How much are so many Cub fans overrating Ryan Theriot?

[Backtobanks]

Theriot has done okay for a middle infielder. Somehow we all got spoiled by these shortstops who hit 50 HRs and drive in 130 runs. Also, let's remember that he's still young and may get better. That being said, of course you upgrade with someone like Tejada if he can be had for a decent price. Obviously, Ryan Theriot as your starting SS is not the biggest weakness on this team.

[Rob]

Theriot has done okay for a middle infielder. Somehow we all got spoiled by these shortstops who hit 50 HRs and drive in 130 runs. Also, let's remember that he's still young and may get better. That being said, of course you upgrade with someone like Tejada if he can be had for a decent price. Obviously, Ryan Theriot as your starting SS is not the biggest weakness on this team.

 

Actually, it is right now.

 

The only real holes have been C, CF, RF, and SS this season. Kendall and Soto are doing fine at C, Jacque's been pretty good in center since the break, and Murton and Floyd are on fire in RF. And Theriot is playing like he belongs in AA at the moment.

[UK1679666180]

What's his OBP if you take out July?

 

How about we split the difference...lets take out the best and worst month. If I did my math right (and someone can check me on this) I got .316.

 

EDIT: Quit stealing my good lines, Ping...

 

.316 is correct and who typed it 1st? :)

[Drew Doughty]

27 year olds with theriot's MiL track record and skillset don't really improve very much on what he's done. he's probably a 275 hitter with decent plate discipline, no power, and average defensive skills.

[BigbadB]

What is his OBP w/out July?

 

Picking and choosing doesn't accomplish anything.

 

He's a MI utility player starting at SS b/c he has been the best option on a team with no starting SS. Good hands, poor arm, below avg. range for a SS. Avg. to slightly below avg at SS defensively to above avg. defensively for a 2B which requires less range and less arm strength.

 

If they had the funds or the expendable players to improve SS, I wouldn't let Theriot prevent them from upgrading. I question whether they do.

 

The quote above is the answer to the original question. The Cubs are in a pennant race. The only options at SS during this season have been:

 

Ryan Theriot

Ronny Cedeno

Cesar Izturis

 

Who do you want in there? And don't say A-Rod or Tejada. These are the options Cubs management has given Cub fans for 2007.

 

Should we boo Theriot for not posting a 900 OPS? Or should we just cheer for anything more he gives us than Cedeno or Izturis?

 

Theriot makes for a great utility middle infielder. He makes for an average to below average starting shortstop.

 

Does it bother me if someone gushes all over Theriot at SS? Not one bit. This is what we have for the rest of the year. I'll be cheering loudly each time this team wins another game, rather than looking for reasons to blast Ryan Theriot.

 

And it's really not Ryan Theriot's fault he doesn't post A-Rod type numbers. He's just going out there and playing his best everyday, which is really all you can expect from him.

 

I most certainly can't recall any hot prospect lists that had Ryan Theriot at or near the top in any given year. I doubt if even he thought he would be anything more than a utility infielder at the major league level.

 

It's a sad state of affairs of the organization itself when the best you have to put at an everyday position in the field is a utility middle infielder. But, I think Ryan Theriot has done an acceptional job being thrown into the fire.

[Sammy Sofa]

Also, let's remember that he's still young and may get better.

 

He's 27.

[abuck1220]

Let me clue some of you number crunchers in on something that those of us in the game already know.. sometimes, one must look BEYOND the numbers to see the value of a player. Theriot is that kind of player.

Those of us in the game? Dude you're a minor league radio announcer, get over yourself.

 

 

we agree for the first time ever.

[Guest]

I think the point of the original post is fairly well-made throughout this thread. Theriot is one of those players that draws very strong reactions due to the nature of his skillset. The bottom line for me is that while he's one of my favorite players on the team, I also recognize that SS is where it might be easiest to significantly upgrade the team in 2008. Well, that and catcher if Soto is anything remotely close to his 2007 season so far.

[Guest]

btw - some people are pretty far out of line in this thread.

[imb]

Let me see if I got this straight.. Ryan Theriot is "okay" for a player that is making the minimum salary, but the Cubs need to upgrade down the road?

 

Gee, the guy has solidified the number two spot in the order, plays ABOVE AVERAGE defense in a position that requires DEFENSE first, has provided this club with a spark in the top of the order that hasn't been there since Bob Dernier was in the top of the order many moons ago AND (if that weren't enough) has played his arse off with the intensity that is spreading both on and off the field.

 

Let me clue some of you number crunchers in on something that those of us in the game already know.. sometimes, one must look BEYOND the numbers to see the value of a player. Theriot is that kind of player.

 

Yeah, take that you geeks. Boo yah, you just got faced.

[Guest]

That's enough. Stop piling on.

[Sosa21MVP]

See he grinded his way on base to start that winning rally tonight! GRINDER MCGRIND GRIND!!! :lol:

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

I love Theriot

[MikeyLikesCubbies]

See he grinded his way on base to start that winning rally tonight! GRINDER MCGRIND GRIND!!! :lol:

 

It's stuff like tonight that make people love Theriot. He was 0 for 4, and in the middle of a slump, but he went up there and did what he had to do to help the team win. I can think of quite a few guys that have worn the Cub uniform who would have never done that tonight.

[nilodnayr]

27 year olds with theriot's MiL track record and skillset don't really improve very much on what he's done. he's probably a 275 hitter with decent plate discipline, no power, and average defensive skills.

 

Exactly

 

Before the game today he was at 268/330/355.

 

PECOTA pegged him at 272/331/360 worth 4.4M. Here are his future projections:

 

2008: 274/333/361

2009: 278/338/366

2010: 270/329/359

2011: 273/334/364

 

So, PECOTA has nailed him for 07, if its correct moving forward, hes not improving and staying around a 5M player.

 

By the way, those #s are pretty close to his MLE from 05 and 06.

[Abe Frohman]

Some of you guys see 0-4. Some of us (I'm looking at you, jaxxradio) see that Theriot grounded out in the first inning - on purpose - to get Soriano from 2nd to 3rd. He's been doing the little things all year, he did them in the minors, and he sure as hell did them at LSU.

 

Ryan Theriot is baseball smart. Remember last week when he threw out the runner at the plate to keep the Cub lead in a close and important game?

 

Theriot does things that make this team win. It is not a coincidence that this Cub team is in first place. It ain't all about statistics, like Jaxx said. Don't really care who agrees with that, we are in first place and everyone loves that.

 

I hope Theriot is our SS for the next 10 years.

[Sosa21MVP]

See he grinded his way on base to start that winning rally tonight! GRINDER MCGRIND GRIND!!! :lol:

 

It's stuff like tonight that make people love Theriot. He was 0 for 4, and in the middle of a slump, but he went up there and did what he had to do to help the team win. I can think of quite a few guys that have worn the Cub uniform who would have never done that tonight.

 

And I certainly appreciate Ryan's effort. He's pretty much done what he is paid to do.

 

As to the original poster, I don't know why a fan favorite has to always be a star and sure the home fans tend to overvalue their own. But that is true of any fanbase and is not unique to the Cubs at all.

[Guest]

Please note that the original poster didn't question why people like Theriot. He questioned why people overrate him as a player. There's a pretty significant difference there.

[Sammy Sofa]

Some of you guys see 0-4. Some of us (I'm looking at you, jaxxradio) see that Theriot grounded out in the first inning - on purpose - to get Soriano from 2nd to 3rd. He's been doing the little things all year, he did them in the minors, and he sure as hell did them at LSU.

 

Ryan Theriot is baseball smart. Remember last week when he threw out the runner at the plate to keep the Cub lead in a close and important game?

 

Theriot does things that make this team win. It is not a coincidence that this Cub team is in first place. It ain't all about statistics, like Jaxx said. Don't really care who agrees with that, we are in first place and everyone loves that.

 

I hope Theriot is our SS for the next 10 years.

 

http://www.postpixel.com.au/blog-img/interview.jpg

[Mephistopheles]

I hope Ryan Theriot's number of starts as a Chicago Cubs for the rest of his career is less than fifty.

[Abe Frohman]

Ryan Theriot is grossly underrated. Largely by the baseball experts on this board.

[imb]

Ryan Theriot is grossly underrated. Largely by the baseball experts on this board.

 

I was going to ask you how in the hell you can possibly feel that way, then I saw the LSU sig.

[Rob]

Some of you guys see 0-4. Some of us (I'm looking at you, jaxxradio) see that Theriot grounded out in the first inning - on purpose - to get Soriano from 2nd to 3rd. He's been doing the little things all year, he did them in the minors, and he sure as hell did them at LSU.

 

Ryan Theriot is baseball smart. Remember last week when he threw out the runner at the plate to keep the Cub lead in a close and important game?

 

Theriot does things that make this team win. It is not a coincidence that this Cub team is in first place. It ain't all about statistics, like Jaxx said. Don't really care who agrees with that, we are in first place and everyone loves that.

 

I hope Theriot is our SS for the next 10 years.

 

He, "on purpose", grounded out, bringing our run expectancy from 1.17 down to .98, and you want to reward him for ten years for doing that sort of thing on a regular basis?

 

Sorry man, but that's just ridiculous.

[Mephistopheles]

Ryan Theriot is grossly underrated. Largely by the baseball experts on this board.

 

 

Ryan Theriot is what he is: A pile of steaming crap.

[mhuber92211]

Not to rile anyone up, but I do have an honest semi-related question.

 

Is everything in baseball quantifiable? What I mean to ask is if all baseball games can boil down to stats and execution?