Erick Aybar Starting to Mature...

by Zu Long on Mar 21, 2008 12:48 AM PDT Comment 25 comments

Earlier in the winter I was unequivocal about Maicer Izturis being the better player for the starting job at SS. But after having watched the last 3 games (Izturis started one, Aybar the other two) in person I'm starting to have my doubts. Not because of anything Izturis has done (he looks fine), but because Aybar seems to have gotten a lot more mature now. I'm not seeing the nervous uncertainty and lack of thought that I often saw last year. All the raw tools are still there, his fielding (which really is a step or two above Izturis, much as I hate to say it) and speed, but he's either more confident or less anxious now, because everything is smoother.

There's also another factor to consider, that of Aybar's emerging power-stroke. He already has three homers this spring, which is up there with Vlad, Hunter, and Wood. I don't know about the other two, but the one today wasn't a fluke shot by any means, just a clean homer to the power alley in right-center. In Anaheim, that's only a double or triple because of the wall, but it's still fairly impressive. More than that, Aybar's been pretty contained at the plate this spring, showing patience and pitch-selection that wasn't there last year.

Now there's always the spring training caveat- This is based mostly on two games worth of observation by someone who is definitely not a professional scout. But from what I've seen, Aybar's come a long ways from the guy I saw struggling last year, and it may be that he's the right guy to play short for us.

Anyone else have thoughts?

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i agree

with everything you just said, and I find myself in the same position.
who knows? maybe this kid will be something more than a .230 hitter who can field.
if what you are saying about his demeanor lately is true, then I have believe that he's starting to settle into that starting role.

by howiestheman on Mar 20, 2008 4:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Cautious optimism...

If he's hitting 200 and struggling after a few weeks or a month, I think Scioscia should have a much, much shorter leash. Especially for someone someone as unproven as Aybar (when compared to the previous leashes given Finley and Hillenbrand).

Shopping for a new signature, but ran out of money...

by Downing Rules on Mar 20, 2008 4:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Anaheim needs a LEASH LAW...

...applied equally to rookie and veteran dogs.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 20, 2008 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am Rooting for Aybar

He has Kennedy's jersey number this season, by the way!

by Rev Halofan on Mar 20, 2008 4:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Im with you......Aybar at SS. I know this kid can play some hard ball.

Put Kendry Morales at 1B, and move Sean Rodriguez to 3B......NOW LETS GO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by acuda27 on Mar 20, 2008 5:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I too am coming around

I was pulling for Wood, but 15 k's is absurd. However, as everyone keeps saying, this is only Spring training. We're quick to excuse bad numbers, but we should also allow that good numbers may be a fluke just as easily.

"Erstad says he's got it. Erstad makes the catch!..."

by Rally Manatee on Mar 20, 2008 5:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Go Aybar

He' s in a good place to do that.. (mature)

TonZ of GunZ

by Funke5ive on Mar 20, 2008 7:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'll be the first to admit

That pre-season I was very, very against Aybar getting the starting job over Izturis, due to his error rate and poor bat.

That said, wow, he has really impressed in Spring, and deserves the chance to take the starting job to begin the season. If he struggles, then we can relook at the situation, but for now, I'm comfortable letting him give it a go.

Wake me up on opening day.

by 101halo on Mar 20, 2008 7:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Aybar

is a riskier choice at short compared to Izturis. Yet, he has a bigger up side, good speed (but needs to learn how to steal, remember last year), and should hit a lot of doubles and triples, etc. I might start Aybar and give Izturis time at third spelling Figgy, time at 2b spelling HK and then time spelling Aybar at short. If Aybar has defensive problems that move Itzuris into the starting position.

Angels in 08!

by tanana40 on Mar 20, 2008 9:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah he still needs to learn how

to run the bases. Good thing Vladdy got pissed an hit that Grand Slam the other day.

Angels fan since '67

by red floyd on Mar 21, 2008 4:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes we loved Bengie Gil

and his girlfriend was hot. Hope Aybar is not another BG. Izzy seems like a better choice as #1 SS, but cut the kid some slack.

WTF happened to Brandon Wood? How could he suck so much and be touted as the next Messiah? Is he going to make the 40 man roster?

I'm Hudd! Goodbye Phys!

by Hudd on Mar 21, 2008 2:03 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Wood is young

Gil is gone

Betcha the hottie hoochie has moved on as well...

by Rev Halofan on Mar 21, 2008 2:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

all aybar has to do is...

hit .260-.270 and play well defensively and he's done his job.

by thejd on Mar 21, 2008 9:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The HR's would be icing on the cake...

if he can translate the mini-power stroke he found in ST over to the regular season.

Shopping for a new signature, but ran out of money...

by Downing Rules on Mar 21, 2008 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Everybody bitched...

prior to Spring Training. The guy has earned the nod, and I'm sure we will all re-evaluate after the first couple of weeks of the season.

by Wytelitning on Mar 21, 2008 11:54 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

how does he compare to Reyes

at the same point in their careers? wow, if he became a Jose Reyes type, i think we'd all be happy.

by SCHalo on Mar 21, 2008 2:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't get your hopes up

The odds of Reyes becoming Jose Reyes are about the same as Brandon Wood becoming Alex Rodriguez.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Mar 21, 2008 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

*Aybar becoming Reyes.

Duh.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Mar 22, 2008 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

awesome typo

the goal of many men should simply be to become themselves.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 22, 2008 8:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

isn't Izturis batting over .400???

or is that a just a Spring # that doesn't matter??? Haven't seen any of the games so I guess I'm not the best judge... Just wondering if people are jumping to quick on the Aibar bandwagon... Nothing against him but I hope it all works out well...

Show 'em your a panther... Show 'em what you can do....

by stuck in Romania on Mar 24, 2008 7:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He is.

Like I said, it's not anything he's done. Izzy is doing pretty well, I just feel (now) like Aybar may offer more over the course of the season. Especially when you consider that he'll be batting in the 9-slot for most of it, lowering the impact of his bat as opposed to his glove.

After finishing my spring break tour, I have an additional comment on the match-up though. Aybar is not a utility player. He looked totally out of his depth while playing second on Thursday, bungling two should have been outs. Izturis would appear to be the better utility guy, able to handle third, short, or second with equal facility. This isn't really an argument for Aybar to start per se, just something to keep in mind about the comparative worth of the two.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Mar 24, 2008 7:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unfortunately

I think you are right. Izzy's ability to be the better utility guy might be what decides this thing.

Sea-at-ha-ha-ha that's funny.

by hauldog on Mar 24, 2008 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I remain fairly skeptical...

I watched Aybar pretty closely last year and he basically showed me nothing. It was depressing in fact.

He does appear to have turned a corner this spring. I am really pulling for him, cuz the organization obviously has lots of stock in him (see the OC trade). I'm just not impressed with his D, his base running can be horrific, and I never saw him get a key hit last year, his hitting was almost always the invisible kind, not very memorable.

I'm sure Mike will watch him very closely; Izzy is gonna be around, and he's as solid and dependable as a rock (hamstrings permitting).

I hope Aybar will convince me just like Kotch did last May when he really turned it around and showed he deserved his spot.

by goodvibe61 on Mar 24, 2008 10:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Indeed

My only real problem with it is that Izturis truly has been a rock for this team the past two seasons. Comes through in the clutch, hits for average, bunts, takes walks, keeps the K's down, has power that surprises at times- the guy really does it all except that his glove at short is only average as opposed to Sweet-Jesus-that's-not-fair the way Aybar is. I didn't buy into the Aybar fielding hype either until I saw him this spring, but now I wonder if that wasn't because he wasn't actually playing SS most of the time last year. It was fairly clear watching him this spring that Aybar at SS is a totally different animal than Aybar at 2B whom we saw a lot more of last year. His error rate is worrysome, but I also wonder how much of that was just rust. He spent a lot of time riding the pine last year, after all, and spot-starts for OC were few and far between.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Mar 24, 2008 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs