(from Fangraphs)
Name BB% K% ISO Adam Dunn 18.80% 36.70% 0.307 Pedro Alvarez 9.50% 30.80% 0.251 Kirk Nieuwenhuis 8.30% 30.40% 0.131 Carlos Pena 14.60% 30.30% 0.167 Mike Napoli 12.80% 30.10% 0.189 Jordan Schafer 8.80% 29.40% 0.085 Rickie Weeks 13.10% 28.70% 0.145 Danny Espinosa 7.80% 28.20% 0.142 Chris Davis 5.10% 27.90% 0.197 Dan Uggla 15.90% 27.40% 0.17
Those are some of my favorite players right there. There's even an article about them in this week's Time Magazine (sorry, subscription req'd).
I began following baseball closely in 2001. Coincidentally, that was Adam Dunn's first year in the majors. My life as a fan has been one, long search to find the words to describe his powers. This season, he's taken it to a new level. Every night before I sleep, I pray that he finishes this season with a sub .200 BA and 45 home runs.
I can't help but like this guy, even if I shouldn't.
I don't want to bring up the drug suspension, but I guess I just did. I believe it was HGH and since this is America, I'm very comfortable making that assertion without doing a quick google search to verify. I am rooting for him as well because equally American is the story of the guy who gets a second chance (with a second franchise) and makes good on it. My rooting only goes so far, though, because with Lowrie, Norris, and Altuve my Astros affection may be going too far. There's just something deeply appealing about a hopelessly terrible NL team.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great list, though.
Yup, Schafer is one of the HGHers. I think he'll keep sticking around because he steals bases, which is probably the most overvalued skill there is, but that slash line is terrible.
ReplyDelete