Posted January 11, 200421 yr He's coming off of a career year offensively. If he can stop concentrating on swinging for the fences, and hit the ball into the gaps like he was doing at the beginning of the year, who here believes he can breakout? He'll never have a good OBP, because he is a free swinger and does K alot. That won't change. But I for one think that he has the talent to hit .290 with 15-20 HR's and possibly even 80-85 RBI consistantly. Does anyone have the same feeling as I do, that he may just breakout as an offensive threat in 2004?
January 11, 200421 yr Yeah, definately...he's due for a breakout year and he definately has been building up offensively to do it. Beginning of last year he had a nice level, controlled swing and had an astronomical batting average, but than was getting into these awful funks where you might as well have the pitcher bat than him when an important situation came up and he was batting. Those slumps really drove his avg. and confidence into the ground at times. I think we'll see a nice year from AGON this year offensively as well as defensively
January 11, 200421 yr Yeah, definately...he's due for a breakout year and he definately has been building up offensively to do it. Beginning of last year he had a nice level, controlled swing and had an astronomical batting average, but than was getting into these awful funks where you might as well have the pitcher bat than him when an important situation came up and he was batting. Those slumps really drove his avg. and confidence into the ground at times. I think we'll see a nice year from AGON this year offensively as well as defensively The beginning as last year he was as good as any ss in the NL, if he does that the whole year, hes going to one of the best SS in the MLB
January 11, 200421 yr I hope he has a breakout year we defintely need someone to step up next year offensively. I know he has the talent to do it but I'm not sure if he has the mind for it.
January 11, 200421 yr Author Yeah, definately...he's due for a breakout year and he definately has been building up offensively to do it. Beginning of last year he had a nice level, controlled swing and had an astronomical batting average, but than was getting into these awful funks where you might as well have the pitcher bat than him when an important situation came up and he was batting. Those slumps really drove his avg. and confidence into the ground at times. I think we'll see a nice year from AGON this year offensively as well as defensively The beginning as last year he was as good as any ss in the NL, if he does that the whole year, hes going to one of the best SS in the MLB For the first month in a half, he was statistically better than any SS in the game. Yes, that includes A-Rod.
January 11, 200421 yr Heres something to look at...Gonzalez's month to month batting splits March .000 April .356 May .310 June .268 July .220 August .149 September .238
January 11, 200421 yr Author Heres something to look at...Gonzalez's month to month batting splits March .000 April .356 May .310 June .268 July .220 August .149 September .238 Like I said, down the stretch, he made himself think he was a power hitter. He started popping everything straight-up, and got the occasional double or homer. That was it.
January 11, 200421 yr August .149 Didn't Cabs have a simlilar batting average during that month too? But AGon isn't the problem on this team and has the potential to hit maybe even 25 homers...
January 11, 200421 yr I'll still argue that if they'd stop hitting him 8th, he'd hit much better. Hit him seventh and put a more experienced patient hitter in the 8 hole.
January 11, 200421 yr Author I'll still argue that if they'd stop hitting him 8th, he'd hit much better. Hit him seventh and put a more experienced patient hitter in the 8 hole. Alex bats 8th because he is a breaking-ball hitter, and you see more breaking stuff in the eight hole.
January 11, 200421 yr But Alex is a free swinger and can't lay off balls that bounce ten feet in front of him. So therefore he cannot hit 8th, because he will keep swinging at stupid pitches and won't get anything to hit because the pitcher is hitting in back of him instead of a real hitter. I say bat him ninth.
January 11, 200421 yr I'll still argue that if they'd stop hitting him 8th, he'd hit much better. Hit him seventh and put a more experienced patient hitter in the 8 hole. Alex bats 8th because he is a breaking-ball hitter, and you see more breaking stuff in the eight hole. We should of put encarnacion in the 8, he would have 30 homers..
January 11, 200421 yr I don't know what it is about Alex...other than the fact that he is probably the best defensive shortstop in the league, but he's one of the guys I think we need to hold on to no matter what. I can picture dozens of run saving plays he made last year off the top of my head.....Offensively, he'll come around. He showed signs of that last year. It's just a matter of staying confident and being consistent. The talent is there.
January 11, 200421 yr Author I'll still argue that if they'd stop hitting him 8th, he'd hit much better. Hit him seventh and put a more experienced patient hitter in the 8 hole. Alex bats 8th because he is a breaking-ball hitter, and you see more breaking stuff in the eight hole. We should of put encarnacion in the 8, he would have 30 homers.. I wouldn't bet against it.
January 11, 200421 yr Alex has the talent to put the numbers that WC suggested, and maybe more. He needs to be patient at the plate, and some protection ahead of him. He should bat 7th.
January 11, 200421 yr Alex has the talent to put the numbers that WC suggested, and maybe more. He needs to be patient at the plate, and some protection ahead of him. He should bat 7th. The kids on 26, not even close to his prime.. i see at least 80 ribbies in the future
January 12, 200421 yr Ya, Alex has been around so long I tend to forget he's only 26 (remember when Renteria was moving to third?). We all know Alex is moody, and if affects his play. Since we are going to be the most relaxed team in baseball (Defending champs, low pressure area) he may get his mind right and start playing smart. His confidence sags after bad ABs, but his HR in Game 4 is still burned in people's brains, and he knows it. Hopefully, his relaxation and confidence will translate into a higher BA and, especially, a better average with RISP.
January 12, 200421 yr Here's one more thing to think about and it sounds cliche and over-used, but it's true. A lot of players who have potential, yet have mental blocks to performing well (like Alex) need a stage to "come out" and gain confidence. Alex struggled mightily throughout the playoffs, but after that walkoff HR against the Yankees, he started hitting like a mad-man. I know it was only a 3 game sample, but Beckett "came out" in the playoffs this year, and people expect amazing things from him now. I think AGon will perform much better than he did last year, and while 25 HR's may be a lot to ask, he'll come close to that and hit for a much higher average. If nothing else, he performed well on baseball's highest stage, so the over-thinking issues won't be there anymore...
January 12, 200421 yr Author Here's one more thing to think about and it sounds cliche and over-used, but it's true. A lot of players who have potential, yet have mental blocks to performing well (like Alex) need a stage to "come out" and gain confidence. Alex struggled mightily throughout the playoffs, but after that walkoff HR against the Yankees, he started hitting like a mad-man. I know it was only a 3 game sample, but Beckett "came out" in the playoffs this year, and people expect amazing things from him now. I think AGon will perform much better than he did last year, and while 25 HR's may be a lot to ask, he'll come close to that and hit for a much higher average. If nothing else, he performed well on baseball's highest stage, so the over-thinking issues won't be there anymore... Agreed 209%
January 12, 200421 yr breakout year? what the heck do you think 2003 was? after his past couple years, I thought 2003 was terrific for Sea Bass. I mean what would you like from the guy, Miguel Tejada numbers? I don't see him ever being a high-average hitter, he just doesn't have the bat discipline. Even with his 2nd half slump, I'll take that season anytime for Alex.
January 12, 200421 yr I'll still argue that if they'd stop hitting him 8th, he'd hit much better. Hit him seventh and put a more experienced patient hitter in the 8 hole. Alex bats 8th because he is a breaking-ball hitter, and you see more breaking stuff in the eight hole. I don't see Alex as breaking ball hitter. As a matter of fact he can't lay off the slider away on a 2 strike count. I agree he would be much more productive in the 7th spot.
January 12, 200421 yr Author I don't see Alex as breaking ball hitter. As a matter of fact he can't lay off the slider away on a 2 strike count. I agree he would be much more productive in the 7th spot. Well, Jack knows more than we do. There's a reason A-Gon hits int he eight hole.
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