Can We Discuss*: Michael Cuddyer
I ate a lot of crow last year for riding this guy for never being clutch then all of a sudden he went on a tear to end the season and get us to the post-season (where he hit .429) so I won't be too harsh this early on . . . however . . . ever see a guy who hits more meaningless two out doubles with nobody on or one run home runs when we we're losing 8 to 1? He's currently hitting .273 with 5 HRs, 26 RBIs, and an OBP of .335. OK, I guess I'll take that, I mean they are basically in line with his career averages but it seems like he shrinks when he needs to be clutch. He's hitting .206 with RISP and .100 with the bases load this year (he's had them juiced 10 times already) something you can't do in the 5-hole of this lineup (you could argue that Kubel and DYoung behind him haven't been much better but this isn't about them it's about Cuddy.) He's hitting .214 with RISP and 2 out while hitting .295 with no one on; basically not who I want to see walking up to the plate with RISP and needing a hit.
If Cuddy's got the time to be promoting Baby Back Ribs for $3.99/lb at Lund's, he's got the time to take a little extra BP. And yes, this post is my subversive attempt to challenge Cuddy, if Gardy ain't gonna do it, I might as well.
* "Can We Discuss" will be an attempt at a new segment on this blog, please feel free to use that heading if your looking to talk about a specific player or don't, see if I care.
4 Comments:
MCA - first off, great call on byfuglien...there's actually a feature on him in SI this week. I haven't read it yet, but I did read the paragraph that said he grew up in a trailer home in Roseau. Also, this is Lucia's last year if he doesn't win, right? I mean, this program has been, and should always be, the Yankees of college hockey. The recent decline is completely baffling and unacceptable.
Ahhh, Cuddy. I've never known quite what to make of him. I seem to recall him coming into the bigs with a LOT of hype...which is usually a recipe for unmet expectations, unless you're Junior Griffey, right? My general feeling is that he's a nice player, but very frustrating, probably because he just isn't very timely (or clutch) in his hitting. I got to thinking which Twin of the past we could compare him to, and the name Tom Brunansky popped into my head...though I remembmer LOVING Bruno back in the day. I compared their career stats (actually I only looked at Bruno's 7 years in MN), and I think the conclusion is: very similar player, but Bruno was simply more clutch and had more power (more HRs and RBI in 2+ fewer seasons). Oh, and keep in mind that Cuddy is making $9mm this year.
BA - B:.250, C: .270
OBP - B: .330, C: .343
SLG - B: .452, C: .456
OPS - B: .782, C: .799
RBI - B: 469, C: 455
HR - B: 163, C: 112
And Finally...
GIDP - B: 79 (~11/year), C: 108 (~12/year, but on pace to obliterate that this year)
So Brunansky didn't get on base quite as often, but he hit better in the clutch and had more HRs. Perhaps this is why we remember loving him, while we are constantly frustrated by Cuddyer (and his $9 Mil paycheck).
May 28, 2010 at 5:00 PM
BG - great work. BRUNO! ! ! Who didn't love Bruno? BRUNO! ! ! Not sure how I lapsed on the $9M we're paying Cuddy. BRUNO! ! ! Can he sit a spell to give Thome some more at bats? BRUNO! ! ! Can't he get a day off and put Kubel/DYoung in right? BRUNO! ! ! I get it, he's 'right-handed power' but isn't DYoung? BRUNO! ! !
May 28, 2010 at 9:56 PM
C'mon, Bruno! How 'bout a little bingo? It's funny to go back and see his and Gaetti's numbers from those days. They're pretty uninspiring, compared to what our 8-year-old made of them back in the day.
It's the GIDP's that's killing me with Cuddy this year. TwinkieTown spent a lot of time of the team's GIDP problems this morning, and, in a nutshell, they're exceeding probability based on opportunities to roll over into double plays. And Cuddy's the worst offender, although Mauer's not far behind. Mauer I can sort of understand, although not completely defend, since he hits so many balls up the middle, which are easy turns. And Cuddles has a little defense in that he's hitting after Mauer and Morneau, meaning he's far and away the league leader in at-bats with a man on 1st and less than two outs. Still, though, his rate in those situations sucks.
Which is why I think I'd be making the case to put either Delmon or, yes, even Kubel, in the 5th spot in the lineup. Let Cuddy hit his occasional leadoff double or solo shot toward the bottom of the order, where he'll score more runs. And let Kubel or Delmon (whose numbers are essentially equal to Cuddyer right now, other than RBIs, where they're just about tied but Delmon's had 50 less at-bats) get a chance to drive in Hudson, M & M for awhile. Kubel looks like he's finally breaking out of it. And I don't buy that having four lefties out of the first five, and three in a row in the middle of the order, is that big of a problem. Mauer crushes lefthanded pitching, anyway, and Morneau's hitting .370.
Either way, Jan's right, he's getting too many plate appearances right now. And playing second base apparently, too.
Having read the press on Byfuglien, I guess we have to give Lucia a pass on that one. The guy wasn't even academically eligible to play high school hockey, in Roseau. That's saying something.
June 1, 2010 at 12:37 PM
Gotta give Cuddy credit for his play this weekend, especially playing 2nd base for the first time since the minor leagues while O-dog recovers.
BTW, I actually watched the entire Sunday night game vs. Texas (mostly on DVR delay), and I seriously thought both Span and Hudson were gone for the year after they collided. They hit knee-to-knee, but somehow, neither of them is complaining about a knee injury (thankfully)...
June 1, 2010 at 12:38 PM
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