Comments on: Christopher who? The case for Wily Mo http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Sat, 17 May 2008 05:59:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: The Feeding the Monster Blog — In which the author discusses Boston, the Red Sox, the media, and very occasionally popular music. » You will fear any man who possesses the middle name of a Northern California suburb http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-36624 Fri, 27 Apr 2007 02:30:52 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-36624 [...] I’ve been a WMP cheerleader since last August, when he put an absolute hurt on the ball; less than two weeks ago, I once again was pleading his case. [...] […] I’ve been a WMP cheerleader since last August, when he put an absolute hurt on the ball; less than two weeks ago, I once again was pleading his case. […]

]]> by: maineiac http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-480 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 16:38:15 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-480 Update from the first four games of the NY Yankees series.... WMP Stats: Game 1 - 0 hits/1 AB Game 2 - 0 hits/6 AB (K with bases loaded) Game 3 - 1 hits/8 AB Game 4 - 0 hits/4 AB (K with bases loaded) 0.052 BA - 0.052 Slugging - 1 RBI Not a single walk. WMP's OPS has now dropped to 0.841 (vs Nixon's career OPS of 0.852) Worse stat is WMP left 14 men on base (six were in scoring position). In the three games he played, WMP accounted for 26% of the 54 men left on base. I think much of WMP's success in the AL was that opposing pitchers had not found out that he will swing at anything so a good pitcher is not going to give him anything that can do damage. Certainly, Poppa Jack has his work cut out for him. I think we would have got something out of Trot against the Yankees. Update from the first four games of the NY Yankees series….

WMP Stats:
Game 1 - 0 hits/1 AB
Game 2 - 0 hits/6 AB (K with bases loaded)
Game 3 - 1 hits/8 AB
Game 4 - 0 hits/4 AB (K with bases loaded)
0.052 BA - 0.052 Slugging - 1 RBI
Not a single walk.
WMP’s OPS has now dropped to 0.841 (vs Nixon’s career OPS of 0.852)
Worse stat is WMP left 14 men on base (six were in scoring position). In the three games he played, WMP accounted for 26% of the 54 men left on base.

I think much of WMP’s success in the AL was that opposing pitchers had not found out that he will swing at anything so a good pitcher is not going to give him anything that can do damage. Certainly, Poppa Jack has his work cut out for him. I think we would have got something out of Trot against the Yankees.

]]> by: rebbe sox http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-331 Thu, 17 Aug 2006 04:30:33 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-331 Trot Nixon is the prototype of a player that the current Red Sox regime will not keep. He's gone at the end of this season. Think of it this way...Theo can sign Trot for $6-8 million per year to get .800 to .830 OPS production out of right field. That's where Trot's carreer is trending at age 32. Or, Theo can pay Wily Mo $500,000 to $800,000 to get .800 to .900 OPS production from right field. Wily Mo's carreer OPS is .805 at age 24. His current season OPS is .915 in 57 games. I love Trot's grit and his glove. But honestly, what would you do? Trot Nixon is the prototype of a player that the current Red Sox regime will not keep. He’s gone at the end of this season.

Think of it this way…Theo can sign Trot for $6-8 million per year to get .800 to .830 OPS production out of right field. That’s where Trot’s carreer is trending at age 32. Or, Theo can pay Wily Mo $500,000 to $800,000 to get .800 to .900 OPS production from right field. Wily Mo’s carreer OPS is .805 at age 24. His current season OPS is .915 in 57 games.

I love Trot’s grit and his glove. But honestly, what would you do?

]]> by: Information Leafblower http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-319 Tue, 15 Aug 2006 19:43:50 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-319 <strong>A Quick One While I'm Away...</strong> Sorry for the brevity today. My blogging/lunch time was taken up with my Silversun Pickups interview. I should have that sometime later in the week. Banksy in Brooklyn! Global warming leads to more summer festivals. Interpol to Capitol. Lollapalooza dr... A Quick One While I’m Away…

Sorry for the brevity today. My blogging/lunch time was taken up with my Silversun Pickups interview. I should have that sometime later in the week. Banksy in Brooklyn! Global warming leads to more summer festivals. Interpol to Capitol. Lollapalooza dr…

]]> by: horn1918 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-318 Tue, 15 Aug 2006 19:37:51 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-318 I will admit I thought the WMP/Arroyo trade was a mistake after seeing all our pitchers go down...now after seeing him play everyday, I friggin love the guy. He has got a cannon for an arm, a bazooka for a bat and has a great personality to boot. He really is a superstar in the making. Coming to a team with 2 of the best Dominican hitters of all time certainly won't hurt his development either. I will admit I thought the WMP/Arroyo trade was a mistake after seeing all our pitchers go down…now after seeing him play everyday, I friggin love the guy. He has got a cannon for an arm, a bazooka for a bat and has a great personality to boot.
He really is a superstar in the making. Coming to a team with 2 of the best Dominican hitters of all time certainly won’t hurt his development either.

]]> by: rdoyle http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-306 Tue, 15 Aug 2006 15:47:09 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-306 in a perfect world you can have the OPS of nixon and the SLG of WMP in the same lineup (what a 3-4-5-6 that could be) what are the chances of seeing nixon play some centerfield...playing centerfield in fenway does not require the same amount of speed as it it does in other parks for obvious field dimension reasons. his defense has never been in question, he plays hard every game hes out there and his speed is comparable to that of jim edmonds (who is regarded as one of the top centerfielders in the game, who plays at a pitchers ball park in st. louis). he has the strong arm we have not seen in centerfield in nearly a decade and a lineup of youk loretta ortiz manny wily mo trot lowell varitek(upon return) gonzo has to be the best on paper in the major leagues. in a perfect world you can have the OPS of nixon and the SLG of WMP in the same lineup (what a 3-4-5-6 that could be)

what are the chances of seeing nixon play some centerfield…playing centerfield in fenway does not require the same amount of speed as it it does in other parks for obvious field dimension reasons. his defense has never been in question, he plays hard every game hes out there and his speed is comparable to that of jim edmonds (who is regarded as one of the top centerfielders in the game, who plays at a pitchers ball park in st. louis). he has the strong arm we have not seen in centerfield in nearly a decade and a lineup of youk loretta ortiz manny wily mo trot lowell varitek(upon return) gonzo has to be the best on paper in the major leagues.

]]> by: Triple Crown http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-303 Tue, 15 Aug 2006 15:19:37 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/14/christopher-who-the-case-for-wily-mo/#comment-303 There's a lot of talk about whether or not Trot will be back with the Sox, and too much speculation that Coco will be traded. I think we have to consider one more possibility. Manny won't be here next year. LF Wily Mo Pena CF Coco Crisp RF Trot Nixon As much as I would hate to see Manny leave the Sox, is it not a strong possibility? His contract is only getting cheaper by the year, hence the more likely it is that Theo will finally move him. This of course puts pressure on Wily Mo to be the number four hitter and protect Ortiz. I think WMP will be a competent cleanup hitter by 2007. In addition, maybe the Sox get a big bat at 1B or 3B if they decide not to re-sign Lowell. Once last note on the Coco bashing. It's not like the guy is hitting .240. His injury set him back and soured everyone's high expectations, but give this guy a chance to make his adjustments. By next year, I bet he puts up solid, if not big numbers as the Sox everyday leadoff center fielder. There’s a lot of talk about whether or not Trot will be back with the Sox, and too much speculation that Coco will be traded. I think we have to consider one more possibility. Manny won’t be here next year.

LF Wily Mo Pena
CF Coco Crisp
RF Trot Nixon

As much as I would hate to see Manny leave the Sox, is it not a strong possibility? His contract is only getting cheaper by the year, hence the more likely it is that Theo will finally move him. This of course puts pressure on Wily Mo to be the number four hitter and protect Ortiz. I think WMP will be a competent cleanup hitter by 2007. In addition, maybe the Sox get a big bat at 1B or 3B if they decide not to re-sign Lowell.

Once last note on the Coco bashing. It’s not like the guy is hitting .240. His injury set him back and soured everyone’s high expectations, but give this guy a chance to make his adjustments. By next year, I bet he puts up solid, if not big numbers as the Sox everyday leadoff center fielder.

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