OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Yet Another OOTP6 Dynasty, Year 2: One Flew Over the Pale Hose

cknox0723 · 05-07-2006, 02:43 AM

The Jim Gentile of the Pale Hose, third baseman Eric Munson has finally escaped AAA after battering too many small-town fastballs to count. The big league fastballs have treated him a little more brusquely, but Munson has still struck back occasionally, and with enough authority to make it worthwhile. His .251 batting average and .324 on-base mark don't jump off the page, but they're miles ahead of the sickly .235 and .274 marks that Joe Crede put up last season, and Munson's 14 home runs have been a fine treat worthy of a double dip.

You can break Munson's line down in a variety of ways and conclude that he's not as good as all that -- outside of a scorching May (.618 SLG, 7 HR) and a pretty decent July, he's been a boon(e) to the offense; he's done nothing at home (.630 OPS) that Crede couldn't have, since U.S. Cellular saps his power; he can't hit lefties and that forces us to carry a platoon man (no luck with that so far); Munson's .133 average in close & late situations and 1-8 pinch-hitting line suggest that Eric is in fact a shrub, and not worthy of big league limelight or kitty cats. All that may be true, and Joe Crede has knocked 29 doubles and 12 homers and is hitting a tolerable .259 for Cleveland, so likelihood is we could've kept him and gotten the same production that Munson's given us.

That still can't diminish what he has given us -- a year of something resembling quality third base play, and for a cheap contract plus "incentives." Of course it could've been better, if we had a platoon partner that could hit those evil lefties that Munson can't touch, but you didn't really think guys named Hillenbrand or Branyan or Enrique "The Relief Ace" Wilson were going to be the answer, did you? They've never really been any good, and now they are approaching the age of 30 or past it. There's no incentive for them to keep at it anymore, so maybe that is why the attrition rate is so high for fringe players in their early thirties.

It is for a similar reason that I don't see Munson as any more than a temporary solution at the hot corner. He has provided more than Joe Crede ever did, and every bit of more has allowed us the catbird's seat in the Central in the middle of July 2007, less than a full calendar year after we recorded loss number ninety-three in the last game of the season. But he's also going to be thirty years old by the end of this season, and that's the age where you'd better be damned sure the guy can play, 'cause ain't no new tricks to be learned at thirty. (By ballplayers, at least) Munson's had a nice run this year, but his career batting line in the majors, 838 at-bats, is just .218/.289/.391. Sure, he hit the cover off the ball a few years running in the minor leagues, but even those 50 home run lines were accompanied by triple digit strikeouts and a .290 average. Yes, I know .290 is "good", but .290 in AAA don't mean .290 in MLB, now does it? Sure, good players can strike out, and they don't need to have a high batting average, but the good players can make up for those flaws in ways the donkey-footed Munson cannot. Don't pity him; he's lived the life so many dreamed about, and he'll have those memories and a pocket full of change to keep him company for a long time. But don't be shocked when he's not back next year.

I would talk at length about his possible replacements, but we'll have to see if the surprising contenders in Florida hang onto the multitalented Mike Lowell first. With a .300 average and .490 slugging, he's having one of the best seasons a 33 year old with a .282/.346/.471 career line can have -- but that is no real surprise, because if he was hitting like Crede, how would the Marlins be a "surprising contender" anyway? He's an excellent defender as well and the ideal hot corner man; unfortunately he is 34 years old, but we ain't gonna get him if he's still ripe, are we?

While that saga plays out, I feel like it might be smart to dip back into the frozen well up north to pick up utilityman Dave Berg from Toronto for the stretch run. He is a million years old and hit a paltry .232 last year, but is hitting at a strong .297 clip this year and has a long record of batting lines that are at least respectable. He can handle pitchers of any hand, if the statistical record is any indication, though if we face the Mets in the WORLD SERIES and he faces that youngster Vince Cordova who is a hunchback and throws with his crooked right foot, I think we may have a problem. Unfortunately the Blue Jays have made a wee surge in the standings recently with a 6-3 run, and they are only 5.5 out of the wild card despite a 44-50 overall record.

Perhaps we will have a clearer picture after 100 games. If we ever get there.

We will.

05-07-2006, 02:43 AM	#749
cknox0723 All Star Starter Join Date: May 2003 Location: NJ Posts: 1,957	hot corner, part third (base) The Jim Gentile of the Pale Hose, third baseman Eric Munson has finally escaped AAA after battering too many small-town fastballs to count. The big league fastballs have treated him a little more brusquely, but Munson has still struck back occasionally, and with enough authority to make it worthwhile. His .251 batting average and .324 on-base mark don't jump off the page, but they're miles ahead of the sickly .235 and .274 marks that Joe Crede put up last season, and Munson's 14 home runs have been a fine treat worthy of a double dip. You can break Munson's line down in a variety of ways and conclude that he's not as good as all that -- outside of a scorching May (.618 SLG, 7 HR) and a pretty decent July, he's been a boon(e) to the offense; he's done nothing at home (.630 OPS) that Crede couldn't have, since U.S. Cellular saps his power; he can't hit lefties and that forces us to carry a platoon man (no luck with that so far); Munson's .133 average in close & late situations and 1-8 pinch-hitting line suggest that Eric is in fact a shrub, and not worthy of big league limelight or kitty cats. All that may be true, and Joe Crede has knocked 29 doubles and 12 homers and is hitting a tolerable .259 for Cleveland, so likelihood is we could've kept him and gotten the same production that Munson's given us. That still can't diminish what he has given us -- a year of something resembling quality third base play, and for a cheap contract plus "incentives." Of course it could've been better, if we had a platoon partner that could hit those evil lefties that Munson can't touch, but you didn't really think guys named Hillenbrand or Branyan or Enrique "The Relief Ace" Wilson were going to be the answer, did you? They've never really been any good, and now they are approaching the age of 30 or past it. There's no incentive for them to keep at it anymore, so maybe that is why the attrition rate is so high for fringe players in their early thirties. It is for a similar reason that I don't see Munson as any more than a temporary solution at the hot corner. He has provided more than Joe Crede ever did, and every bit of more has allowed us the catbird's seat in the Central in the middle of July 2007, less than a full calendar year after we recorded loss number ninety-three in the last game of the season. But he's also going to be thirty years old by the end of this season, and that's the age where you'd better be damned sure the guy can play, 'cause ain't no new tricks to be learned at thirty. (By ballplayers, at least) Munson's had a nice run this year, but his career batting line in the majors, 838 at-bats, is just .218/.289/.391. Sure, he hit the cover off the ball a few years running in the minor leagues, but even those 50 home run lines were accompanied by triple digit strikeouts and a .290 average. Yes, I know .290 is "good", but .290 in AAA don't mean .290 in MLB, now does it? Sure, good players can strike out, and they don't need to have a high batting average, but the good players can make up for those flaws in ways the donkey-footed Munson cannot. Don't pity him; he's lived the life so many dreamed about, and he'll have those memories and a pocket full of change to keep him company for a long time. But don't be shocked when he's not back next year. I would talk at length about his possible replacements, but we'll have to see if the surprising contenders in Florida hang onto the multitalented Mike Lowell first. With a .300 average and .490 slugging, he's having one of the best seasons a 33 year old with a .282/.346/.471 career line can have -- but that is no real surprise, because if he was hitting like Crede, how would the Marlins be a "surprising contender" anyway? He's an excellent defender as well and the ideal hot corner man; unfortunately he is 34 years old, but we ain't gonna get him if he's still ripe, are we? While that saga plays out, I feel like it might be smart to dip back into the frozen well up north to pick up utilityman Dave Berg from Toronto for the stretch run. He is a million years old and hit a paltry .232 last year, but is hitting at a strong .297 clip this year and has a long record of batting lines that are at least respectable. He can handle pitchers of any hand, if the statistical record is any indication, though if we face the Mets in the WORLD SERIES and he faces that youngster Vince Cordova who is a hunchback and throws with his crooked right foot, I think we may have a problem. Unfortunately the Blue Jays have made a wee surge in the standings recently with a 6-3 run, and they are only 5.5 out of the wild card despite a 44-50 overall record. Perhaps we will have a clearer picture after 100 games. If we ever get there. We will.