They're liking Bartlett in Tampa

by by jiminy on May 19, 2008 7:00 PM EDT Comment 7 comments

nice article about Bartlett here

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/article513298.ece

They point out his zone rating is 3rd in the AL, compared to last for their shortstops last year. They love how balls that used to get through are now becoming double plays. They even say he has "brought calm to the infield and confidence to the pitching staff." Glad someone appreciates him. Good luck down there...

In contrast, did you see this article about Delmon Young? It's the ultimate read-between-the-lines article, or damning-with-faint-praise if you prefer:

http://www.twincities.com/ci_9250301?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com

So does Young come to Vavra for help? "Oh, no, no, no, no, no," the hitting coach said. So you have to go to him with suggestions? "Well, you can try," Vavra said. "He's just kind of got his mind made up about what he's trying to get done, and I'm totally in agreement with it. It's just a matter of, there's maybe more efficient ways to get it done."

I don't know what's more depressing about this, that Young is so uninterested in taking advice, or that the coaching staff has to tiptoe around him so much and say they're totally in agreement with his lame approach. Young really does sound like a jerk.

I think he's motivated enough that eventually he'll stop beating himself; no one could enjoy making himself into such an easy out. But he is apparently just too arrogant to listen, so I guess we'll have to wait for him to figure it out himself. No sign of that happening yet, unfortunately

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Young

He is 7 for his last 12. I’d say something is starting to work. I’m not saying he has it figured out, but lets at least give the man some credit. As far as not listening, we really dont know the extent of that. Sometimes players just need to figure things out for themselves. Maybe’s he’s a jerk, maybe’s he’s stubborn, I dont care as long as he makes the necessary adjustments he needs to make.

by .mnqwerd on May 19, 2008 7:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Since April 22: .326/.367/.391

He is getting better, slowly, at least in the first two categories. It’s the lack of power that gets me. I’d like to see him be slugging somewhere around .460-.470 by the end of the year, but .430-.450 is more realisitc….providing the power does come, of course.

by Jesse on May 19, 2008 8:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

stopped reading...

when the writer said Young for Bartlett straight up would be a fair trade….pure fluff piece

Of course they are seeing improved defense at short…they had a pretty poor defender there last year.

by guinness junky on May 20, 2008 12:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

offense. .

I don’t wanna knock on Bartlett, I wish he was still our SS given the current alternative.

However, right now his line is .264 .289 .306 so it’s not all peaches and cream there. It’s probably the same reason we liked Punto so much after watching Batista stumble around at 3rd.

Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on May 20, 2008 12:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

this post

should have been about Bartlett v. Harris, given that Harris played a lot of SS for them last year, and he is showing why he should not be a middle infielder on every DP ball.

Young is still the most valuable piece of that trade

http://noblingblings.blogspot.com/

by Aaron Fix on May 20, 2008 9:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Really

“Young is still the most valuable piece of that trade”

Garza will give him a run for his money…

"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane

by AdamOnFirst on May 20, 2008 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Frank Robinson

Can anyone find where this Delmon Young/Frank Robinson comparison first originated? Because now it seems that the Twins said they were trading for the second coming of Big Frank. Also, can we compare players to predocessors of different races? I mean, it seems like the main similarity between Young and Robinson is that they were both African American outfielders. How about, Young could become a Bob Allison or Tom Brunansky someday? Same thing with Ben Revere and Ray Durham. The only link I could find there was that they were both smallish and black.

by wcooley on May 20, 2008 3:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs