So apparently I wrote a pretty unpopular article over the
weekend comparing the lineups of the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue
Jays. I had the Yankees winning seven of the nine head-to-head matchups and
apparently that means the cheese has slid off my cracker. Without actually
looking at the stats or doing the research I was attacked, and that’s fine, but
at least give me the opportunity to defend myself.
The first position that likely turned some heads was the
shortstop position. I picked Didi Gregorius as the better shortstop over Troy
Tulowitzki and if you look at the stats you know that it’s true. Didi’s start
to his Yankees tenure was slow and forgettable but so was Tulowitzki’s. The
difference is that Didi improved, Tulo got hurt again and never did. Didi had a
WAR of 3.3 with the Yankees with Tulo managed just a 1.4 WAR with Toronto. If
we’re playing Playstation is Tulo the better shortstop? Sure, but we’d also win
every World Series there ever was as well. I don't see how a .239 hitter with five home runs and 17 RBI manages a 1.4 WAR anyway, just saying. Oh any by the way Tulo had a 1.5 WAR in Colorado in 2015 so his 2.9 WAR combined is still less than Didi's and Didi almost, and should have, won a Gold Glove at shortstop.
Speaking of getting hurt that’s what was used as reasoning
to think that Chris Colabello will be better than Mark Teixeira in 2016. One
word comes to mind, LOL. Teixeira was hurt in 2015 and still managed to hit 31 home runs and drive in 79 RBI with a 3.8 WAR. Colabello? 15 HRs, 54 RBI and
a 0.7 WAR. I rest my case. If it works for one, Tulo, then it works for the
other.
The Blue Jays lost their second baseman Devon Travis and are
forced to go with Ryan Goins, currently, at second base. This may have been a
homer pick, we all know how I feel about Robert Refsnyder and his development,
but Goins is not exactly putting the fear of God into opposing pitchers
himself. It’s just a personal preference, hell a push would have been more
accurate but this is a Yankees blog. Sue me. Also, REFSNYDER is projected to have a better season than GOINS according to Baseball Reference and they are usually pretty damn accurate.
The final instance is Jacoby Ellsbury against Kevin Pillar.
We’re talking a lineup here, an offense. If we are counting Web Gems on
Baseball Tonight then Pillar wins every time. If we’re talking about a table
setters and someone who can hit for not only average but power as well that’s
Ellsbury. Sure he’s been injured and could be injured again, you don’t think
Pillar’s all out play can get him injured at any time? Just because it hasn’t
happened yet doesn’t mean that it won’t. Pillar and Ellsbury could go either way though, I do admit that. Pillar is no slouch offensively, I just like a healthy Ellsbury better. Pillar had a 5.2 WAR in 2015 but much of that was his defense, Ellsbury had a relatively healthy season in 2014 and posted a 3.3 WAR. Pillar is allowed to steal bases, the Yankees don't want to take the bat out of their middle of the order hitters as they wait on the three run home run. If you want to go Pillar here I'm not against admitting I'm wrong, it's close though.
Then you have the no brainers. Brian McCann is a better
offensive catcher than Russell Martin is. I don’t need to put out the stats on
that one. Same can be said for Brett Gardner over Ben Revere, Josh Donaldson
over Chase Headley and Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion over anyone and
everyone in the Yankees lineup.
These projections and my picks are all on paper. Just
because Ellsbury is the better offensive weapon it doesn’t mean that he will
be. It doesn’t mean that Mark Teixeira won’t re-break his leg in Spring
Training and miss the entire season. It doesn’t mean that Bautista will
continue to dominate the world with his annoying bat flips and home run trots.
It’s on paper and it is how it stands today. If you disagree then I apologize,
and I do appreciate your readership and comments, but this is how I feel and
I’m not going to change it.
Good for you Daniel, stick to your guns!
ReplyDeleteI will still disagree with you but, that's what we have comments for. Being honest about it, my picks could go either way but, I will not let the opportunity to get you in a tissy pass...so there you got it. LOL