Mattingly
04-26-2007, 02:55 AM
I figured that a good ol' ESPN article (from Jerry Crasnick) would help about now. Some guys just set the table right, take lots of pitches, force a pitcher to reveal their tricks they'd been saving for later. What is there about them that makes them so important in setting the tone for a game?
What is it that you'd prefer they do in their first plate appearance? Bunt single? Walk? Infield single (a la Ichiro Suzuki)?
Other than the obvious OBP, which stats do you use to compare that specific group? Steals? Power? Baserunning skills? Please discuss. :)
The game's best leading men (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=2848182)
Kenny Lofton, a guy who's churned out base hits more readily than pithy quotes through the years, once summoned the perfect analogy to describe a good leadoff man.
The attributes required include speed and baserunning acumen, patience and a discerning eye, some pop, a swagger, the dexterity to lay down a bunt and the tenacity to keep diving back into the first-base bag to beat those always annoying pickoff throws.
"You can't put your shoes on without your socks," Lofton said in an interview in 1996. "Everything works together -- shoes, socks, pants and shirts. If one is missing, you're in trouble."
While Rickey Henderson stands atop Mr. Blackwell's best dressed list for eternity, it's hard to find guys who have the entire wardrobe covered. Maybe that's why batting leadoff is like working for the government: If you're reasonably proficient, you have a job for life.
Lofton is plugging away for his 11th major league team, the Texas Rangers, at age 39, and Craig Biggio is closing in on 3,000 hits with Houston. Meanwhile, several talented young players (Rocco Baldelli, Curtis Granderson, Rickie Weeks et al) are trying to embrace the nuances of the role even though they're better suited to hit elsewhere in the order.
Who are the elite leadoff men in Major League Baseball today? We run them down in this week's installment of " The Starting 9."
Jose Reyes, NYM
"He's the best player in baseball," a National League front-office man said of Reyes. "Every tool is [rated] plus, and he can change a game in so many ways."
Based on his performance in 2006, quick start in April and the people hitting around him, a healthy Reyes appears to be a lock for 20 homers, 15 triples, 120 runs, 80 RBIs and 60 stolen bases. His on-base percentage, which spiked from .300 to .354 last season, continues to trend upward as his discipline and pitch recognition also improve.
Remember when people mocked Reyes for his lack of patience? In 2005, Reyes struck out 18 times and failed to draw a walk in the entire month of April. So far this season, he has 13 walks and nine whiffs.
Reyes will still chase a two-strike pitch outside the zone, but he hardly ever swings at the first pitch unless it's a strike. A little maturity and some guidance from teammates Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Jose Valentin have turned him into a man with a plan.
Even when Reyes gets a tad reckless on the bases, he has the speed to outrun his mistakes. He's been successful on 81 percent of his career stolen base attempts, and he's off to a 12-for-14 start in 2007.
Grady Sizemore, CLE
If Sizemore is behind Reyes, it's not by much. One executive, citing Sizemore's speed, on-base ability, impressive power and prudent judgment on the bases, called him "the closest there is to the total package right now." Since Sizemore is 24 years old, a wonderful athlete and driven player, he's only going to improve.
There are only two areas in which Sizemore is lacking: 1) He's a career .223 hitter against lefties; and 2) he strikes out a ton. The Indians also worked with him extensively on bunting in spring training, but he's yet to incorporate that weapon into his game.
Johnny Damon, NYY
Damon is starting to show some wear and tear after playing a minimum of 145 games a year in center field for 11 straight seasons. He's fighting a bad back and sore hamstring, and nagging injuries will continue to be a concern now that he's 33.
But we're still talking about the pro's pro -- a guy who'll foul off good pitches, take his walks and consistently set the tone for an offense. And if you judge a man by the company he keeps, Damon is going to have an awfully strong Hall of Fame case by the time he's finished. In 2006 he joined Lou Gehrig and Stan Musial as the only players to surpass 30 doubles and 100 runs scored in nine consecutive seasons.
Ichiro Suzuki, SEA
Sure, you'd like to see him walk more. But when a guy amasses 200 or more hits for six consecutive seasons and his on-base percentage averages out to .376, he's not spending a whole lot of time in the dugout.
Ichiro also wins points for knowing what to do upon arrival. He's a smart, attentive (not to mention extremely fast) baserunner, and he'll turn those singles into doubles in a hurry. Last season he stole 45 bases in 47 attempts, for a success rate of 95.7 percent. According to Baseball Prospectus, that's the all-time high for a player with 40 steal attempts
What is it that you'd prefer they do in their first plate appearance? Bunt single? Walk? Infield single (a la Ichiro Suzuki)?
Other than the obvious OBP, which stats do you use to compare that specific group? Steals? Power? Baserunning skills? Please discuss. :)
The game's best leading men (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=2848182)
Kenny Lofton, a guy who's churned out base hits more readily than pithy quotes through the years, once summoned the perfect analogy to describe a good leadoff man.
The attributes required include speed and baserunning acumen, patience and a discerning eye, some pop, a swagger, the dexterity to lay down a bunt and the tenacity to keep diving back into the first-base bag to beat those always annoying pickoff throws.
"You can't put your shoes on without your socks," Lofton said in an interview in 1996. "Everything works together -- shoes, socks, pants and shirts. If one is missing, you're in trouble."
While Rickey Henderson stands atop Mr. Blackwell's best dressed list for eternity, it's hard to find guys who have the entire wardrobe covered. Maybe that's why batting leadoff is like working for the government: If you're reasonably proficient, you have a job for life.
Lofton is plugging away for his 11th major league team, the Texas Rangers, at age 39, and Craig Biggio is closing in on 3,000 hits with Houston. Meanwhile, several talented young players (Rocco Baldelli, Curtis Granderson, Rickie Weeks et al) are trying to embrace the nuances of the role even though they're better suited to hit elsewhere in the order.
Who are the elite leadoff men in Major League Baseball today? We run them down in this week's installment of " The Starting 9."
Jose Reyes, NYM
"He's the best player in baseball," a National League front-office man said of Reyes. "Every tool is [rated] plus, and he can change a game in so many ways."
Based on his performance in 2006, quick start in April and the people hitting around him, a healthy Reyes appears to be a lock for 20 homers, 15 triples, 120 runs, 80 RBIs and 60 stolen bases. His on-base percentage, which spiked from .300 to .354 last season, continues to trend upward as his discipline and pitch recognition also improve.
Remember when people mocked Reyes for his lack of patience? In 2005, Reyes struck out 18 times and failed to draw a walk in the entire month of April. So far this season, he has 13 walks and nine whiffs.
Reyes will still chase a two-strike pitch outside the zone, but he hardly ever swings at the first pitch unless it's a strike. A little maturity and some guidance from teammates Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Jose Valentin have turned him into a man with a plan.
Even when Reyes gets a tad reckless on the bases, he has the speed to outrun his mistakes. He's been successful on 81 percent of his career stolen base attempts, and he's off to a 12-for-14 start in 2007.
Grady Sizemore, CLE
If Sizemore is behind Reyes, it's not by much. One executive, citing Sizemore's speed, on-base ability, impressive power and prudent judgment on the bases, called him "the closest there is to the total package right now." Since Sizemore is 24 years old, a wonderful athlete and driven player, he's only going to improve.
There are only two areas in which Sizemore is lacking: 1) He's a career .223 hitter against lefties; and 2) he strikes out a ton. The Indians also worked with him extensively on bunting in spring training, but he's yet to incorporate that weapon into his game.
Johnny Damon, NYY
Damon is starting to show some wear and tear after playing a minimum of 145 games a year in center field for 11 straight seasons. He's fighting a bad back and sore hamstring, and nagging injuries will continue to be a concern now that he's 33.
But we're still talking about the pro's pro -- a guy who'll foul off good pitches, take his walks and consistently set the tone for an offense. And if you judge a man by the company he keeps, Damon is going to have an awfully strong Hall of Fame case by the time he's finished. In 2006 he joined Lou Gehrig and Stan Musial as the only players to surpass 30 doubles and 100 runs scored in nine consecutive seasons.
Ichiro Suzuki, SEA
Sure, you'd like to see him walk more. But when a guy amasses 200 or more hits for six consecutive seasons and his on-base percentage averages out to .376, he's not spending a whole lot of time in the dugout.
Ichiro also wins points for knowing what to do upon arrival. He's a smart, attentive (not to mention extremely fast) baserunner, and he'll turn those singles into doubles in a hurry. Last season he stole 45 bases in 47 attempts, for a success rate of 95.7 percent. According to Baseball Prospectus, that's the all-time high for a player with 40 steal attempts