A case for David Fletcher if Kinsler continues to suck

[Chuck]

David Fletcher is slashing .360/ .413/.586 9 walks to just 6 strikeouts, 8 doubles, 4 triples and 3 HR. 3 Stolen Bases too. Plays a good 2B defensively as well.

Thoughts?

[totdprods]

Homer number 4 tonight...

Couple more weeks before we do anything with Kinsler.

[nando714]

Not yet

[Chuck]

Man I'm loving our farm system and depth this year. 

If Kinsler gets hurt I hope it's Fletcher that gets the call and not Nolan Fontana. 

[Jason]

A 36 year old dude that is producing nothing. Time to move on. 

[GrittyVeterans]

Kinsler will get more than 3 weeks to turn things around, guys. This team gave Danny Espinosa 77(!!) games last year of awful results (.513 OPS) to try to see if he could turn things around. And Espinosa doesn't have a quarter of the track record Kinsler has.

 

I'm not saying it will end up being the right move, but the organization will give Kinsler until July to try and get something going I bet. If he can't at that point, they'll consider other options. 

If you think he's going to be out of a starting job in a couple weeks I think you're crazy. He'll probably lose his spot at leadoff soon but will still be an everyday player

[floplag]

i think were trying to bring these kids up too fast personally.   We finally get some depth and were trying to rush them to Ana with barely a cup of coffee at AAA.    Fletcher hasnt even played the equivalent of a full season at AA and AAA  combined. 
May not have a choice if Kinsler doesnt pick it up, but i think he will.   If were still having this conversation in a month or so, different opinion, but for now let them improve, get confident. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

Kinsler will get until the All Star break I'm sure. I think right now the better idea is to move Cozart to second and give Marte more at bats.

[Taylor]

I don't know why, but Fletcher strikes me as the kind of guy who has figured out how to hit in the minors but will be no more than a marginal hitter in the MLB. Prove me wrong, Fletch!

[Warfarin]

25 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Homer number 4 tonight...

Couple more weeks before we do anything with Kinsler.

An inside-the-ball-park home run!  Nifty.

[IheartLA]

4 minutes ago, Taylor said:

I don't know why, but Fletcher strikes me as the kind of guy who has figured out how to hit in the minors but will be no more than a marginal hitter in the MLB. Prove me wrong, Fletch!

AAA Salt Lake is a hitter's paradise. Guys like Grant Green and Kaleb Cowart tore that place up.

AA is definitely a bigger test for hitters considering the league, level of talent, pitcher's park.

Fletcher OPS'd .695 there last year, not exactly encouraging.

[Warfarin]

27 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

David Fletcher is slashing .360/ .413/.586 9 walks to just 6 strikeouts, 8 doubles, 4 triples and 3 HR. 3 Stolen Bases too. Plays a good 2B defensively as well.

Thoughts?

My thought is that's an awesome stat line.

What's crazy is that he is remarkably close to posting a 1:1 HR:K ratio.  I mean, who does that?!

What'd I'd like to know though, and perhaps someone with some access to scouts can chime in here, is what exactly has changed?  He's been a rather mediocre hitter in the minors until now.  What's behind this increased power and improved BB rates?

[IheartLA]

1 minute ago, Warfarin said:

My thought is that's an awesome stat line.

What's crazy is that he is remarkably close to posting a 1:1 HR:K ratio.  I mean, who does that?!

What'd I'd like to know though, and perhaps someone with some access to scouts can chime in here, is what exactly has changed?  He's been a rather mediocre hitter in the minors until now.  What's behind this increased power and improved BB rates?

Salt Lake AAA. It's the Coors Field of the minors.

[Warfarin]

1 minute ago, IheartLA said:

AAA Salt Lake is a hitter's paradise. Guys like Grant Green tore that place up.

AA is definitely a bigger test for hitters considering the league, level of talent, pitcher's park.

Fletcher OPS'd .695 there last year, not exactly encouraging.

Is the entire league a hitter's paradise, or just the home park?  His home and road splits are exactly the same basically.

[Troll Daddy]

IMHO there is no case for Fletcher unless Kinsler goes on the DL.

p

 

btw I like Fletcher in the future 

[stormngt]

10 hours ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Kinsler will get more than 3 weeks to turn things around, guys. This team gave Danny Espinosa 77(!!) games last year of awful results (.513 OPS) to try to see if he could turn things around. And Espinosa doesn't have a quarter of the track record Kinsler has.

 

I'm not saying it will end up being the right move, but the organization will give Kinsler until July to try and get something going I bet. If he can't at that point, they'll consider other options. 

If you think he's going to be out of a starting job in a couple weeks I think you're crazy. He'll probably lose his spot at leadoff soon but will still be an everyday player

Plus we are winning.  There is no urgency to make a change when we won over 60% of our games.

[ScottT]

Everyone is hitting well for Salt Lake. I wait it out, then look elsewhere... and I don't mean Fletcher 

Multiple players on every team are going to be struggling. Every time you look.  If you look hard enough. Kinsler might be done, but he might be decent. Fletcher might be decent, but he might not be a major leaguer

[Stradling]

2 hours ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Kinsler will get more than 3 weeks to turn things around, guys. This team gave Danny Espinosa 77(!!) games last year of awful results (.513 OPS) to try to see if he could turn things around. And Espinosa doesn't have a quarter of the track record Kinsler has.

 

I'm not saying it will end up being the right move, but the organization will give Kinsler until July to try and get something going I bet. If he can't at that point, they'll consider other options. 

If you think he's going to be out of a starting job in a couple weeks I think you're crazy. He'll probably lose his spot at leadoff soon but will still be an everyday player

I completely agree.

[Second Base]

Fletcher or JMF. 

But I wouldn't count on it. Kinsler doesn't look bad or lost like Calhoun does. The hits aren't falling, yet. But he's still an amazing defender. Having him and Simmons up the middle is a treat.

[John Taylor]

2 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

David Fletcher is slashing .360/ .413/.586 9 walks to just 6 strikeouts, 8 doubles, 4 triples and 3 HR. 3 Stolen Bases too. Plays a good 2B defensively as well.

Thoughts?

BTW I just realized I totally called @Jeff Fletcher David when I said hi and bye to him yesterday when the AngelsWin Pacific Northwest group was talking to him before yesterday's game. Sorry about that! 

[101halo]

Before I can form an opinion, I need Fletcher's opinion of Fletcher. 

[Docwaukee]

Jose Miguel Fernandez is a better bet to have major league success right now over Fletcher.   With Eppler's love of defense, is JMF a good enough defender at 2b or 3b to warrant getting the call?  He'd also bring some roster flexibility as well along with Cozart, Luis and Marte.  

Kinsler doesn't seem quite the wreck that Calhoun was.  Seems more of a timing issue.   

Espinosa's leash was as much a consequence of having zero other options.  Getting Cozart some time at 2b and LVB/Marte at 3b might happen sooner than expected.  

You can't take all of Fletcher's success away from him just because of his home park.  He's got a road OPS over 1.000.  Yes, road parks in the PCL are still hitter friendly, but still.  

My one nit about him is that I'd like to see a bit of a higher walk rate.  Now, when you are hitting .374, why not swing?  

[Blarg]

3 minutes ago, 101halo said:

Before I can form an opinion, I need Fletcher's opinion of Fletcher. 

Fletcher likes Fletcher because he's good enough, smart enough and, doggone it, people like him. 

[Lou]

Fletch, he defines grace under pressure

[KevinJ14]

I wouldn't touch the middle infield of Simmons-Kinsler just yet