MLB 2022: The Long and Winding Thread

The best batting average in Seattle's starting lineup today is .275 (Julio Rodriguez, who is the real deal). No other regular is above .266. Five others in the lineup are hitting .218 or lower; three are at .194 or below.

And they continue to give at-bats to a washed-up has-been like Justin Upton, who some genius in the front office determined was worth spending money on even though he was hitting a robust .200 at Tacoma and has not hit above .215 in MLB since 2018. Predictably, he's at .122 with the M's, with 19 strikeouts in 45 plate appearances, a 42% strikeout ratio.

Jerry DiPoto sucks. Except for maybe the Pirates, no management treats its fans worse than Seattle's.

 

I know it's only halfway through the season. But doesn't it seem like there's an awful lot of regulars hanging around the Mendoza line compared to other recent years?

 

That's a shame because:

a. Seattle is a great city;
b. Safeco (??) Field is a beautiful ballpark in a great location; and
c. the people are very nice up there (little QTLAW just graduated from UW).

 

I think Ty France was hitting above .300 when he went on the DL.

But your point stands — the M’s lineup has Julio and maybe three other hitters who could make another MLB team. Frazier and Winker have been big-time busts.

And they’re wasting some pretty good starting pitching, once again.

 

The ML average right now is .244, the lowest in 50 years. There's only 10 guys hitting .315 or better and only three above .318

 

Players who have hit all their lives go to Seattle and forget how to hit; Frazier and Winker are just the latest two. Maybe it's the ballpark. The ball does not carry there, especially at night and in April and May, before it warms up (or mid-July this year, apparently).

 

Putting the ball into play isn’t valued line it used to be. The days of going gap to gap, shortening up with two strikes and having an opposite field approach are things off the part right now. They don’t want a level swing through the zone, getting on top of the ball and making hard contact. They want launch angle, swinging out of your shoes no matter the count and striking out isn’t looked down upon like it used to be.

And we don’t have 8/9 regular players as much. We might have 5 and the rest are platooned based on matchups. Less time to get into a groove.

We also have pitchers who throw harder and shifts on every batter. And heavier reliance on match ups and short burst guys rather than that starter who went 7.

 

France is hitting .316. Rodriguez looks like he is going to be special. The rest is a bit of a mess. Suarez was never going to bat .300, but his average tanked in 2020 and got even worse last season. Batting .236 is something of a rebound.

 

The hitters suck and starting pitchers can't hardly give you 8 innings anymore.

 

Man those old days must have had a lot more scoring then they do now with how players can’t hit anymore.