The Blue Jays have claimed first baseman Matt Hague off waivers from the Pirates, Toronto announced via press release. Hague has been optioned to Triple-A.
Hague, 28, has only limited MLB experience but was swinging well this year at Triple-A Indianapolis, slashing .267/.365/.448 with 14 long balls over 386 trips to bat. Pittsburgh designated him for assignment (and ultimately exposed him to waivers) to make roster space for the acquisition of reliever John Axford.
There he is ladies and gentlemen, the next Jose Bautista. The next one the Pirates let get away. I don’t understand why “The Hit Collector” never got a fair chance in Pittsburgh. Hague is better than Brent Morel, Jayson Nix, and Michael Martinez COMBINED. Watch him hit 20+ HR’s next year. You heard it here first.
Couldn’t agree more
Being better than Morel, Nix, and Martinez combined is not that hard.
Maybe Hague didn’t get his chances because he’s not that good.
Bingo. He’s a right-handed Travis Ishikawa. And he’s 28, so I don’t buy the Jose Bautista comparison. Good OBP, but not enough power, no positional flexibility. If he makes it with the Jays, good for him, he’s been a good organizational soldier, but I still won’t regret the move.
I think the positional flexibility issue is what really did him in. He’s got a good track record of making contact and drawing walks in the minors. If Pittsburgh liked him at 3B, you’d have to think he would have gotten more run to stick as a bench piece regardless of power.
What a horrible thing to say, comparing him to Travis Ishikawa. Shame on you.
Ishikawa has carved out a fairly decent career for himself by being able to play only 1B, draw walks, and hit for average but not power at a position that usually demands power. Since Travis hits lefty and more pitchers throw right, Travis gets more chances than someone like Hague. And Ishikawa fields his position well, Hague does not.
How is this an insult? Frankly, going to the AL and being a part-time DH is the only shot Hague might get to stick around. His “shoddy treatment” by Pirates management is a myth. He hasn’t gotten more chances because he is a “quad A” player who only plays 1 position, and not well at that. His skill set will only get him so far, in Pittsburgh, Toronto, or anywhere else.
He’s a 28-year-old career minor leaguer who has never been more than a good-not-great AAA hitter. He’s a poor defensive first baseman, a worse third baseman, doesn’t run the bases well… His only value comes from his bat, and the projection system all see him as below average at the ML level. He’s the definition of replacement level.
So are Morel, Nix and Martinez, but they can at least play the infield. The last thing the Pirates need is another underwhelming first baseman.
Matt Hague has had 6 minor league seasons including this one. He has never hit more than 15 homers in a full year at any minor league level. Ever. Let’s be realistic, please.
ZiPS projection, Matt Hague, remainder-of-2014: .246/.305/.347
He doesn’t hit well enough to project as more than a replacement-level player. That’s why he hasn’t been given more opportunities – he isn’t good enough to deserve them. He would need to add about 40 points of BA, draw significantly more walks, hit for significantly more power, or learn to play a more difficult defensive position (most likely 3B) at an adequate level of competency in order to stick in the majors.
But hay Neal did get us Snider from them makes up for Jose!!!! Lol not
I’m waiting for Toronto to put a waiver claim in on Snider.
Splits in limited numbers say he hits lefties. I imagine that played into the claim.
Good for you Matt! As a Pirate fan, I am totally disappointed in their handling and use of your talent, and I hope your new move proves my point.
Expect Matt Hague to hit approximately 59 homers as a DH next season. This is what being a Pirates fan feels like…
He’s going to hit 59 homers and Toronto still won’t make the playoffs, so it’s a moot point.
If there’s this much hand-wringing over Matt Hague, I can’t wait until Chase d’Arnaud is claimed.