Tony Gwynn recalled (Hall alternatives)

[logan82]

Yes, yes I know "small sample". Gwynn went down to AAA and tore up that league to the tune of .258/.315/.603 (BA/OBP/OPS). Gallardo on the other hand had a line of .250/.308/.808. Maybe he should pinch hit off the bench.

[paul253]

There is no power "quota" for a team. The object of an offense is to score as many runs as possible.

 

nobody is suggesting there is. All i was saying is every person on your team doesnt have to be capable of hitting 25 homeruns every season. And those homeruns look better if someone is on base when they are hit. We'll see if he puts up a decent OBP, but some people on this board are so eager to bash him they will take any shot they can. Honestly, besides his lack of power, what else about his season (not what they think his ceiling is, but what he has actually done) can anyone have issues with?

[aracko]

I think that we could slide Big Mench into the 5 hole and not skip a beat from an offensive standpoint.

[M Skjellyfetti]

It's not Gwynn's lack of home runs that scares people. It's his lack of anything other than singles that scares people. Even Juan Pierre could hit a double every now and then.

 

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what else about his season (not what they think his ceiling is, but what he has actually done) can anyone have issues with?

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I take issue with those AAA stats just posted (regardless of sample size).

[parkside21]

I think that we could slide Big Mench into the 5 hole and not skip a beat from an offensive standpoint.

 

 

Was that supposed to be in blue?

[Ennder]

Gwynn is a good CF but in the long term I doubt he's much better than Hall in the field. Hall is learning on the job but he's made a lot of amazing plays, has displayed great range. He just needs to learn where to throw the ball and to get a little better jump on the ball. Hall is already better than Clark, Gross and Podsednick in CF and those are most of our games played out there over the past few seasons.

 

The way I see it Gwynn is only really useful as a backup OF and pinch runner. Hart is as good in CF as he is, Gross is as good an option with the bat. What we need is a right handed hitting OF to put in the lineup against lefties and Gwynn doesn't help at all with that.

[davego]

As has been pointed out, if DM really wants Tony up, whatever. I'd rather see the guy get to play @ the AAA level, but if the brain-trust is willing to give up his opportunity to get Ab's to sit on the bench in Milwaukee, fine with me. However, I'd be rather alarmed if Tony is going to take Ab's away from any of the other 4 outfielders.

 

I hope a deal for an OF is in the works.

[Thurston Fluff]

I am just tired of the "he's no good because he doesnt have any power" argument....its weak.

 

 

I'm not as concerned about his power as I am the fact that he doesn't do enoughto compensate for that lack of power. If his average falls he doesn't take enough walks or hit enough extra base hits to compensate.

 

 

Its a shame weeks is playing so terribly, because Gwynn would be a good 8 hitter. He's willing to take the walks, unlike Weeks, apparently, who swings at everything thats not over his head.

 

Gwynn has 8 walks in 83 ab's for a rate of one walk every 10.3 ab's to go with his 712 OPS.

Weeks has 30 walks in 220 ab's for a rate of one walk every 7.3 ab's to go with his 724 OPS.

 

I think Gwynn is playing poorer than Weeks so far.

[TooLiveBrew]

Weeks walks well

[logan82]

Shouldn't we be calling it a Hallternative?

[DrWood]

If ricky would come around, I'd have no trouble putting him back at leadoff, followed by hart, then braun, then fielder, then hardy.

I'd hate to move hart down much farther; he's getting on base, and swiping bases.

[gregmag]

I know people have said what I'm about to say, but a few people on the other side have come back with so much vitriol that I'll say it again, because I don't think it's a controversial insight:

 

Gwynn's lack of power is a serious problem.

 

It's not a problem simply because he isn't a big power guy; of course many great hitters aren't big power guys.

 

It's a problem because he has less power than almost every other hitter in MLB.

 

Even that isn't a problem in and of itself. If he could put up a .430 OBP with a .050 ISO and good speed, he'd be a fine leadoff man.

 

The problem with Gwynn's lack of power is that nobody puts up a .430 OBP with a .050 ISO, because nobody can hit that many singles. Pitchers won't walk a guy with no power, and high BA guys get at least some of their BA by hitting balls over and off walls. Speed doesn't fix the problem, because you have to hit the ball to get on base, and you can only beat out so many infield hits; besides, Gwynn isn't ridiculously fast.

 

All of that said, Gwynn could develop into a regular by developing enough power to keep pitchers honest. But he's already 24, and his power now is negligible. He could still develop enough power to be a regular, but it doesn't seem likely to happen.

 

I hope it's obvious that none of this implies "hatred" for Gwynn. He seems like a great kid, he does some things well, and I would love to see him prove me wrong and develop into a regular. But doubts about him based on his power aren't "weak"; they're pretty obviously important.

 

Greg.

[robfuhr]

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but could Graffanino fill in out in the outfield in an emergency?He played a few games in the OF earlier in his career....

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I had to point this out after I saw the box score tonight....I actually had a valid point in this thread.....

 

I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

 

 

 

edit: fixed EZ Board quote error

[rluzinski]

It's a bad sign when your utility infielder is the best option to start a corner outfield spot. Get healthy, Hall.