than the 8th hitter in your line up.

[gilesfan]

Apparently more than 20 a year because the 5 for 80 would have paid him ar9u d that in his FA years.

Again, you can believe the info ramadon passed along or not. So far, the Braves valuation of Heyward has been spot on.

5/80 is 16 million per year.

[sturg33]

Since Jace was made a full time starter on April 26th:

167 PA
.297/.368/.379
111 wRC+

SSS ALERT! Arbitrary End Point Alert!

If that is roughly the player he is, then he's much more than the 8th hitter in your line up.

He's been very good during a decent stretch of time. But you know better than to not include the time he was dreaful

[chop2chip]

He's been very good during a decent stretch of time. But you know better than to not include the time he was dreaful

I made sure to include that caveat. But it wasn't exactly a random beginning point. He's played much better since he was told that he was going to play every day. I'm not going to throw out the physological element.

[Tapate50]

Kyle Kubitza getting called up to Anaheim. Good for him.

[thethe]

5/80 is 16 million per year.

The first two years of that deal were arby years and probably less than 16 per year.

[jpx7]

The Nationals color-guy is one of the biggest doofuses I've heard in the booth.

[gilesfan]

The Nationals color-guy is one of the biggest doofuses I've heard in the booth.

You don't talk about former Expo scrappy white utility guys like that, mister.