David Fletcher’s 2021 Was Missing Something

[Stradling]

I said this during the year, but bottom line is if Fletcher can’t draw a walk then he is basically a utility infielder or defensive replacement.  

[Stradling]

My priority list remains:

TOR arm

Iglesias

A guy that can win you a playoff game, Sonny Gray type

Set Up Man

SS

More Bullpen Help

Back up catcher

 

[Blarg]

22 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I said this during the year, but bottom line is if Fletcher can’t draw a walk then he is basically a utility infielder or defensive replacement.  

He doesn't need to "draw a walk", he needs to quit rejecting the free walks the pitchers were giving him. It's not like he needs to add some elite skills to spoil borderline pitches to force a walks. Just accept those that are presented instead wildly swinging at pitches above his shoulders or a foot outside the plate. He was the king of bad contact last season. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

11 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

Maybe we need to look at Fletch as the new Maicer Izturis. Like Fletcher when he was in the minors and then called up, Maicer was never expected to be a regular. He was a fill-in until the Angels rich crop of middle infield prospects graduated: Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Brandon Wood, Sean Rodriguez, Alberto Callaspo. Obviously those five had variable careers, with only Howie and Aybar becoming Angel regulars; Rodriguez ended up playing elsewhere, Callaspo left and then came back, and Wood became kindling. But Maicer was a fixture on the team for eight years, from 2005-12, usually playing about 100 games via filling in as needed. He wasn't meant to be a starter and was never really pencilled in as such, but ended up playing much more than your typical bench guy.

Now the current Angels don't have the luxury of a bunch of quality middle infield prospects, at least none that are ready. Jeremiah Jackson, Kyren Paris, and Arol Vera are all at least 2-3 years away. But they do have Michael Stefanic and Brandon Davis, both of whom will likely see major league time in 2022, plus of course, Luis Rengifo, who I keep thinking is on the verge of becoming a good player. Maybe next year.

I agree with @Dochalo, that signing Chris Taylor would be a huge benefit to this team but if not, someone like Jonathan Villar. So you go with Taylor/Villar and Fletcher, and you rotate in Rengifo, Stefanic, and Davis. If Fletcher falters and one of those guys impresses, Fletch can become the new Maicer, a role in which he would be just fine for.

 

Izturis got a starting job after he left via free agency. I think this speaks to the major differences between the current team and the team that was so successful from 2002 to 2009.

We are talking about using Fletcher as a starting solution for two positions and elevating his backup to a starter, when ideally we'd be looking at Fletcher as a super utility. We really are a long way off from being a legit annual contender.

[Stradling]

31 minutes ago, Blarg said:

He doesn't need to "draw a walk", he needs to quit rejecting the free walks the pitchers were giving him. It's not like he needs to add some elite skills to spoil borderline pitches to force a walks. Just accept those that are presented instead wildly swinging at pitches above his shoulders or a foot outside the plate. He was the king of bad contact last season. 

Ok.  

[Angelsjunky]

12 hours ago, Dochalo said:

agreed not both.  but it's sure way up there for me.  I'm really concerned about Fletcher rebounding and right now our MIF depth chart is Fletch, Rengifo, Mayfield, Gosselin, Wong, Stefanic, Jose Rojas, the dude they just picked of waivers, and Brendon Davis.  That's pretty miserable.  

I like your list although I might move backup catcher up a bit.   

When you list them out like that, I think: "That's pretty good MIF depth behind two good starters."

Meaning, if the Angels had two league average or better starters at 2B and SS, I'd be quite happy with Fletcher and Mayfield as UTs and Rojas, Rengifo, Stefanic, and Davis in AAA (who cares about Goose and Wong).

Of course I'm 99% certain that Fletcher hasn't lost his starting job, just that he's a bit on the watch list. Maddon is talking him out, which means that he's concerned but is first going to try to build his confidence and, hopefully, have him work on his plate discipline. As some of us have said countless times, I don't care how many barrels he gets if he takes a few walks and hits for a decent average. Fletcher hitting .280/.330/.350 is just fine, especially as your #9 hitter. .262/.297/.324 is not.

[WicketMaiden]

4 hours ago, Stradling said:

My priority list remains:

TOR arm

Iglesias

A guy that can win you a playoff game, Sonny Gray type

Set Up Man

SS

More Bullpen Help

Back up catcher

 

This is a good list. I'd personally switch the set-up guy and the Gray acquisition, solely because the set-up guy would need to impact more high pressure innings over a season to get to that play-off game, but otherwise yeah, this is about where I'm at too.  

[Docwaukee]

2 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

When you list them out like that, I think: "That's pretty good MIF depth behind two good starters."

Meaning, if the Angels had two league average or better starters at 2B and SS, I'd be quite happy with Fletcher and Mayfield as UTs and Rojas, Rengifo, Stefanic, and Davis in AAA (who cares about Goose and Wong).

Of course I'm 99% certain that Fletcher hasn't lost his starting job, just that he's a bit on the watch list. Maddon is talking him out, which means that he's concerned but is first going to try to build his confidence and, hopefully, have him work on his plate discipline. As some of us have said countless times, I don't care how many barrels he gets if he takes a few walks and hits for a decent average. Fletcher hitting .280/.330/.350 is just fine, especially as your #9 hitter. .262/.297/.324 is not.

yah.  Just like I see very good SP depth behind two good arms.  And I see decent RP depth behind two good relievers.  But on the RP and SP side, that depth is a lot closer to providing decent value if something happens.  If one of those starter in the MIF - who we don't even have right now - were to get injured, we'd get almost no production from their replacement.  You can have a league average player sitting on the bench waiting to come in for every position but we literally have replacement level production there right now.  

[HanfordGuy]

On 11/10/2021 at 9:19 AM, Mark68 said:

David Fletcher’s 2021 Was Missing Something

The “good.”

[ScottT]

He swung at a lot more pitches this year.  Inside and outside the zone.  Hopefully, he cleans that up.  Although he hits a crazy high pitch on occasion, it's not a good recipe for success at the plate no matter what kind of hitter you are.