I don't doubt his talent, and I do think he will eventually turn it around...but it is very hard to win a pennant with this guy out there right now. I know its a catch-22 situation...if he doesn't play, how will he snap out of it, but if he does play, we all suffer. I don't know what happened w/ the righty-lefty platoon w/ Merced, but I guess Jimy was holding out for a little luck. He looks lost at the plate, hasn't driven anyone in for 2 months, and he should have caught Echeveria's fly ball to end the game...I gurantee you Merced would have been all over that.
Its very frustrating watching him at the plate. He is absolutely clueless at the plate right now. He has 7 hits in the last 22 games! Im sure he is more pissed off about this than any of us. I bet its tough for him. But, he is not doing us any good. Get Merced out there for the time being.
Congrats, rezdawg...you just posted #10000 for this forum! And I agree about Dalgy. He almost looks like he doesn't care about hitting. But Astros win again!
It's truly amazing how Hunsicker has managed to keep us in the race and keep payroll in line with some of our highest paid players not even contributing. Shane Reynolds: $8,000,000 Dave Mlicki: $6,200,000 Richard Hidalgo: $5,500,000 Brian Hunter: $1,000,000 TJ Matthews: $1,000,000 Billy Wagner (ok, he contributes most of the time): $8,000,000 Craig Biggio (now just an average player): $8,750,000 it may have something to do with these *absolute bargains* Octavio Dotel: $435,000 Lance Berkman: $500,000 Wade Miller: $350,000 Roy Oswalt: $300,000 Ricky Stone: $200,000
Not sure why Merced wasn't out there today, but he does need days off at age 36. I'd expect him to start tomorrow & against all RHP's the Reds throw. Hopefully the $14.2M that won't be spent on Super Dave & Shaner next year can be used to lock up some of our youngsters (I'm not sure what Dotel's & Wade's contracts & MLB service time are like, but they're first in line) & add a significant piece or 2 to the roster.
I dont think those are "absolute bargains"...I dont know if there is a name for that. WOW! That is straight up absurd.
Does that mean I can become a senior member now? Or even a member? I want to get out of this Junior Member business!!
Yep, he's in just about as bad a slump as you can get in. According to Gerry, it's nothing physical & Richard's frustrated as hell. He's been taking extra bp & working with the coaches more but nothing's seemed to help. Maybe Merced gets to that blooper in the 9th, I don't know. Hidalgo made a great decision not to dive for it though, if he misses the Cubs tie the game.
I think he needs to go play winter-ball, or go somewhere in the off-season where he can just tear it up. He needs confidence. I think if he gets his swagger, he's back where he was two years ago...Just look at his performance earlier in the year, where he busted out against Chicago. If you watch those games, he had this edge goin (remember, he was pissed w/ Jimy's benching), and before he stepped in the box, he looked like he just wanted to kill the ball...and he did. His eyes were big, he didn't look lackadasical walking to the plate, and he just looked like he had a purpose. I've really been trying to see that look in his eyes again, but I haven't seen it. Once he gets used to pounding the ball again, things will get better. I hope the org. does something to convince him to play those winter games.
Given that I haven't payed that much attention, or even really analysed him that much, when I see him, I see I guy who's too bulky and is suceptable to the low inside pitch. Add to that, his frustrations have made him more succeptable swinging at bad pitches. 1.) I think he needs to work on the conditioning, loose about 15-20 lbs, and go back to being the lanky guy he used to be, which would add both quickness and flexability. and 2.) I think he needs to go back to thinking of himself as the line-drive, double into the gap guy that he was when he really broke out at AA Jackson. I think the 44 hr's changed his self-image. Remember, it was really after that year that he tried to add bulk and strength, presumably to fit into the 'slugger' persona he had generated for himself. That offseason would seem to be the moment that everything went to hell.
hmm forgot about dotel and how much he is making.. when is his contract up? and how much do you think he can get ..? hope we dont lose him...
I view Hidalgo as being in a similar position to Ruben Sierra in Texas. Both bulked up thinking it would produce more home runs, however their games went to hell soon after. After Ruben got back in shape and rededicated to baseball he became a productive regular in Texas and now part time in Seattle. Maybe Hidalgo can learn from Sierra's mistake.
I never thought of that comparison, but it's a very good one. Remember when someone said Hidalgo was in good shape during winter ball? What a crock of $hit.
