David Fletcher

[ten ocho recon scout]

Fletcher rebounding would be an absolute HUGE boost to this team.

I'm not holding my breath. Too much to prove going forward. But I've always liked him. If he can just hit average, it's a plus. He's fun to watch fielding.

He and Rengifo will never be Howie and Aybar, but it could be pretty decent.

[Revad]

1 hour ago, Trendon said:

Yep.

Maybe Velazquez can be a utility infielder next year, but he’s out of options and ideally Rengifo is the utility infielder with Fletcher at 2B and a new SS.

I think we get a really good SS or a really good LF but not both.  SS is going to be pricey in FA, probably better bang for the buck in LF.  But there are too many spots to upgrade including SP and closer so at least one of those spots will need to be addressed in a cost-efficient manner.  

[Angels 1961]

1 hour ago, Tank said:

With Rendon at third and presumably Walsh back at first, who’s going to sit?

Velaquez

[Angels 1961]

47 minutes ago, Revad said:

I think we get a really good SS or a really good LF but not both.  SS is going to be pricey in FA, probably better bang for the buck in LF.  But there are too many spots to upgrade including SP and closer so at least one of those spots will need to be addressed in a cost-efficient manner.  

This will be a lame duck off season with sale of team. 

[Jason]

I was also really soured on him and I'm more than glad to eat crow if I was wrong.

Edited August 29, 2022 by Jason

[aznhockeyguy]

Fletch looks like his usual energy bunny self after that hip injury.  He's a solid player, slightly below average with the bat with a very high contact tool and an above average glove.  He's a type of player every winning team needs, doing all the little things well and sets the tone.  If he gets to 2 WAR per season which is the definition of an average MLBer, then he's worth the contract extension he was given. 

[Docwaukee]

2 hours ago, Angels 1961 said:

This will be a lame duck off season with sale of team. 

could be true unfortunately.  

[failos]

I never doubted him.

[Angel Oracle]

14 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Kenny Lofton was criminally underrated.  10th best bWAR among CFers, but he played in the middle of the steroid era and his HR totals were human so people think he was some slappy David Eckstein type.

Absolute witch defensively too.

And a pretty fair basketball player too at UofA

[Inside Pitch]

2 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

And a pretty fair basketball player too at UofA

Yep, Career leader in steals (basketball) at the time he left.

He had all of ONE at bat at UofA.  Only saw action in 5 baseball games through his college career and despite that you can make a case for his being a MLB HOFer.

Dude was special.

[happybat4]

16 hours ago, Stradling said:

Should I start a thread comparing Lofton to Ichiro?

Tony Gwynn would be a better comparison.

[Stradling]

40 minutes ago, happybat4 said:

Tony Gwynn would be a better comparison.

Gwynn was better than Ichiro and it isn’t all that close in my opinion.  

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Gwynn was better than Ichiro and it isn’t all that close in my opinion.  

An example of how underrated Lofton was/is...

bWAR

Gwynn - 69.2 (14th all time among RFers)
Lofton -  68.4 (10th all time among CFers)
Ichiro - 60.0 (17th all time among RFers)

fWAR has them at Gwynn 65.0, Lofton 62.4, Ichiro 57.7

 

[Vlad27Trout27]

Flec with an improved hip has looked much better than preinjury Flec! the balls coming of the bat much better!

[Slegnaac]

20 hours ago, CaliAngel said:

I love Velazquez out in the field as much as anybody pairing up with Fletcher, but we cannot have that glaring hole in the batting order.

Actually you can have the "glaring hole" of Velazquez in the order.  You just can't have it in addition to three to four other "glaring holes".

[ten ocho recon scout]

Hoping Fletcher is "fixed". I've had a back/hop issue for about 9 months now and it's killed my training. Hopefully that was his problem. Be huge if he's good

[PattyD22]

12 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Hoping Fletcher is "fixed". I've had a back/hop issue for about 9 months now......

That's because of the lifestyle you lead, my friend.  We love to hear about your back/hop stories.

[ten ocho recon scout]

3 hours ago, PattyD22 said:

That's because of the lifestyle you lead, my friend.  We love to hear about your back/hop stories.

Sonova....

So essentially, aim dyslexic, and really like playing hop scotch...

[happybat4]

9 hours ago, Stradling said:

Gwynn was better than Ichiro and it isn’t all that close in my opinion.  

I was referring to Gwynn and Lofton.

[Stradling]

It’s going to end up being the same Fletcher from the last few couple of years. Career low walk rate, 4.3%, which is half of what it was in 2019 and 2020. Career low in pitches per at bat at 3.20.  @Jeff Fletcher shared a tweet saying his swing rate was over 50%. Usually we use the term “undisciplined hitter” for a guy that strikes out a lot. Fletcher never strikes out but is a very undisciplined hitter.