Archive for the ‘Projections’ Category

OBG08: Jim Edmonds

Saturday, February 2, 2008
by Geoff Young
OBG08: Le Menu Josh Bard/Michael Barrett Adrian Gonzalez Tadahito Iguchi Kevin Kouzmanoff Khalil Greene Scott Hairston Chase Headley Before we get to Jim Edmonds, here's a quick recap of where things stand to date. Eventually I'll post a comprehensive list of our projections and upload a spreadsheet so everyone can ridicule us or whatever, but for now, if you haven't gotten your guesses in, please go to the appropriate entry and do so. Or not. Your call. Anywho, on to Edmonds. I really do not have a good feel for what he's capable of at this stage in his career. He's 38 years old and he barely cracked 400 plate appearances each of the past two seasons. His offensive skills appear to be in precipitous decline ...

OBG08: Chase Headley

Thursday, January 31, 2008
by Geoff Young
Before we get started, I've got a new article up at Hardball Times that takes a look back at what Bill James once predicted for the future of Barry Bonds. As they say, it's interesting if you're interested in that sort of thing. Moving on, let's talk about Chase Headley. Far be it from someone named "Geoff" to run smack on another person's name, but doesn't "Chase Headley" sound like a soap opera character? He would wear cardigan sweaters, hunt pheasant, and say things like, "Do fetch me some champagne, dear boy." Anyway, the real Chase Headley ...
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OBG08: Scott Hairston

Wednesday, January 30, 2008
by Geoff Young
By now you've heard that the Minnesota Twins have agreed to trade left-hander Johan Santana to the Mets for Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey. Beyond the obvious impact this will have on the balance of power in the National League, there's an important lesson here for those who would trade Khalil Greene simply for the sake of trading him. Do you see the name of Philip Hughes anywhere in the list of players coming to Minnesota? I don't, and that's a problem. Greene wouldn't fetch such a ...

OBG08: Khalil Greene

Tuesday, January 29, 2008
by Geoff Young
I wonder if anyone has an opinion about Khalil Greene? As has been discussed at great length (most recently by MB at Friar Forecast), Petco Park kills Greene's offensive game above and beyond what we might expect. The good news, at least from a forecaster's perspective, is that Greene pretty much does the same thing every year. So long as he remains with the Padres, and assuming the flukish injuries that dogged him before last year are behind him, expect more of the same. I'll say 600 PA, .251/.302/.456. If he somehow ends ...

OBG08: Kevin Kouzmanoff

Monday, January 28, 2008
by Geoff Young
Didi, Sandra (Mrs. Ducksnorts), and I checked out FriarFest on Saturday. We couldn't stay long, but it was nice to get out of the house for a while. (The book project is making me completely mental, I must say.) I'm happy to report that when I threw a pitch in the visitors bullpen, it arrived in the catcher's mitt without first stopping to bounce in the dirt. I felt proud and somewhat pathetic, all at the same time. I also lost my cell phone. Big thanks to a gentleman named Scott who found and returned it to me on Sunday. It's troubling how dependent I've become ...

OBG08: Tadahito Iguchi

Sunday, January 27, 2008
by Geoff Young
Next up in our community projections is newcomer Tadahito Iguchi. The veteran second baseman possesses a broad base of offensive skills, but his power has declined each year since he arrived in North America. Iguchi is 33 and will play half his games in a park that suppresses offense, which suggests that a reversal of this trend is unlikely. I'll go with 550 PA, .263/.343/.391. What sayest thou?

OBG08: Adrian Gonzalez

Saturday, January 26, 2008
by Geoff Young
The season's almost here, so I guess it's time to start posting on weekends again. In case you missed it, we're doing community projections for the 2008 Padres. Today's entrant is first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez lost 22 points off his batting average from 2006 to 2007 but saw his raw on-base skills and power improve. He also came on strong down the stretch last year. Gonzalez turns 26 a month or so into the season, and although Petco Park hurts his game, I don't think we've seen his best yet. I'll say 675 PA, .294/.357/.506, and that might be too conservative. You know the routine. Lay ...