Lee (con't)

[JimR]

i continue to marvel at how good a hitter he is. how many sluggers in recent times would be willing to wait back to drive an 0-2 pitch to the opposite field?

[sporadic]

great approach...very few wasted AB's

[juliogotay]

i continue to marvel at how good a hitter he is. how many sluggers in recent times would be willing to wait back to drive an 0-2 pitch to the opposite field?

Tejada maybe?

[JimR]

Tejada maybe?

yes, but he may not be a "slugger" any more. he certainly will go the other way.

[JackAstro]

Indeed. Tejada's hitting everything everywhere, Berkman's completely mashing it, and then you get Lee up who's capable of doing whatever's needed to clean it up. That's a terrifying gauntlet for any pitcher.

[pravata]

yes, but he may not be a "slugger" any more. he certainly will go the other way.

and he doesnt wait.  Tejada will pick something high and away to go with to right.  Lee watches the ball longer and drives the pitch with a later swing.  Adrian Gonzalez, lefthanded 1b with the Padres, was talking about this when they were here.  He says he can wait because left field is so short, but at home he can't do that because he'd just be popping out.   Can't drive the ball with the late swing.

[JimR]

and he doesnt wait.  Tejada will pick something high and away to go with to right.  Lee watches the ball longer and drives the pitch with a later swing.  Adrian Gonzalez, lefthanded 1b with the Padres, was talking about this when they were here.  He says he can wait because left field is so short, but at home he can't do that because he'd just be popping out.   Can't drive the ball with the late swing.

but he can if he stays back. Noe often makes a correct point when he says guys who let the ball get deeper before they swing can drive it to the opposite field if they wait back properly. an assistant coach i had in '97 would tell the guys to "let it travel." what he meant was to let the ball get deeper before starting the swing. it prevents hooking or rolling over and results in driving the ball up the middle and the other way.

[Noe]

but he can if he stays back. Noe often makes a correct point when he says guys who let the ball get deeper before they swing can drive it to the opposite field if they wait back properly. an assistant coach i had in '97 would tell the guys to "let it travel." what he meant was to let the ball get deeper before starting the swing. it prevents hooking or rolling over and results in driving the ball up the middle and the other way.

Tony Gwynn was the master of this.  If a young kid like Bourn would love to watch video of a swing that could work for him, he needs to go get some Gwynn videos and watch and learn and then go practice it.

[pravata]

but he can if he stays back. Noe often makes a correct point when he says guys who let the ball get deeper before they swing can drive it to the opposite field if they wait back properly. an assistant coach i had in '97 would tell the guys to "let it travel." what he meant was to let the ball get deeper before starting the swing. it prevents hooking or rolling over and results in driving the ball up the middle and the other way.

"This ballpark helps a lot," said Gonzalez, "You can stay back better and let the ball get deep on you [in the strike zone]. It lets me go the other way."
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080422&content_id=2571687&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd

That's in the context of the Padres complaining/commenting on the dimensions of MM.  He's saying that he doesn't do that at home because he wont get results (2 homers) like he did in Houston.   That's where Lee is a better hitter than Gonzalez, for instance, he can stay back and drive the ball the opposite way for hits.

[JimR]

"This ballpark helps a lot," said Gonzalez, "You can stay back better and let the ball get deep on you [in the strike zone]. It lets me go the other way."
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080422&content_id=2571687&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd

That's in the context of the Padres complaining/commenting on the dimensions of MM.  He's saying that he doesn't do that at home because he wont get results (2 homers) like he did in Houston.   That's where Lee is a better hitter than Gonzalez, for instance, he can stay back and drive the ball the opposite way for hits.

yes. he may not be satisfied with line drive singles to LF.

[Taras Bulba]

However you slice it, Houston has a formidable 3-4-5.  If 1 and 2 begin to deliver, it's no cake walk for pitchers.

[astrojo]

However you slice it, Houston has a formidable 3-4-5.  If 1 and 2 begin to deliver, it's no cake walk for pitchers.

and as long as opposing pitchers inexplicably continue to throw the occasional fastball to pence, you can add him to that list as well.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

However you slice it, Houston has a formidable 3-4-5.  If 1 and 2 begin to deliver, it's no cake walk for pitchers.

I'd add 6 and 7, with Wigginton's return, are putting some added stress on the opposing pitching too.

[Taras Bulba]

How many true power hitters have the same two strike approach that Lee has?  That's been interesting to watch since he came over last year.

Bourn, Pence, and Wiggington have all been pressing for a large part of the season.  They should all take Tejada's advice and relax.  It would also help Hunter if he had Tejada's ability to recognize and lay off that down and away slider.

[Astroholic]

I'd add 6 and 7, with Wigginton's return, are putting some added stress on the opposing pitching too.

Matsui is not an easy out.

[Greg M]

Matsui is not an easy out.

He's hitting about as you'd expect given his performance in Colorado.  Hopefully, he can hit a little closer to .300, but I can't complain with how he's doing at the plate.

[JackAstro]

He's hitting about as you'd expect given his performance in Colorado.  Hopefully, he can hit a little closer to .300, but I can't complain with how he's doing at the plate.

Career: .273 / .325 / .388
Last year: .288 / .342 / .405
This year: .284 / .338 / .403

Not sure there's anything above current performance to hope for. Which is just fine, it's a good performance.

[Noe]

He's hitting about as you'd expect given his performance in Colorado.  Hopefully, he can hit a little closer to .300, but I can't complain with how he's doing at the plate.

Matsui's game is that of a contact hitter.  For a contact hitter to help a team win at the 2 spot in the lineup, you need someone to get on base so he can either 1) move the runner over, 2) hit and run, 3) drive in the runner if said runner steals a base or 4) get on himself so more traffic can help the next hitters coming up.

Matsui being a rally starter is just not his game as much as it probably should be.  Matsui success will be tempered by how well the leadoff guys does in front of him.  Then he becomes a very dangerous hitter because he can do so many things with the bat control he has.

[Astroholic]

Matsui's game is that of a contact hitter.  For a contact hitter to help a team win at the 2 spot in the lineup, you need someone to get on base so he can either 1) move the runner over, 2) hit and run, 3) drive in the runner if said runner steals a base or 4) get on himself so more traffic can help the next hitters coming up.

Matsui being a rally starter is just not his game as much as it probably should be.  Matsui success will be tempered by how well the leadoff guys does in front of him.  Then he becomes a very dangerous hitter because he can do so many things with the bat control he has.

I like how he goes deep into the count/ fouling off borderline pitches and making the pitcher work.

[Greg M]

Matsui's game is that of a contact hitter.  For a contact hitter to help a team win at the 2 spot in the lineup, you need someone to get on base so he can either 1) move the runner over, 2) hit and run, 3) drive in the runner if said runner steals a base or 4) get on himself so more traffic can help the next hitters coming up.

Matsui being a rally starter is just not his game as much as it probably should be.  Matsui success will be tempered by how well the leadoff guys does in front of him.  Then he becomes a very dangerous hitter because he can do so many things with the bat control he has.

Agreed.  If...errr...when Bourn gets going, Matsui's going to be able to show off his complete skill set.  My comment was toward those who've been saying, just wait until the two top of the order guy's hit.  Matsui's doing all he can at this point.  Looking forward to seeing him show off his full repertoire.

[Fredia]

well on any given night it seems someone takes up the slack.. (of course berkman has been doing a bit more than that) but its just pure fun to watch

[Arky Vaughan]

This year: .284 / .338 / .403

If he hits something approaching this all year and plays little ball and the defense he's capable of, then his signing is an overwhelming success.

[JackAstro]

If he hits something approaching this all year and plays little ball and the defense he's capable of, then his signing is an overwhelming success.

Absolutely, yes.

[sporadic]

If he hits something approaching this all year and plays little ball and the defense he's capable of, then his signing is an overwhelming success.

Saw a little flash of that last night...the bare-handed play (forgot inning and batter) last night was a friggin thing of beauty

[mihoba]

Saw a little flash of that last night...the bare-handed play (forgot inning and batter) last night was a friggin thing of beauty

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