Slow Willy Taverez

[cobbs87]

I do remember there was a thread on this a little while ago but the answers given were just "give it time." Anyone know why if Willy Taverez has been getting crazy amounts of singles he has yet to steal a single base? Does he just refuse? I don't get it.

[sj2k]

I would still give it time. Its not like he's being caught, so there is no sign he has slowed down, he is just not running right now. With him at least your doing better than you would be with pods

[cobbs87]

Touche

[johnsamo]

he's been batting 2nd a lot behind biggio.... Truth is, I think it's a ploy to play with Tavera's head. Tavera's has the tools to be a great leadoff guy, but he's got to up his obp a lot, and I think the manager is forcing him to be more selective by putting Biggio ahead of him to put him in position more where his job is to move the guy over rather than just beat out infield hits.. Lat year Taveras hit something like 293 avg., which is good, but his obp was like 306, not nearly good enough for a leadoff guy. He needs to get in the 340 obp range (and that means getting more walks) to become a great leadoff hitter, and that's what I think the manager is trying to stress to him.

Taveras could go either way, if he can up his OBP, he's a great vince coleman type player, if he doesn't learn to take pitches, he's just a designated runner type player.