10-01-2020, 06:43 PM
(10-01-2020, 09:24 AM)teejers1 Wrote:(10-01-2020, 07:18 AM)lex24 Wrote:(10-01-2020, 12:15 AM)teejers1 Wrote:(09-30-2020, 10:56 PM)lex24 Wrote: He was MVP and league batting champ in ‘12. After the collision. Look at his lifetime numbers. Hell as late as ‘17 he hit .320.
Specifics. Post ‘11
12. 336/408/549/957
13 294/371/450/821
14 311/364/490/854
15 318/379/470/849
16 288/362/434/796
17 320/400/462/861
18 284/359/352/741
19 257/320/358/688
He had surgery for hip impingement in Aug 18. Had you watched that year and paid attention you’d have noticed around May that he couldn’t turn on the ball. All hands. Should have been shut down way earlier. Might have come back stronger in ‘19. Hes the face of three world championships. Just a slapsy hitting guy since that injury in ‘11. Vogt is in Arizona. Hit .167 with 1 HR this year.
Vogt, Buster, Bart, and a host of others are pretty interchangeable (as is true for the majority of major leaguers). None brings anything indispensable or uniquely important.
And to Giants, as for Buster being a leader . . . maybe. I don't know. Leaders typically don't "sit it out," but maybe you can find some examples to the contrary. More generally, you sound awfully certain of something that I think only Buster (or perhaps his family members) would know for sure. BTW, do you think Aaron Rodgers is a leader? Brett Favre? Joe Montana? [I don't think any of those guys were too interested in grooming their replacements, and that's asking a lot. But who knows, maybe baseball is just different . . . ].
P.S. If Buster does come back, maybe he will hit a bit better than his last 1.5 seasons. The field changes have seemed to help other older players on the Giants, so there's some hope . . .
Buster made it clear why he opted out. The premature twins they adopted were born just when the “second spring training” started. This is a rather unique situation, don’t you think? It’s not like he “sat it out” over a contract. As for who I believe he will be a strong mentor - I base it on what I’ve read and what Giants people say about his makeup and character.
Lex, I apologize. I throw stuff out there about Buster because I know it will get a rise out of you.
So let me be entirely serious for this post about Buster:
1. He was, certainly at his peak, a great Giant, and a key piece of the WS championships.
2. I think Buster has lost bat speed and power, perhaps attributable to the injury you cite (I don't know).
3. Do I think Buster would have helped put the Giants "over the top" and into the playoffs this year? No way to know for certain, but I lean yes (if only to help avoid some pitching meltdowns - Joey messing up signs couldn't possibly have helped things).
4. Am I bent that Buster decided to opt out this season? No. Completely his decision, for whatever reason.
5. Was the reasoning for his decision admirable? Yes. But I also think that Buster had the luxury (which he earned) of being able to afford such a decision. And that's not insignificant. If Joey Bart or any number of other Giants trying to establish themselves in the Bigs made a similar decision, well, that would be particularly impressive. [BTW, this is why I really admire the football players who opted out this season for family/health-related reasons. Those guys are giving up 1/4 of their career earnings (on average), and they don't make as much as NBAers or MLBers. [Otoh, if a third-year NFL pro and starter on a low-round rookie contract sits it out, then there might be other reasons for sitting it out . . . which I'd also understand/support, even if less "admirable."].
6. Do I think Buster is a "leader" and will mentor Bart? I have no idea.
My fault for being a trout.......