Giavotella working to be less of a defensive disaster

[Oz27]

Interesting story from Alden Gonzalez.

 

"From the start of November until the middle of February, Giavotella and Washington met three times a week at the Urban Youth Academy in New Orleans to work on defense, the one element that had always eluded Giavotella.

"We didn't miss, no matter what the weather was," Washington said from A's camp on Thursday morning. "I was so proud of him, the way he put it together and the way he was able to maintain it.""

It has to be better than nothing, I guess.

[totdprods]

Good read. I've really doubted Gia but I'm also really rooting for him.

[nando714]

Let's hope so

[DMVol]

Neither Adam Kennedy nor Howie were great defensive 2bman when they came up but both got better, a lot better....Gia is probably below where they started but he can get better....

[Stradling]

Neither Adam Kennedy nor Howie were great defensive 2bman when they came up but both got better, a lot better....Gia is probably below where they started but he can get better....

Yea I mentioned this is another thread. AK was AWFUL his first year. One thing about this message board is the overall vibe from its members is a player is what he is and that they don't improve. I have no idea if JG will ever be an average defensive 2nd baseman, but it certainly isn't out of the question.

[Jobu]

Yea I mentioned this is another thread. AK was AWFUL his first year. One thing about this message board is the overall vibe from its members is a player is what he is and that they don't improve. I have no idea if JG will ever be an average defensive 2nd baseman, but it certainly isn't out of the question.

And yet, when coaching is criticized the go-to defense is that "these guys are what they are. You're not going to teach a guy to (x) at the big league level".

[eaterfan]

I think the difference between AK, HK, and Johnny G is the athleticism. AK and HK were pretty athletic (not super athletic) but a good deal more athletic than Johnny G. They both had higher ceilings as defenders. Even early in their careers they would make a fair amount of spectacular plays and then not the routine play. It was obvious that if they cut out the mistakes they would become plus defenders.

[itsTroutahere]

We can only hope he improves on his defense, we love the bat already.  Not sure he is capable, because he has worked on his defense every offseason only to see negative improvement. One can always tell when his initial reaction to ball after moment of inertia is always the opposite direction.  He might be dyslexic! 

[UndertheHalo]

We can only hope he improves on his defense, we love the bat already. Not sure he is capable, because he has worked on his defense every offseason only to see negative improvement. One can always tell when his initial reaction to ball after moment of inertia is always the opposite direction. He might be dyslexic!

Haha, do we love the bat ? I hope for best with Giavotella. I think it's likely his defensive play improves (really it couldn't get much more awful) but I think there's a great chance we don't get the production (which was not much) we got last year out of the bat. Giavotella just isn't very good. Hopefully I'm very wrong.

Edited March 4, 2016 by UndertheHalo

[Angels#1Fan]

We can only hope he improves on his defense, we love the bat already.  Not sure he is capable, because he has worked on his defense every offseason only to see negative improvement. One can always tell when his initial reaction to ball after moment of inertia is always the opposite direction.  He might be dyslexic! 

 

Last year he did experience some vision problems. How much that affected his play is hard to say, but it would be nice to see an improvement in his defense. He got a lot of big hits last year. It would be a big plus if he can improve his defense. Heres hoping.

[Mark68]

It's good that Gia saw his biggest flaw and was dedicated to working on it. I hope it works out.

[jgimondo]

They do have a few other options in case he doesn't improve.

[Docwaukee]

He could be like Dustin Pedroia if he just played much better defense, hit for a higher average, added some power and stole a few more bases.  Other than that, it's damn close.  

[Inside Pitch]

Yea I mentioned this is another thread. AK was AWFUL his first year. One thing about this message board is the overall vibe from its members is a player is what he is and that they don't improve. I have no idea if JG will ever be an average defensive 2nd baseman, but it certainly isn't out of the question.

 

The metrics say otherwise...  AK was never awful, he was awkward turning the DP initially, but he fielded well and pretty much every metric available then and now argued he was a plus defender.  Howie was likewise never a bad defender -- he was pretty consistently a slightly plus defender those early seasons despite being moved around from place to place.

 

 

He could be like Dustin Pedroia if he just played much better defense, hit for a higher average, added some power and stole a few more bases.  Other than that, it's damn close.  

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by Inside Pitch

[Inside Pitch]

I think the difference between AK, HK, and Johnny G is the athleticism. AK and HK were pretty athletic (not super athletic) but a good deal more athletic than Johnny G. They both had higher ceilings as defenders. Even early in their careers they would make a fair amount of spectacular plays and then not the routine play. It was obvious that if they cut out the mistakes they would become plus defenders.

 

Agreed -- they were very different animals -- particularly AK, he had been primarily been a SS -- his lateral movement and the sort was always above average, he just looked like a SS playing 2B early on -- the arm slot, turning the DP..  He looked like a guy that was having to think about his actions.

[LooneyPlatoons]

Rooting for him.  Hopefully his defensive work pays off and he maintains the offense.  He is kinda like the Italian David Eckstein.  He had his clutch moments, especially when he came back from his vision problems.  He is a good complement to the power guys in the lineup.  Need to have contact hitters to add balance.

[HaloNArizona]

Gia, last year was a 1.0 WAR player, he is better suited as a #9 hitter, in his small career (240 PA), he has a .339 OBP, and in 2015 from the #9 spot, his OBP was .376.

 

Scioscia needs to keep him in the #9 spot, and let him continue to be the table setter. 

 

Escobar in his career either leading off or batting 2nd has a career .360 OBP

 

Anyways, I think used right, Gia can be an average (more than likely slightly below average defender) and a 2.0-3.0 War player.

 

Again, if Scioscia uses his players correctly.

[Docwaukee]

If Gia's defense was average, he'd be given a chance to show us if his bat is anywhere near as good as it was in the minors, and frankly, it was pretty damn good.  

[California Cajun]

If someone told me we'd get a .270 average from 2b after trading Howie Kendrick, I would have been happy. Johnny G. is giving the Angels 100% and if he wins the job this spring he deserves it.

[totdprods]

I actually think Johnny G has room to grow offensively too. He was a great hitter in the minors and once he finally got a full time job last year with the Angels he was able to put it all together.

[Guest]

Gia is looking a lot better defensively. He's already made a couple great plays at 2nd today

[disarcina]

ah little Johnny G ---

when I think of him at second, I recall watching Zorbist (6 foot 4 or however tall he is) paying 2B for KC in the post season last year.

Zorbist would stick his arm out and snare a line drive heading for base hit to Right/ Center field, perhaps even a potential double into the alley --- Johnny G would leap as high as he could and stretch his small arm reach out and the ball wuld be by him for a two run single.

[ukyah]

i'm going to reserve my criticisms of the angels for more important grievances, rather than lack of a 6'4" 2b.

[halosfan1970]

Giavotella always looks very impressive just missing a diving grab or a timed jump.

[Reveille1984]

The guy's 28 with no speed, power, defensive ability or real athleticism to speak of.  I know we have to look on the bright side sometimes with this lineup, but let's not pass that dooby around too aggressively here.