I'd play Easley for a while.

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lol are you joking? There goes the offense and defense.

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Easley is hitting better than Lowell is right now. Lowell's D hasn't been stellar lately either.

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:blink:

mike lowell needs to buy a hit-a-way... :plain

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I actually own one, it's the greatest thing ever lol.

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Do those things really work?

 

I do it the old fashion way. I throw rocks in the air and hit them out of my backyard.

 

:peepwall

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So I ain't the only one :shifty

Why just bench him? Why not send him to the minors, build some character....

The guy is a veteran. Like Conine, they will work themselves out of their slumps. You guys think you have all the answers. I would not be surprised if he asked to be dropped down to 5th.

 

Like someone said, he is our team leader..Demoting him to fifth does nothing.

Why just bench him? Why not send him to the minors, build some character....

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You don't send MIKE LOWELL, the overall best player in the organization and the real leader of this team down to the minors, that's just an insult and will send a HORRIBLE message to the rest of the players. Also, I believe there is a clause in Lowell's contract which prevents him from being sent down, not to mention his contract is up soon and the last thing we want to do is have tension between him and the organization. He's been taking extra BP lately and working overtime with Bill Robinson, he'll come out of it soon. Remember his last slump, he was something like 0-28 and then broke out of it with a walk off homer. The most that should happen is you just bat him lower in the lineup, mabye give Gonzo and ENC some protection :lol .

I didn't see him leave the stadium when I left - might have passed me somehow, but I think his white SUV was still there when I left, and there were no fans still there, cept like two Cards fans. Lights still on - extra BP maybe?

I didn't see him leave the stadium when I left - might have passed me somehow, but I think his white SUV was still there when I left, and there were no fans still there, cept like two Cards fans.? Lights still on - extra BP maybe?

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Mikey Flikey! Maybe he was reflection on this at-bats :o He's going to be there for a long time lol

 

Maybe the afternoon sun will perk him up

I believe this "2nd-half slump" nonsense people mention is hogwash.

 

In my estimation, Mikey always starts the season with only mediocre respect from opposing teams and pitchers. They challenge him inside, and with a lot of fastballs. If you look at his previous year's numbers, you aren't that impressed with 32 HRs from a #4 hitter, especially when that is his career high. So you pitch to him.

 

Here's the thing though: 22 HRs at the All-Star break is certainly more intimidating. So the 2nd-half of the season rolls around, teams are in the race, pitchers have wisened up, and sure enough, the fastballs inside turn into breaking pitches and fastballs away. Just look at how pitchers are pitching him. They no longer pitch to his strengths.

 

Don't get me wrong. Mikey still gets some inside pitches, but when frustration settles in, over-swinging turns into a problem for him. And don't get me wrong, Mikey can hit an outside pitch. Last year in Boston he did (what a game that was), and in game 1 in Chicago he did as well. But it just isn't with the same frequency as what he can do to inside fastballs.

 

So there you have it. Mikey isn't necessarily slumping. He just isn't seeing the pitches he can take advantage of with the same frequency he did in the early part of the year. Pitchers are no longer pitching to his strengths ? and wisely so.

 

[/flamesuit]

Yeah lets bench the team leader, and arguably the best player on the team :plain

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You mean Lo Duca??? :whistle

You mean Lo Duca??? :whistle

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Mike Lowell is a better hitter than Lo Duca.

Lowell IS NOT a better hitter than Lo Duca right now . He IS one of our team leaders, though.

 

The problem is that he is a victim on anything low, slow, or outside. Most hitters, except the elite, are. Most good major league pitchers can hit that spot with some consistency. And now, Mikey's so conscious of his failings that he starts looking outside, and when he gets something hard on the inside half, he often just misses it.

 

This is a very hard fault to correct, because it comes from habits he started developing as a kid in little league, and high school, where most pitchers struggle just to throw strikes, and can't pitch to your weaknesses. He was so much better than most other kids, he had no incentive to learn to cover the entire plate.

 

For you Billy Beane fans, I believe he is quoted as saying that this sort of deficiency never gets corrected, at least not in a player Mikey's age. I agree. We. and Lowell must live withthe fact that the holes in his swing will keep him one notch below the Scott Rolens of the world.

 

The rest of the matter must be decided by Trader Jack. Mike is not doing a good job in the four hole now, and probably shouldn't be in the five hole either. The "team leader" and "how will this affect the other player's" comments are just so much crap. These are professionals, and they all know (including Mikey) what needs to be done for the good of the team, unless we want to give up on the rest of the season. :toilet

And who do you suggest starts in place of Lowell? I'd still rather take my chances on Lowell because it's a slump -- no matter how you analyze it. I don't really care what Billy Beane thinks.

for the record, billy beane (or anyone who goes by the numbers) would never suggest taking lowell out because of a slump.

To Admin and Shaq-Man;

 

Reading 101: :teach

 

I didn't say Lowell should be benched. Just that he should not hit in the 4 hole right now.

 

And Billy Beane wouldn't bench Lowell, he would have traded him after the All Star break when he would have brought the most value, like he did with Giambi, Damon, etc.

To Admin and Shaq-Man;

 

Reading 101: :teach

 

I didn't say Lowell should be benched. Just that he should not hit in the 4 hole right now.

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no, really???

 

i was expounding on the beane comment.

To Admin and Shaq-Man;

 

Reading 101: :teach

 

I didn't say Lowell should be benched. Just that he should not hit in the 4 hole right now.

 

And Billy Beane wouldn't bench Lowell, he would have traded him after the All Star break when he would have brought the most value, like he did with Giambi, Damon, etc.

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Billy is a genious!

:plain

To Admin and Shaq-Man;

 

Reading 101: :teach

 

I didn't say Lowell should be benched. Just that he should not hit in the 4 hole right now.

 

And Billy Beane wouldn't bench Lowell, he would have traded him after the All Star break when he would have brought the most value, like he did with Giambi, Damon, etc.

507555[/snapback]

 

Beane traded Giambi?

 

All this time I thought he signed a big free agent deal.

 

Who knew?

 

:plain

Billy Beane = CantCatchMe

To Admin & Big Hugg:

 

My patience is being exhausted.

 

To Big Hugg: The Giambi referred to in Moneyball is Jeremy, not Jason, although with Jason the As let him go because the Yankees were willing to pay more than Beane felt that Giambi was worth. What do you think of that deal (or the Giambi for Mabry deal that Moneyball discusses)? What? You don't understand? Go to the Office and get your transfer to the slow learners' class. :dork

 

To Admin: How did you know?

:burglar

Accord, it was a joke.