Rangers - Lambs pitiful walk total

Date:     Mon, 20 Aug 2001 17:13:48 -0500
Reply-To: Texas Rangers MLB Discussion <RANGERS@TAMU.EDU>
Sender:   Texas Rangers MLB Discussion <RANGERS@TAMU.EDU>
From:     Beau Sharbrough <beau@SHARBROUGH.NET>
Subject:  Lambs pitiful walk total (warning: includes stats)

Hello to the list,

GaryC opined:
If he increases his pitiful walk total or his subpar power, adjust accordingly. Certainly his perceived value is a lot higher than his actual value right now.

I further opine:
8 walks in 200 trips ain't a lot of walks, I'll agree. I also think that it's misleading to isolate a stat like that.

It sounds like a second year player doesn't get much slack around here. For a team that is rebuilding, I'd like to suggest that a second year player with a 320 average doesn't sound that common to me. We might see some 2nd year players in the next two years who look more like Mateo than Lamb. Guys like ARod and The Big Hurt are exceptions. Mere mortals don't do that much. I don't expect Lammer to do it either. But I'm not going to isolate the good average and claim that Lamb is a good hitter. Let's compare average, on base average, and slugging percentage for some players in their second years. Not everyone plays every day and I've tried to reasonably choose a season to call the "second year" for some players even thought it was their fourth season.

I'll grant that this is an offensive era, and that 1988 numbers and 2001 numbers are not straight up the same, and I'll grant further that ballparks make a difference, too. Please consider that and look at these numbers.

Some other Rangers and their second year stats:

Player	Year	BA	OBA	SLG	Comment
Lamb	2001	328	368	444
ARod	1996	358	414	631	certain HOFer
Raffy	1988	307	349	436	all-star and possible HOFer
Pudge	1993	273	315	412	certain HOFer
Catman	2000	291	375	457	hasn't had 300 at bats before this year. I took last year even though it was not his second year
Velarde	1991	245	322	332	hard to pick a 2nd year, he batted 250 times in his first three years combined. I took his 5th year - he has never had an OPS over 900 (all-star)
Rusty	1995	271	355	424	A lot like his 2001 stats. He has had three years of OPS>893. all-star.
The Big Cat	1987	305	361	459	7 of the last 8 years hi OPS has been near of over 900. People slug in Denver (all-star)
Ruben Sierra	1987	262	302	470	all-star
Caminiti	1990	242	302	209	all-star and MVP
Kapler	2000	302	360	473
Deano	1992	229	311	420	all-star

Forgive me if I don't include Ledee and Mateo.

Some other current AL 3rd basemen, in their second year:
Brosius, 1994, 238, 289, 417
Koskie, 2000, 300, 400, 441 (nice numbers)
Ripken, 1983, 318, 371, 517 (also nice numbers. Certain HOFer)
J Valentin, 1995, 219, 293, 402
Chavez, 2000, 277, 355, 495 (OPS is 50 points lower this year)
Fryman, 1991, 259, 309, 447
Randa, 1997, 302, 366, 451 (I like this player)
Glaus, 1999, 240, 331, 450
Vinnie Castilla, 1995, 309, 347, 564 (people do slug in Denver. Hasn't slugged 500 for a season since 1998)

Forgive me if I don't include David Bell. And forgive me if I don't include error totals - but some of them were ugly.

What's my point, those of you who are number-numb might ask? My point is that we could say anything we are saying about Mike Lamb's power and on base percentage about almost all of these guys. Only 4 of them slugged 495 or better in the second year. Only 3 of them had OBA above Lamb's to date for their second year.

I guess I just don't understand what yardstick we're going to measure young players by here. I'm asking for some patience with young players. In the next couple of years, the Rangers will need a lot of it.