Theriot vs Fontenot

[dew1679666265]

How is it too much? It's not like that guy has extra duties.

 

You don't think there's more pressure on a leadoff hitter than a guy batting 7th or 8th? It may be too much pressure if it causes him to start trying to do too much or to start pressing.

 

There's also a chance he'll handle that pressure. He doesn't seem to lack confidence or be intimidated by new situations.

 

He's been hitting second a decent amount as well, though. That's the point they're making.

[jersey cubs fan]

Right or wrong, players, managers and the media put a lot of emphasis on the leadoff spot, and you don't want to put any added pressure on Castro to perform like a "true" leadoff hitter. I still think the 8th spot is the best place for him, simply because it should help his pitch recognition.

 

The media might talk about the need for a true leadoff hitter ad nauseum, but that does not make the leadoff spot any more difficult to actually play. It's just hitting. And Castro hasn't looked any different going from 8 to 2. He's handled every "promotion" he's been given incredibly well. And you aren't asking him to play out of position, since despite all the nonsense, leadoff is not a position.

[jersey cubs fan]

How is it too much? It's not like that guy has extra duties.

 

You don't think there's more pressure on a leadoff hitter than a guy batting 7th or 8th? It may be too much pressure if it causes him to start trying to do too much or to start pressing.

 

There's also a chance he'll handle that pressure. He doesn't seem to lack confidence or be intimidated by new situations.

 

I don't really buy the more pressure thing. Castro is trying to play major league baseball right now. That's pressure. When he goes to bat as the 8th guy I doubt he's thinking, "well, it really doesn't matter what I do here since I'm just the 8th hitter." And I don't think he goes up batting 1st or 2nd and thinks, "oh crap, now it matters, I have to hit well." The guy tries to hit well 1-9, so what's the big deal?

 

I can see the fans and media judging him differently as a leadoff guy, since they are idiots. But as long as the team doesn't just decide he can't do the job if he struggles and then scapegoats him, who cares.

 

Plus, we're talking about just in games that a lefty is starting. It really doesn't matter.

[KingCubsFan]

Right or wrong, players, managers and the media put a lot of emphasis on the leadoff spot, and you don't want to put any added pressure on Castro to perform like a "true" leadoff hitter. I still think the 8th spot is the best place for him, simply because it should help his pitch recognition.

 

The media might talk about the need for a true leadoff hitter ad nauseum, but that does not make the leadoff spot any more difficult to actually play. It's just hitting. And Castro hasn't looked any different going from 8 to 2. He's handled every "promotion" he's been given incredibly well. And you aren't asking him to play out of position, since despite all the nonsense, leadoff is not a position.

He might handle it well, but I don't see any reason to put unnecessary pressure on him. It's pretty obvious most players see leadoff as some sort of magical position, and you don't want Castro to start pressing in order to impress his coaches and teammates.

[KingCubsFan]

Personally, I think the 8th spot in the lineup is perhaps the worst place you can put Castro.

Why?

[jersey cubs fan]

Right or wrong, players, managers and the media put a lot of emphasis on the leadoff spot, and you don't want to put any added pressure on Castro to perform like a "true" leadoff hitter. I still think the 8th spot is the best place for him, simply because it should help his pitch recognition.

 

The media might talk about the need for a true leadoff hitter ad nauseum, but that does not make the leadoff spot any more difficult to actually play. It's just hitting. And Castro hasn't looked any different going from 8 to 2. He's handled every "promotion" he's been given incredibly well. And you aren't asking him to play out of position, since despite all the nonsense, leadoff is not a position.

He might handle it well, but I don't see any reason to put unnecessary pressure on him. It's pretty obvious most players see leadoff as some sort of magical position, and you don't want Castro to start pressing in order to impress his coaches and teammates.

 

I don't see how it's obvious that most players see it as some sort of magical position. I don't see anything different out of Fukudome. Theriot is the same punch and judy hitter no matter where he is in the lineup. At most, you might see a guy take a few more pitches, and maybe run a little. But I don't think that's any worse than having a 2 hole hitter stupidly try and hit it to the right side all the time or having an 8 hitter trying to force the action since the automatic out pitcher is behind him.

[Sammy Sofa]

Personally, I think the 8th spot in the lineup is perhaps the worst place you can put Castro.

Why?

 

Because in a non-Lou NL lineup that's typically where you dump someone who is not a terribly good or consistent hitter because the pitcher is coming up after them. It basically gives the opposing team all the incentive in the world the pitch around a good hitter in that spot in certain situations. He's probably just going to see too much garbage pitching if he's kept in the 8th spot and I'd rather he be challenged higher up in the lineup. There's also the added "pressure" of having to make something happen because the pitcher is up next. Ironically, having Castro up is about the only time you could sorta justify Lou's insistence of hitting Soto 8th if Castro is hitting 7th...but not really. Having those two that low in the lineup is just dumb.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Sammy Sofa

[jersey cubs fan]

Personally, I think the 8th spot in the lineup is perhaps the worst place you can put Castro.

Why?

 

I can think of 2 reasons.

 

The pitcher treats that guy differently, since the automatic out is nearly always behind him. So you see less "normal" pitching. And second, because the pitcher is next, that 8 hitter could feel pressure to make something happen with the few pitches he does get. He almost doesn't want to get ahead 2-0 because that could mean auto walk and end of inning with the pitcher.

 

Although I don't think it matters all that much.

[KingCubsFan]

Personally, I think the 8th spot in the lineup is perhaps the worst place you can put Castro.

Why?

 

Because in a non-Lou NL lineup that's typically where you dump someone who is not a terribly good or consistent hitter because the pitcher is coming up after them. It basically gives the opposing team all the incentive in the world the pitch around a good hitter in that spot in certain situations. He's probably just going to see too much garbage pitching if he's kept in the 8th spot and I'd rather he be challenged higher up in the lineup. There's also the added "pressure" of having to make something happen because the pitcher is up next. Ironically, having Castro up is about the only time you could sorta justify Lou's insistence of hitting Soto 8th if Castro is hitting 7th...but not really. Having those two that low in the lineup is just dumb.

To me, the biggest thing that Castro has to learn is the ability to lay off that junk and identify a good pitch to hit. The 8th spot is good for that. I find it strange that you feel he may have the pressure to "make something happen" out of the 8th spot, but don't recognize that same pressure hitting leadoff, where hitters make careers out of providing a "spark" or "jumpstarting" an offense simply because they make contact and can run.

[jersey cubs fan]

Personally, I think the 8th spot in the lineup is perhaps the worst place you can put Castro.

Why?

 

Because in a non-Lou NL lineup that's typically where you dump someone who is not a terribly good or consistent hitter because the pitcher is coming up after them. It basically gives the opposing team all the incentive in the world the pitch around a good hitter in that spot in certain situations. He's probably just going to see too much garbage pitching if he's kept in the 8th spot and I'd rather he be challenged higher up in the lineup. There's also the added "pressure" of having to make something happen because the pitcher is up next. Ironically, having Castro up is about the only time you could sorta justify Lou's insistence of hitting Soto 8th if Castro is hitting 7th...but not really. Having those two that low in the lineup is just dumb.

To me, the biggest thing that Castro has to learn is the ability to lay off that junk and identify a good pitch to hit. The 8th spot is good for that. I find it strange that you feel he may have the pressure to "make something happen" out of the 8th spot, but don't recognize that same pressure hitting leadoff, where hitters make careers out of providing a "spark" or "jumpstarting" an offense simply because they make contact and can run.

 

Castro's best attribute is the ability to make contact. Chasing junk isn't really his problem.

[Sammy Sofa]

To me, the biggest thing that Castro has to learn is the ability to lay off that junk and identify a good pitch to hit. The 8th spot is good for that.

 

Too much junk. He's going to see much fewer "good pitches" hitting in front of the pitcher. If you want him to have a good eye for better pitches you should want him hitting in a spot where he's going to see more of those types of pitches.

 

I find it strange that you feel he may have the pressure to "make something happen" out of the 8th spot, but don't recognize that same pressure hitting leadoff, where hitters make careers out of providing a "spark" or "jumpstarting" an offense simply because they make contact and can run.

 

I don't think either are actually very stressful roles when compared to other hitting spots, which is why I put quotes around "pressure." I think the incentive to get something done because the pitcher on deck is potentially far more "damaging" (again, lack of a better word at the moment) to a young hitter when they're just going to be facing mostly garbage pitching is worse than if they're leading off and facing better pitches to hit, which plays to Castro's strengths as a hitter.

[bhogg]

Holy cow did I ever have one of the most painful conversations with a customer today. He comes in and sees my big painting of Wrigley, HoF 2005 framed program and Sandberg Day (97) framed program and said "ahh, a man after my own heart. I love the cubs, too."

 

Then he commences to explain to me how Lee and Ramirez are so worthless (semi agree) . . . . . . Soto can't hit to save his life (WTF?). . . . . and the best thing the Cubs have going for them is Ryan Theriot.

 

He said the worst thing they've done all year is move Theriot from SS. He said ol' Ryan is just a scrappy ball player, drives in runs, and does all the things that it takes to win ball games.

 

He then said that Castro should never have been brought up because he's just not a good player.

 

 

That's when I said, the guy is hitting .350 and putting up way better numbers than anyone else right now.

 

My customer said, "Yeah, but it'll never last. They should send him down."

 

 

 

The insane stupidity of the average joe amazes me.

 

 

 

 

Oh, he said Fontenot and Theriot should be the double play combo -- no doubt. Then he said "Didn't DeRosa play on that LSU team with those guys?"

 

I seriously laughed at the guy at that point. . . ..

[BigSlick]

If you're going with a strict platoon shouldn't it be Baker/Fontenot?

Baker's too busy playing 3rd because our regular 3rd basemen can't sniff a 600 OPS

[Yeti]

If you're going with a strict platoon shouldn't it be Baker/Fontenot?

Baker's too busy playing 3rd because our regular 3rd basemen can't sniff a 600 OPS

our regular 3rd baseman cant sniff a homeless mans drawers, quit sugarcoating it

[biittner77]

I don't really buy the more pressure thing. Castro is trying to play major league baseball right now. That's pressure. When he goes to bat as the 8th guy I doubt he's thinking, "well, it really doesn't matter what I do here since I'm just the 8th hitter." And I don't think he goes up batting 1st or 2nd and thinks, "oh crap, now it matters, I have to hit well." The guy tries to hit well 1-9, so what's the big deal?

 

The scenario that I dread is he struggles in that role, starts to press and the coaching staff tries to "fix" him.

 

For what seems like the 5th time, it's probably not a real big deal.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Really the only thing that Theriot has over Fontenot as of now is the maybe Fonenots better as a part time player argeuement. Otherwise, Fonts just the better player. Neither one is ever going to dazzle with defense, or take walks on a regular basis but Font has power, which Theriot lacks, and hes a lefty. Maybe Font should be given 2B with Baker as backup or platoon vs. lefties, and bring up Darwin Barney as backup SS and see what we can get for Theriot. I know the kiddies would be deestated, as all Cubs fans under the age of 18 seem to love the guy, but we really dont need him anymore.

[questionmarkgrace]

theriot is way too inconsistent to be an everyday player. the one walk in a month thing is a joke. Beyond that he goes on stretches where he hits in bunches and others where he is just completely lost. Fontenot seems to have found something with Rudy J. More playing time should come his way.

 

I will continue to say it, we have some of the most inconsistent players in the game on our team. We need more steady guys whose production varies less. Especially in key line up positions like 2,3,4.

[Little Slide Rooter]

theriot is way too inconsistent to be an everyday player. the one walk in a month thing is a joke. Beyond that he goes on stretches where he hits in bunches and others where he is just completely lost. Fontenot seems to have found something with Rudy J. More playing time should come his way.

 

I will continue to say it, we have some of the most inconsistent players in the game on our team. We need more steady guys whose production varies less. Especially in key line up positions like 2,3,4.

Yeah, it seems as though everytime one guy heats up, another guy cools down. Pretty much every starter has had a hot streak and a cold one. Aramis is the only one who hanst put together a hot streak, and brother, that guy is due for a scorcher.

[JimSorgi]

I don't understand why it matters if a player goes through hot and cold streaks. If a more consistent player puts up the same numbers as a streaky player, what would make him better?

[17 Seconds]

just saw that theriot has a .630 OPS

 

holy [expletive]

[Keener98]

just saw that theriot has a .630 OPS

 

holy [expletive]

 

Check out his month of May OPS.....507!

[bhogg]

you can't measure "playing the right way" and "scrapiness" with mere numbers, people. We're talking about a guy who runs hard and stuff.

[Rob]

In the pregame show today, Lou made it sound like he's giving Fontenot a chance to take over the starting 2B gig.

[Clem Fandango]

In the pregame show today, Lou made it sound like he's giving Fontenot a chance to take over the starting 2B gig.

 

I hope for his sake he performs well today, because this will probably be a 9-inning experiment before Lou changes his mind because he's a moron.

 

Anything to keep Theriot and his plate patience disappearing act out of the top of the lineup

[Tracer Bullet]

I don't understand why it matters if a player goes through hot and cold streaks. If a more consistent player puts up the same numbers as a streaky player, what would make him better?

 

seriously? You wouldn't rather have a guy that puts up a .900 OPS every month than a guy that goes .700 to 1.100 to .700 to 1.100 to .700 to 1.100 over the course of the 6 months? You realize you don't just add up the runs at the end of the season and the teams with the best run differential makes the playoffs, right?