Wednesday, July 20, 2005
We seem to have picked up The Other Tony G (by which I mean Tony Graffanino, formerly of the Royals and currently of the Red Sox, as opposed to Tony Giarratano, formerly of the Tigers and currently of the Erie Seawolves). TO Tony G can play most any position in the infield, which is useful, and if we're going to compare him to The Bell (and if, just for shits and giggles, we decided to throw Little Alex Cora [trying it out to see how it looks] in there too)...
Career (through 2004)
Tony G: .259/.330/.388
Cora: .246/.314/.351
Bellhorn: .242/.354/.412
Last Year
Tony G: .263/.332/.335
Cora: .264/.364/.380
Bellhorn: .264/.373/.444
This Year
Tony G: .298/.377/.393
Cora: .202/.243/.276
Bellhorn: .216/.328/.360
They're not dissimilar batters, over all. The Bell hits for more power, but over his career Tony G hits for better average. Tony G is two years older, but can more readily play a greater variety of positions. But perhaps most importantly, to annoyed Boston fans, is this:
Career High in Strikesouts
Tony G: 68, in 1998. Next highest, 46.
Cora: 59, in 2003. Next highest, 58.
Bellhorn: 177, in 2004. Next highest, 144.
Number of Strikeouts So Far This Year
Tony G: 28
Cora: 22
Bellhorn: 109
That's not quite as bad as it looks, obviously, since The Bell has had more at-bats than Tony G and Cora. But correcting for that still leaves you with Tony G striking out 14.66% of the time, Cora striking out 13.50% of the time, and The Bell striking out 38.52% of the time. So there's your marked improvement, and I guess we have that to look forward to.
Adam Hyzdu is also back, but don't think it means anything. Kapler is, by all accounts, on his way, and as soon as he gets here, either Hyzdu or, I guess, Stern is set to go. Although it was a bit funny how they kept Trotter away from the field tonight, even after using him as a batter... if he's hurt himself somehow, I take it back, and Hyzdu could very well mean something.
As for the rumors of Millar or Mueller to Minnesota for JC Romero, I have to say that, much as it pains me (MUCH), it would make more sense for the Twinkies to go for Mueller. They need corner assistance, but they've already got a plethora of first-base-types, including Matt LeCroy, who is basically Kevin Millar with more power this year. It just seems like the Twinks would be after Mueller, if they were after anyone at all. JC Romero is good, and lord knows we need the arm help.
I'll be at the game tomorrow, assuming I don't collapse dead from heat somewhere in the interim, so if you're going to be there and if you're going to be somewhere around the third base side, give me a holler.
Haiku for today's game (I've been in the mood for easy cop-out closing lines recently, and these are easy, so sue me):
What did I tell you
'Bout my boy Alex Cora?
Sit on down, bitches.
2:20 AM
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