Post by Rog on Sept 10, 2014 20:18:36 GMT -5
When a guy goes five for five, and we're not shocked, that guy is a pretty good hitter. When a lefty's hitting .344 against southpaws, he's a pretty good hitter. When a guy is missing just over one out of 20 pitches, he's a pretty good hitter. When a guy's going outside the zone only a little over once out of four, he's a pretty good hitter. When a guy is hitting just over one out of every four hits for line drives, he's a pretty good hitter.
When he's doing all those things, he's Joe Panik.
Joe is already ranked the #20 second baseman by Bleacher Reports -- and they would have ranked him higher -- perhaps considerably higher -- if his sample size was over 200 at bats. Although I think he can be defensed, his swing has almost no flaws. Sure, he hits for almost no power, but that's because he has so few moving parts in his swing, and that swing is Eddie Goedell-short.
Oh, and his defense? Above average to say the least. His base running? Makes up for ordinary speed with extraordinary instincts. Feel for the game? Can you say manager in the making?
So I ask the question: Is Joe as good as he seems? Please don't take it the wrong way when I answer "no."
What's wrong with him, you ask? Not much. Not much at all. His primary reason for a future decline is, how can he possibly keep this up? Is he Tony Gwynn with even more plate control? Is he a healthy Marco Scutaro on steroids? Is he the new Nellie Fox? (Well, he might actually be that last one.)
Joe just can't keep hitting .327, just as Buster Posey couldn't consistently follow up his league-leading .336 of 2012. Fox's career numbers were .288/.348/.363/.710. They were good enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. I don't think Joe will become a fellow Hall of Famer, but I do think those career numbers are attainable for him.
But not .327. Remember, Joe batted just .257 a year ago at AA Richmond. He isn't really a .257 hitter, but he didn't become 70 points better, either.
Look at those career numbers for Fox. At the end of his career, Joe might be in that area. Nellie was also considered to be an excellent fielder, likely better than Joe will be. But Joe is no slouch, and it's hard to imagine Fox had better base running or instincts for the game.
How good can Joe become? That's a tough one. It would be pretty darn hard to be as good as he has shown so far. That level of play WOULD get him into the Hall of Fame. On the first ballot.
Joe doesn't have to be THIS good to be good. And that's a comforting thought. Second base shouldn't be an issue for the next decade. Since Ray Durham left, I bet the Giants have used 20 or more second basemen -- probably the "more." That should change.
Yes, the Giants solidified themselves quite a bit when they Paniked.
When he's doing all those things, he's Joe Panik.
Joe is already ranked the #20 second baseman by Bleacher Reports -- and they would have ranked him higher -- perhaps considerably higher -- if his sample size was over 200 at bats. Although I think he can be defensed, his swing has almost no flaws. Sure, he hits for almost no power, but that's because he has so few moving parts in his swing, and that swing is Eddie Goedell-short.
Oh, and his defense? Above average to say the least. His base running? Makes up for ordinary speed with extraordinary instincts. Feel for the game? Can you say manager in the making?
So I ask the question: Is Joe as good as he seems? Please don't take it the wrong way when I answer "no."
What's wrong with him, you ask? Not much. Not much at all. His primary reason for a future decline is, how can he possibly keep this up? Is he Tony Gwynn with even more plate control? Is he a healthy Marco Scutaro on steroids? Is he the new Nellie Fox? (Well, he might actually be that last one.)
Joe just can't keep hitting .327, just as Buster Posey couldn't consistently follow up his league-leading .336 of 2012. Fox's career numbers were .288/.348/.363/.710. They were good enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. I don't think Joe will become a fellow Hall of Famer, but I do think those career numbers are attainable for him.
But not .327. Remember, Joe batted just .257 a year ago at AA Richmond. He isn't really a .257 hitter, but he didn't become 70 points better, either.
Look at those career numbers for Fox. At the end of his career, Joe might be in that area. Nellie was also considered to be an excellent fielder, likely better than Joe will be. But Joe is no slouch, and it's hard to imagine Fox had better base running or instincts for the game.
How good can Joe become? That's a tough one. It would be pretty darn hard to be as good as he has shown so far. That level of play WOULD get him into the Hall of Fame. On the first ballot.
Joe doesn't have to be THIS good to be good. And that's a comforting thought. Second base shouldn't be an issue for the next decade. Since Ray Durham left, I bet the Giants have used 20 or more second basemen -- probably the "more." That should change.
Yes, the Giants solidified themselves quite a bit when they Paniked.
My Grandfather never even saw me play ball...my Father would come to my baseball games when he could, but he always ..came to my football games.