Isn't Grady Sizemore too good a hitter to be hitting .239? That's what we're told at least. Or have been told. This was a guy projected to be an AL MVP. He also has 23 strikeouts, second-highest on the team to Jhonny Peralta. When was the day we thought we'd see Sizemore's strikeouts up with Peralta's? But perhaps this is what Sizemore is. His career average is .278, and he's had at least 130 strikeouts in each of the last four seasons. He's averaged 142 1/2 strikeouts and 639.25 at-bats the past four season. Peralta has averaged 138 strikeouts and 563 at-bats. In those four seasons, Sizemore has struck out once every 4.48 at-bats, Peralta once every 4.08 at-bats. (This year, Sizemore is striking out once every four at-bats, Peralta once every three.) Sizemore ranks way low on the list of Indians troubles, but he's never hit .300, and never driven in 100 runs. And he's hitting .239.
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F-I-N-A-L-L-Y!! Thank you, Pat, for being the first local sportswriter with the guts to say it: Grady Sizemore is so overrated, it's not even funny. He goes into slumps that last for weeks, strikes out at an alarming pace, and (shhh! whisper)…he's one of those "veterans" expected to show leadership, but hmmm, is he up to it?
Yes, he hustles in the field, which endears him to Wedgie. And when he gets into a hot streak, he can carry us for a bit. But Sizemore a "superstar?" Who are we kidding here?
i agree with everything above with one exception. it's not sizemore's fault wedge is too scared to piss him off that he won't drop grady down the line-up. those solo home runs that he hits would count for a little more and easily raise his r.b.i. total. i'm tired of hearing how sizemore likes to bat lead off and they don't want him to be uncomfortable. too bad. the guy is not a lead off hitter.
He doesn't simply "hustle in the field," he earns Gold Gloves out there.
He's a leadoff hitter who apparently tries to swing for the fence, so *of course* his RBI total won't be huge and *of course* his strikeouts are Jim Thome-like. The difference being Thome juices, Sizemore doesn't. But what do I know, maybe they both do.
Regardless, what does Derek Shelton tell him? Is Sizemore supposed to be a contact hitter, or not? Evidently not. If they could find somebody was any talent to put at the top of the order, then Sizemore should probably be hitting third or cleanup, depending on if Hafner hasn't strained his shoulder reaching for a syringe on any given day. I wish they could just unload that guy.
Terje, right on the money…..Alan, dead wrong on Hafner….let the season play out a little.
Under what kind of moronic logic would hitting Grady lower in the lineup raise his batting average?
I do agree with the point, Grady can not be considered a superstar hitter when he bats in the 260s or lower. The strikeouts do not bother me as much as the batting average. 98% of the time an out is an out whether it is a K, a pop out, a ground out(except when it is a double play) a line out or a fly out. This strike out obsession is silly.
There is a history of very good lead off hitters that hit home runs. But that debate is different than why his batting average is low for a star hitter.
allan you are flat out a jerk. No evidence at all that either Thome or Hafner every juiced. In fact just the opposite we can be 99.9% sure they did not. Just because you are a 5 foot 4 inch 92 pound wimp does not mean that there are not real men out there like Thome and Hafner. And where is written that Grady is a contact hitter? Because stop reading something that foolish. Probably the same stupid place it is written that leadoff hitters have to weak little slap hitters.
Heh, heh. Anyone who's looked at Thome and Hafner earlier in their career, and then at their "juiced up" pinnacle can see with the naked eye: they didn't get that big drinking Red Bull. Both are/were abnormally sized Michelin Men, much like Baroid Bonds.
What bothers me about Sizemore's strikeouts is this: Every spring, we hear him give interviews about his goal of striking out less. And then he goes and breaks his own whiffing record. No improvement whatsoever, much like the rest of his teammates trying to implement a "plan at the plate." Might as well discard that phrase in Cleveland, because our *hitters* don't "get it."