It didn't take Franklin 90 games to adjust. He came in hot and stayed hot...for about 50 games.
Joe Charboneau? He had 70 smoking games and then 60 VG ones. Then he became Joe Shlabotnik.
Ackley?
You get it. Heck, it might take Zobrist 70 games to get used to Dungeness crab.
If it is flexibility and OBP we need, I think we've got one of those guys stashed somewhere. I'm not giving up DJ for Zobrist, if that is what we're looking for. If we're looking for a bonking bat, then it isn't Zobrist.
I would be tickled to get Zobrist, don't get me wrong. He is certainly an upgrade over Endy Ackley or Dustin Chavez and goodness knows that would be welcome. But there seems to be a buyers market out there for just such an upgrade and there is no guarantee that one is better than the other for the next 70 games.
Of the veteran guys available, I think Zobrist is my favorite (well, after Craig, or course). Then Rios and Willingham and Byrd.....probably in that order. But players swapped out count. BTW, I bet you could get pretty close to geting Rios with Smoak.
I'm more and more convinced that we are going to keep Endy around all year, alas. He's the Skipper's kind of guy.
If Grichuk and Souza are really available then I'm going hard after them. Lake, too. All are 3 position OF'ers (Lake has played tons of MiLB IF, Souza, too) and promise (or hint at being) to be potent RH bats.
All have been up. Lake was pretty good last year. In a full season of AA/AAA (and evenly split combined 646 PA's), Souza has 29 homers, 42 doubles and 82 BB's...almost evenly split between the two levels as well. He basically spent '08-'12 in the various A-Ball levels. He wasn't very good until '12 when he figured it out a bit and hit 23 homers. He took off in '13 at AA and it's cotinued in '14 at AAA. Either he figured something out or he's been really lucky for 140 games. He walks like a champ, too.
Grichuk is the youngest, at only 22. As a 17 year old in Rook ball he was .322-.352-.551! A prodigy? I think he struggled with injury as an 18 and 19 year old, but still flashed power with 34 doubles and 14 homers in just 117 games over two seasons. As a 20-yr old in the Cal League he was 30 and 18. In '13 in AA he was at 27 doubles and 22 homers. In less than 1/2 a season in AAA, he's whacked 16 and 16 this year. He doesn't walk much...but he's been really young at every level and he still bonks. Would love to see a Spec analysis on him. He's already got an MLB homer, too.
We know who our CF and RF are for next year. Getting a young LF with a potent RH bat (Blash is a huge unknown) would be great. Add Kelly and you would have a flexible and VERY cheap OF, which would allow you to chase a Price or a huge 1B bat.
Anyway, back to the chase. I like Zobrist. I would rather keep DJ with all the other pieces available.
And I would gladly go for one of the young guys mentioned above. Unless you're convinced that Ackley is ready to explode (not me) then we don't have that LF RH bat for next year, outside of Kelly. I'm in on getting a young one.
Grichuk is short and quick to the ball http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpq5PZpAXEo and here's a triple in Wrigley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7dh55hkhOk. There was some discussion about Souza's cut being a bit long, but I'm not seeing it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3vwk1dOtlU (and youtube has video of some prodigious homers in Syracuse). And here's Junior Lake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug_QMrcu360 He'll get it out of Safeco. He isn't going to walk and he is going to K, but he will hit homers. He's basically Blash's upside, I think.
If we can roll Franklin + into ANY ONE of these guys, we should do it in a heartbeat! I would plug anyone of them in immediately into LF. Now get me Zobrist and I can give up DJ as I've replaced him with a MLB ready RH bat.
Ackley and DJ for Zobrist. Franklin goes for one of the kids. DFA Hart or demote Smoak. Saunders for Endy. Kelly will eventually hit his way into Safeco, anyway.
Then we will be cooking with gas: This year and next.
make it so.
Spec: Can you put together a Grichuk vs. Souza vs. Lake analysis?
I think I like them in that order Is Grichuk the prodigy a better bet than a "late" blooming and mashing and walking Souza? Pick em, probably. Lake and Zunino may duplicate each other is some ways. I've been looking at them for two days Ask me to rank them again in 10 minutes and I might change.
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