Where are all you Erstad haters now?

[southsider2k5]

Geez, I know it goes against what all the soxtalk experts predicted as far as Erstad being horrible and worthless, but it shouldn't have to deter you so much from giving the guy a little credit when it's due.

 

Don't worry, you're all still excellent baseball analysts.

 

Now that's funny. And I noticed everyone avoided commenting on it...

 

 

Maybe alot of us are all a bit tired of the act of Hawk and DJs endless knob slobbering over an average CFer's every AB, putout, slide, baserunning, bowel movement??

 

He has had some success, I don't think you see any of us lamenting that.

 

"God damn it!! I hate when Erstad does something that helps us win!! Stupid bastard, I hate him!!"

 

Maybe if we were all saying that, it would be a different story. We're ALL happy with the things he is doing to help this team, even if we are stuck with him at leadoff instead of a more natural #2 spot.

 

Perhaps we're all just a bit tired of having Sir Grinderist of the Center Fielders shoved down our throat incessantly by anyone associated with this White Sox organization? Could that be it?

 

Nah, its because we all hate him.

 

So maybe it isn't just Ozzie who should learn to ignore the media?

[briguy27]

actually erstad was 3-5 yesterday, not 2-4

 

and i have liked him the whole way. my old username on another site that i made BEFORE the season was erstad 3:16, so by that, u can i have supported him the whole way

[Y2HH]

Erstad also brings a presence to the clubhouse, in addition to busting his ass to play everyday. BA is out drinking with Bmac...too busy to notice, or care.

 

Erstad was one of the few hitters doing ANYTHING the past month -- even if he wasn't doing a lot, for 1M$, he was doing more than Konerko, Dye, and Crede -- who all make on average 4X more than Erstad.

[jackie hayes]

It's the other way around. They occasionally get it wrong.

Maybe, maybe not. In any case, that's perfectly consistent with my main point (cut out in your quote), that the award tells us nothing. Since you didn't reply to that, I guess you agree.

[Dick Allen]

Erstad at this stage is probably average at best, but he does get big hits. I like the way he plays and for what they are paying him, it was a fine signing. The guy has driven in 5 less runs with one of the most pathetic offenses in baseball than the great Pods did in his HOF season of 2005. I know, RBI are not indicative of what type of hitting you are doing, or so I've been told on this board, but when Pods was the greatest leadoff hitter of all time he was 0-7 with the bases loaded with 1 RBI on a walk. Pretty clutch. I do know that I admire the fashion in which Erstad plays and probably would have been fanatical about him when he was an elite player.

[caulfield12]

Erstad also brings a presence to the clubhouse, in addition to busting his ass to play everyday. BA is out drinking with Bmac...too busy to notice, or care.

 

Erstad was one of the few hitters doing ANYTHING the past month -- even if he wasn't doing a lot, for 1M$, he was doing more than Konerko, Dye, and Crede -- who all make on average 4X more than Erstad.

 

 

Konerko, $12 million

Dye, $7 million

Crede, just a tad under $5 million

 

Erstad at this stage is probably average at best, but he does get big hits. I like the way he plays and for what they are paying him, it was a fine signing. The guy has driven in 5 less runs with one of the most pathetic offenses in baseball than the great Pods did in his HOF season of 2005. I know, RBI are not indicative of what type of hitting you are doing, or so I've been told on this board, but when Pods was the greatest leadoff hitter of all time he was 0-7 with the bases loaded with 1 RBI on a walk. Pretty clutch. I do know that I admire the fashion in which Erstad plays and probably would have been fanatical about him when he was an elite player.

 

 

The one thing I don't get is why Erstad is getting MORE criticism than Williams?

 

Is it Erstad's fault that Brian Anderson has been a disappointment and that KW and Ozzie felt they needed to go out and get a veteran as insurance?

 

Is it not KW's fault for relying on Pods and Anderson too much, and not having satisfactory replacements (Mack/Ozuna platoon, Sweeney, now the .333 hitting Terrero) in the organization???

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Konerko, $12 million

Dye, $7 million

Crede, just a tad under $5 million

 

The one thing I don't get is why Erstad is getting MORE criticism than Williams?

 

Konerko and Crede have both been between horribly awful and atrocious this year. Same for Iguchi, A.J., Dye, before recently finally heating up a little, and the bench, along with some of the young bullpen imploding, although overall the pitching has been very good. Those big bats who are being paid to produce are doing s***.

 

Yet Ozzie and Erstad get the most criticism???

 

It's baffling...

[CWSGuy406]

Now that's funny. And I noticed everyone avoided commenting on it...

 

Avoiding it, or you just avoiding posts? I think the latter.

 

Sleepy is making the argument that we shouldn't rip on poor Darin because he's been the world's tallest midget in this lineup. I'm not going to applaud him for sucking slightly less than everybody else. Sleepy made the comment:

 

I know it goes against what all the soxtalk experts predicted as far as Erstad being horrible and worthless

 

When in reality, a .270/.320/.360 line -- as bad as that is -- is pretty much what should've been expected.

 

But here -- I'll give you your cookie. Hurray Darin! Keep hitting those singles and getting on-base at a below average rate! Woohoo!

[southsider2k5]

Nah, its the usual. People are going to go out of their way to not admit they were wrong, because the all important message board props go out of the window then. You have to pull whatever you can to make sure that you are right.

 

BTW, what is the conversion rate for being right on a message board now adays? Its about one right prediction to a Schrutebuck, correct? The problem is that if you admit you are wrong, its minus one thousand Schrutebucks, and then your Soxtalk-cred is over.

[vandy125]

Nah, its the usual. People are going to go out of their way to not admit they were wrong, because the all important message board props go out of the window then. You have to pull whatever you can to make sure that you are right.

 

BTW, what is the conversion rate for being right on a message board now adays? Its about one right prediction to a Schrutebuck, correct? The problem is that if you admit you are wrong, its minus one thousand Schrutebucks, and then your Soxtalk-cred is over.

 

I actually get Stanley nickels for being right. I wouldn't mind a couple of Schrutebucks though. Can I trade ya?

[witesoxfan]

I've pretty much admitted that Gavin Floyd is the suck, that Darin Erstad is not good but is the Sox best option in CF, and pretty much anything else I've said that I've been wrong about. We really do usually own up well; it's when you get a player like Darin Erstad who is mediocre as hell statistically but continually gets singles that there becomes a conflict. People don't seem to understand that fact that Darin Erstad does have an OPS of .668 on the season; slice that any way you want to, and it's terrible. He's been very solid over about the past month, putting up .310/.350/.398/.748, so then you get into the part of it where some people will argue that you have to look beyond his terrible numbers for the year and realize what he's done as a leadoff hitter, while some will look at a slugging percentage at .400 and damn near barf, and some will say look at the .668 OPS and puke. There is no black and white for Darin Erstad, because he's been terrible with the White Sox over the big picture, but his game has picked up since Podsednik has gone down, but he's still be quite mediocre with some clutch hits.

 

Basically, if you are a "pro-Erstadian," and you feel he is the answer to the problems and the "anti-Erstadians" should eat crow for a month and a half of .668 OPS, then you should really consider what you're arguing, and if "anti-Erstadians" feel that Erstad is God's gifts to the athletically challenged CFer, well they're probably right, but he's the best option in CF for the White Sox right now, and that's not going to change. He's been decent this season, but he needs to continue hitting how he has over the duration of his time in the leadoff spot, alaa .750 OPS.

[caulfield12]

I've pretty much admitted that Gavin Floyd is the suck, that Darin Erstad is not good but is the Sox best option in CF, and pretty much anything else I've said that I've been wrong about. We really do usually own up well; it's when you get a player like Darin Erstad who is mediocre as hell statistically but continually gets singles that there becomes a conflict. People don't seem to understand that fact that Darin Erstad does have an OPS of .668 on the season; slice that any way you want to, and it's terrible. He's been very solid over about the past month, putting up .310/.350/.398/.748, so then you get into the part of it where some people will argue that you have to look beyond his terrible numbers for the year and realize what he's done as a leadoff hitter, while some will look at a slugging percentage at .400 and damn near barf, and some will say look at the .668 OPS and puke. There is no black and white for Darin Erstad, because he's been terrible with the White Sox over the big picture, but his game has picked up since Podsednik has gone down, but he's still be quite mediocre with some clutch hits.

 

Basically, if you are a "pro-Erstadian," and you feel he is the answer to the problems and the "anti-Erstadians" should eat crow for a month and a half of .668 OPS, then you should really consider what you're arguing, and if "anti-Erstadians" feel that Erstad is God's gifts to the athletically challenged CFer, well they're probably right, but he's the best option in CF for the White Sox right now, and that's not going to change. He's been decent this season, but he needs to continue hitting how he has over the duration of his time in the leadoff spot, alaa .750 OPS.

 

Since when is a .350 OBP, .310 BA and 748 OPS terrible? I wish even half of the White Sox hitters were that terrible, if that's the case.

 

Those are his numbers as the leadoff hitter, which has been his primary role for the last six weeks.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/stats/bypositi...d=1&sort=25

 

If you compare his 748 OPS, he'd be right in the middle of MLB CFers. Once again, not terrible by any stretch of the imagination.

 

That would put him ahead of Andruw Jones, Damon, Taveras, Ryan Freel, Baldelli, Crisp, Cameron, Victorino, Lofton, Bautista, Pierre, Borchard, Patterson and Duffy.

Edited May 22, 2007 by caulfield12

[Balta1701]

If you compare his 748 OPS, he'd be right in the middle of MLB CFers. Once again, not terrible by any stretch of the imagination.

 

That would put him ahead of Andruw Jones, Damon, Taveras, Ryan Freel, Baldelli, Crisp, Cameron, Victorino, Lofton, Bautista, Pierre, Borchard, Patterson and Duffy.

It's also possible that if you filter out the worst 43 at bats of those other guys, their OPS might improve also.

[soxfan3530]

Nah, its the usual. People are going to go out of their way to not admit they were wrong, because the all important message board props go out of the window then. You have to pull whatever you can to make sure that you are right.

 

BTW, what is the conversion rate for being right on a message board now adays? Its about one right prediction to a Schrutebuck, correct? The problem is that if you admit you are wrong, its minus one thousand Schrutebucks, and then your Soxtalk-cred is over.

 

LMAO. Listen let's just come to the conclusion that Darrin Erstad is fine. He is not great and he is not horrible (as much as it pains a few of you). He is unfortunately the most consistent hitter in our lineup as of now and he has been doing a decent job in a position he was not signed to do (lead off). Obviously he (along with Pods) are not the answer to our outfield long-term but that is who we have right now. There is no reason to cheer for them to fail as it seems some of you are doing. I swear I think some of you cheer for guys like Pods and Erstad to screw up so you can bash them. They may not be your favorite players (and I respect that) but cheer for the guys on your team!

[TheBigHurt]

I really don't get how anyone can talk negatively about Erstad.

[Heads22]

he never smiles

[knightni]

He plays excellent error-free ball in center.

[whitesoxfan101]

He plays excellent error-free ball in center.

 

He wanted Danks to get some extra practice grinding through a tough spot, so that error was made on purpose. This is all part of the grinder plan.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(TheBigHurt @ May 22, 2007 -> 09:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I really don't get how anyone can talk negatively about Erstad.

Look at your own sig.

[witesoxfan]

Since when is a .350 OBP, .310 BA and 748 OPS terrible? I wish even half of the White Sox hitters were that terrible, if that's the case.

 

Those are his numbers as the leadoff hitter, which has been his primary role for the last six weeks.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/stats/bypositi...d=1&sort=25

 

If you compare his 748 OPS, he'd be right in the middle of MLB CFers. Once again, not terrible by any stretch of the imagination.

 

That would put him ahead of Andruw Jones, Damon, Taveras, Ryan Freel, Baldelli, Crisp, Cameron, Victorino, Lofton, Bautista, Pierre, Borchard, Patterson and Duffy.

 

thanks for proving my exact point dude

[BearSox]

In a van down by the river?

[Shamrock4Life]

So apparently if you think somebody else is a better option at a position, you automatically root for the current player in the position to fail. i am glad you guys made me realize this.

[greg775]

The new whipping boy has to be Sisco.

Erstad is doing well and I hope he keeps it up.

I just never was sold on the guy.

[southsider2k5]

LMAO. Listen let's just come to the conclusion that Darrin Erstad is fine. He is not great and he is not horrible (as much as it pains a few of you). He is unfortunately the most consistent hitter in our lineup as of now and he has been doing a decent job in a position he was not signed to do (lead off). Obviously he (along with Pods) are not the answer to our outfield long-term but that is who we have right now. There is no reason to cheer for them to fail as it seems some of you are doing. I swear I think some of you cheer for guys like Pods and Erstad to screw up so you can bash them. They may not be your favorite players (and I respect that) but cheer for the guys on your team!

That's kind where I was going with things. I have never understood the irrational hate of a member of your own team, except in Jaime Navarro type situations. Erstad has been one of the very few guys who has come in and given the team more than their money's worth for the 2007 season.