Any mench rumors

[Big Reed]

I was never a big fan of him. But I thought by now somebody would be interested in him. I got tired of reading how great of a bat he was against left handers. Certainly some GM must need his great bat. He 's gotta be better than Matt Stairs. I also believe he's better than kapler. Did he sign with some team and I missed it?

 

I saw the Card's OF Encarcion is going to be out for the 2008 season and maybe his career because of being hit by a ball in the eye last fall. Could the Cards be interested?

[JohnBriggs12]

The Cards are contemplating bringing Juan Gonzalez out of retirement. Something tells me Mench ends up in Japan.

 

There's other righthanded bats still out there like Shannon Stewart and Emil Brown so Mench's agent would have to do a pretty good sales job to get anything more than a minor league deal in US.

[homer]

"I got tired of reading how great of a bat he was against left handers."

 

Because you disagreed?

[craig712]

FYI - Emil Brown signed with Oakland.

[Big Reed]

I can't disagree with the posts. but there had to be at least 1,000 posts on this site alone all saying how great Mench was against left handers. it got boring after a while to read everybody saying the exact same thing. Melvin tried to trade Mench last Winter, but found no takers. he tried to trade Mench this Winter, but found no takers. Obviously Mench's great OBP against lefties meant very little to other GMs. I' m begining to think that Mench has a few flaws in his game that never seemed to be mentioned. just a few. I'm also thinking those flaws in his game far outwiegh his great OBP against lefties.

[DrWood]

stairs is a quality hitter, particularly vs. RH. I can't see why anyone would hate on him.

[TooLiveBrew]

I can't disagree with the posts. but there had to be at least 1,000 posts on this site alone all saying how great Mench was against left handers. it got boring after a while to read everybody saying the exact same thing.

 

Fact = 'everybody trying to say the same thing'?

 

You could go look at his splits if you think it's still up for debate... one reason you heard that a lot was that it was the lone redeeming quality for Shrek. What else was there to talk about?

[Robideaux]

Big Reed,

I know you hold great disdain for OBP for whatever reason (not important), but I don't think the reason that people were saying that Mench killed lefties was because of his OBP, but rather his slugging and overall resume.

 

His career line against lefties:

.305/.361/.563

 

High average, good on-base, great slugging = lefty killer

 

It's hard to argue against that assessment, though a fair argument could be made that a situational righthanded hitter doesn't help a team all that much when your manger doesn't understand platoon splits and pinch hitting.

[Big Reed]

I'm kind of looking at this and comparing mench verses lofton. Each player has certain skills, but also certain flaws. neither player has signed with anybody yet. however, lofton supposedly has generated a lot of interest from teams despite his flaws, and the supposed reason he hasn't signed is that the offers are on his table and he is weighing each one over before signing. On the contrary, nobody wants mench and the phone is not ringing despite his good qualities. I think mench would make a great dh, and would make a great bench bat or platoon outfielder. mench does have power, and can hit for a decent average against lefties. it seems odd to me that lofton has drawn a lot of attention whereas mench has drawn none. it almost seems to me that when a team is looking for a 4th outfielder, they are more concerned about his defensive skills than his hitting skills.

[TooLiveBrew]

I think the reason Kenny's got offers and Mench doesn't at this point is simply that more PA occur v. RHP... so a guy that can hit RHP but not LHP inherently has more value than one that mashes LHP but not RHP.

 

Lofton's a strange candidate at this point in his career. He can't play CF (defensively) effectively enough at this point - mainly due to a weak arm at his age, along with declined speed - to warrant signing him for CF... but his offense isn't prodidgious enough to really make him a great LF option, even though his D there is probably above league-average. My guess is he signs a decent one-year deal ($4-5 mil.?) with a team where he can start in either LF or CF (read: a non-playoff-caliber team), and then is traded to a contending team during the summer - where he can go & be a very good 4th OF & stellar pinch-runner/late game defensive replacement.

[DrWood]

I believe folks are underestimating lofton's ability to play CF. Also, I don't see any reason Mench should be excluded from the field (as a DH), since he fields just fine, even if he looks a little goofy doing it.

[Tbadder]

I'm not saying anyone's wrong in this discussion, but he does make a very interesting point. If the guy can mash lefties why couldn't we get anything for him? You'd think some AL team would love to have that power. Why hasn't he signed yet. I know he will, but often times teams will wait for a player they think will be cut, and then swoop down on him--hasn't happened to the Big Head Toad yet. Just wondering.

[TooLiveBrew]

It's curious, to be sure. Heck, for all we know, Mench may have already turned down several offers. If he's not signed by ST, then I'll be surprised.