tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post32002503853019320..comments2023-12-19T20:25:36.069-06:00Comments on Nick's Twins Blog: Friday RundownNick N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00848574337121154690noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-66030475161962215522008-06-13T16:18:00.000-05:002008-06-13T16:18:00.000-05:00Over the last 28 days according to baseball refere...Over the last 28 days according to baseball reference:<BR/><BR/>Kubel .254 .361 .437<BR/>Young .269 .324 .452<BR/><BR/>Kubel has 6 extra base hits during that time in 83 plate appearances. Young has 12 in 102. Half of Kubel's extra base hits have been home runs compared to Young's one, which is why Kubel is even close in SLG.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Here are their lines against right-handed pitchers:<BR/><BR/>Kubel .269 .320 .481<BR/>Young .271 .320 .346<BR/><BR/>So actually Young has a better average but Kubel hits for a lot more power. Of course, in general, Kubel hasn't hit left-handed hitters at all (.171 .239 .195) That adds to the Twins vulnerability to left-handed relievers.<BR/><BR/>"May 13 was one month ago today"<BR/><BR/>Something I missed when I made the crack about being a sports writer. Sorry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-21247480236927208192008-06-13T13:02:00.000-05:002008-06-13T13:02:00.000-05:00If Gardy makes decisions based solely on performan...<I>If Gardy makes decisions based solely on performance since May 13th, it would seem that Young, not Kubel, would get the nod.</I><BR/><BR/>The fact is that, even putting aside your breakdowns of breakdowns of time periods (I wasn't trying to be arbitrary by the way -- May 13 was one month ago today, I didn't just randomly pick it because it coincided with a hot streak), Kubel hit well enough at one point in the season to bring his overall numbers up to a level of respectability. Young hasn't done that. Kubel has outhomered him 8-to-1 and outslugged him by 70 points. He's been a far better hitter, both recently and overall. The only reason Kubel's numbers over the past two weeks or whatever don't look great is because he went on a brief cold streak for like five games as May turned into June. I don't think that should affect Gardy's decision-making for this weekend, because if you want to look at real recent performance, Kubel has a 1139 OPS over his past seven games.<BR/><BR/><I>I suspect that who gets the better results depends on who the pitcher is.</I><BR/><BR/>In that case, Kubel is the smart play since -- as I mentioned -- the Twins face three right-handers this weekend and I don't think there's much arguing that Kubel is a better hitter against righties.Nick N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00848574337121154690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-22775584229603377592008-06-13T12:39:00.000-05:002008-06-13T12:39:00.000-05:00The inclusion of that relatively arbitrary date wa...<I>The inclusion of that relatively arbitrary date was merely to show that Kubel is once again putting together some fine numbers after a slow start.</I><BR/><BR/>I understood that. My point is that it doesn't show that at all. What actually happened was that Kubel had a mild hot streak in the middle of May and then went back to his season norm. <BR/><BR/><I>"Young has 12 extra base hits during that period, Kubel has 9."<BR/><BR/>That was bound to happen considering how abysmal Young's SLG was over the first six weeks of the season. </I><BR/><BR/>I know you were responding to the earlier part of my comment about Young's SLG, but you seem to have just skipped over the second half about his recent advantage in extra base hits. <BR/><BR/>If Gardy makes decisions based solely on performance since May 13th, it would seem that Young, not Kubel, would get the nod.<BR/><BR/><I>Kubel is a better hitter at this point than Young.</I><BR/><BR/>I suspect that who gets the better results depends on who the pitcher is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-20208605202875586502008-06-13T12:04:00.000-05:002008-06-13T12:04:00.000-05:00If Gomez doesn't get it together, I'm going to fin...If Gomez doesn't get it together, I'm going to finish last in SBs in my roto league. <BR/><BR/>Nick, you and I both know that Kubel won't start more than one of the next three NL games. <BR/><BR/>tt--yes, Delmon is really on fire right now. Tough to keep that bat out of the lineup. Cherry picked stats or not (they're not), Kubel is a better hitter at this point than Young.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-4765222337562243992008-06-13T11:18:00.000-05:002008-06-13T11:18:00.000-05:00Are you in training to be a sports writer, cherry-...<I>Are you in training to be a sports writer, cherry-picking stats to fit your argument? You are starting at Kubel's low point for the year and comparing it to now. But he hasn't really improved much from his season averages over the last couple weeks, in fact his batting average has fallen. Those two home runs in the last week have lifted his SLG, but its not like those show a trend any more than Delmon Young's home run does.</I><BR/><BR/>OK how about this? Kubel's season OPS: 723. Young's: 669. The inclusion of that relatively arbitrary date was merely to show that Kubel is once again putting together some fine numbers after a slow start.<BR/><BR/><I>Since that May 13th date you chose, Delmon Young's SLG has gone up 56 points while Kubel's has gone up 31. Young has 12 extra base hits during that period, Kubel has 9.</I><BR/><BR/>That was bound to happen considering how abysmal Young's SLG was over the first six weeks of the season. Kubel's SLG is still roughly 70 points higher overall.Nick N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00848574337121154690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-74184724575696821052008-06-13T09:32:00.000-05:002008-06-13T09:32:00.000-05:00The manager did plug in Kubel instead of Young aga...<I>The manager did plug in Kubel instead of Young against left-hander Aaron Laffey last night; the fact that he's abandoning his traditional righty-versus-lefty preference to get the better hitter into the lineup is a promising development, in my mind.</I><BR/><BR/>According to Christensen, this was becauase Kubel had a strong history against Laffey. What was that history you ask? 2 for 2. Yep, small sample size theater strikes again.J. Lichtyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02244118118256406595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-38099619993435920152008-06-13T07:46:00.000-05:002008-06-13T07:46:00.000-05:00First of all, while Young continues to trudge alon...<I>First of all, while Young continues to trudge along with an ugly 669 OPS and one home run on the season, Kubel has rebounded from a slow start to bat .303/.404/.539 with four homers since May 13.</I><BR/><BR/>Are you in training to be a sports writer, cherry-picking stats to fit your argument? You are starting at Kubel's low point for the year and comparing it to now. But he hasn't really improved much from his season averages over the last couple weeks, in fact his batting average has fallen. Those two home runs in the last week have lifted his SLG, but its not like those show a trend any more than Delmon Young's home run does.<BR/><BR/>Since that May 13th date you chose, Delmon Young's SLG has gone up 56 points while Kubel's has gone up 31. Young has 12 extra base hits during that period, Kubel has 9.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com