Napoli on All Surprise Team!

by stuck in Romania on May 22, 2008 5:30 AM PDT Comment 30 comments

I was happy to see that Napoli (still a rookie?) is getting some credit... Maybe he'll make the All Star team...Also nice to see those words... "Angels pounded the Dodgers..."

Ok... need some more words here... So what are the official qualifications for a rookie anyway... I'm getting old and cant remember... You would think that after 200+ games and over 3 years, he would not be called a "rookie" anymore.

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link didn't work....

it’s my first time doing this…
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0805/mlb.all.surprise.team/content.1.html

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

by stuck in Romania on May 22, 2008 5:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You can always EDIT your post...

when you do, add a second “R” in surprise.

"At some point, a veteran player will more often than not find his stroke. You just have to show them a little bit of patience."

by Downing Rules on May 22, 2008 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

heh....

didn’t even see that… my english sucks…

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

by stuck in Romania on May 22, 2008 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

da

"At some point, a veteran player will more often than not find his stroke. You just have to show them a little bit of patience."

by Downing Rules on May 22, 2008 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's definitely not a rookie.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on May 22, 2008 5:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Rookie

130 at bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues

45 days on the active roster of a major league club (excluding time on the disabled list or any time after rosters are expanded on September 1)

by docescobar07 on May 22, 2008 8:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

And Naps had

268 AB’s in 2006 and 219 in 2007.

"At some point, a veteran player will more often than not find his stroke. You just have to show them a little bit of patience."

by Downing Rules on May 22, 2008 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

XD

Rookie. What is SI smoking?

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on May 22, 2008 9:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He is also on the "all-bizarro team" ...

where Nate Silver judges the surprise players this year as either “for real” or “fluke.” It is on page 35 of this week’s SI (dated May 26, 2008).

Snippet:
“Fans who still pine for Rob Deer have a pretty good facsimile in Napoli, who has just 12 singles on the year—but 10 homers. Napoli, who hit 29 and 31 homers in his last two seasons in the minors, certainly has the power stroke to maintain that production. VERDICT: For Real.”

As a comparison, Silver rates Blake DeWitt of the Dodgers as a fluke and Carlos Quentin of the WhiteSox as for real.

"At some point, a veteran player will more often than not find his stroke. You just have to show them a little bit of patience."

by Downing Rules on May 22, 2008 10:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I've read elswhere of Napoli being called the catcher version of Adam Dunn.

by 44FAN on May 22, 2008 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

DeWitt

Not sure what he bases his opinion that Blake DeWitt is a fluke. Dude had a rad college career and a very good minor-league career and he’s what? 23 years old?

It all begs the question though: Will Blake DeWitt go the way of Joyce DeWitt?

by Higz on May 22, 2008 11:03 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

@ DR

by Higz on May 22, 2008 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gotcha...

here is the quote from the mag:
“The minor league career record of this Dodgers rookie was not particularly impressive. You don’t go from having a 0.793 OPS in the minors, as DeWitt did last year in Class A and Double A, to a 0.908 OPS in the majors without running a little hot.”

"At some point, a veteran player will more often than not find his stroke. You just have to show them a little bit of patience."

by Downing Rules on May 22, 2008 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess he makes a good point.

I thought he had a better minors career, but it’s true: it was not particularly impressive.

by Higz on May 22, 2008 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

BTW...

It is a relief to see someone else talk about JOYCE DeWitt. Coz, that’s what I’ve been calling Blake every time I see him play or anytime my Dodger fan friends mention him. They stare at me blankly and folks around Angel Stadium stared at my blankly. Thank you for reaching me, brother Higz. I was more of a Janet fan, than a Chrissy fan.

"At some point, a veteran player will more often than not find his stroke. You just have to show them a little bit of patience."

by Downing Rules on May 22, 2008 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs