Diaz deserves to start ahead of Melky
by Ray Steele on Mar 22, 2010 9:49 AM EDT
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PrintHow to know when you're a stat geek who needs to get a life. Every time I hear Mr. Cox, or anyone else, try to tell me how good Melky Cabrera looks defensively, my reflexive first thought is "-19.2." As a matter of fact, -19.2 is my Rorschach to simply hearing the word "Melky" these days. Some days it is so bad that if I even think I am about to hear the his name, I instinctively blurt out the negative number. "Honey, could you get some butter out of the fridge and melt...'NEGATIVE 19.2!!!'"
That number, in case you are wondering, is Mr. Cabrera's UZR/150 (Ultimate Zone Rating per 150 games) as a left fielder for the New York Yankees last season. If you don't know much about UZR and wonder just how bad -19.2 is, consider that Garrett Anderson, who was mostly a waste of real estate in left field for the Braves last year, had a UZR/150 of -16.5. Granted, Melky only started 20 games in left for the Yankees last year, as most of his playing time came in center field. However, since Nate McLouth is ensconced in center for the Braves and Mr. Heyward appears to be locked in as the opening day right fielder, that leaves left as the only outfield hole to fill, and the evidence shows that Matt Diaz deserves to start ahead of Mr. Cabrera.
Before anyone asks, the answer is no, I am not taking any spring training statistics under consideration. As much of a traditionalist as I am when it comes to some aspects of baseball, one area in which I am decidedly not old school is the idea of "winning a job in the Spring." Anyone can be a star when the games don't count, so we will only look at games that have counted, regular season games over the past few years, plus some projections for 2010 from a couple of outlets when evaluating the value of UPC codes attached to Mr. Diaz and Mr. Cabrera.
To be fair, I shouldn't be ready to send Melky to one of those "death panels" that might be part of the soon-to-be new health care law based on his glove, as he hasn't spent a lot of time in left field outside of his first full season. In fact, the left field sample sizes are relatively small for both Mr. Cabrera and Mr. Diaz. As I said earlier, Melky only started 20 games in left last year, to go with 97 starts in center field and 13 starts in right. His best numbers were as a center fielder, with an UZR/150 of 2.3. Unfortunately, Cabrera's career UZR/150 as a center fielder is -5.9. The only hope for Melky fans is that the only season in which Melky showed anything resembling defensive prowess, it was as a left fielder during his first full year in 2006, when he compiled a 6.3 UZR/150 in 112 left field starts. His defensive numbers have gotten, mostly, progressively worse since then.
Matt Diaz will probably be a member of Congress before he will be a Gold Glove outfielder, but you might be surprised to see how much better Diaz's numbers are in left field compared to right field, where he spent most of his playing time last year. In fact, other than 2008 when he was hurt for a good portion of the year, Diaz has been a pretty good defensive left fielder since joining the Braves. Diaz started 62 games in left in 2006, had 77 starts there in '07, and made 30 left field starts last season. His UZR/150 for those years: 18.0, 19.3, and 2.9. It is true that Diaz wasn't that great in right field last season, where he made 61 starts with a -10.5 UZR/150. It is also true that Melky has historically thrown out more base runners than Matt, but Cabrera dropped from a high of 16 outfield assists in 2007 to just three last season. Diaz had two assists last year, with a career high of five in 2006 (again, in a lot less playing time than Cabrera). We can safely say the two are, at best, even when it comes to saving the Braves runs with their gloves.
That brings us to the bats, and without a doubt, Matt Diaz has been a better hitter than Melky Cabrera. Again, let's exclude 2008, when we know Diaz was playing hurt. Diaz became something of a hit machine after coming to the Braves in 2006, with a line of .327/.364/.475. In '07, he was even better, .338/.368/.497. Last season, while making a career-high 425 plate appearances, Diaz became a little more patient at the plate and just happened to have an excellent year, .313/.390/.488, with 13 home runs. In another of those marvelous statistics that tell you so much about a player with one simple number, Diaz had a wRC+ of 139 in '09, meaning he was 39-percent above league-average in the creation of runs, adjusted for home ballpark. In other words, Diaz is pretty dang good with the bat.
Melky Cabrera, on the other hand, has been, at best, average with the stick. his wRC+ last season was a career high......of just 102, which is considerably better than the 91 and 71 he posted in '07 and '08 respectively. Sure, Cabrera also hit a career-best 13 home runs in '09, but he did it in 115 more plate appearances than Diaz, and Melky's career OBP and SLG are a meager .331 and .385.
As the old Merrill Lynch commercials would say as that bull's winky waved at you, past performance is not indicative of future results, so how do we know that Melky won't become Mr. Wonderful in 2010? The truth is we don't. In fact, the CHONE projections from BaseballProjection.com predict that Mr. Cabrera will hit much better in the weaker National League. CHONE also predicts Cabrera will hit better than Diaz this season, projecting a wRC+ of 120 to 114 for Matt. Other than the change in leagues for Cabrera, the only plausible explanation for this has to be age; Diaz just turned 32, Melky turns 26 in August. Bill James' projections look very different, predicting a slight decline for Diaz to a 118, while expecting Cabrera to hold steady at 101. While the National League is, without a doubt, the weaker league, is it really weak enough to make Melky Cabrera an above-average hitter? I just don't believe so.
The Braves could do worse than Melky Cabrera in left field (see Anderson, Garrett, 2009). Cabrera can and will likely help Atlanta as long as he is mostly coming off the bench. Given that they are virtually even defensively and that Matt Diaz has, historically, been much better with the bat, the Braves will be giving away runs, and wins, if Diaz doesn't get a majority of the starts ahead of Cabrera in left field.
There are more posts, podcasts, and other junk at http://braveslifer.wordpress.com.
This FanPost does not express the views or opinions of Talking Chop.
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I don’t know why everybody is so opposed to a platoon here. Diaz is clearly better against lefties, and Melky is a SHINO who does much better from the left side. Also, for UZR, a 2-year sample is really needed to make any judgments, and I think this guys just haven’t played enough. That is why there is so much variation in their UZR numbers. If one starts struggling, you can start the other one for a stretch. I love Diaz as much as the next guy, but I think a platoon works best here
Actually...
Melky’s LH vs. RH splits are almost identical over the course of his career. There’s no reason to think he’ll have much of a platoon split. Not that that really matters, though. If Diaz’s platoon splits remain extreme, it might still make sense to platoon them.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on Mar 22, 2010 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Diaz’s platoon splits aren’t extreme enough that he’s worse against righties than Melky. As I explained in my preview, their career splits against righties are virtually identical. Add to that that Diaz has already had seasons with .300+ BAs agaisnt righties and we see that his baseline is to equal Melky’s production but he has the potential to be worth more. Platooning him eliminates that possibility. Since it doesn’t cost us anything to play him over Melky, why not do so and hope that his average jumps back up? Is that chance not worth giving him the starts?
You are looking purely at the plate...
and not taking into account what they add on the base paths or in the field.
Those two areas are comparable. Melky may edge him on D, but it’s not a valley between them, and both are good baserunners. Neither has blazing speed, but both could could steal between 10 and 20 bases. Slight defensive edge to Melky, equal baserunning, big batting edge to Diaz. Matty D still wins that fight.
It is a little different if you break it down.
Against lefties it is obvious Diaz has the edge, and there is little to no doubt that Diaz will play against lefties. Against righties, Diaz’s hitting advantage evaporates and there is not much difference at all between them. I would give Diaz all the lefty starts and some of the righty starts and go from there depending how they both perform.
See my response to pacgnosis above
If their career marks are the same, i.e. if they perform exactly to expectations there’s no difference, you lose nothing by playing Diaz full-time. However- if Diaz can combine his newfound patience with the way he hit righties in his first two seasons here, his ceiling is significantly higher than Melky’s all-around AND against righties. You don’t really lose anything by playing him full-time, but you stand to gain quite a bit.
That assumes...
…that Diaz is more likely to improve (against righties) at the age of 32 than Melky is to break out at the age of 26. I am not sure I buy that. If you assume that Melky cannot improve but Diaz can, then, of course, Diaz all the time is the better play. But then again you have already assumed away the answer to your question.
Actually, I was more trying to point out that Diaz’s horribly unlucky 2008 is dragging down his career mark to where he and Melky are equal. Take out that outlier and he’s the better offensive player all around. I’m not saying that Melky can’t improve, but given that he is a glove-first player who has never been anywhere above average and who’s recent offensive stats have been inflated by strong lineups and homer-friendly parks, I have more faith in Diaz to put up the numbers we know he’s capable of than count on Melky to break out.
So if we take out a season where Diaz was awful...
and he was awful pre-injury, then can’t we take out Melky’s 2008?
Why does he have a bad year removed when you don’t do the same for the player you’re arguing against?
by Mr. Sanchez on Mar 23, 2010 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
You’d have to convince me he was awful for the same reason. His BABIP was a little low that year, but nowhere near the drastic departure from his career norm that Diaz’s was in 08. Also his walks took a huge dip that year, which, combined with a lower BABIP, indicates impatience on his part rather than bad luck (he was swinging at crap, resulting in both fewer walks and fewer solid hits). I’m willing to throw out any statistical outliers due to awful luck, because everybody runs into that at some point in their career, but that doesn’t appear to be the culprit in Melky’s case.
A platoon
Here is my problem with a platoon. A team will always face more right-handers than lefties, which means Melky would get most of the starts. While it is true that Matt hits lefties better than righties, a look at the career line for each man versus right-handers is telling:
Diaz: .270/.332/.394
Cabrera: .267/.324/.382
When you factor in the career numbers versus lefties,:
Diaz: .342/.379/.511
Cabrera: .274/.347/.391
It is clear that Diaz is the better overall hitter. Don’t get me wrong. Cabrera deserves some playing time. But at most, he should get one or two starts a week spelling both Diaz and Mr. Heyward (and McLouth if Nate’s bat doesn’t come around after the season begins).
There’s no arguing that Diaz is better versus lefties. But those stats against righties are close enough where they are basicallly equal. Also, throw in the fact that Melky put up those numbers against the much tougher AL East.
by eaheckman10 on Mar 22, 2010 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t buy the “he put up those numbers in the AL East” argument. If you’re a league average player, playing half your games in a stadium that inflates power numbers, then you’ll be league average or below anywhere else.
by bravesfan91 on Mar 22, 2010 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Seriously?...
19.2 means what exactly? UZR is said to need a 3 yr sample size before showing accuracy, and you are getting worked up over something that is a mere 20 game sample size? Are you serious in throwing that out there? His career in LF (almost 150 starts) is 4.0. His last two years in CF where he played and generally considered tougher than LF-both positive in combined over 200 starts.
The guy can field, and comparing him to FUGA is absolutely comical. Now the splits at the plate seem reasonable, but to be honest, I agree Diaz deserves to start, especially on opening day, and especially after last year. But if things keep going as they have been, both Melky AND Diaz will be starting as Nate sits. I know, spring training is worthless, but when he’s struggling at the plate as bad as he is, he’s not going to be getting many starts with the depth we have available.
by Mr. Sanchez on Mar 22, 2010 10:59 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
This + 9999999
I wanted to read the whole fanpost, but I couldn’t past the ridiculous indignation this guy had for a bad UZR/150 over a 200 inning sample. UZR needs samples to be at least 10 times that size in order to ensure accuracy-and preferably more.
For his career, Melky has been an average average corner, and a slightly below average CFer. That’s a good defensive player.
I'll try that one more time...
negative 19.2 means what exactly? UZR is said to need a 3 yr sample size before showing accuracy, and you are getting worked up over something that is a mere 20 game sample size? Are you serious in throwing that out there? His career in LF (almost 150 starts) is 4.0. His last two years in CF where he played and generally considered tougher than LF, both positive in combined over 200 starts.
You need to use a larger sample size for UZR...
….but you won’t see me arguing that Diaz should be our everyday LF.
"My God! Good news fans, the Braves are showing signs of life for the first time in weeks. As a matter of fact, they appear to be beating the crap out of each other."
wtf is that?
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Mar 22, 2010 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Beehive?
Here are Pujols's stats: 1.000/1.000/4.000/5.000. That's right. He is batting a thousand, with a thousand OBP (naturally), and every hit has been a home run, and thus his OPS is a perfect 5.000.
by TradeAndruw on Mar 22, 2010 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Oooh, yuck
Anything with a needle in its ass scares me; looks like this thing holds a few thousand. I’m outta this thread…
It’s a hornet’s nest.
"My God! Good news fans, the Braves are showing signs of life for the first time in weeks. As a matter of fact, they appear to be beating the crap out of each other."
Ah. That makes sense now.
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Mar 22, 2010 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions
There are good reasons for starting Diaz over Melky.
But this fanpost does not really touch on them. Trying to argue that Diaz is a better defensive left fielder is weak. The sample sizes for the UZR/150 marks given are far too small to have any meaning. Looking at career marks, which are large enough to have value, Melky is a slightly plus outfielder at the corners and a slightly minus centerfielder. Diaz is a slightly plus left-fielder who is not particularly good in right, although his career sample size is a bit small. The use of outfield assists to measure their relative arms is weak; once an outfielder gets a reputation for having a good arm, runners stop running on him.
While the sample sizes are all small, at best I see Diaz being Melky’s equal in left field, and inferior elsewhere in the OF. Hitting-wise, Diaz is clearly better against lefties, and the numbers against righties are pretty close. Melky put up his numbers in a tough division/league, but a more hitter-friendly park. I imagine that both will get enough playing time in left to have their performances determine their playing time. Again, there is an argument for Diaz to be the starter all the time due to his hitting, but the fanpost misses the mark by excluding Diaz’s bad partial season in 2008 while not excluding any poor season from Melky, stating Diaz was playing hurt, when Diaz was just in a slump and then got hurt, ending his season; it is not like he played hurt, he just got hurt and was done.
I agree that Diaz should start most of the time,
but you’re being too hard on Melky. I don’t think he’ll be better than Diaz this year, but I do think he’s a good breakout candidate. Players at his age are the most likely to improve (and improve dramatically), and the league switch is nothing to sneeze at, either.
You mention Yankee stadium as a great hitters’ park, but it was only 20th in park factor for runs. Yes, it’s a great home run park, but it actually inhibited runs overall. Granted, Turner Field inhibited runs slightly more, but we shouldn’t expect the park change to have a huge impact on his overall stats.
And the UZR numbers you throw out are just cherry-picked. 20 games worth of UZR/150 is worse than meaningless. We don’t have enough data to really evaluate Melky in LF yet, though we can probably safely say that he’s a decent overall outfielder. FUGA does not belong in this conversation.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
"Granted, Turner Field inhibited runs slightly more..."
I would argue that the Braves lineup last year was a greater inhibition to run production than Turner Field was.
"Brian McCann will be guest starring as Bizarro in Smallville this fall. See, he has to put his glasses on to become Superman." -by Rhyno18 on Aug 4, 2009 5:52 PM EDT
Ah, that sly genius...
“it’s a great home run park, but it actually inhibited runs overall.” So HRs really are rally killers, interesting.
That isn't the reason...
…(i.e. HR’s being a rally killer). Some parks are more conductive to home runs but less conductive to other types of hits because of smallness or large amounts of foul territory. Coors has been the on-average largest run producing field for years because you get a ton of home runs and still have a huge field with lots of room for doubles and triples.
And here I was...
thinking I laid it on pretty strong. Please tell me you get who that “sly genius” is referring to?
He who shall not be named?
Apparently, he is not named by Chipper, either, lol.
That's weak...
To post such a small sample of Melky in left just so you can call him a bad outfielder just so you can help your argument.
Melky can play an adequate center so why can’t he play an adequate left, which would still be better than Diaz in left?
Diaz isn’t an everyday outfielder so I really don’t care if he’s in a platoon with Melky or not, you know Diaz is going to get hurt and you know that his defense is a tad bit suspect which is why he is nothing more than a platoon outfielder or bench bat.
If Diaz was really as good as some people made him out to be, why hasn’t he taken over an outfield spot by now, why is the organization always trying to bring someone else in to compete or start over him, Melky included?
If Melky is so bad why was he starting for the eventually World Series champs, he honestly couldn’t have been that much of a liability if they continues to start him?
I’ve watched Diaz and he is a good player but he isn’t an everyday guy and he hasn’t consistently done anything to prove otherwise.
you know Diaz is going to get hurt
Oh really, Nostradamus? Hows about throwin’ out the lottery numbers for this week while you’re at it. Diaz had the one freak injury in 08 when he slid for that catch in Milwaukee and banged his knee on the concrete wall. He is not an injury-prone player, that is not what’s kept him out of the lineup in past years. I’d be much more worried about Chipper and Glaus in that department if I were you (and maybe Yunel, he seems to get the little 3-4 game nagging injuries a bit too frequently).
If Diaz was really as good as some people made him out to be, why hasn’t he taken over an outfield spot by now, why is the organization always trying to bring someone else in to compete or start over him, Melky included?
I wish I had an answer for that. GA had vet-points last year that caused Bobby to keep him in the lineup regardless of his atrocious performance. As for Melky, Melky’s career numbers versus righties are the same as Diaz’s, which makes him perfect as the backup outfielder, since he can cover all three outfield spots, but he certainly isn’t going to outplay anyone to earn a starting job. Melky’s always been a glove-first guy, he’s no offensive stud.
If Melky is so bad why was he starting for the eventually World Series champs, he honestly couldn’t have been that much of a liability if they continues to start him?
Because Brett Gardner was worse, they hadn’t yet traded for Curtis Granderson, he was not a defensive liability, and because of that stud lineup the Yankees neither needed nor expected him to be one of the big-time contributors. Are you suggesting that anything less than a .300/30/100 line should not play for a champion? Not even the Yankees can throw out nine players of that caliber in one game. You’ll notice they hid him in the bottom of the order- he had over 500 ABs in the 7, 8, or 9 spot, and only 42 in the rest of the order. He was not in a run-producing role.
[Diaz] is a good player but he isn’t an everyday guy and he hasn’t consistently done anything to prove otherwise.
You’re right. That excellent work he did both in the second half of 07 and last season when loosed from the bench doesn’t warrant seeing if he can do that again this year. How could we ever have doubted that.
So basically what your saying is that Diaz has played well in stretches and still can’t maintain an everyday job…maybe its because he’s not an everyday player. Your clearly one of the many who believe that Diaz should start and that’s fine but I want the better all-around player to start and that is Melky period, Diaz might have a slightly better bat but Melky is better everywhere else. Diaz is fine and best in the role he is in, Melky is the better baseball player and would be great as a fourth outfielder but the team doesn’t have three better outfielders than Melky, so Melky should start at one of the positions.
I love how you ignore all evidence to the contrary without providing any to support that statement. Good lookin’ out.
You threw out “evidence” to make your “argument”, no I must have missed that.
I said that, as a whole, Melky is a better baseball player, that includes his work on the bases, his bat, his defense, and his arm, you can watch baseball and tell this. I don’t need to look at numbers to tell me the whole story, numbers only tell part of the story they aren’t the be all, end all. If you would like to do nothing but look at Diaz numbers when he’s hot and determine he’s great then that is fine or a small ample size of Melky in left and determine that he is a bad outfielder than that’s fine, that is your opinion but if Melky hadn’t played for the Yankees(everyone seems to despise the Yankees and just seem to either hate everyone on there roster or underrate them) and Diaz didn’t play for the Braves we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
Again, Diaz plays well in stretches and hasn’t grasp an everyday job, that is his problem, if he were more than a platoon player he would play more, I really don’t need numbers to prove that. If he were an everyday outfielder the front office wouldn’t continue to try to replace him every single year. They can’t depend on him on a daily basis and its about time that everyone else sees that and stops overrating him because he’s on the Braves roster.
Milky isn’t close to being the better all around player. Diaz hasn’t gotten a shot because Bobby is an idiot with lineups.
You honestly believe FUGA should’ve played over Diaz last year?
Bobby’s platoons are whack! No matter how much better Diaz is playing he’ll still shove Milky out there most of the time.
As a whole he is better.
I don’t mind admitting that Diaz is a better with a bat but doesn’t have an advantage anywhere else.
Melky will be shoved out there most of the time because he is a better outfielder. While I think Melky would be great as a fourth outfielder because of his versatility, this team doesn’t have three better outfielders than him, if they did he would be an option as a starter.
The fact that both are in a platoon says that they both have there flaws but Diaz has more than Melky, if they had signed another outfielder(i.e. Dye) there wouldn’t have been a platoon and Diaz would have most likely been shipped elsewhere or he would be buried on the bench, while Melky would be backing up all three outfield spots.
Its time that people admit that Diaz isn’t good enough to play everyday otherwise he would be. If he were anywhere near as great as some here are making him out to be then the front office wouldn’t be bringing in guys to play left every year.
This
Matty D has earned it. Give him a chance.
"Spring Training is the most exciting time that can't end soon enough" - Me
Small sample
Okie doke, here’s a bigger sample…
Matt Diaz – 222 career starts in LF, UZR/150 = 6.3
Melky Cabrera – 149 career starts in LF, UZR/150 = 4.0
Cabrera – 506 career OF starts, UZR/150 = -2.4
Diaz – 286 career OF starts, UZR/150 = 3.0
And Melky is clearly the better OF? Again, allowing for other stats that might favor Melky, I’d say they are pretty even.
Argument: Melky is a better baserunner. Hmmm.
Stolen bases in 2009: Diaz 12/17, Melky 10/12. Um, nope. Pretty even again.
That’s brings us to the bat, where you can’t really argue that Diaz isn’t better. It isn’t even close, folks. Batting runs above average, park adjusted, 2006-09:
Melky: 0.9, -7.3, -16.9, 1.6
Diaz: 6.3, 14.1, -8.7, 20.1
The -8.7 was the year Diaz was hurt for much of the season. Matt can’t help that he might not look as pretty when he gets it done, but the bottom line is he has gotten it done a lot more than Mr. Cabrera.
No, Diaz hasn’t been an everyday player. But au contrare to one argument, he seems to have proven that he deserves a shot to be one.
Your defensive numbers are still out of whack.
You compare overall OF numbers without mentioning that the majority of Melky’s time has been in center field, the toughest OF position, while Diaz has essentially never played there. And that does hurt Melky in the comparison—-note that his biggest problem in component UZR is his range factor in center field. Since Diaz hasn’t even tried, I think we can assume that his would be even worse in center.
Your baserunning statistics are also cherry-picked. For starters, 10/12 is better than 12/17, as a CS is more of a negative than a SB is a positive. You also leave out career steals numbers where Melky is 44/58 (76%) and Diaz is 25/38 (66%). Definite advantage Melky there. So, hmm, nope, not so pretty even.
I don’t disagree that Diaz has earned a shot to be an every day player. Then again, Melky, given his age, has a decent argument to be an every day player, too. There are worse problems a team could have than multiple decent choices. Cherry picking stats to make the Diaz argument sound better doesn’t help your cause, however.
What does it matter?
Diaz has not and will not play center, so for the purposes of this argument it doesn’t make one iota of difference how Melky does there. In fact, if he’s in center, Diaz can play left and this whole thing is moot. The trick is that Melky is only a slight defensive upgrade over Diaz when in left, but the massive downgrade offensively does not warrant him starting over Matty D just for that slight defensive upgrade. I can see him getting a start there a week and probably one more a week in center and right, but Matty has more than earned the job of full-time leftfielder.
Melky is more than a slight defensive upgrade. Melky played above average defense at the toughest OF position. Diaz plays slightly above average at the easiest position.
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Mar 22, 2010 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s comparing apples to oranges and you know it. Diaz’s career UZR and UZR/150 in LF: 10.0 and 6.2, respectively. Melky’s: 3.9 and 4.0. Strictly by the numbers Diaz is actually the superior leftfielder. Out here in reality though, I know those numbers only go so far and Melky is rangier, etc., but they’re close. Melky is not Franklin Gutierrez out there, and any small improvements he brings over Diaz defensively are not near enough to warrant having his bat in the lineup over Matty’s.
It matters in that you cannot fairly...
…compare overall outfield UZR numbers between them due to Melky having a ton of innings at CF when Diaz has not. That’s the only real point of it.
Thanks for the comments
I do appreciate them, even the ones who think I’m a moron. I won’t debate my moronism, if that’s a word. Hell, I probably am a moron. The proof? I can’t stop rapping “Rapper’s Delight” thanks to a Twitter post from Braves fan Craig Calcaterra, whom I hope to be when I grow up.
No problem.
And I don’t think you are a moron (although I know that I can be one at times, lol), I just think you are a bit over-exuberant in your argument. The total UZR numbers for both of them are just to the point of being meaningful and just from eyeballing it and that Melky can play center, I think Melky has a slight edge on defense. The offensive difference is so great against lefties that Diaz is the obvious choice and against righties it looks like a close call to me. On the one hand, Diaz deserves to get a full time chance; on the other hand, Melky’s age means he has more breakout potential. I imagine they’ll both get plenty of playing time early and then performance or injuries will dictate playing time from there.
i thought diaz starting in left was a given… (?)
Pujols is NOT God.... sure he'll hit .350, hit 50 bombs, and drive in a 125....but then again...so will Heyward..
by lemke2blauser2bream on Mar 22, 2010 7:08 PM EDT reply actions
Severe post fail..Too large of fingers for iphone
Was going to say, read all the stats and Diaz seems to be the better player for the most part.. However there is one factor that has not been mentioned in this entire thread… Cabrera has yet to wear the sacred Braves jersey in regular season ball..so give the guy a shot. It looks as though mclouth is in a deep slump.. Can’t start the season with your leadoff striking out this much.. So we may see alot of melky early if Nate doesn’t pull out. By the way, I have both melky and diaz on my fantasy team, I expect good stuff out of both.
by SidKotchman on Mar 22, 2010 8:17 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
If Nate is tail spinning and Melky gets the nod in center for awhile, I’m fine with that. That’s pretty much why we got him, outfield insurance. If he does that and plays well, great. But I do stand in opposition to the idea that Melky deserves to start in left a majority of the time. Diaz has more than earned the starting job, with Melky only getting in there 1-2 times a week unless Diaz gets hurt or pulls a McStrikeout on us.
Wasn't really advocating melky
Over Diaz in left..actually just giving melky more pt.. Especially if Nate doesn’t pull out of this funk, if he keeps up this strikeout warpath he’s on there’s no way he gets this bloggers approval for a start mustless leadoff.. .029 average in 35 ab’s, 1 hit a double, 3bb,14 strikeouts, and a obp hovering above .100 … That’s abysmal for a starting CF who leads off, even if it is just spring training, Hope he pulls out of it!
by SidKotchman on Mar 22, 2010 11:34 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I think Matt Deserves a Shot
At this point, if he falls flat on his face we have a backup plan named Melky
Wait a minute...
I thought Heyward was gonna play the entire outfield?
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
Same. I’ve been pushing for 6 infielders.
I don't need the Cat Lady to throw cats at me to let me know she's crazy!
by McCann and McWill on Mar 23, 2010 12:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Or maybe 3 pitchers. Either situation sounds good to me.
I don't need the Cat Lady to throw cats at me to let me know she's crazy!
by McCann and McWill on Mar 23, 2010 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions
It seems to me that the majority of the Diaz vs. Cabrera starting in LF debate is missing one key fact. Cabrera won’t/shouldn’t (I think?) take significant playing time away from Diaz in LF simply because Cabrera is capable of playing all three outfield positions, whereas Diaz is not. This clearly marks Cabrera as the utility outfielder, meaning he will have to spell the players in CF and RF some. When Cabrera is playing in CF or RF, there is no reason Diaz can’t be in LF – and that’s on top of him pretty much being guaranteed to start against every left-handed pitcher, regardless of Cabrera.
Hell, with the way McClouth is going, Cabrera might well be our starting center fielder…
by EricGreggWasPaidOff on Mar 23, 2010 9:22 PM EDT reply actions
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