Re: So who's going to sign him????
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Originally Posted by
HoustonGM
thank Bonds excellent OBP for that.
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Thank opposing managers/pitchers for that. It's the baseball equivalent of Hack-a-Shaq, and it's a disgrace to the game. If they do that for Bonds, why not for A-Rod or Ryan Howard or Pujols? Why never to Griffey in his prime? Why never to McGwire or Sosa?
Well, to answer my own question, they had other major-league caliber players on their teams. The best the Giants ever came up with to protect Bonds was Ryan Klesko, Marquis Grissom, Pedro Feliz, and Ray Durham. Not exactly as frightening as Jeter, Burrell, Scott Rolen, Edgar Martinez/A-Rod, or Jim Edmonds. It's hard to walk a hitter every time you face him if the guy on deck can hit too. When he's a washed-up mediocre player, or a never-was like Feliz, it's easy to take your chances with them instead of Bonds. If Bonds played with decent players, I think his OBP would be more normal.
Re: So who's going to sign him????
Quote:
Originally Posted by
chuckwillard
Thank opposing managers/pitchers for that. It's the baseball equivalent of Hack-a-Shaq, and it's a disgrace to the game. If they do that for Bonds, why not for A-Rod or Ryan Howard or Pujols? Why never to Griffey in his prime? Why never to McGwire or Sosa?
Whether or not the opposing managers are walking him, it still provides value.
It's also not completely the managers. Bonds has ALWAYS walked a lot and had a high OBP. And the managers do do it to other players, just not to the extent that they did it with Bonds, mostly because those other players never hit 73 home runs.
Over 2006 and 2007, Ryan Howard was walked over 70 times intentionally, each season being in the top 11 all-time of single season IBB's. Mark McGwire was walked a lot, 28 and 21 times respectively in his two best seasons. Pujols draws a fair amount of intentional walks - 20+ in each of the last 3 seasons. Griffey was intentionally walked a fair amount, he didn't post ridiculously high OBPs because he himself didn't draw walks on his own at a really high rate like Bonds and McGwire did. Sammy Sosa drew 37 IBB's in 2001, and his walk rate skyrocketed at the same time his home run totals did (he drew 45 walks in 694 plate appearances in 1997, his record-breaking 1998, in 722 plate appearances, he drew 73 walks).
Even putting all that aside, whether or not its Bonds or the opposing managers, the on-base percentage is equally valuable.
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If Bonds played with decent players, I think his OBP would be more normal.
Well, his lack of "protection" is certainly true, but what is "more normal"? Every year since 1990, he has had an OBP above .400, except for 1999, which was due to a batting average dip, not a walk rate dip. With the Pirates, he played in a very good lineup, with guys like Andy Van Slyke and Bobby Bonilla hitting around him. The fact is that Barry Bonds walks a lot and thus has a high OBP. The reasons are irrelevent. It's equally valuable no matter the reason. Even with good hitters behind him, he draws walks - because he has a good batting eye.
