What the heck are we going to do with this guy? Everybody still seems to be infatuated by his All-Star selection in 2006. Since then he's done less than what Jack has done. Jason Churchill came out with his Spring Training Report today, and this is what he had to say about Jose Lopez.Lopez is a complete mess at the plate. Several scouts described him as “lost” or “without any confidence he can hit the ball hard at all” after seeing him this spring.
He’s still chasing pitches out of the zone early in the count and is unable to punish the fastball. Presently, Lopez is not showing that he deserves regular at-bats in Triple-A, let alone a solid big-league baseball club.
He pulls off breaking balls about half the time, and the other half he’s reaching out for them with a weak waive. Until he can offer more effective plate coverage — going to right field with a line drive regularly — he’s probably going to be limited to being a .260 hitter with moderate power at best.
If pitchers stay away from Lopez and make him reach, he’s an easy out waiting to happen. He must develop better discipline, and if he wants to keep his job as the starting second baseman, he’ll need to show something early in the year.
He’s still chasing pitches out of the zone early in the count and is unable to punish the fastball. Presently, Lopez is not showing that he deserves regular at-bats in Triple-A, let alone a solid big-league baseball club.
He pulls off breaking balls about half the time, and the other half he’s reaching out for them with a weak waive. Until he can offer more effective plate coverage — going to right field with a line drive regularly — he’s probably going to be limited to being a .260 hitter with moderate power at best.
If pitchers stay away from Lopez and make him reach, he’s an easy out waiting to happen. He must develop better discipline, and if he wants to keep his job as the starting second baseman, he’ll need to show something early in the year.
I had to laugh after reading this. It's almost as good as Lookout Landing's analysis of each team's #1-2 in their rotations. It's really too bad for Lopez. It seemed like yesterday, wait, not it didn't, because yesterday he wasn't hitting really well and making magic in the middle of the infield. Lopez will probably be the starting second basemen come Opening Day, because like some of you, I'd say us, but I'm not, are still in love with Lopez' first half of 2006. Manager John McLaren is no different.
What the Mariners are going to do. Hmmmm. Miguel Cairo and Tug Hullet wouldn't be any better. Yung Chi Chen, why not? Maybe explore the trade route. Ronnie Belliard would be an idea. This is turning out to be a position battle with two weeks left in the Spring.
2 comments:
I'd like some 3am clarification on the title of this post.
Freudian slip or is Common Drum made into one word to exemplify Lopez being something we are beating on commonly?
So funny.
I think that it was a little bit of both. Now that I think about it, I don't really remember exactly what I was meaning, but I like your idea of 'Common Drum because we are beating on him so comonly'. After you've put it like that, it is pretty funny.
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