Navarro vs. Cron

[markb]

Who'd have guessed at the beginning of the season that this would be a valid topic?  

 

If the decision is eventually made to put Ibanez out to pasture, there's room for one of these guys to stick even when Hamilton and Calhoun return.  Cron as the successor to DH has felt like a given for the past couple months, but Navarro has certainly made himself known since he came up.  

 

Navarro has much better plate discipline and defense, but the thing that's always made him a fringe player -- the lack of power -- is a big advantage for Cron.  The fact that Navarro is a lefty and can spot in the outfield may give him the edge.  Also, from a development standpoint Navarro is 28 and pretty much the player he's going to be, whereas Cron can still benefit from getting everyday ABs in the minors (like learning he doesn't have to swing at anything remotely close to the strikezone).  

 

We actually have depth this year.  Feels good man.

[Blarg]

It should be a duel between Cron, Navarro and Green once Ibanez is gone.

 

[2112]

I could see keeping Navarro up with sporadic at bats.  Basically it's now or never for him.  

 

Also if Cron is going be a long term alternative, it would be cheaper arbitration wise to send him down.

[tomsred]

Depth, it's a really good thing to have.

 

[ScottT]

I'd keep Navarro around before Cron.  I think Navarro has a better chance of succeeding in the short term and off the bench.  Plus, he plays great defense at 1B.

[ItzTacosYerrp]

Das it mane

[Second Base]

They'll both play their role.  Navarro will be a major leaguer for the immediate future.  He's quiet, smooth at the plate, versatile and left handed.  There's a role for him, likely not as an everyday player but certainly as a reserve.  Cron is showing a great bat to ball skill, but still has some needed development in the minors.  He'll be an everyday DH/1B eventually though. 

[arch stanton]

Ther return of the regulars negates the need for Cron's power and makes Navarro a more valuable player especially heading toward NL road games.

[YouthofToday]

Navarro most likely at this point.

Cron still has to learn what plate discipline and the strike zone is. His best position is also DH which doesn't provide a lot of position flexibility.

Although he has potential if we can get a SP upgrade by trading Cron with somebody else you must strongly consider it.

[YouthofToday]

Cron walked in only 4.1% of his PAs last year.

Can you guess how many walks he has in 40+ MLB PAs?

Dude cannot sustain a .367 BABIP.

Edited May 19, 2014 by YouthofToday

[Don]

I'm on team Navarro. If Cron had any value on defense and he could play a corner OF spot, it'd be a different story. No doubt that Cron has the higher ceiling, but right now Navarro just provides more overall value.

[Blarg]

Cron, like Aybar, successfully avoids false stats.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Eric Notti

[NrM]

Keep navarro and green up. Send down cron.

[laagamer]

For my opinion on the matter, please see Cron's 468ft HR.

[Taylor]

I think Cron would be better off playing every day in AAA than playing 2-3 times a week with the Angels. Navarro seems like he would be solid as a bench player who occasionally fills in for the regulars.

[Docwaukee]

Cron's 'discipline' is deceiving.  Granted, he doesn't walk and that in and of itself isn't good, but it's not as simple as that with him.  

 

First of all, he's very good at making contact for a power hitter.  His LD rate early on is not sustainable because it's so high.  His fly ball rate is also very high.  Two good things for power hitters.  Which mean that they are throwing him a lot of pitches he can hit hard, and he's taking advantage of it.  Why not?  

 

So for now, it's fine.  The proof will come when other teams getting more scouting and adjust.  If he's flailing at balls out of the zone and striking out or making weak contact, then hopefully he will adjust.  

 

He's also a pretty awful defender.  His hands are ok, but his range doesn't look so good.  

 

Navarro, at least for now, has shown that he belongs somewhere on a major league roster.  He's polished, and takes very good at bats.  He's also and excellent defender at 1b.  

 

He deserves to be here while I still think Cron could use the everyday at bats in AAA.  

 

I also agree that Ibanez isn't going anywhere.  

[ettin]

Cron walked in only 4.1% of his PAs last year.

Can you guess how many walks he has in 40+ MLB PAs?

Dude cannot sustain a .367 BABIP.

Although I agree that this performance is out of the ordinary based on what we've seen from Cron in the Minors he is running a high line drive rate of 31.4% which IS conducive to running a very high BABIP.

The question that really remains is can Cron continue to maintain that high LD% rate and will opposing pitchers make adjustments on him that bring not only his contact rate down but the amount of solid hits he is making. That will make him come back down to Earth so to speak.

EDIT: What Doc said too.

Edited May 19, 2014 by ettin

[rageous]

It's inevitable that Cron is going to come down to earth and eventually slump.

His O-Swing rate of 45.8% is even much higher than other Angels noted hackers like Josh, Aybar and Howie.

[YouthofToday]

Cron is dangerously close to having an OBP below .300. Dude still has yet to walk in 45 plate appearances...

[dimitrig]

Cron is dangerously close to having an OBP below .300. Dude still has yet to walk in 45 plate appearances...

 

Sounds like he's tailor-made for our lineup!