Games » Los Angeles Angels
May31Getzie's got game
Lee Judge
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Well, it’s official: Chris Getz wants me to go to arbitration with him. (Actually, he was kidding…I think.) We did talk about Ron Polk’s system and how it’s designed to recognize guys like him. You don’t need me (or Ron Polk) to tell you Pujols or A-Rod is good. But a system that makes you pay attention to the less obvious things a player does (8+ pitch at-bats, outstanding defensive plays, heads up base running), benefits a guy like Chris Getz or Matt Treanor or Alcides Escobar.
Chris said that when he was drafted by the White Sox they told him he’d be a ‘manager’s player’, a guy that managers loved because they could use him in so many ways. Chris doesn’t have to be great at anything if he can be good at a lot of things…and he is. He’s scored points in Ron Polk’s system in just about every way possible… except hitting a home run.
Earlier in the day, Kevin Seitzer talked about what smart player Getz is and how he gives you an at-bat appropriate to the situation. Talking about Getzie’s intelligence reminded me to ask him about a play in Baltimore. He got doubled off third on a line drive and I scored it a mental mistake. I wanted to make sure I got it right because I thought if the contact play was on, he should’ve waited to see the ball come down off the bat. Chris said, no, the Royals version of a contact play meant go immediately on any contact and take your chances. (I went back and changed the scoring.)
Jason Kendall was listening to this conversation and asked if I was going to be like all the other reporters, “I thought you were positive.” Not all the time. If a player is being unfairly criticized I’ll explain what I believe to be the truth, but if a player screws up I’m going to write about that, too. “Getzie’s a smart player, why not give him the benefit of the doubt?”
“Are you saying he’s perfect?”
At this point, Jason stopped the debate to tell Chris, who was listening intently while dressing for the game, that he was putting his ankle brace on the wrong foot. Guess I won that argument.
One I lost
Kevin Seitzer said I’m wrong about the intentional walk. He believes the pitcher who is leaving the game should issue it, not the pitcher coming into the game. So one guy who knows a lot about baseball (Kevin,) disagrees with another guy who knows a lot about baseball, (Tim Bogar). Bogie says you have the new pitcher do it to satisfy the requirement that he face one batter. I asked if the difference in opinion could be the difference in leagues: Bogie is a National League guy and I know I saw Jerry DiPoto come in and issue the intentional walks at least twice when he was with the Mets. Kevin said that might explain it, but still thought I was wrong.
Either way I think the important thing to remember is: KEVIN SEITZER READS THE WEBSITE! (Hi, Kevin.)
I go two for three
If you pay attention to the comments on this website you know a reader thought I was wrong when I said that first base is not the least difficult position to play on the field. The reader suggested I ask John Wathan who played all over the place….so I did.
John said… wait for it… I’m enjoying the moment… I was right. Left field is easier than first. He thinks a lot of people who don’t play think it must be easy because so many bad athletes get stuck there, but to play the position well is extremely difficult. OK, I guess the moment’s over.
Before I forget
Responses like Chris Getz’s are why I’ve gotten reluctant to hand out too many mental mistakes. I’ll do it, but they have to be pretty clear. Often, once you talk to the player involved, you find out something that changes your mind. These guys are usually one or two steps ahead of you when it comes to thinking about the game.
One more thing: Getz told me when he bunts for a hit he likes to do it on the first base side. He’s more comfortable going that way and he’s faster getting down to first. If he bunts to third he’s a 3.7 or 3.8 down to first, if he bunts the direction he’s already going, he’s a 3.5.
Y’know, these guys have thought a lot about this game.
Why Frenchy’s scuffling
I spent some time talking with Jeff Francoeur and asked how things were going to at the plate. He admitted he’d gotten a little ‘pull happy’ after hitting some bombs and pitchers were now burying him inside just off the plate to get him to open up and then going away, which left him swinging with nothing but his arms. Jeff said he got off to a good start this season because he was waiting for a pitch out over the plate and needed to get back to that approach.
Hey, at least he knows what the problem is and how he’s going to fix it.
Then I watch the game and the first AB he hacks at an inside pitch and is out on a grounder to the left side. The second AB he hacks at an inside pitch, gets jammed and flares it to right for an F9. The third AB he’s hacking at inside pitches and finally gets one out over the plate and singles. The last trip to the plate he swings at one out over the plate, fouls it back and then chases something inside and hits a sac fly to left. After the game I’m in the clubhouse and he walks by on his way to the showers. I say, “Hey, Jeff, where were those pitches you were swinging at all night?’
Frenchy starts laughing and yells, “LAY OFF! I’M A WORK IN PROGRESS!” Do you have any idea how much fun it is to give a major league player a hard time and have him know you’re right?
The downward plane
I spent a few minutes with Sean O’Sullivan and he said the key for him was still pitching downhill. If he can make the ball arrive in the hitting zone on a ‘down angle’ hitters will hit the top of the ball and pound it into the ground. If it arrives at a flat angle, they’ll just pound it. Sean says that’s what he’ll be working on in his next start.
The last thing Soria needs
I asked Jeff Montgomery if he’d ever gone through the same kind of struggle Joakim Soria is dealing with now. Monty said it happened to him twice. He said the absolute worst thing about those periods were all the suggestions people made trying to help. He was already lost and dozens of people suggesting dozens of cures only made it worse.
The rule of thumb in athletics is that when you’re going bad, you’re doing too much, not too little. I asked Jeff if he agreed with that and he said absolutely. Somehow, some way you’ve gotten away from the basics and you need to find your way back. Once you do you can’t believe you ever forgot something so fundamental.
Mickey Mantle was at an All-Star game and Ted Williams asked him if he was bottom or top-hand dominant. Mickey said he couldn’t hit for two weeks after that. He thought if Ted knew that stuff he should know, too. After a prolonged slump he walked out one day, said ‘#@$% it’ and just started seeing the ball and hitting it.
Everybody wants to help Joakim right now, but letting him work this out on his own, or with the help of Bob McClure, may be the best thing fans can do.
Hosmer
Francis
Gordon
Tell Soria the rose on the garter belt goes in front! ;)
OK, now THAT'S funny.
Lee, this is really interesting stuff - keep it up. One suggestion - I think a lot of us readers would love to read your take (periodically) on the top-rated prospects coming up through the system in addition to the information you provide about the MLB guys. We are just not getting much information these days about the guys on the farm. I realize you don't have the same level of access to the minor leaguers, but I'm sure you have some connections to the scouts throughout the system, not to mention firsthand accounts by the recently-promoted Royals who have seen these guys play a lot over the last couple of years.
I would add the occasional update on dl players like Chen. I know all kinds of stuff must be out there that can't be printed but insider updates on progress and timetable for return would be awesome.
And this is my go-to section at the star. First link I hit, win or lose. Great stuff.
Morning Lee... Great game last night. I think I've discovered something about this team and sitting out there so many nights so far.
I'll score 9 out of 10 games I attend and there are some games are just going so well and it's such a nice night you get to talk talking to the other season ticket holders around you that, I forgot to score an entire inning for the Angels and just put the book away for tonight and enjoyed a beautiful night out at the park with my lovely wife.
It's games like last night where we have a strong defense, offense and decent pitching, against a good team, that keeps the hope alive.
I'm glad you like to talk about Getz, he's actually been a favorite of mine for a while and I was very happy to see him swinging the bat well at the beginning of the season. The only issue I've seen is that he goes into 'pull mode' and will fly the ball to the outfielder for an easy out. When he's shortening his swing and dropping in bloopers, doing drag bunts, or laying down a beautiful sac bunt that dies right in front of the plate to move a player over is his lot in life. That is a good place to be. I don't care if his hits didn't leave the infield last night, the man got on base. That was his job, and he knew it, to get on base and let others move him around to score. You can't move runners over if they already provided outs ahead of you in the line up. I think his lack of power is perceived only as a weakness to many and that if you can't hit a long ball, you're not worth the time on an MLB team. I hope his average keeps creeping up and in a couple more games he'll be batting for team average right where I expect him to be.
You and Kendall don't have a bromance going on do you? It's either you are talking to him about things (granted I he's got more MLB experience than probably half to two thirds of our 25 man roster.) and the mental attitude in certain situations, or he seems to be right there most of the time listening to you talk to other players. Oh and the other thing...he's happy to put you in harms way. :-D I like his mental attitude and approach to pitchers and the game. Do you see him coming back for multiple years after his recovery? Catching is a physically demanding position and burns up lesser men in short order. Do you see him staying with the Royals after this season in some capacity or moving on for a starting role somewhere else? Keep it up!
Quick question, I was looking at your season grid, and you gave Melky credit for two strikeouts as a pitcher; do I just not remember him taking the mound or do those belong somewhere else?
Monty was on the radio yesterday talking about pitching "funks" and he recounted once when he was going thru this that in Oakland, empty stadium, a couple of hitters and coaches, he just went out there and relaxed and threw. No stress, no crowds, no nothing. Said that was the best thing for him at the time. I think pitchers tend to over-think, they get too much advice and try too many different things. Just throw the ball, meat !
Since those pick offs, the team hasn't been running that much. I wonder if that had anything to do with it. I also have been paying attention to guys on first, and who's at bat. There are some guys who you don't want to take the bat out of their hands. Then there are others that you can save their at bat if they're down 0-2 in the count with two outs. That being said, I've noticed Getz being on base with two outs, and Escobar up. My guess is that they don't want Getz to run because they don't want to lead off with Escobar the next inning. I wonder if the team has discussed flipping Getz and Escobar in the lineup for that reason. Or is it really an unwritten rule to put your lowest avg hitter last. If that's the case, I really think they'll holding Getz back.
Don,
If you'd like to hear more about some of the players in the minor league system, www.pinetarpress.com is a great resource. The guy who runs it, Greg Schaum, puts out daily box scores, draft previews, rankings, etc.
I'm in no way affiliated with the site, but read it a few times a week and really enjoy it.
Guys: My internet service went out at my house and I just got to the park. I've got to go downstairs and talk to players, but I'll respond to everything before the end of the day.
Nick, thanks for the link. I will definitely add it to my favorites.
Derek: Thanks for spotting those strikeouts for Melky. Yup, that's my screwup. The system I feed the numbers into lists the players in numerical order, so with a high number like 53 Melky always ends up among a bunch of pitchers. Clearly, I got those numbers in the wrong column. So not only do I need to find the games in which I mistakenly gave Melky credit for striking out batters, I need to figure out which pitcher I robbed of two Ks.
OK. game's over (great finish) and here are some of my reponses to questions posed during the day:
Don: I don't know anything about the minor leaguers. I'm only vaguely aware of the other teams in the majors. My focus is solely on this particular group of guys and watching them play every day. If I tried to answer those questions I'd have to fake it. On the other hand, Bob Dutton knows a bunch. He does on-line chats periodically, so watch for one and you might get some of your questions answered.
Matt: On the other hand, I could ask some of the players on the DL about their return. Kendall has said he's sick of talking about it, so I don't bug him much on that subject, but some of the other guys might be willing to talk.
Kevin: I've got a buddy that has a theory that Getz's problem is hitting the ball too hard at times. If you can't get it over the outfielders don't hit it all the way to them. Obviously, I like Chris's game because of his versatility.
He's told me not to worry about his average, on-base % is more important for him.
As for Kendall: we find each other funny and constantly give each other a hard time. He sits in the far right corner of the clubhouse, right next to Getz and Treanor and when ever I'm talking to them, he's commenting on me and what I'm doing. I visit that corner of the clubhouse every time I'm in there. Guys who like to talk and can express themselves well are a goldmine in this business.
As for Jason's return: I think he'd like to play a few more years, but has the makings of a great manager if he chooses to go that route. He says no, but I've seen a lot of guys miss the life once they retire and find a way back in.
Vinnie: I'm going to write about their running for tomorrow, but you make an interesting point about Esky and not wanting him to lead off the next inning.
breathe through the eyes