Comments on: It’s time. http://cardinalsgm.com/uncategorized/time-2/ A look at the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team from a GM perspective. Mon, 21 May 2012 17:37:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: dave http://cardinalsgm.com/uncategorized/time-2/#comment-593 dave Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:14:48 +0000 http://cardinalsgm.com/?p=849#comment-593 Ryan hit pretty well last year, which may have been a fluke. The mean he would regress to is below the .290 range, but nowhere near the Mendoza line doldrums he's sunk in now. I believe he could settle down hit well enough for a plus defense shortstop if he were simply left alone and allowed to play without the constant threat of benching or a platoon role hanging over his head. Ryan's low on-base percentage is more troubling, perhaps a byproduct of pressure to have a bat with 'pop'. The unrealistic expectation that a shortstop must have 'pop' isn't that helpful. Slugging shortstops are the exception for a reason. A good glove with superior range is a huge asset (ask Whitey Herzog), still underrated by the fantasy baseball, offense is everything, mentality. Ryan hit pretty well last year, which may have been a fluke. The mean he would regress to is below the .290 range, but nowhere near the Mendoza line doldrums he’s sunk in now. I believe he could settle down hit well enough for a plus defense shortstop if he were simply left alone and allowed to play without the constant threat of benching or a platoon role hanging over his head.

Ryan’s low on-base percentage is more troubling, perhaps a byproduct of pressure to have a bat with ‘pop’. The unrealistic expectation that a shortstop must have ‘pop’ isn’t that helpful. Slugging shortstops are the exception for a reason. A good glove with superior range is a huge asset (ask Whitey Herzog), still underrated by the fantasy baseball, offense is everything, mentality.

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