Wade Boggs reached the 200-hit plateau for the seventh consecutive season on this date in 1989. Boggs also became the first player in MLB history to collect both 200 hits and 100 walks in four consecutive seasons. Here are some links from the division in which Boggs spent his entire 18-year career…
- Manny Machado jumped from Double-A to the pennant race, but Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said the infielder “looks like a big leaguer,” Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Duquette indicated the Orioles are set at third base for 2013, saying Machado "looks pretty good to me."
- The Orioles “have interest” in retaining Mark Reynolds for 2013, Duquette said. If the Orioles decline Reynolds’ $11MMM option for 2013, they’ll have to determine whether to tender him a contract through the arbitration process. "We'll see how that shakes out," Duquette said.
- David Ortiz said his upcoming contract negotiations with the Red Sox are about respect, not just money, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports. The designated hitter said a two-year deal would help him keep his focus on the field. "I think it’s easier for me not to be answering the questions you’re asking me right now the whole year," he said.
- Shi Davidi details Travis Snider's tenure in Toronto, including his clashes with former manager Cito Gaston, in a revealing feature at Sportsnet.ca. Within the piece Davidi reports that Snider once turned down a contract extension from the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays traded Snider to Pittsburgh for Brad Lincoln leading up to the July 31st trade deadline.
Wade Boggs: The Greek Titan of Walks
I’m not really looking forward to these Ortiz negotiations one bit :S
He made more last year than he would have made in a two year contract anywhere else. The fact is that post steroid era there is no longer the market for DHs that there used to be. They overpayed for him last year…I hope they don’t sign him. I used to be a huge fan of his and am a huge Red Sox fan…but his lack of respect crap has gotten old.
If the Red Sox organization proclaimed that Davis Ortiz had fleas, kicked puppies and was a bad teammate and then offered $39MM for 2 yrs, he’d sign in an instant. If asked if he didn’t feel disrespected?, he’d say something along the line of ‘what’s a little joke between friends?’
Come On David Ortiz….march into Ben Cherington’s office and start singing!
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB
Oh (Sock it to me, sock it to me,
sock it to me, sock it to me)
A little respect (Sock it to me, sock it to me,
sock it to me, sock it to me)!!!!!
First Duquette said that he wanted to take it slow with his top prospects, and let them develop as much as possible in the minors. Now, Machado looks like he will end up as the opening day 3rd baseman, even though he’s been terribad with the bat. 168 AB 5BB 32K with an OBP that looks more like a solid BA. He’s been fairly unluckly, but his struggles with plate discipline aren’t exactly a great sign. He’s still young, but refining approach against MLB pitching isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do.
(First Duquette said that he wanted to take it slow with his top prospects)
Well Duquette and the rest of the Oriole Managment team didn’t really have a choice with this.
Betemit isn’t a good fielding 3rd baseman and second he’s injured.
Mark Reynolds future is at 1st base.
Chris Davis was not an option
Chase Headley was not going to be traded to the Orioles
So what was Duquette supposed to do?
In my opinion Machado has been nothing short of brilliant at third base, almost Brooks Robinson like and quite frankly Mike Schmidt like! Machado can field a ball bare handed and fling it over to first base, just like Schmidt could. That is a gift from God to have that kind of ability. Also, Machado had excellent coaches when he was a kid. He has encyclopedic knowledge of the fundementals.
Anyway, what is wrong with Machado’s plate discipline? I don’t see an issue with it.
In fact, I think it’s pretty good. Machado is a major reason as to why the Orioles are still in the playoff/division hunt. Without him, I think the Rays and Angels would be a lot closer if not ahead of the O’s.
Sure his defense has been great, but his bat has not. .262/.288/.411 OPS is .692. He’s grounded into 6 double plays. He has a high GB% low LD%, his FB% is fine. His K/BB is not good at all. His bat in the minors was never all that, but what he was good at in the minors was getting on base. So, why isn’t he doing the same now? Many reasons. Main reason being is ML pitchers throw strikes.
Do you remember Mike Trout hitting .220/.281/.390 right after turning 20 last year?
Yes I do remember Mike Trout putting up a bad line when he was first called up but…. Mike Trout also had way more success hitting the ball in the Minors. Machado never put up very gaudy number in the minors, if fact he struggled quite a bit in the minors. This season he was very streaky, he didn’t just have bad weeks, he had bad months consecutively. If we compared Mike Trouts SSS to Manny Machados SSS (small sample size) Trout put up better counting stats in a shorter period of time.
Ok guys my original intent was not to sound like I was writing him off like a bust. There’s always an adjustment period, but was his production over this past month worth starting his service time early and possibly hinder his development. As I said earlier when he was called up he was still having issues with the bat in the minors.
I saw him play in the minors, especially when he played at Delmarva. From the very beginning he was pretty good with the bat. There were a lot of things that stats don’t show you. No one has a crystal ball, but unless he really goes into a long slump and loses confidence, etc., he has all the tools to be a pretty good every day player with a huge upside. IMO he is doing fine at the ML level considering his age and experience. I do understand your concerns though.
Touche, but there are a lot of things the eye doesn’t tell you. My biggest issue is starting his clock early. I also feel that he still needed more time in the Minors.
Right so we are saying that Machado is not as good as the best ever…
No doubt because (1) Mike Trout is a freak of nature, having a start to his major league career that rivals Willie Mays, and (2) Machado was always playing at a level two years above his age. The fact that he is, in fact, hitting .260 in a pennant race as a 20 year old where every single game is a must win game apparently doesn’t count for much with you.
There’s way more to it then just hitting .260. He’s not getting on base at a solid rate. .288 which is actually hurting the team.
Compared to the other options the Orioles have at 3B he is better. Options: Flaherty (worse obp and worse glove), Andino (worse obp and slugging), Davis, Betemit (injured and awful with the glove). How is that hurting the team? He has played 44 games with a 0.9 WAR. Project that for an entire season and it is 3.3. A team full of 3.3 WAR players is a playoff team.
he has been in the big leagues for a month! That’s hardly enough at bats to make a determination of whether or not he can be effective at the MLB level?!?!
Not many rookies under 20 have it all the moment they reach the majors. There’s this thing called a learning curve. He is not putting up monster stats and he has struck out a lot; but he is young and seems to be comfortable at the ML level. His defense has been great and his bat will only get better. He has a nice swing and just needs to make more contact. I am sure that will be worked out in the offseason. Meanwhile, he’s helping the Orioles reach the postseason; they are better now with him than without him.
Nick Markakis was terrible with his bat when he was first called up but the Orioles stuck with him and that turned out pretty well for us. Manny is the future, you cant send him back down.
The fun part of this offseason will be seeing if Angelos decides a playoff appearance every 14 years is all the money he is willing to spend.
Would think that Alfonso Soriano would be a great fit in Toronto
@davewpeterson
It’s colder in Toronto than San Francisco.
Not in the summer.
not when the roof is closed
Im very intriged by the idea of Soriano in Toronto. Im not really sure if I like the idea or not.
no thanks.
Wade Boggs was really good.
Orioles go from having among the worst corner infielders in baseball at the start the season, and end the season with two of the best without bringing in anyone from the outside. That is impressive.
Ortiz is such a drama queen.