Is this a hit to his value, as SB should be expected to go down? How many HR can we expect him to hit?
Asked if Ramirez was primed for another 50 stolen base season, Gonzalez said: “I hope not. The reason being, the more your body gets banged up—the wear and tear. He’s a guy who hits .300, he hits you 30 [home runs], and has a chance to drive in a lot of runs. I’m scared, because the more you attempt to steal, even if you don’t steal, you’re diving back to first base. You’re getting beaten up pretty good.
“He can handle it now, being as young as he is. Hopefully, the home runs go up and the stolen bases go down.”
Rather than see Ramirez risk injury stealing bases, Gonzalez enjoys watching his shortstop sprinting from first-to-third, or first-to-home on hits. “We’ll see,” Gonzalez said. “If he has a chance to steal 50, as long as he’s not beaten up, we’ll see.”
Hitting leadoff, Ramirez has the green light to steal, but the team has instructed him to hold as well. “There are times that we’ve shut him down, depending on the series,” Gonzalez said. “Some teams have three or four guys who control the running game.”
As long as he doesn't go Corey Patterson (which i doubt he will) his value will probably remain unchanged. Though this might make me pick up a speed guy for bench, just in case.
"I do not think baseball of today is any better than it was 30 years ago... I still think Radbourne is the greatest of the pitchers." John Sullivan 1914-Old athletes never change.
Wait, let me get this straight ... he won't run as much because you get beat up sliding into a bag? But going from 1st to 3rd or home on a base hit is ok, when he will likely be sliding on quite a few of those? He is going to get looked back at 1st and thrown to get picked off whether he steals 40 or 50, seriously the writer must of been hard up for a story. There are other reasons he might not run as much, if he gets moved down in the order for starters, but this is about the laziest excuse I've ever seen ... he isnt even 25 yet.
He'd be hard pressed to match the run he had leading off last year, but he will still be a top player. He was just sizzling in that leadoff role last year.
Not the best news you could hear. Tough to knock him out of your top 2-5 based on that or if he does bat 3rd at some point.
If Hanley bats in the lead off spot, he'll RUN. Why in gods name would they hit him leadoff and say "Now Hanley you're just like a peach and you bruise easy, take it easy little buddy" The kid is fast, he's gonna run... even if they bat him third he's gonna get his SB's. People also say his power goes down if he bats leadoff up if he bats third? I dont know about you guys, but I went to the plate looking to hit the ball when i played. I didn't think "hey i'm batting leadoff let me tone my power down so I'm on base for the 2 and 3 hole hitters". Hanley is gonna go up there and hit a Homerun if he gets the pitch....
I still expect barring injury nothing less than
.320 25HR 40SB
and thats my low end.... he's a year more mature, a year more conditioned.... Hanley is gonna be a top 3 player at the end of the year.... don't worry about what his coaches say they're thinking they just want their player healthy all year, but when they need him to steal and get in scoring position, hanley will be off and running....
unless he's trotting around the bases from another HOMERUN!
This is all just lip service. You can't make a leopard change it's spots.
He is a speed guy. That is his biggest weapon. He is batting at the top of the order to put himself in scoring position for the 3&4 hitters, and they aren't as good this year without Miggy. He'll need to steal to get himself in scoring position. If he takes the speed out of his repertoire, he'll only be hurting his team. Once the season starts, I expect him to be running like normal. If he aims for power, I don't see much of a difference in his HR totals.
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by bigh0rt » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:34 pm 
