Post by rog on Jan 17, 2018 7:24:10 GMT -5
Boly said we should expect a very good season from Andrew McCutchen, and I said it has been a few years since he had a very good season. I may have been wrong -- on three counts.
First, Andrew had a .889 OPS in 2015, so a few years was actually no more than two.
Second, he had an .841 OPS last season, which if it wasn't very good, was darn close. If we throw in his declining defense, perhaps the season would be considered good instead of very good, but apparently regarding his defense, there are extenuating factors. When he returned to center field after giving it up to Starlin Marte, McCutchen played deeper, and his metrics improved.
Third, while it wasn't a full season, Andrew was better than very good from May 27th on. On May 26th, Andrew's batting average was a horrid .205, and his OPS was only .631. For him to wind up at .279/.849, he had to hit over .300 and put up an OPS well over .900. We can (and should) question his defense, but for essentially two-thirds of a season, Andrew was the hitter he once was. Not a full season, but enough of a sample to bode well.
Move Andrew to a corner outfield position where his defense should play better, and suddenly the Giants have the potential of a player who could be at least very good.
They still need a center fielder. Their rotation is still as thin as an oboe reed. They lack depth. But the Giants have put themselves in position to become a playoff contender. Better, they should be able to add an adequate center fielder until Steven Duggar can develop. They should be able to put in place a veteran pitcher who can at least battle with youngsters Stratton, Blach, Beede and Suarez for the final two rotation spots. Those two moves could well move them up from the position to be a contender to actually being one.
First, Andrew had a .889 OPS in 2015, so a few years was actually no more than two.
Second, he had an .841 OPS last season, which if it wasn't very good, was darn close. If we throw in his declining defense, perhaps the season would be considered good instead of very good, but apparently regarding his defense, there are extenuating factors. When he returned to center field after giving it up to Starlin Marte, McCutchen played deeper, and his metrics improved.
Third, while it wasn't a full season, Andrew was better than very good from May 27th on. On May 26th, Andrew's batting average was a horrid .205, and his OPS was only .631. For him to wind up at .279/.849, he had to hit over .300 and put up an OPS well over .900. We can (and should) question his defense, but for essentially two-thirds of a season, Andrew was the hitter he once was. Not a full season, but enough of a sample to bode well.
Move Andrew to a corner outfield position where his defense should play better, and suddenly the Giants have the potential of a player who could be at least very good.
They still need a center fielder. Their rotation is still as thin as an oboe reed. They lack depth. But the Giants have put themselves in position to become a playoff contender. Better, they should be able to add an adequate center fielder until Steven Duggar can develop. They should be able to put in place a veteran pitcher who can at least battle with youngsters Stratton, Blach, Beede and Suarez for the final two rotation spots. Those two moves could well move them up from the position to be a contender to actually being one.