Quick Note on Alex Liddi
Everything at this point is still small sample, so you can’t read too much into any player’s 2012 line to date. However, I did want to point out one somewhat encouraging trend.
Last year, 602 players came to bat at least 40 times. This total includes a bunch of starting pitchers, since I don’t have a quick-and-dirty way to filter them out, and also because their existence here makes the following point funnier. Of those 602 players with 40+ PA, Alex Liddi’s 59.6% contact rate ranked 596th, and four of the six players who posted lower contact rates were pitchers. Among position players, only Chris Carter and Blake Tekotte – both rightfully back in the minor leagues this year – swung and missed more often than Alex Liddi in 2011. For reference, Liddi’s contact rate was significantly worse than the mark posted by Carlos Peguero, who put bat on ball 64.4 percent of the time he swung. Liddi made Peguero look like a good contact hitter. Enough said.
2012, though? Alex Liddi’s contact rate is at 80.0%, slightly higher than the league average of 79.8%. There was a lot of talk in spring about Liddi shortening up his swing and doing a better job of making contact, and the early returns suggest that he’s actually taken a step forward in that area. We’re still dealing with less than 100 career plate appearances, and Liddi’s true talent contact rate was almost certainly better than he showed in the big leagues last year, but contact rate is a thing that stabilizes fairly quickly, and Liddi’s ability to post an 80% contact rate in any kind of sample is encouraging, as that was something he just couldn’t do last year.
Don’t go overboard with Liddi love just yet. After all, his rest-of-season ZIPS projection still calls for just a .301 wOBA, which would make him a below average hitter, but contact has always been Liddi’s fatal flaw, and if he can keep hitting for power while also improving his contact rate, then he could develop into something better than we had hoped for. He’ll need to take several more steps forward before he starts getting penciled in as the future at third base, but hey, baby steps are better than no steps.
My biggest concern about Liddi…
I really hate that Italian call Rizz does when Liddi hits a home run (“Adioo…” or something). I really, REALLY, hate it! If Liddi makes the big time, I may have to have Rizz whacked – I don’t want to hear that for the next 10 years.
I mean, come ON. When Saunders hits a homer is someone gonna say “See ya later, eh?” every time?
Oh c’mon. It’s not like there’s been a glut of Italian born baseball players in major league history, so let him have his fun.
Though personally I’d do something more simple with a Liddi home run like… “get outta here!” or “forgettaboutit!”
You’d think with an Italian player on a team owned by Nintendo, the Super Mario Bros theme would be the obvious choice for his at-bat music.
Jokes aside, if some combination of our organization’s infielders develop into solid MLB players, do we consider moving Ackley back to the OF to fit them all in?
Absolutely Ackley would be a big improvement on Figgy in left. Then put Seager at second with Liddi at third and you have the makings of the infield fo the next 8-10 years.
Yes we do – should already be considering it. Seager 2nd base, Ack LF and leading off right now sounds good.
I doubt Ackley’s moving anywhere.
“Jokes aside, if some combination of our organization’s infielders develop into solid MLB players, do we consider moving Ackley back to the OF to fit them all in?”
I have heard Wedge state, “not for now” … which isn’t a “no” and isn’t a “yes.” He was responding to a similar question as you asked, during Spring Training.
I would not be surprised if the team has considered the possibility, but I would be surprised if they do it any time soon, unless they are forced since Ackley’s offensive value (when producing at his projected levels) would be best served as a 2B.
The question will probably be answered by Guti and Saunders, ultimately. If Guti can ever come back healthy – and if Saunders can become consistent and produce, I think the outfield would be pretty well set. Carp is not a LF and everyone knows this, but he can Luzinski it up for a while out there and get the team through for short stretches. If Saunders is producing, he would be the easy choice over Carp defensively in LF. Carp is a 1B/DH with a bit of positional flexibility and there is currently a a need for some productivity (any productivity) at 1B, so who knows how things might shake out. Between Smoak, Carp, Liddi someone will emerge or “platoon” between the 1B and DH slots… which further highlights the need for Montero to eventually become an everyday catcher.
Ooh, a better Canada-themed home run call for Saunders:
“Take off, eh!”
No you don’t move Ackley
“Good bye baseball” works in any context, for me. I just hope we get to hear more of it.
“…but hey, baby steps are better than no steps.”
There’s been always a key word in Liddi career since he arrived in High Desert coming from three mediocre seasons in Wisconsin and that word is upgrading. First he showed power never seen before, then he fixed defense and finally now we discover he has a good contact rate. Perhaps he’ll become a real major leaguer or perhaps not but what we should appreciate is that until today he never made a step backward in his development.
^ Yes, you are correct. He has shown the ability to improve and he has made strides every step of the way and it is very noticeable between last year and this year, too. He is reportedly a very good athlete and he is doing what athletes do.
Smoak – never purported to be athletic. And, maybe it is showing, too. I would hate to have the entire season dedicated to “seeing if he can get going.”
Moving Ackley to the outfield so that Seager can play 2B doesn’t make a lot of sense. Moving Ackley plus some other stuff for an elite cost controlled outfielder and then having Seager play 2B might make sense, though.
Ackley at 2nd + Seager/Liddi fitting where there’s room + Wells/Saunders/Carp in LF is more valuable than Ackley in left, Seager at 2nd, and Liddi at 3rd. Ackley is most valuable playing 2nd base. You don’t move him to accommodate fringe regulars.
Lets hope Liddi is the real deal!
Seager works best as a 2nd baseman within a trade package to land a star player.
“I really hate that Italian call Rizz does when Liddi hits a home run (“Adioo…” or something). I really, REALLY, hate it! If Liddi makes the big time, I may have to have Rizz whacked – I don’t want to hear that for the next 10 years.”
Arrivederci. Its italian for “goodbye”, see. I think its funny. Also, I’m loving Liddi and Seager. I say more Liddi at 1b.