Ibanez’s decline
Dave · May 18, 2007 at 2:48 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Jeff Sullivan looks at Raul Ibanez’s disappearing power with an insightful piece that’s a must read.
Check it out.
Jeff Sullivan looks at Raul Ibanez’s disappearing power with an insightful piece that’s a must read.
Check it out.
I suggest this become required reading for all that read USSM! Good stuff!
Interesting. Depressing. Probably dead on accurate.
JS – this is awesome. Really nice work here. It’s really tough to argue against stats like this. I just have a tough time getting my head around that someone loses SO MUCH bat speed in ONE YEAR. It’s almost unfathomable.
3 – The same thing seemed to happen to Boone and Olerud too, though. Each had one decent last season and then boom, turned into a pumpkin.
Raul can still put the bat on the ball, but how many singles/slap hitters can this team have? Sexson’s virtually their only true power threat and he can’t even hit his weight right now.
The worst scenario I can imagine is if Ibanez gets — and keeps — his batting average above .250 but with no power. Hargrove will keep putting batting him in the middle of the order every game, assuming those singles will turns into doubles or homers at some point.
As Mariner fans, we have to hope either that:
a) Ibanez proves Jeff wrong and finds a sustained power stroke; or
b) Ibanez tails off in all superficial stat areas to the point that even Hargrove/Bavasi can’t ignore that he’s helping the team lose games.
The worst scenario I can imagine is if Ibanez gets — and keeps — his batting average above .250 but with no power. Hargrove will keep putting batting him in the middle of the order every game, assuming those singles will turns into doubles or homers at some point.
Yeah. As much as I don’t want to play pessimist on this… see: Vidro, Jose.
Hmmmmmmmmm, a veteran hitter only starting to get on the decline that may still have half a chance to resurrect his career for at least a couple months.
I smell trading block (should the M’s be out of it in mid-July)!