Halfway home in 2009

[southsider2k5]

Well today was game #81. The Sox sit at 42-39, which would put them on pace for an 84-78 season. This is always a nice point to stop and evaluate the team, and how they have done.

 

My first half MVP is Jermaine Dye, with a nod towards Paul Konerko's clutch hitting.

My Cy Young is Mark Buehrle, with some love for Matt Thornton and DJ Carrasco.

The biggest disappointment has been Josh Fields, followed by Alexei Ramirez.

Comeback player of the year is Pods in a runaway.

The Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde goes to both Jose Contreras and Gavin Floyd in a tie, with a mention to Alexei who can do it from play to play.

 

Here are my individual grades...

 

The A's

Mark Buehrle

Matt Thornton

Paul Konerko

Jermaine Dye

DJ Carrasco

Scott Podsednik

 

The B's

Octavio Dotel

Bobby Jenks

AJ Pierzynski

 

The C's

John Danks

Gavin Floyd

Jose Conteras

Scott Linebrink

Chris Getz

Jason Nix

Clayton Richard

Jim Thome

 

The D's

Alexei Ramirez

Brian Anderson

DeWayne Wise

Ramon Castro

Bartolo Colon

Jimmy Gobble

 

The F's

Josh Fields

Brent Lillibridge

Wilson Betemit

 

Incomplete

Gordon Beckham

Aaron Poreda

Wes Whistler

Carlos Quentin

Jack Egbert

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Spencer]

If it wasn't for all the mental errors on defense I'd move Alexi up to a C+ or B-. You left off Mike McDougal in the F group.

[rangercal]

How does Linebrink get a higher grade than Alexei? The rest of the grades look pretty spot on though.

[southsider2k5]

If it wasn't for all the mental errors on defense I'd move Alexi up to a C+ or B-. You left off Mike McDougal in the F group.

 

I didn't grade out any guys who were no longer in the organization.

[Jim Spencer]

I didn't grade out any guys who were no longer in the organization.

 

I guess you could say McDougal flunked out of the organization

[southsider2k5]

I guess you could say McDougal flunked out of the organization

 

Same would go for Jerry Owens...

[southsider2k5]

How does Linebrink get a higher grade than Alexei? The rest of the grades look pretty spot on though.

 

Alexei's stuff is more mental than physical, which I grade much harsher on. You might not be able to prevent someone from hitting a pitch, but you can control the mental aspect of the game.

[JorgeFabregas]

Why do you have Konerko two grades higher than Jim Thome?

Edited July 5, 2009 by JorgeFabregas

[southsider2k5]

Why do you have Konerko two grades higher than Jim Thome?

 

Konerko is hitting .300 has as many homers as Thome, leads the team with 50 RBI, and in the top 10 in the AL with RISP. Thome is hitting right about .250, and is doing exactly what is expected of him, nothing more. Nothing special to write home about.

[rangercal]

Alexei's stuff is more mental than physical, which I grade much harsher on. You might not be able to prevent someone from hitting a pitch, but you can control the mental aspect of the game.

 

Makes sense. I can agree with that.

[lostfan]

Thome deserves a B, his average is low but he is hovering around a .900 OPS. And I'd give Alexei a C. I wouldn't mess with the rest though. Wise was an F for a while but got back up to a D, Anderson at one point was a C, and has since taken a dive.

[Reddy]

i disagree with danks and floyd - sure they both had their struggles, but look where their ERA's sit right now, along with peripherals, and even if they WERE streaky, they're way better than an average major league starter. I'd give them B's at the least.

[JorgeFabregas]

Konerko is hitting .300 has as many homers as Thome, leads the team with 50 RBI, and in the top 10 in the AL with RISP. Thome is hitting right about .250, and is doing exactly what is expected of him, nothing more. Nothing special to write home about.

Thome's average with runners on is basically the same as Konerko's. His OPS is 50 points higher and his homeruns and RBI are close despite not playing NL parks. I dunno, just seemed strange. I could see one grade higher just depending on how you value certain things, but 2 seems excessive.

[southsider2k5]

i disagree with danks and floyd - sure they both had their struggles, but look where their ERA's sit right now, along with peripherals, and even if they WERE streaky, they're way better than an average major league starter. I'd give them B's at the least.

 

Grades are based partially off of player expectations.

[Bubba Philips]

I don't understand giving grades to our players. Are you a teacher or something. This is a team not a classroom. The second half of the season may yield entirely different results. Beckham has been coming around Dye, Getz even Fields might put it together. We can finish judging them at the end of the season. Another point 84 and 77 is not going to get us into the playoffs . 90 wins isn't a guaranteed of getting in but if we were to make it to 90 your a b c and d grade pitchers and hitters need to step up so they can get a scholarship. Our record for the second half needs to be 48 and 33.How can you be undecided about Beckham? He is the second coming. If we make it to the playoffs that will be a new season where any team can be hot except the CUBS.

Edited July 5, 2009 by forrestg

[southsider2k5]

Thome's average with runners on is basically the same as Konerko's. His OPS is 50 points higher and his homeruns and RBI are close despite not playing NL parks. I dunno, just seemed strange. I could see one grade higher just depending on how you value certain things, but 2 seems excessive.

 

Thome is hitting .269 with RISP, Konerko is hitting .343. How is that even remotely close to the same?

[JorgeFabregas]

With runners on .285 for Kong and .284 for Big Jim. Runners on = larger sample size than RISP. I dunno--for power hitters it seems like a better stat to me.

[southsider2k5]

I don't understand giving grades to our players. Are you a teacher or something. This is a team not a classroom. The second half of the season may yield entirely different results. Beckham has been coming around Dye, Getz even Fields might put it together. We can finish judging them at the end of the season. Another point 84 and 77 is not going to get us into the playoffs . 90 wins isn't a guaranteed of getting in but if we were to make it to 90 your a b c and d grade pitchers and hitters need to step up so they can get a scholarship. HOw can you be undecided about Beckham? He is the real deal.

 

It's this thing we do on message boards... You know, discussion? Its something to talk about. When we get to the end of the season, we will probably talk about it again with the new perspective of the results at that time.

 

As for Gordo, he has been with the team for about a month now. I am not saying he hasn't been good, it is just a little early.

[scenario]

Alexei is batting .272 with 10 homeruns at the halfway mark and grades a D? Tough crowd.

 

And how does Linebrink who has a 2.05 season ERA get a lower grade than Dotel who has a 3.23 in the same number of innings? Because he's had a few tough outings recently?

 

And Danks and Floyd are significantly better than league average ERA... how come they grade a C?

 

 

Edited July 5, 2009 by scenario

[SoxAce]

As for Gordo, he has been with the team for about a month now. I am not saying he hasn't been good, it is just a little early.

 

 

s***, I'll give him a god damn grade just out of spite, for being the most consistant/good contributor/etc.. 1st round prospect to making an impact in the bigs (though ita a short time, but middle of the year) we've had in nearly a decade.

 

[hawkubes]

Alexei is batting .272 with 10 homeruns at the halfway mark and grades a D? Tough crowd.

 

And how does Linebrink who has a 2.05 season ERA get a lower grade than Dotel who has a 3.23 in the same number of innings? Because he's had a few tough outings recently?

 

And Danks and Floyd are significantly better than league average ERA... how come they grade a C?

I agree 100% with this post, and how could anybody imply that Linebrink perhaps deserves a lower grade? One more thing, how does Jimmy Gobble not get an F. Josh Fields has been a disappointment, but he's certainly done some positive things for this team at times, Jimmy Gobble has not. LMAO at Jimmy Gobble getting the same grade as Alexei, come on now.

[caulfield12]

A SS in the American League with an OPS of 700+ is not a "D" player, unless you're the '29-'31 Yankees.

 

He's on pace for 20 errors, that's certainly not an exceptional amount by any stretch of the imagination, and far fewer than Jose Valentin committed consistently before being moved for Clayton.

 

Is Valentin a clearly superior offensive player to Alexei? No way...especially against LHP.

 

Could someone please also take into consideration the pending lawsuit which threatens to take away his family's security for the immediate and short-term future?

 

Dotel is B-/B, Linebrink about the same. Danks and Floyd have both moved to the B-/B category, and Beckham deserves a A- at the VERY least.

 

Colon doesn't deserve a D either, it's not his fault he's done, it's KW's. In fact, it's at least a B (compared to expectations, which were pretty low) that he even won as many games as he did with an 85-91 MPH fastball and no other pitches.

Edited July 5, 2009 by caulfield12

[Stocking]

I agree 100% with this post, and how could anybody imply that Linebrink perhaps deserves a lower grade?

 

I cant locate but I would believe that Linebrink to Dotel inherited runners scoring would be higher. Anyone know where to find such stats? Also amount of holds is ten to five in favor of Dotel, but cant find blown holds anywhere either.

[southsider2k5]

I guess I forgot to say this last night, but I would be curious what other people would grade our players at, and what their midseason awards would look like.

[Dick Allen]

A SS in the American League with an OPS of 700+ is not a "D" player, unless you're the '29-'31 Yankees.

 

He's on pace for 20 errors, that's certainly not an exceptional amount by any stretch of the imagination, and far fewer than Jose Valentin committed consistently before being moved for Clayton.

 

Is Valentin a clearly superior offensive player to Alexei? No way...especially against LHP.

 

Could someone please also take into consideration the pending lawsuit which threatens to take away his family's security for the immediate and short-term future?

 

Dotel is B-/B, Linebrink about the same. Danks and Floyd have both moved to the B-/B category, and Beckham deserves a A- at the VERY least.

 

Colon doesn't deserve a D either, it's not his fault he's done, it's KW's. In fact, it's at least a B (compared to expectations, which were pretty low) that he even won as many games as he did with an 85-91 MPH fastball and no other pitches.

 

I think some are grading based on what their expectations were of these players. Ramirez isn't a D SS I agree, but if you take into consideration last year, his start this year, and a lot of defensive miscues, many which didn't result in errors, if a C is average, I can see how he hasn't met expectations of some. Same with Danks and Floyd who have been brilliant for long stretches and awful at times. While they would rate a higher grade measured against the league, they don't grade out well with someone who was expecting ERAs in the 3's and Cy Young award consideration. Everyone expects Gobble to suck, so when he does, he's not really an F.