Nelson Cruz

[Mitchrapp]

the lineup should be constructed to get Miggy up with men on base, that's just my opinion but more common sense. i'd say put your two highest OBP guys up before him, if two guys are very close go with the one with more speed

Then put Avila at one or two. Assuming he can bring his average up 30-40 points. Which shouldn't be hard to do..in your theory.

I think I would like Miggy at 3, Vmart at 2. Kinsler at 1. 4 and 5, Hunter and Nick.

 

[Rebbiv]

1. Avila
2. Martinez
3. Cabrera
4. Castellanos
5. Hunter
6. Kinsler
7. Jackson
8. Dirks
9. Iglesias

 

[Mitchrapp]

1. Avila
2. Martinez
3. Cabrera
4. Castellanos
5. Hunter
6. Kinsler
7. Jackson
8. Dirks
9. Iglesias

I'd be okay with that.

 

[Thumb]

1. Avila
2. Martinez
3. Cabrera
4. Castellanos
5. Hunter
6. Kinsler
7. Jackson
8. Dirks
9. Iglesias

That's an awful lot of pressure to put on a rookie.

 

[jdeb]

In 2013, the average AL hitter hit a Home Run once every 37 Plate Appearances. 15 HR x 37 PA = 555 Plate Appearances. More Plate Appearances = more home runs, even if it is at the average rate.

Last 3 years Away HR Rate (Amount if given 650 PA)

Cabrera 18.0 PA/HR (36)

Fielder 28.0 PA/HR (23)

Kinsler 35.6 PA/HR (18)

Hunter 36.5 PA/HR (18)

AL Average 37.0 PA/HR (18)


Jackson 41.0 PA/HR (16)

D. Kelly 41.5 PA/HR (16)

Peralta 43.1 PA/HR (15)

V. Martinez 45.0 PA/HR (14)

Avila 47.5 PA/HR (14)

B. Pena 50.9 PA/HR (13)

Castellanos 54.2 PA/HR (12)

Dirks 56.2 PA/HR (12)

Infante 57.8 PA/HR (11)

Iglesias 85.3 PA/HR (8)

R. Davis 99.0 PA/HR (7)

Holaday 128.3 PA/HR (5)

Santiago 139.0 PA/HR (5)

Lombardozzi 203.0 PA/HR (3)

BOLD is new to since last AS break

Roughly 10-12 HR departed and we got speed in return.


2013 Team Rankings

1. OAK 30.6 PA/HR

2. SEA 31.3 PA/HR

3. BAL 32.5 PA/HR

4. TOR 34.4 PA/HR

5. BOS 34.7 PA/HR

6. TEX 34.8 PA/HR

7. LAA 36.7 PA/HR

8. DET 37.4 PA/HR

9. TBR 37.8 PA/HR

10. CLE 37.8 PA/HR

11. MIN 38.5 PA/HR

12. NYY 44.9 PA/HR

13. HOU 45.3 PA/HR

14. CHW 46.4 PA/HR

15. KCR 54.9 PA/HR


We now go to one of the worst teams in the league for power, and most likely OBP aside from Cabrera. Remove Cabrera, and 2013 we would be right at about 45.0 HR/PA. 2014 just means we will be that much more worse.

Those stats don't mean much in my mind. All the top teams have small OF's. Tigers play half their game in Detroit, I am fine with less power, better defense, and more speed. They couldn't do it with the DH type team

 

[Rebbiv]

For the record, last 3 years Away OBP:

M. Cabrera .424

P. Fielder .376

V. Martinez .362

A. Castellanos .344

A. Avila .343

M. Tuiasosopo .336

A. Jackson .330

T. Hunter .328

O. Infante .319

A. Dirks .315


2013 AL Average Away .315


J. Peralta .313

J. Iglesias .306

I. Kinsler .303

B. Pena .297

D. Kelly .293

R. Davis .289

R. Santiago .280

S. Lombardozzi .280

B. Holaday .272


Also for the record, we got SPEED!

 

[Rebbiv]

Those stats don't mean much in my mind. All the top teams have small OF's. Tigers play half their game in Detroit, I am fine with less power, better defense, and more speed. They couldn't do it with the DH type team

And it wasn't a DH type team. Aside from Cabrera and Fielder, there has been no other Tiger over the last 4-5 years that could hit 20 HRs consistently. They didn't have speed, but they hardly had much power past Cabrera and Fielder.

Additionally, Comerica is about neutral now that Left Field fence got moved in.

 

[Mitchrapp]

That's an awful lot of pressure to put on a rookie.

It would. The advantage a rookie bats behind a guy who gets on base all the time.

Though honesty I don't see that happening.

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140123/SPORTS0104/301230095
Tigers looking more and more like logical landing spot for Nelson Cruz.
from Tony Paul at the detnews

 

[Mitchrapp]

Where would he play? I mean I know it would be in the OF but didn't we sign Davis to partner with Dirks..?

 

[Rebbiv]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140123/SPORTS0104/301230095
Tigers looking more and more like logical landing spot for Nelson Cruz.
from Tony Paul at the detnews

Nelson Cruz last 3 years away (PED Enhanced?)

.299 OBP .432 SLG .731 OPS

Terrible numbers for a corner OFer, even if he can hit HRs. Reminds me of Marcus Thames.

 

[kalinecountry]

Nelson Cruz last 3 years away (PED Enhanced?)

.299 OBP .432 SLG .731 OPS

Terrible numbers for a corner OFer, even if he can hit HRs. Reminds me of Marcus Thames.

Yes, like another Thames but for ALOT more $$$................NO

 

[swami45]

People are getting too hung up on the need for a power bat. St. Louis has had one of the best offenses in baseball year after year and routinely rank near the bottom in HR`s. Just worry about hitting with runners in scoring position, having productive at bats, and smart base running. Those are the things that matter.

 

[xer0]

This nightmare of an offseason would be complete if the Tigers add Cruz.

 

[Rebbiv]

People are getting too hung up on the need for a power bat. St. Louis has had one of the best offenses in baseball year after year and routinely rank near the bottom in HR`s. Just worry about hitting with runners in scoring position, having productive at bats, and smart base running. Those are the things that matter.

STL last 5 years Away

#1 OBP

#1 Slugging

#1 wOBA

#1 ISO

#15 Speed

DET last 5 years Away

#6 OBP

#6 wOBA

#7 Slugging

#7 ISO

#13 Speed

 

[spockmaster]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140123/sports0104/301230095
tigers looking more and more like logical landing spot for nelson cruz.
From tony paul at the detnews

fuck no goddamnit

 

[turok]

fuck no goddamnit

Doubt it very much that the Tigers would sign Cruz unless he would accept and was to agree to a relatively short contract with incentives. Paul was just speculating and perhaps his more likely landing place would be in Seattle with the Mariners.

As Paul posted, Cruz would have to play LF, unless Castellanos flops @ 3B, which might precipitate a move by Miggy back to third, while VMart mans 1B and Cruz becomes their primary DH.

But of course there is no way to know in advance how well Nick will do on O or D, much less how the potential Davis/Dirks LF platoon will fare. But if the Tigers sign Cruz, one or the other might need to be traded due to roster size limits.

Don't envision that happening, but stranger things have happened before with the Tigers brass...cough...Fister...cough...

 

[hellifino]

we let go of 49 or more Hrs from last seasons starters,where do we pick up the slack from? Castellanos has 18 mlb at bats and not one EBH.spose Kelly will hit .325/ 49/135

 

[lonesometiger]

we let go of 49 or more Hrs from last seasons starters,where do we pick up the slack from? Castellanos has 18 mlb at bats and not one EBH.spose Kelly will hit .325/ 49/135

Kelly picks up the slack!. I know some people that can try out for the 2015 team.

 

[Mitchrapp]

What 10 to 15 fewer PA's a year? Big deal. Him hitting 4th probably ups his RBI totals, which would easily offset a handful of PA's.

I'm not going to get into this whole thing again, it's been done here like 10 times since we moved from ESPN, but the #4 has been shown to be the most important spot in the lineup. Now consider Cabrera is the only hitter we have capable of holding that spot (needs excellent power, high contact rate)

You assume he'll have less RBI opportunities if batting 3rd. That's hard to say no way to prove it.

Also #3 hitters..Babe Ruth, Mel Ott, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Chipper Jones, Barry Bonds, Mickey Mantle, Carl Yastrzemski, Albert Pujols, Joey Votto, Miguel Cabrera, Josh Hamilton, Evan Longoria, and Hank Aaron..

Granted there have been great hitters at 4 but some of them, like Lou Gehrig, batted there because the better hitter hit in front of them.