Will White Sox fans also boo BA if he goes 0/8?

[caulfield12]

So you are saying assists don't measure anything then mention the number of assists Anderson has. That coupled with your observation that because he has been taking pitches that are balls is going to cause his strikeout rate to rise makes me wonder if you can really objectively look at Brian Anderson. While Anderson might not have the traditional "gun" in the OF, it is plenty strong enough. He is also very accurate and gets himself in position to make the proper throws. I really don't think his defense is something even his biggest detractors can argue.

 

 

1) Can we really argue that ST assist totals create a theorem that BA has a "great" or "plus" arm?

 

2) I never, once....on any message board...have said that Anderson doesn't play "good/great" defense. I just don't believe his throwing arm (or Rowand's for that matter) were/are so great. Anderson's is stronger than Rowand...and he doesn't overthrow so many balls into the mound or balls that bouce 5-6 times b4 they get to home plate, but he's just not very accurate usually.

 

3) If he doesn't swing at the first couple of pitches...good MLB pitchers will pick up on that and carve him apart. In the Rays' series, I suppose we can just go with another theory that BA "got lucky" never to receive first pitch strikes and got ahead in counts and was able to get some walks and a few scratch singles. Relying on that to continue won't/can't be a "new" offensive theory...as BA down 0-1 or 0-2 usually equals death by lethal injection for baserunners.

[Dick Allen]

1) Can we really argue that ST assist totals create a theorem that BA has a "great" or "plus" arm?

 

2) I never, once....on any message board...have said that Anderson doesn't play "good/great" defense. I just don't believe his throwing arm (or Rowand's for that matter) were/are so great. Anderson's is stronger than Rowand...and he doesn't overthrow so many balls into the mound or balls that bouce 5-6 times b4 they get to home plate, but he's just not very accurate usually.

 

3) If he doesn't swing at the first couple of pitches...good MLB pitchers will pick up on that and carve him apart. In the Rays' series, I suppose we can just go with another theory that BA "got lucky" never to receive first pitch strikes and got ahead in counts and was able to get some walks and a few scratch singles. Relying on that to continue won't/can't be a "new" offensive theory...as BA down 0-1 or 0-2 usually equals death by lethal injection for baserunners.

His arm is plenty strong enough. I don't see opponents taking extra bases they shouldn't take because of him and if they try like Pena in Tampa the other night, they pay the price.

 

Is it possible that he's taking pitches at the beginning of the count because they are pitches not to his liking? Why should he swing at a pitch he isn't going to be able to hit very hard when he has no strikes on him? Even if it is a strike, if its not in his wheelhouse with no strikes on you why swing? This makes no sense. He's not going up to the plate with the intention of taking the first couple of pitches. That's insane. If pitchers pick up that they will have to throw strikes to BA to get him to swing, his K rate isn't going higher, its going to go much lower.

[klaus kinski]

So you are saying assists don't measure anything then mention the number of assists Anderson has. That coupled with your observation that because he has been taking pitches that are balls is going to cause his strikeout rate to rise makes me wonder if you can really objectively look at Brian Anderson. While Anderson might not have the traditional "gun" in the OF, it is plenty strong enough. He is also very accurate and gets himself in position to make the proper throws. I really don't think his defense is something even his biggest detractors can argue.

 

That Lance Johnson stat is so misleading because everyone ran on him-so you are gonna get some-also some were probably throws made by relay too. Anderson just hasnt had the OF time to get those assists and apparently his arm is more respected

 

[ScottyDo]

1) Can we really argue that ST assist totals create a theorem that BA has a "great" or "plus" arm?

 

2) I never, once....on any message board...have said that Anderson doesn't play "good/great" defense. I just don't believe his throwing arm (or Rowand's for that matter) were/are so great. Anderson's is stronger than Rowand...and he doesn't overthrow so many balls into the mound or balls that bouce 5-6 times b4 they get to home plate, but he's just not very accurate usually.

 

3) If he doesn't swing at the first couple of pitches...good MLB pitchers will pick up on that and carve him apart. In the Rays' series, I suppose we can just go with another theory that BA "got lucky" never to receive first pitch strikes and got ahead in counts and was able to get some walks and a few scratch singles. Relying on that to continue won't/can't be a "new" offensive theory...as BA down 0-1 or 0-2 usually equals death by lethal injection for baserunners.

I'm confused. How do you know he wouldn't have taken a hack at first pitch if it were a strike?

 

I'm not saying he definitely would have, but I'm not ready to concede that he definitely wouldn't either. Also, why would you help pitchers out who are having trouble with the strike zone? If I recall, we took an inordinate number of walks against the Rays. Gameplan.

[ScottyDo]

When is the last time that assists from the outfield measured anything, usually, but the worst outfield arms or defenders that were constantly challenged by opposing 3B coaches like Carlos Lee or Alphonso Soriano?

 

C'mon.

 

I realize Rowand and Anderson are like Immortals to some here, but this is getting ridiculous...above-average arm strength has magically morphed into something more than it is.

 

Brian Anderson has all of 4 outfield assists in 244 games played in his career. Lance Johnson had 11 assists in 1991 and 1992. One Dog had one of the worst arms in the history of the game...rivaling Juan Pierre, Jerry Owens, Scott Podsednik and Johnny Damon.

 

To have a "plus" arm on the traditional scouting scale, you'd have to be at 60+. There is no way that Brian Anderson has a plus arm...maybe 50 or 55, but not a 60 or above for his position.

I would be more interested to see his number of innings played, as he often appeared for one inning as a late defensive replacement.