Great, now Taguchi gets drilled!

[K-Town]

Apperently ever thread in this section about the Cardnials is gonna turn into an argument about the Cards overachieving and is gonna involve K-town arguing with cubs fans. Cant we just start a Ktown thread where all the cubs fans can attack him and he can aruge with you guys because every thread in here ends up that way.

 

As a Cardinals fan, I've been wise enough to avoid Cub-related topics (because I'm NOT here to stir up trouble). If there's a Cardinal-related topic here, I don't see any harm in having a friendly banter (and most of the time it IS friendly). There are good, intelligent posters on this board (1908 is one of them, from what I can tell.... he just seemed a little "testy" to me). That's the only reason I'm here. It's not because I'm DYING to argue with Cubs fans. I can do plenty of that on the Cards' boards. :wink:

[K-Town]

I'm not making things up "off the cuff" (but your accusations that I am is why I thought you were being a jerk). What would be my incentive to make things up? I have no point to prove. Taguchi is having a pretty decent season as a back-up outfielder. I'm not even quite sure why I'm feeling the need to defend that, but I do.

 

Like I said, there's a difference between "making things up" and "keeping things in context". What So Taguchi was doing when he was 22 years old isn't relevant to what we're talking about, is it? I'm not even sure why you brought it up, unless you were reaching for something to make YOUR point.

 

Thanks for the link. Taguchi had a .749 OPS in his last year in Japan, so a case could be made that he began trending that direction before he came to America. Maybe someone in Memphis changed his approach ever so slightly. You also have to consider that most American pitchers still haven't seen much of Taguchi (because of the time he's spent in Memphis, and the time he's spent on the bench), so there's probably a decent chance that they're still trying to "figure him out".

[1908]

What So Taguchi was doing when he was 22 years old isn't relevant to what we're talking about, is it? I'm not even sure why you brought it up, unless you were reaching for something to make YOUR point.

I brought it up because Taguchi spent some time battling for a roster spot in Japan during his career there, and you said he hadn't done that. Or at least your wording read that way to me.

 

Taguchi had a .749 OPS in his last year in Japan, so a case could be made that he began trending that direction before he came to America.

But there's still that whole difference in the level of play thing. If Taguchi had produced a .749 OPS in AAA ball, would you say the same thing? A .749 OPS in Japan is better than a .749 OPS in AAA, but it's not close to a .749 OPS in MLB, more like a .600 - .620 OPS.

[UK1679666180]

I wouldn't put too much stock into Taguchi becoming good. His batting avg. makes it seem he is more productive than he really is. He's ideally a 4th OF'er, that's what his stats suggest, he's been in the midst of seeing the ball well for the past month rather than becoming a .333 hitter. He's basically doing the same thing as he did last year with a little hot streak included.

 

Nothing suggests that he's anything more than a 4th OF'er.

 

I don't think he's overachieved, I think his style of hitting is better suited for the 2 seam FB, and he really hasn't improved that much statistically over his Japanese days.

[K-Town]

What So Taguchi was doing when he was 22 years old isn't relevant to what we're talking about, is it? I'm not even sure why you brought it up, unless you were reaching for something to make YOUR point.

I brought it up because Taguchi spent some time battling for a roster spot in Japan during his career there, and you said he hadn't done that. Or at least your wording read that way to me.

 

Taguchi had a .749 OPS in his last year in Japan, so a case could be made that he began trending that direction before he came to America.

But there's still that whole difference in the level of play thing. If Taguchi had produced a .749 OPS in AAA ball, would you say the same thing? A .749 OPS in Japan is better than a .749 OPS in AAA, but it's not close to a .749 OPS in MLB, more like a .600 - .620 OPS.

 

Typically, Taguchi has done even worse than .749 in AAA. That's what makes me think that his success with the big club may have something to do with the fact that big-league pitchers haven't seen enough of him yet to pinpoint his weaknesses. It's just a theory...... which is why we're having the discussion, right? If Taguchi played regularly, for a full season or two, I'm pretty confident you'd see him regress into the .600's. There's really no reason to think he wouldn't.

[1908]

I don't think he's overachieved, I think his style of hitting is better suited for the 2 seam FB, and he really hasn't improved that much statistically over his Japanese days.

That fact that his stats have improved at all from his days spent in Japan is what has me scratching my head. None of the other Japanese position players playing in the US have done that, including Shinjo who was also a part-time player.

[1908]

Typically, Taguchi has done even worse than .749 in AAA. That's what makes me think that his success with the big club may have something to do with the fact that big-league pitchers haven't seen enough of him yet to pinpoint his weaknesses. It's just a theory...... which is why we're having the discussion, right?

He's played in over 200 games in the past couple years. I think that's plenty of time for scouts to put together a book on him.

 

If Taguchi played regularly, for a full season or two, I'm pretty confident you'd see him regress into the .600's. There's really no reason to think he wouldn't.

But he has been playing pretty regularly this year -- 108 out of 126 games.

[K-Town]

Typically, Taguchi has done even worse than .749 in AAA. That's what makes me think that his success with the big club may have something to do with the fact that big-league pitchers haven't seen enough of him yet to pinpoint his weaknesses. It's just a theory...... which is why we're having the discussion, right?

He's played in over 200 games in the past couple years. I think that's plenty of time for scouts to put together a book on him.

 

If Taguchi played regularly, for a full season or two, I'm pretty confident you'd see him regress into the .600's. There's really no reason to think he wouldn't.

But he has been playing pretty regularly this year -- 108 out of 126 games.

 

Right, but only 287 at-bats. He's had alot of pinch hit appearances.

 

You make some good points though. Do you have a theory, or do you just mark it down as a fluke?

[UK1679666180]

I don't think he's overachieved, I think his style of hitting is better suited for the 2 seam FB, and he really hasn't improved that much statistically over his Japanese days.

That fact that his stats have improved at all from his days spent in Japan is what has me scratching my head. None of the other Japanese position players playing in the US have done that, including Shinjo who was also a part-time player.

 

I would just chalk it up to either fluke, luck, used in better situations, or ability to hit 2 seam FBs better than the 4 seamer.

 

It does go against the norm, though.

[1908]

I would just chalk it up to either fluke, luck, used in better situations, or ability to hit 2 seam FBs better than the 4 seamer.

I'd lean more toward the first two. Being better able to hit a moving fastball versus a straight fastball sounds unlikely to me, but that's just my opinion.

[TruffleShuffle]

By the way, you pretty much made my point with the Ichiro example. Ichiro comes to America, is place in a "so-so" lineup, and there's no improvement in his game. Taguchi comes to America, is put in the middle of a very good lineup, and he excels. My theory would be that the "nasty stuff" is being saved for guys like Pujols, Edmonds, Rolen (when healthy), Walker, etc., and a pitcher may try to "take a break" with Taguchi. Maybe Taguchi is taking advantage of the pitchers losing focus. Who knows?

 

I don't really buy the "saving the nasty stuff" argument, because whatever stuff they're saving for the best hitters, it ain't working. Why not just throw Pujols the bad stuff, since he hits everything anyway, and save the good stuff for guys who aren't such good hitters? I do think the issue of protection has its merits; i.e., having a good hitter behind you means you will get more to hit. But I don't believe that General So has been hitting ahead of the mashers much this year... more often he's hitting somewhere #6-8.

[hardcorecubfan]

In the hand. I have no doubt he will lose some time with this. The Cards are literally dropping like flies!

 

ok, I'll bite what happened to him? i missed sport center

[vaball]

But I don't believe that General So has been hitting ahead of the mashers much this year... more often he's hitting somewhere #6-8.

 

"General So," lol, that is so offensive. He's not even Chinese.