Napoli Should Be the Angels' 2011 Designated Hitter

Great athlete. Naps isn’t.

I’ve brought it up before. Most people argue that he wouldn’t have the range or the arm, but my reply is that 3B isn’t so much about range as it is reacting. And his woes throwing as a catcher don’t really translate to throws from 3B.

I think he could do it, and it would be exciting to have a legitimate power hitting third baseman. However, we just got Callaspo who would be much better defensively, and is hitting well too.

He is the Majors worst defensive catcher (according to Gammons).

because that is the one I would vote for

But the point of the article is that they both suck defensively. Mathis is not offered arbitration and Naps is DH’ing with spot starts at catcher. He wins since he stays with the team. So, the comparisons are moot.

As opposed to “entering baseball?”

I really don’t understand anyone’s man*crush on Napoli, especially calling him an “AMAZING” hitter. I guess Gary DiScarcina was an amazing shortstop. Time to cut bait with the “amazing” Mike Napoli.

*I am assuming everyone that is posting is male.

Positionally, his power at catcher places him in the top ten all time in the sport.

If you don’t buy him as a catcher — and that’s a perfectly acceptable position — he’s still an above average bat, and the Angels have very few of those.

It’s pointless to “cut bait” with Napoli (as Cupie says below) unless the Angels have a better substitute. Conger is not going to hit as well as Napoli out of the gate, if ever. He may hit for higher average at some point, but his power is an open question.

Chicks, and apparently dudes, dig the long ball. I’ll take .254 from the catcher’s spot with 20+ HR and 60+ RBI. Everyone knows he’d be more like 30/100 with a full season of ABs.

Having said that, I’ve definitely noticed that his approach at the plate has changed. He just NEVER swings at off-speed pitches anymore. He’s struck out looking on breaking balls way too often. He’s got to learn (or relearn cuz I swear he used to do it more) how to foul off the ones he doesn’t like until he gets a pitch to drive.

Let me know what I am not comprehending. I’d like to learn more, please. Honestly.

As for the games I am watching IN PERSON:
2010: 33 games (w/tickets to the remaining 12), 2009: 29 games, 2008: 38 games, 2007: 27 games

But, it is not the games I watched where I see Naps throwing into the outfield, it is via the statistics at baseball-reference.com.

I am not just talking about 2010, it has been as long as Naps has been called up. He’s always been throwing the ball into the outfield. It is something that BOTH Mathis and Napoli have been doing their entire careers. They are not good at controlling baserunning. Now, you may be drawing only on this year, and you may be right, but according to baseball-reference.com, both have three “throw” related errors. So, you feel free to call baseball-reference and make sure they have that right because you have seen all the games, obviously.

If the Angels aren’t going to let him catch a majority of the time then he must be traded

Stephen Smith in the OC Register blog’s comments yesterday mentioned Napoli’s two surgeries as a reason why he is not getting a lot of time behind the dish. Maybe this is the underlying reason for the “Mathis-love.”

We’ve got to see what Conger can do 1st, then it would make more sense to trade Napoli. I think you’re making it too black or white. The guy can catch some and DH some, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s actually a pretty sweet plan to give our aging OF some days at DH while Naps catches.

I agree with the Abreu comment. Especially after Balls and Strikes above mentioned the “vesting option” problem. I’m not sure Abreu will help the team next season. I’m dead sure he will NOT help the team in 2 or 3 years. God, I would hate to be stuck with him that long.

But, I did realize that I failed to mention Napoli’s casual comment during 2010 Spring Training:
“If I could just figure out this ‘catching thing’ I should be OK.” (paraphrased, sorry)

Sheesh, even if in the company of friends, I would not make that kind of comment about my job. Especially when people who are on the blogs will write about it 5 months later! ;)

I’d say the fact that he’s been able to hold his own there has been impressive enough in it’s own right.

Good point.

That may be the most succinct argument yet for the end of the Mathis era.

“Mathis can’t be tolerated on a team that can’t score runs. It makes no sense.”

That’s about what he’s getting now, and he’s not able to contribute as much as he could. I don’t mind keeping him down in the 6th spot in the lineup until he learns how to take a walk again, but he’s definitely got to be in the lineup at least 6 days a week. If he’s DHing half the time, then he really should be in the lineup every day just about.