Ramon Vazquez: I Might Not Make the Team
by Charlie Wilmoth on Mar 11, 2010 1:11 AM EST
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PrintInteresting piece on Ramon Vazquez in the P-G:
"They told me I'm not on the team right now," the Pirates' veteran utility infielder said, visibly displeased after a 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday night at McKechnie Field...
An MRI ordered by the team in September showed no surgical issues. But, after continuing pain, arthroscopic surgery was performed in November by the Pirates' physician, Dr. Patrick DeMeo, to repair a small tear in the knee's cartilage.
"We needed infielders, and they told me they needed me," Vazquez said. "I wish now I could have gotten that surgery done a lot earlier, so I could play winter ball and come here a lot better prepared to make this team."
Vazquez's decision to tough it out might make him a good team player, but that doesn't mean he's a good player for this team. I'm glad the Pirates have told him he's not a lock to make this team, because he shouldn't, and yet every indication before today was that he would. I was somewhat happy when the Pirates signed Vazquez last offseason, but it looks like the nice season he had in Texas in 2008 was a career year, and looking over his career numbers now, it looks like seasons like the one he had in 2009 are closer to the norm than 2008 was. Even if we grant that the knee contributed to his struggles, he's now a 33-year-old with a .678 career OPS. His comments also make it sound like the knee is going to continue to affect him. I'm not seeing much upside here.
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Best news we've heard all spring.
Now we just need to pick between Moss and Raynor and we’re set.
I thought Vazquez and Hinske would really improve our bench when they were signed, but they represented the wrong bench strategy. Better to go with age 26-28 minor league vets if possible at all, because who knows if they could break out. The other problem was that he can’t field any positions anymore.
He's "bitching"...
…because his play last year was (according to him) a reflection of him playing hurt at the team’s behest. He felt that there was an implied quid pro quo to the situation: He’d play at less than 100%, and in return, the team wouldn’t hold it against him if the performance wasn’t up to his usual standards. As such, he now feels betrayed.
Ramon Vazquez's less than 100%
was a pretty scary percentage last year. If his knees are still suspect, and he can’t do an adequate job manning the middle IF when necessary, then he has little on-field value for the Bucs in 2010.
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
John Adams
And he gets paid regardless of the outcome
of spring training roster decisions.
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
John Adams
Interestingly
Vasquez had worse UZR ratings with the Rangers than he did last year with the Pirates, if you can believe that. I wasn’t into sabremetrics back when he was with the Rangers and I thought he would be a good pickup for the Pirates. I fell victim to the “seems like every time I go to the ballpark Vasquez gets a clutch hit” syndrome.
by MarkInDallas on Mar 11, 2010 11:49 AM EST up reply actions
"I might not make team."
Good
Bench spots are even more important in today’s game, especially in the NL, with the 12 or 13-man pitching staffs.
If he’s not good enough, send him packing to collect his $2 million elsewhere.
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
John Adams
Frustrating
That they’re (per NH’s comments) not considering carrying a 6 man bench.
But I’m relieved, of course, that, at the very least, they’re open to ditching RV.
Agreed
I don’t see the need for a 12-man staff, particularly in April and May with rainouts.
Moreover, the Bucs are not carrying a Rule 5 pick and trying to hide him in the pen.
Eleven pitchers seems fine to me.
Agreed x2
We better have a great bullpen to carry 7 relievers, the last of whom we simply can’t live without if we had to release him or send him down. They shuffle guys around in July and August when doubleheaders hit and they need a guy. Why not in April?
Vazquez
Actually played pretty well last night. Hopefully management is trying to showcase him so he has some sort of trade value. Anything is better than releasing him.
Pride in your work?
A desire to not let your teammates down? A concern that someone else will walk off with your job while you’re on the sidelines?
Etc.
Thanks Ramon
for driving down your trade value….if everyone knows you might not make the team, they won’t offer us anything for you. Then they’ll pick you up after you’ve been cut. That’s how we lost Matt Capps and look how he’s been tearing it up for the Nats.
Getting cut...
…is maybe the best idea from his perspective. That way, he still gets paid the same guaranteed money, and he can pick where he wants to play from the pool of interested teams (however large or small that might be) instead of being locked into some random team for the rest of the year.
RV's...
first 7 ML seasons… 1641 plate appearances… slash numbers of .250/.314/.343 for an OPS of .657. 15 HR in 7 seasons (8 of them in 2007)…about 1 every 110 PA. His road stats for his career (which would pretty much eliminate any advantage from playing in the Ballpark at Arlington (if there is any)… .248/.316/.348 for an OPS of .664.
2008… 347 plate appearances…slash numbers of .290/.365/.430 for an OPS of .795. 6 HR…or 1 in every 58 PA. Even that was loaded by 1st half stats of .310/.382/.473 for a .854 OPS…and a 2nd half of .238/.323/.321 for a .644 OPS.
2009… 239 plate appearances…slash numbers of .230/.335/.279 for an OPS of .614. 1 HR.
Looks to me like the Pirates got the same guy that played 7 seasons and didn’t produce…and got fooled by the 1 decent spell he had…a 3 month period in 2008 (May, June and July).
In addition...
defensively…his career UZR and UZR/150 numbers are negative at all 4 infield positions. His total WAR for the last SIX seasons…is a -1.4. Even his “good” 2008 was only a positive 0.8 WAR.
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