What will happen with McPherson?

by thewebb on Jul 20, 2006 12:42 PM PDT Comment 29 comments

I have two questions on McPherson.

When is he coming back?
Where and when will he play? Will he play against all righties? At DH, 1B, and/or 3B?

I'm not asking what people think should happen, I'm asking what actually will happen. How many games per week do you think Izturis will start once D-Mac is back? 2 out of 3? 1 out of 3? 4 out of 5? Anyone seen any stories/links on this?

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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Well

Scioscia has apparently made it clear that McPherson is rising on his shit list. During one of the broadcasts over the last week, Phys said that Scioscia will continue to play Izturis at third even after McPherson comes up. Things aren't going well for him at Salt Lake: he had a titanium sombrero in yesterday's game -- an unbelievable six strikeouts against mediocre AAA pitching. He's once again trying too hard and has yet to settle into a groove. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised to see them option him down to Salt Lake and leave the roster as is.

Fire Mickey Hatcher. An entire generation of Angels offense depends upon it.

by scareduck on Jul 20, 2006 1:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

that should have read "platinum sombrero", and five K's. Whatever, it's bad.

Fire Mickey Hatcher. An entire generation of Angels offense depends upon it.

by scareduck on Jul 20, 2006 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

holy cow

thanks for the info

by thewebb on Jul 20, 2006 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it is time

for everyone to accept that McSpasm will never be the player most fans hoped and expected him to be. It is no wonder that the Angels are dangling him as trade bait.

We need to start thinking about other options at third. I like Izturis but I don't think of him as a long term solution. What do others think?

by Jack Frost on Jul 20, 2006 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sometimes

it appears D-mac is in some sort of career suicide mode. Swinging at everything, just to get it over with. When is the light going to go on and he realize his career is passing him by.

by higdog on Jul 21, 2006 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

good perspective

his heart just isn't into baseball.

You obviously have a wonderful economy with words. I look forward to your next syllable with great eagerness!

by ladybug on Jul 21, 2006 9:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You people are nuts!

by riktermiller on Jul 21, 2006 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

maybe his back isn't into baseball, but I think his heart is in the right place.

by thewebb on Jul 21, 2006 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or his chitlins

Or something. Maybe it was his spleen that wasn't into baseball.

Fire Mickey Hatcher. An entire generation of Angels offense depends upon it.

by scareduck on Jul 21, 2006 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Would 7 K's be a Diamond Sombrero??

by halos27 on Jul 20, 2006 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't be suprised

If you see him and Casey Kotchman included in a deal in the offseason, providing that they can both be scouted without any medical conditions.

by Obscurity on Jul 20, 2006 1:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

at this point..

thats all im hoping for. Just get healthy enough to be traded for value players (or a package for one player) that we can use.

by gorams77 on Jul 20, 2006 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In AA

the Angels have Matt Brown at 3rd base. Nice power numbers and avg. Could be on the radar next year. Izzy will suffice for now, and I would be willing to bet he gets better as the year goes on.

by higdog on Jul 20, 2006 3:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

We've seen how well that strategy works...

by Clutch on Jul 20, 2006 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Matt Brown is not a factor.

Brandon Wood looks to be the next Halo 3B. He probably would benefit from a full season in Salt Lake next season but he is probably ready as is. The Halos don't care about the K's (118 in 94 games).

by riktermiller on Jul 20, 2006 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've read about 10 articles today...

and it seems like Izturis has his spot at 3rd until proven otherwise (unless a trade for Tejada or something else happens). It appears first base is McPherson's best bet.

by thewebb on Jul 20, 2006 3:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

D-Mac

will probably be optioned to AAA until he can hit without striking out 3 times a night. Morales and Izzy both make contact quite a bit, I imagine Scioscia can live with that, better than strikeouts.

by higdog on Jul 20, 2006 3:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

San Diego

The Padres need a 3B. They started the year with Vinny Castilla, of all people (yes, he is still alive). They recently released him, or maybe DFA. In any event, he's gone.

Although power guys sure don't have it easy at PETCO, McPherson might do better in the N.L., and with a fresh start. Maybe they've got someone who could strengthen the Angels' relief corps.

by jjackflash on Jul 21, 2006 4:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You people are high

Here's your 3B platoon, if you just leave it the F alone:

.268/.316/.507
.332/.370/.556

It's cheap, it's under contract, and the only bad things about it are D-Mac's balky back, and all y'alls crazy expectation/disappointment cycle with a guy who -- IN A TOTALLY PANNED CAREER -- has already proven he can thump right-hand pitching.

by mattwelch on Jul 21, 2006 4:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Clarifications

The Halos have already started making noise about their unhappiness with McPherson. That's not my doing.
I'm not recommending moving him; he's still -- barely -- young enough that we can expect some improvement.
The big problem with Dallas is that everyone thought you could plug him into a Glaus-sized hole at third and he'd produce about 30 dingers a year with a .250-.260ish average and a low-.300's OBP. Instead, he's been nearly as broken as Glaus could have been expected to be, and still shows signs of not knowing what he's doing in the majors offensively. Now, granted, you're not paying $8M or $12M a year to have him sit in a hospital bed, but it is a bit of a disappointment.
Modern defensive stats notwithstanding, his defense looks bad. By that I mean he just refuses to lay out on anything hit down the line, and it contributes to an image of a guy who has no instincts at third. I saw him in ST get completely bamboozled by a relatively easy grounder that Cabrera fielded like 10-15 feet behind him. I'm not saying he's a bad fielder, I'm saying these things give people the perception that he is.

Fire Mickey Hatcher. An entire generation of Angels offense depends upon it.

by scareduck on Jul 21, 2006 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

more on that

re: #3-I have read about him where they refer to him as "injury prone" with a comparison to Nomar
re: #4-I have stated before...watch him when the ball is hit straight at him-he withdraws like he's afraid to catch the ball & in speaking to others, they have noticed that movement also.

You obviously have a wonderful economy with words. I look forward to your next syllable with great eagerness!

by ladybug on Jul 21, 2006 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would say he is a bad fielder .

Not to mention striking out at a preposterously high rate. Those two things don't go well together. Essentially I'm agreeing with you though.

by Jack Frost on Jul 21, 2006 7:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

WTF did you clarify?

The Angels have been "making noise" about all kinds of thing that Scaredyduck don't like. Productive Outs, anyone? Garret starting against lefties? Believing in clutch hitting? Since when in hell does that make you give a critical pass at them having bonehead ideas? I'd warrant since their noise matches your unrealistic expectations.
You're not recommending moving him, but others are, and you've been casting crazy doubt on him for years, even though he's already a good (and cheap) baseball player against RHP.
Can you really type with a straight face that "the big problem with Dallas" is other people's expectations of him? When you analyze stuff, like the deployment of talent & resources, you don't ask, "did he live up to unreasonable expectations?" You ask: Is he good, is he promising, and is he cost-efficient? The answers are yes, yes, and yes. It's not a "problem" with Dallas, it's a "problem" with people who can't recognize the nose on their own face. F those people; we've got a championship to win.
Again with the perceptions crap. He's looked good to me for the most part; sometimes bad. Not unlike the whole goddamned infield this year. I think, if we really care about perceptions, the perceptions are that he's exceeded expectations defensively, and the stats have borne that out. In the meantime, I'm more concerned whether he's any good, has promise, and is cost-effective. Since the answers to that are "yes, yes, and yes," forgive me if I treat the perceptions of perceptions as being 400% more worthy of urgent scorn than whether Bill effing James had the nerve to point out that we don't know everything. For crying out loud, at least stick to your own story now and then.

by mattwelch on Jul 21, 2006 9:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Man, talk about selective memory!

When Scioscia says he's going to continue to play Izturis in preference to McPherson at third, you have to take that as a loss of confidence. As to the rest of your graf -- WTF?
Right. I'm pleased to have some patience with the kid if he can show he's something other than a AAAA mistake hitter demanding a platoonmate against lefties in order to find success at the major league level. Even then, so long as he's reasonably cheap, he'll be a decent player; I don't get the hate on me for pointing out his flaws in this respect.
What's with the personal abuse, Matt?
Ditto.

Seriously, have you been drankin'? I really don't get your sudden viciousness here.

Fire Mickey Hatcher. An entire generation of Angels offense depends upon it.

by scareduck on Jul 21, 2006 10:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I ain't vicious

I'm hitting you with a flower.

What I'm saying is, I really don't understand your sudden concern about, and deference toward, Angel management perceptions (let alone the unreasonable perceptions of fans), when that has never stopped you before from ripping into their various sacred cows. It's very inconsistent with your track record.

And if I'm raising my voice, it's because it's hard enough to puncture Scioscia/Hatcher/Hudler voodoo as it is. To have someone who's actually smart about numbers and management and reality go all unreasonable-expectations on me is frustrating.

My impression is that you let your terrific analytical skills be held hostage occasionally by your pessimism and stubbornness. You've been skeptical toward D-Mac for two years now, so by god, you'll stick to your guns.

Meanwhile, in a career that you've lambasted, he's proven that when healthy he should be a starting MLB thirdbaseman against right-hand pitching, yet the he-disappointed-me crowd is on the verge of winning all of us the booby prize of a .344 slugging 3Bman. Bravo. I'll remember the "well, Scioscia agrees with me" next time I feel like waxing poetic on the virtues of two-strike hitting with RISP, or running Jose Molina on the contact play.

by mattwelch on Jul 22, 2006 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lou Reed reference

you're so vicious...

by Rev Halofan on Jul 22, 2006 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

a few questions

With all due respect:

Do you value defense and/or health at all? Even the SABR tooth Beane counters have come around to this as evidenced by the As/Red Sox current defense.
The fans should leave the 3rd base platoon alone even though the guy playing 3rd for the Angels isn't either of the two you mention?
Platoons are nice when they work, but do we want a long term solution at 3rd base that causes us to take up two spots on the roster and have below average defense?
I like McPherson, and long term for him to live up to my conservative expectations, he should play 3rd full time. He just has to be healthy for an extended period of time to do it. There's not a good history for power guys with back problems. (Thome as a possible exception although even he was out for quite awhile there)

by thewebb on Jul 21, 2006 6:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Answers

1. Yes to both, and I'm worried about his health. Though let's remember that we're talking about what do with him WHEN HE'S HEALTHY. When he's healthy, he should start at 3B against right-hand pitching. Why? Because he fields good enough, and he slugs 150 points higher than Izturis. You don't win championships with 3Bmen who slug .344.

No really, you don't.

.454, Joe Crede
.446, Bill Mueller
.530, Mike Lowell
.453, Troy Glaus
.466, Matt Williams
.374, Scott Brosius
.414, Scott Brosius
.472, Scott Brosius
.468, Bobby Bonilla
.389, Wade Boggs
.450, Chipper Jones
Fans do whatever the hell they want, obviously. As to your question, D-Mac has been hurt, which prevents him from playing. Lately, Quinlan's been platooning at 1B. Since it's likely we'll get Shea-Hill, and since D-Mac's coming back, I think the smart thing to do would be to play the platoon that can actually contribute to our offense, which, last time I looked, is widely perceived as the team's biggest weakness.
Since both Q & D-Mac can play 1B, and since Q can also play the OF, I hardly think it's wasting a roster spot to have them platoon. It's the most efficient use of the resources we have. And if you think a .344 slugging 3Bmen is the long-term solution, than I would suggest that you just don't care enough about the traits that win championships.
Totally agreed on all of it. In fact, I'm kind of hoping that they're packaging D-Mac in trades (at least ones that would bring 3Bmen), since his potential is almost as high as his risk....

by mattwelch on Jul 21, 2006 9:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

all good points...

random thoughts on some of the points.

Very interesting stats on the 3rd basemen. Although, I must say the Angels have never been very conventional when it comes to filling out their positions. I agree though, just thinking about our starters, we really do need more power, don't we?
On this one I was just referring to you saying to readers that we have a great platoon at 3rd, just don't piss with it (lazy paraphrasing, sorry). When in reality, the team is making it sound like Izturis has the job for the foreseeable future at 3rd (with the current roster anyways) and D-Mac will be battling for 1st base duty. So we have to go forward with those assumptions.
You're most likely right about Izturis long term. I actually think he holds much more value at SS whether it's with us or elsewhere. I think he projects to be a better hitter than his brother, but never a big power guy for sure.
I hope we don't trade Kotchman or DMac yet if at all. I feel we'd be selling low. It may not be a bad time to sell high on Izturis though for someone that needs a SS as part of a trade for a left side guy with pop. (Tejada for instance)

Personally, injuries are my ONLY concern with D-Mac. I think his defense is more than acceptable. Prior to this year, he drove the ball to both sides of the field and I believe he would again if he could stay healthy. If health wasn't a concern, I would say play him against righties and lefties and let him develop as a Major Leaguer.

I worry with Scioscia's overmanaging on the righty/lefty thing that we may kill our prospects develpment as all around hitters.

by thewebb on Jul 21, 2006 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs