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Post by aztecryan on Dec 29, 2010 9:55:25 GMT -8
Bill James is a fan of Maybin...predicting 14 homers and 85 RBI's this season. Would be quite a step up from Tony Gwynn.
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Post by aztecron on Dec 29, 2010 10:17:40 GMT -8
Bill James is a fan of Maybin...predicting 14 homers and 85 RBI's this season. Would be quite a step up from Tony Gwynn. If we can get that production from Maybin and Ludwick gets back to his normal production level we have a chance. With continued improvement in Venable and Headley we have a chance. If Hawpe gets back close to his norm say a 20 and 75-85 year we have a chance. If we can stay away from on obscene ratio of k/bb's we could be okay on offense. But, Maybin/Venable/Headley have got to reduce their K's this year. I say a chance, because our pitching and defense actually look pretty damn good this year. Our bullpen is still lights out. Our starters could be Latos, Richard, Stauffer, Harang and any combo of Luebke, Mosely, LeBlanc, which isn't too bad at all in our ballpark.
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Post by joshjones1 on Dec 29, 2010 10:32:01 GMT -8
Bill James is a fan of Maybin...predicting 14 homers and 85 RBI's this season. Would be quite a step up from Tony Gwynn. That would be exceeding most expectations, I'd sure take that.
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Post by traholder on Dec 29, 2010 12:13:32 GMT -8
The pitching should be about the same imo (I think the rotation will be better and the bullpen will be worse but still elite), the good thing about this year is we don't have 2 holes at the top of the order like we did for lots of last year
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Post by aztecmusician on Dec 29, 2010 15:58:28 GMT -8
Bartlett and Hudson are upgrades, who can hit .280+, something which was lacking last year. Maybin is a huge upgrade from T Gwynn. Venable, Headley and Hundley have another year of experience and one of these guys will develop into a 25+ HR guy.
My question with Hawpe is how is his glove and can he return to 20+ HR outside of Coors Field?
Staff should be better than last year, Tim Stauffer and Wade LeBlanc will be key performers.
Overall, I like the team. Pitching and Defense wins, add some veteran bench role players and the Pads should be able to compete for the West even without Gonzalez. Bud Black is a great manager who will get this young team into the playoffs.
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Post by traholder on Dec 29, 2010 19:44:20 GMT -8
Hawpe gets lot of his power to all the opposite field, he came up being a first baseman but they moved him to the OF cause he was blocked at first, last year he was injured pretty much all year plus the 3 years before that was consistent with an 800 + ops on the road, which are good signs for a comeback
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Post by joshjones1 on Dec 29, 2010 20:52:03 GMT -8
Bartlett and Hudson are upgrades, who can hit .280+, something which was lacking last year. Maybin is a huge upgrade from T Gwynn. Venable, Headley and Hundley have another year of experience and one of these guys will develop into a 25+ HR guy. My question with Hawpe is how is his glove and can he return to 20+ HR outside of Coors Field? Staff should be better than last year, Tim Stauffer and Wade LeBlanc will be key performers. Overall, I like the team. Pitching and Defense wins, add some veteran bench role players and the Pads should be able to compete for the West even without Gonzalez. Bud Black is a great manager who will get this young team into the playoffs. Just curious, how can you say Maybin is a "huge upgrade" over Tony Gwynn, Jr. at this point? Not that it's hard to improve on Gwynn's plate production, but if we're going off of what we have seen so far....how can that be? It's not true. I think it'd be better to say "if Maybin continues to develop like I think he can, we have a big upgrade over Gwynn." Maybin at the plate has been anything but impressive so far. Both are career .245 hitters, Maybin with more power, but 4-to1 K to walk ratio....Gwynn walked almost as much as he whiffed. I am intrigued to see how Maybin does this season. He has alot more upside than Gwynn.
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Post by joshjones1 on Dec 29, 2010 20:54:29 GMT -8
Bartlett and Hudson are upgrades, who can hit .280+, something which was lacking last year. Maybin is a huge upgrade from T Gwynn. Venable, Headley and Hundley have another year of experience and one of these guys will develop into a 25+ HR guy. My question with Hawpe is how is his glove and can he return to 20+ HR outside of Coors Field? Staff should be better than last year, Tim Stauffer and Wade LeBlanc will be key performers. Overall, I like the team. Pitching and Defense wins, add some veteran bench role players and the Pads should be able to compete for the West even without Gonzalez. Bud Black is a great manager who will get this young team into the playoffs. I like Bartlett alot. I know he struggled last season, but is a career .281 hitter who walks some. He is two years removed from hitting .320 in 500 at bats in a tough AL east. Scored 90 runs that season.
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Post by aztecmusician on Dec 30, 2010 2:09:37 GMT -8
Bartlett and Hudson are upgrades, who can hit .280+, something which was lacking last year. Maybin is a huge upgrade from T Gwynn. Venable, Headley and Hundley have another year of experience and one of these guys will develop into a 25+ HR guy. My question with Hawpe is how is his glove and can he return to 20+ HR outside of Coors Field? Staff should be better than last year, Tim Stauffer and Wade LeBlanc will be key performers. Overall, I like the team. Pitching and Defense wins, add some veteran bench role players and the Pads should be able to compete for the West even without Gonzalez. Bud Black is a great manager who will get this young team into the playoffs. Just curious, how can you say Maybin is a "huge upgrade" over Tony Gwynn, Jr. at this point? Not that it's hard to improve on Gwynn's plate production, but if we're going off of what we have seen so far....how can that be? It's not true. I think it'd be better to say "if Maybin continues to develop like I think he can, we have a big upgrade over Gwynn." Maybin at the plate has been anything but impressive so far. Both are career .245 hitters, Maybin with more power, but 4-to1 K to walk ratio....Gwynn walked almost as much as he whiffed. I am intrigued to see how Maybin does this season. He has alot more upside than Gwynn. Every expert I have read raves about the 23 year old Maybin. He has Eric Davis like skills. Granted, he has never hit for an entire season and the fact that the Marlins kind of gave up on him are not good signs, but I would take Maybin over Gwynn Jr. in a heartbeat. Younger player, greater upside. I wish TG Jr. all the best, he is a fellow Aztec.
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Post by joshjones1 on Dec 30, 2010 8:01:24 GMT -8
I agree 100% Musician, was just curious on how you worded it. It's not an upgrade YET....but you and I both think it will be for sure.
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Post by aztecmusician on Jan 2, 2011 0:54:35 GMT -8
I agree 100% Musician, was just curious on how you worded it. It's not an upgrade YET....but you and I both think it will be for sure. Ok, now that I think about it you are right. It is very possible the Pads will have Venable or Cunningham in CF for at least one third of the season. Maybin does have an injury history, but his upside is very exciting.
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Post by AztecBill on Feb 1, 2011 9:55:19 GMT -8
SS Orlando Hudson 2B Jason Bartlett 1B Brad Hawpe RF Ryan Ludwick LF Will Venable 3B Chase Headley C Nick Hundley CF Cameron Mayben Only 3 players from last years opening day lineup. Hundley, Headley and Venable. We'll see what happens. If you're an opposing starting pitcher looking at that lineup are you scared? Absolutely. I don't think I could throw much faster than 60 MPH. They would kill me.
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