What's wrong with Aramis?

[TruffleShuffle]

Normally i'll give a player some leeway for a couple of slow weeks at the start of a season, but we're a quarter of the way through the year and aramis ramirez still looks wretched at the plate. it's not like he's been unlucky either:

 

k-rate, career: 15.5% (most of his cubs career it's been in the 11-14% range)

k-rate, this season: 25.6% :shock:

 

LD/GB/FB rates since 2002: 19.8%/35.1%/45.0%

LD/GB/FB rates this season: 15.1%/24.4%/60.5%

 

HR/FB since 2002: 13.4%

HR/FB this season: 5.6%

 

so what is going on? he's obviously making much less contact, not hitting the ball hard enough and hitting too many weak fly balls.

 

a couple of takes from fangraphs:

 

While Ramirez has an insanely low .183 BABIP, he hasn’t hit for any power (.098 ISO) and he’s whiffing much more than usual (24.4 K%, 15.4% career average). His percentage of in-zone contact is just 81.3, well below his 87.5% average since 2002 and the 87-88% big league average.

 

Ramirez usually rakes against fastballs. Per 100 pitches seen, he posted +1.3, +1.38 and +1.36 run values versus heaters from 2007-2009. This season, he’s at a MLB-worst -4.24. Maybe it’s just a timing issue, but Ramirez’s bat looks slow.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/aramis-troubles-with-the-wood/

[Banedon]

I'll admit...I'm not as up to date on Cubs news as I am during most seasons...but how long has A-Ram's thumb been hurting him? It's clearly having an effect at the moment...(he dropped the bat after contact once yesterday that I saw). Could it be that his swing is all out of whack because he's been hurting all season?

 

In any case, I think putting him on the DL might be the way to go right now.

[Backtobanks]

I wonder if anyone in authority has suggested getting his eyes checked. Obviously if his vision is altered slightly it certainly could affect his strikeout rate and missing the "sweet spot" on the bat leading to outs instead of hits. It might be worth a try.

[PackLandVA]

There are only two known things that have really changed since last season: his age and his health (possibly).

 

While he's a year older, I really don't see how that one year could affect his batting that much. I could see a decline as he gets older, but his drop off from last year (due to age) doesn't really make sense.

 

I don't see how his injured shoulder from last year could be affecting his batting to this degree either. I could see it affecting his power, but he just looks clueless at the plate. Flat out missing meatballs, swinging at balls way out of the zone. He's just not getting very many good ABs. So I can't see how the shoulder could be the problem.

 

Maybe there's some other injury/personal problem the fans/media don't know about. Dempster was battling some personal issues early last season and was horrid. Once things got cleared up on the home front, he was much better.

 

If Lou's not gonna bench him for an extended period of time, he has got to move him out of the 4-6 spot in the lineup. Auto outs with men on is killing the team, especially when he can't even put the ball in play in clutch situations.

[Little Slide Rooter]

While the thumbs probably a factor, at least as of late, its hard to discuss whats wrong with Aramis with out at least entertaining the possibility that the shoulder could be bothering him. Either way, a trip to the 15 day DL could be just what the doctor ordered. Between Fontenot, Baker, and Tracy, I cant see them producing any less than Aramis has thus far.

[Old Style]

If he is going to play through this slump, he needs to be moved to the bottom of the order along with Lee. Egos be damned. They are KILLING any momentum the top of the order can generate. I wouldn't mind seeing a Byrd-Sori-Soto grouping in the 3-4-5 holes right now.

[davell]

I thought the thumb thing had been going on for around a week now?

[The Logan]

Remember in spring training when the Cubs were saying Ramirez was healthy enough to hit but unable to throw a baseball?

 

That's my conspiracy theory. He was obviously hurt then and he never did any rehab or time off to get better. Clearly he hasn't gotten better. He sucked just as hard in spring training as he does now. How a team can declare someone healthy enough to hit, but not throw a baseball, and then decide that he's good enough to play one of the most demanding defensive positions in the game is beyond me. But whatever. He's averaged 12 errors a season at 3B since 2004 (and a couple of those season were shortened due to injury)... but he's got 6 already in less than 40 games.

 

He's not right. I think there's something wrong with his shoulder and/or arm and it extends back to spring training

[Careless]

Next to last in MLB in OPS among qualified players. Last in OBP. Never thought I'd be able to write that on May 23.

[Sammy Sofa]

Remember in spring training when the Cubs were saying Ramirez was healthy enough to hit but unable to throw a baseball?

 

That's my conspiracy theory. He was obviously hurt then and he never did any rehab or time off to get better. Clearly he hasn't gotten better. He sucked just as hard in spring training as he does now. How a team can declare someone healthy enough to hit, but not throw a baseball, and then decide that he's good enough to play one of the most demanding defensive positions in the game is beyond me. But whatever. He's averaged 12 errors a season at 3B since 2004 (and a couple of those season were shortened due to injury)... but he's got 6 already in less than 40 games.

 

He's not right. I think there's something wrong with his shoulder and/or arm and it extends back to spring training

 

So what's the point of the "conspiracy?"

[erik316wttn]

Remember in spring training when the Cubs were saying Ramirez was healthy enough to hit but unable to throw a baseball?

 

That's my conspiracy theory. He was obviously hurt then and he never did any rehab or time off to get better. Clearly he hasn't gotten better. He sucked just as hard in spring training as he does now. How a team can declare someone healthy enough to hit, but not throw a baseball, and then decide that he's good enough to play one of the most demanding defensive positions in the game is beyond me. But whatever. He's averaged 12 errors a season at 3B since 2004 (and a couple of those season were shortened due to injury)... but he's got 6 already in less than 40 games.

 

He's not right. I think there's something wrong with his shoulder and/or arm and it extends back to spring training

 

It's gotta be something with his shoulder. Players decline past 30; some gradually and some just hit the wall one year, but if Aramis is a "hit the wall" type player, I don't know if it would happen this dramatically. There has to be something else wrong. I think it's time for management to step in and insist he goes through a slew of tests to figure out exactly what's physically not right, or accept help from Jaramillo instead of trying to work through it on his own.

[The Logan]

Remember in spring training when the Cubs were saying Ramirez was healthy enough to hit but unable to throw a baseball?

 

That's my conspiracy theory. He was obviously hurt then and he never did any rehab or time off to get better. Clearly he hasn't gotten better. He sucked just as hard in spring training as he does now. How a team can declare someone healthy enough to hit, but not throw a baseball, and then decide that he's good enough to play one of the most demanding defensive positions in the game is beyond me. But whatever. He's averaged 12 errors a season at 3B since 2004 (and a couple of those season were shortened due to injury)... but he's got 6 already in less than 40 games.

 

He's not right. I think there's something wrong with his shoulder and/or arm and it extends back to spring training

 

So what's the point of the "conspiracy?"

 

Just using a figure of speech

[Sammy Sofa]

Fair enough, though it does beg the question of why the Cubs would either ignore him being injured in some form and expect him to play through it and/or why Aramis would do such a thing or attempt to "hide" an ongoing injury issue when it's so clearly impacting his play.

[erik316wttn]

Fair enough, though it does beg the question of why the Cubs would either ignore him being injured in some form and expect him to play through it and/or why Aramis would do such a thing or attempt to "hide" an ongoing injury issue when it's so clearly impacting his play.

 

Some people are incredibly stubborn and are very prideful. Aramis may be one of those people.

[Sammy Sofa]

Fair enough, though it does beg the question of why the Cubs would either ignore him being injured in some form and expect him to play through it and/or why Aramis would do such a thing or attempt to "hide" an ongoing injury issue when it's so clearly impacting his play.

 

Some people are incredibly stubborn and are very prideful. Aramis may be one of those people.

 

Sure, there's that, but that would also basically require him to be an idiot and completely ignore how he's killing his opportunity to opt out and get a much better contract.

[robotikarm]

This thumb injury couldn't have happened at a better time. Place him on the DL and let Fontenot get the majority of playing time at 3rd. Aram just needs a break. I can't imagine how frustrated he must feel.

[Guest]

I think it is a combination of things

 

1) Injury last year

2) Very little spring training

3) Probably some psychological stuff (not Bradley type)

 

Whatever it is he's not getting around on the fastball, swinging at bad pitches, and hitting off his front foot on breaking pitches. He looks like he's dipping his back shoulder too, but I haven't watched him enough to be positive. I don't know if the dipping is a result of 1 and/or 2 or all the above.

 

He needs some extended ST and a DL stint I think.

 

Hopefully Vitters progresses fast.

[XZero771679666304]

For some reason, I think his pitch recognition has gone to hell. Maybe he needs Lasik, who knows. And the more he struggles, the more he's probably pressing.

[rynefan]

It's probably a combination of pretty much everything mentioned in this post, and at this point it really is painful to watch. I feel for the guy, but if there's something going on that he could use some help with, whether it be time off to heal in injury or time off for mental/stress issues, then he needs to take that time and let the team get on with things.

[Banedon]

Fair enough, though it does beg the question of why the Cubs would either ignore him being injured in some form and expect him to play through it and/or why Aramis would do such a thing or attempt to "hide" an ongoing injury issue when it's so clearly impacting his play.

 

Some people are incredibly stubborn and are very prideful. Aramis may be one of those people.

 

Sure, there's that, but that would also basically require him to be an idiot and completely ignore how he's killing his opportunity to opt out and get a much better contract.

 

And it's not like the guy's never been on the DL before. Not sure why this time it would be an "I don't wanna go on the DL...I'll play injured and play badly instead" situation.

[jersey cubs fan]

no freaking clue what's wrong with the guy. My fear at the time of the injury was his violent upper cut swing would reaggravate things, but his spring injury was supposedly right arm related. Maybe he's just slightly weaker in both shoulders and that's enough to throw everything off. It doesn't take much to miss a baseball.

[The Logan]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/2307878,CST-SPT-cubnt24.article

 

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Struggling third baseman Aramis Ramirez was out of the Cubs' lineup for the third time in four games Sunday because of a sore left hand, and manager Lou Piniella seems to be leaning toward keeping him out another game or two early in the upcoming homestand.

 

But the Cubs aren't considering the disabled list at this point.

 

X-rays on the area near the base of Ramirez's thumb Sunday were negative. It has been diagnosed as a bone bruise and sprain -- the result of rolling his top hand over the area swinging the bat.

 

Ramirez said it has bothered him for about two weeks, but it has nothing to do with his hitting woes. And the extended break Piniella plans to give him is as much about mental health as physical.

 

'I would think a few days would do him good, to get everything together,'' said Piniella, who has capable replacements in Jeff Baker and Mike Fontenot. ''We don't have to rush him back in. He'll let us know when he's ready.''

 

Ramirez, hitting just .160 with 40 strikeouts already, is 0-for-13 with seven strikeouts since his 11th-inning walk-off home run against the Colorado Rockies last Monday. He went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in his return to the lineup Saturday night.

 

''Sometimes time heals wounds,'' Piniella said. ''You work and you work, and sometimes it's better just to get away from it totally and relax, and that's better than just beating your head against the wall.''

[KaiserCesar]

This feels a lot like the Soriano situation last year, where he was playing hurt but had to much pride to take any time off. Maybe Aramis is still a bit self-conscious of his injury prone label that he had moreso early in his career and wants to play through it. If this is the case, sitting him and not hitting him 4th/5th when he is in the lineup is the best move. At this point, I'm a lot more confident in Fontebaker than Aramis.

[jersey cubs fan]

This feels a lot like the Soriano situation last year, where he was playing hurt but had to much pride to take any time off. Maybe Aramis is still a bit self-conscious of his injury prone label that he had moreso early in his career and wants to play through it. If this is the case, sitting him and not hitting him 4th/5th when he is in the lineup is the best move. At this point, I'm a lot more confident in Fontebaker than Aramis.

 

I doubt it has anything to do with being self conscious of his image. If it is injury related and won't go on the DL, it's probably because all signs are that it's not a big enough injury to land him on the DL. Was it Rolen that spent a season hitting like crap with a shoulder problem that wasn't bad enough to land him on the DL?

[KaiserCesar]

This feels a lot like the Soriano situation last year, where he was playing hurt but had to much pride to take any time off. Maybe Aramis is still a bit self-conscious of his injury prone label that he had moreso early in his career and wants to play through it. If this is the case, sitting him and not hitting him 4th/5th when he is in the lineup is the best move. At this point, I'm a lot more confident in Fontebaker than Aramis.

 

I doubt it has anything to do with being self conscious of his image. If it is injury related and won't go on the DL, it's probably because all signs are that it's not a big enough injury to land him on the DL. Was it Rolen that spent a season hitting like crap with a shoulder problem that wasn't bad enough to land him on the DL?

 

What is 'bad enough' to go on the DL, though? If you can take 15 days off and feel a lot better rather than consistently struggling and needing a lot off days, then there's a choice to be made. Whether the choice is made by Aramis, Piniella, Hendry or all of the above is what we don't know, but players have gone on the DL in similar circumstances before.