Taveras

[Joe Joe]

"Only Friday, scouts behind home plate had to check their watches and double-check them when Taveras was clocked to first base in a Mickey Mantle-esque 3.54 seconds."

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3127079

For reference, Ichiro is supposedly running at 3.7 or 3.8 seconds. That's about a step difference if the info is correct. That is huge for a righthanded hitter. As long as he makes contact, he should have a good average.

[meh]

You have to wonder just how long will it take for Taveras to get out of the 8th spot. If the guy can lead the MLB in BA(yes I know it's only 5 games) hitting behind Ausmus and in front of a pitcher, why is he hitting 8th?

[Baqui99]

Originally posted by meh
You have to wonder just how long will it take for Taveras to get out of the 8th spot. If the guy can lead the MLB in BA(yes I know it's only 5 games) hitting behind Ausmus and in front of a pitcher, why is he hitting 8th?

Damn right. Common sense says Taveras is your prototype leadoff hitter. Instead the guy with the worst OBP, Everett, is leading off. Bizarre.

[rezdawg]

If Taveras just hits slow rolling ground balls all day, he will go 2-4 every game.

[Joe Joe]

Everett was showing signs that he could be a leadoff hitter for about a month before his injury last year. Another week of Taveras with an OBP over .400 (not cumulative) should get him in the leadoff spot.

I think Garner didn't think Taveras would beat out Scott, Lamb, Burke for PT when Berkman returns. Right now, it looks like Taveras is in the lead, but all it takes is someone to start bashing homers to change this.

[Svpernaut]

Taveras is amazing to watch in person. I've been to 4 of the 5 games and he makes it all look so easy. You'll see him in the leadoff spot before long... it should be noted though that his hitting and speed at the end of the lineup has won a few games for us.

[l3igballer23]

If only the NL had a DH...

[rocks_fan]

If I were Phil Garner I'd go Major League on him.

"Every time you hit the ball in the air you owe me 20 pushups."

If he learns plate discipline and draws a walk here and there he could be a prototypical old school leadoff hitter. Plus it would allow the Indians to give us a leadoff hitter to make up for the infamous Eddie Taubensee/Kenny Lofton trade.

[arkoe]

A week and a half ago everyone was crying that there was no way Taveras should be leading off because he was unproven and had had shoddy averages in the minors.

[Svpernaut]

Originally posted by arkoe
A week and a half ago everyone was crying that there was no way Taveras should be leading off because he was unproven and had had shoddy averages in the minors.

He was a batting champ in the minors and had great spring numbers.... BUT was unproven. I never bad mouthed his abilities and would have chastised anyone who did, but calling for a rookie to leadoff from the start of a season when he doesn't have to isn't exactly the smartest move. I like Garner starting him off at the end of the lineup and letting him get acclimated to the improved defense and pitching of the Majors. You have to remember he made the jump from Double-A to the big show which isn't made successfully by many on their first attempt, if at all.

I'd be comfortable with Taveras leading off now, but I'm sure Garner will give Everett a week or two more to find his stroke before he makes any decisions. If I would have had my way Biggio would have been leading off to start the season... I knew Everett would be rusty to start because of his injury, and the past has shown us that he doesn't usually get very comfortable at the plate in April or May.

[deepellumrocket]

Originally posted by l3igballer23
If only the NL had a DH...

Statements like this can land you on my ignore list.

[MadMax]

Originally posted by Svpernaut

I'd be comfortable with Taveras leading off now, but I'm sure Garner will give Everett a week or two more to find his stroke before he makes any decisions. If I would have had my way Biggio would have been leading off to start the season... I knew Everett would be rusty to start because of his injury, and the past has shown us that he doesn't usually get very comfortable at the plate in April or May.

I was talking about this yesterday with some friends at the game. I'd say another week of the current lineup and Garner will likely make the switch.

[redgoose]

Give Taveras time. He will be the prototype leadoff hitter we've all wanted for a decade. I think Garner has him at the bottom of the order so there's not too much presure on him.

Soon it will be Taveras, Biggio, Bagwell, and Berkman at the top of the order.

[NJRocket]

Either let the guy leadoff or bat him 2nd behind Biggio......either way, we have to get Everett out of the leadoff spot...he cant hit.

[MadMax]

Originally posted by NJRocket
Either let the guy leadoff or bat him 2nd behind Biggio......either way, we have to get Everett out of the leadoff spot...he cant hit.

patience...it will happen. i'd say within the week.

[xiki]

Originally posted by redgoose
I think Garner has him at the bottom of the order so there's not too much presure on him.



I agree. It would have likely assisted Luuuuke to hit in the 7 hole.

Speaking of the 7 hole, Ausmus and taveras should switch now -- WT gets on 1st, swipes 2nd, and then BA can't hit into a DP.

[leroy420]

Originally posted by xiki
Speaking of the 7 hole, Ausmus and taveras should switch now -- WT gets on 1st, swipes 2nd, and then BA can't hit into a DP.

Oh, he'll find a way.

[xiki]

Originally posted by leroy420
Oh, he'll find a way.

Scary, but likely (thus, very scary!).

[Groogrux]

Did anyone read Garner's comments about the 8 spot in the SI Baseball preview?

Basically, he said that it's a horrible spot for a rookie or unproven player. The first time I read the quote, I looked up and Taveras was having his first AB of the season. From the 8 hole.

[franchise?..NOT]

Originally posted by Rocketman95
Did anyone read Garner's comments about the 8 spot in the SI Baseball preview?

Basically, he said that it's a horrible spot for a rookie or unproven player. The first time I read the quote, I looked up and Taveras was having his first AB of the season. From the 8 hole.

I heard a follow up which may answer the thread . Garner said that the 8 spot was tough because you are rarely going to see anything to hit with the pitcher coming next. The 8 hitter should be seeing nothing but junk. Hitting 8 should make him a better hitter. Lots of hitters can hit fastballs. Fewer can hit breaking balls, offspeed stuff and major league changups. Taveras , while my favorite new Astro, is still not exactly tearing the cover off the ball.

Everett will hit. Will he regain the form from last year that showed maybe he could be a good lead off........... We shall see?. In the meantime why tinker with 4-1. If the pitching to date can buy you a 4-1 start then let things alone and see what shakes out B4 Berkman gets back in a couple of weeks. If it ain't broke...........

[Raven Lunatic]

Just because I know how much it would piss everyone off, I'm going to predict that once they move Willy to the first spot in the order, the Astros go into a mini-slump, if not a full blown one. Just seems like the sort of thing that would happen to us.

[Groogrux]

Originally posted by franchise?..NOT
In the meantime why tinker with 4-1. If the pitching to date can buy you a 4-1 start then let things alone and see what shakes out B4 Berkman gets back in a couple of weeks. If it ain't broke...........

That's what I'm thinking now too. Baseballers are so superstitious that I wouldn't expect a drastic change in the lineup until we go into a mini-slump. If/when that happens and Taveras is still getting good wood on the ball and Everett's not, I'm guessing that's when we'll see a change.

[SamCassell]

It's still early, but Willie Taveras looks like he could be provide the speed in the OF and on the bases that we lost in the Lofton deal and that never developed in Brian Hunter. He's got the potential to be special.

[RIET]

Off Topic but if up to him Garner would probably pitch Lidge 200+ innings.

5-2 lead, day game after night, 3rd appearance in 3 days?

Lidge has a history of injuries which was the reason he switched from starter to reliever.

If Garner continues to go with this type of strategy and Lidge breaks down late in the season, Garner should be fired.

[rrj_gamz]

Adam is not the proto-type lead-off hitter...Having said that, the season is young, but why wouldn't you try Taveras...

[Svpernaut]

Originally posted by rrj_gamz
Adam is not the proto-type lead-off hitter...Having said that, the season is young, but why wouldn't you try Taveras...

Taveras is the prototypical leadoff hitter either. He has a lot of pop for a leadoff hitter, and he doesn't walk all that much... I think part of Garner's logic in putting him in the 8 hole is to get him adjust to TAKING pitches because he'll see a lot of junk, which will help him draw walks when he makes the switch to leadoff.

[Svpernaut]

Edit, TYPE-O

Originally posted by Svpernaut
Taveras isn't the prototypical leadoff hitter either.

[kevwun]

Taveras has absolutely no pop. He is a slap hitter and is very good at it.

[redgoose]

Originally posted by RIET
Off Topic but if up to him Garner would probably pitch Lidge 200+ innings.

5-2 lead, day game after night, 3rd appearance in 3 days?

Lidge has a history of injuries which was the reason he switched from starter to reliever.

If Garner continues to go with this type of strategy and Lidge breaks down late in the season, Garner should be fired.

I see what you're getting at. I don't know if it was the innings that caused Lidge's injuries, nobody can prove that. If so, every starter would be injured. But 1 thing is certain, he hasn't been injured since switching over and is now the best closer in the game.

However, i think Lidge can handle the extra innings because he used to be a starter. He reminds me of Byung Yung Kim<SP> of the Diamondbacks. The guy used to be a starter so he was able to pitch relief whenever he wanted to. He would evern beg to pitch when he wasn't needed. I don't remember Wagner ever pitching 2 innings, that's what i love about Lidge. Smoltz would also pitch 2 innings often and not complain, probably since he used to start.

I do think Dusty Baker is risking the careers of Prior and Wood pitching them 500 innings a year. Those 2 haven't had 1 healthy year together(which is good for us!) ;)

But if someone needs to be fired over Lidge's innings, it should be Purpura. He made no move in the offseason to get a set up man for Lidge. Halfway through the season when our pitchers can't go deep in the ball games, the bullpen is really going to hurt us. If i'm Garner, i'll keep pitching Lidge untill the front office gets the message we need a good setup man. Plus, garner has to use what's given to him. It's not like they acquired anyone else in the offseason. They were willing to spend 100 million dollars and couldn't pick up some real bullpen help. :rolleyes:

[Joe Joe]

Originally posted by Svpernaut
He has a lot of pop for a leadoff hitter, and he doesn't walk all that much.

I don't think Taveras has much pop which is why he doesn't walk much. Pitchers challenge him with fastballs down in the count because he's more likely to get to extra bases on a walk than a fastball on the outer or inner third of the plate.

[Svpernaut]

Originally posted by Joe Joe
I don't think Taveras has much pop which is why he doesn't walk much. Pitchers challenge him with fastballs down in the count because he's more likely to get to extra bases on a walk than a fastball on the outer or inner third of the plate.

yeah, type-o... sorry, I meant "Doesn't Have" not has.