Should Jackie Bradley Jr be traded?

[cp176]

Many people don’t know how to properly value a player such as Jackie Bradley.

 

MLB front offices and Bradley’s agent have a better idea.

 

Who would argue this? I hope you are not hinting on a forum board that anyone thinks they know more than the guys inside the organization. That would be a ridiculous hint. We are sharing opinions.

[notin]

if jbj sucks as many people seem to think, why does his value go up in arbitration?

 

I don’t think Bradley sucks. I do think he’s the only starting position player the Sox can come close to replacing internally...

[harmony]

Who would argue this? I hope you are not hinting on a forum board that anyone thinks they know more than the guys inside the organization. That would be a ridiculous hint. We are sharing opinions.

I merely answered a direct question with my opinion.

 

Some Seattle fans have a similar issue with Mariner catcher Mike Zunino because those fans can’t look beyond the stats found on the back of a baseball card.

Edited July 8, 2018 by harmony

[cp176]

I merely answered a direct question with my opinion.

 

Some Seattle fans have a similar issue with Mariner catcher Mike Zunino because those fans can’t look beyond the stats found on the back of a baseball card.

 

So in looking back, it looks as though you are commenting on what people do or do not know about the arbitration process. People will obviously have a wide ranges of opinions surrounding this issue. I guess it is possible that the arbitration process could price him right out of Boston.

[Bellhorn04]

I merely answered a direct question with my opinion.

 

Some Seattle fans have a similar issue with Mariner catcher Mike Zunino because those fans can’t look beyond the stats found on the back of a baseball card.

 

Forget the back of the card. JBJ has an fWAR of 0.6 (after 2.2 in 2017). At this pace, there is a legitimate question of whether he should get a raise.

[Natick to NC]

Forget the back of the card. JBJ has an fWAR of 0.6 (after 2.2 in 2017). At this pace, there is a legitimate question of whether he should get a raise.

 

He shouldn't and he should be in a developmental league if he ever wants one .

[notin]

Forget the back of the card. JBJ has an fWAR of 0.6 (after 2.2 in 2017). At this pace, there is a legitimate question of whether he should get a raise.

 

Has any player ever taken a pay cut or status quo salary after arbitration?

[mvp 78]

920 OPS since 6/24.

[oldtimer]

My point of view on a play last night that happened with JBJ at bat. Nothing to do withwhether to trade him but just a handy place to make a comment, since he was involved in the play.

 

Two outs, runner on base, Mookie on deck, game certinly not a lock, JBJ hits a line drive in the gap. My point of view is that with an easy double and in scoring position and a 50/50 chance of makiing 3rd, why take the risk. Possibly score on a pass ball, a balk or and little infield hit versus risk injury sliding and take the batt out of Mookie's hands. I would have had him stay at second. Don't know if it was Jackie's excitement or the 3rd base coach that caused him to go but in my judgment it was the worst of the two choices.

[S5Dewey]

My point of view on a play last night that happened with JBJ at bat. Nothing to do withwhether to trade him but just a handy place to make a comment, since he was involved in the play.

 

Two outs, runner on base, Mookie on deck, game certinly not a lock, JBJ hits a line drive in the gap. My point of view is that with an easy double and in scoring position and a 50/50 chance of makiing 3rd, why take the risk. Possibly score on a pass ball, a balk or and little infield hit versus risk injury sliding and take the batt out of Mookie's hands. I would have had him stay at second. Don't know if it was Jackie's excitement or the 3rd base coach that caused him to go but in my judgment it was the worst of the two choices.

 

I agree that it wasn't the best decision for more than one reason. However, I've got to say that this post sounds like one made by someone who's looking for ways to find something wrong with JBJ. This guy who's been struggling at the plate hit two doubles last night and we're focusing on a baserunning mistake???

[Bellhorn04]

Slowly but surely things seem to be looking up for JBJ with the bat.

[mvp 78]

Slowly but surely things seem to be looking up for JBJ with the bat.

 

970 OPS since 6/24. For those who value the eye test over stats, it's a decent number.

[S5Dewey]

Slowly but surely things seem to be looking up for JBJ with the bat.

 

It's not even all that recently. For the past month or so he's been hitting the ball on the nose rather than the continual diet of K's that we got for a while but he was getting nothing for it. That's called 'improvement'. However, he was getting nothing for it, which is why he had that outrageously low BAPIP*. Now he's apparently trying to hit the ball where it's pitched rather than trying to pull everything and he's getting more hits for his efforts.

 

I recognize that he got off to a very slow start. I also recognize that he has a history of being very streaky. But I also recognize that when he hits like he does during his hot streaks there may not be a better overall CF in the league. The hot streaks show what he's capable of and that potential is why it's foolhardy to trade him. IMO he has the remainder of this year to prove himself - to prove that he is a decent hitter with solid power. If he goes into another extended hitting funk it's going to be harder to defend him but until he does defending him is a very easy thing to do in spite of the .200 2018 BA.

 

Unfortunately there are going to be those who have their minds made up that he "can't hit" and should be traded. These are the people who are now saying "He's only hitting .200". Well, last month he was hitting .190 and he's brought his average up 10 points - not an easy thing to do half way through the season. If he continues to hit and his average goes to .210, then .220, then .225 by the middle of September are these people still going to be saying, "He's only hitting .225" after he's brought his average up 35 points in three months? I'm not going to project what his OPS might be but if he brings his BA up by even 20 points his OPS will climb accordingly because of his power. Is he always going to be hamstrung by his poor start this year and the effect it has on his entire year's average?

 

*For those who think that I put no value on metrics, BAPIP is one of those things I'd never heard of before this season but I now think it can a better indication of how a player is hitting the ball than any other. This one makes sense to me because it's steeped in logic. Give me a metric that's steeped in logic and I'll buy into it. It's the ones that have a lot of mumbo-jumbo that I'm skeptical of.

[mvp 78]

I agree that it wasn't the best decision for more than one reason. However, I've got to say that this post sounds like one made by someone who's looking for ways to find something wrong with JBJ. This guy who's been struggling at the plate hit two doubles last night and we're focusing on a baserunning mistake???

 

This team is known for it's baserunning blunders. It runs into more outs than almost any other team. Those kind of things can't happen in the postseason.

[mvp 78]

It's not even all that recently. For the past month or so he's been hitting the ball on the nose rather than the continual diet of K's that we got for a while but he was getting nothing for it. That's called 'improvement'. However, he was getting nothing for it, which is why he had that outrageously low BAPIP*. Now he's apparently trying to hit the ball where it's pitched rather than trying to pull everything and he's getting more hits for his efforts.

 

I recognize that he got off to a very slow start. I also recognize that he has a history of being very streaky. But I also recognize that when he hits like he does during his hot streaks there may not be a better overall CF in the league. The hot streaks show what he's capable of and that potential is why it's foolhardy to trade him. IMO he has the remainder of this year to prove himself - to prove that he is a decent hitter with solid power. If he goes into another extended hitting funk it's going to be harder to defend him but until he does defending him is a very easy thing to do in spite of the .200 2018 BA.

 

Unfortunately there are going to be those who have their minds made up that he "can't hit" and should be traded. These are the people who are now saying "He's only hitting .200". Well, last month he was hitting .190 and he's brought his average up 10 points - not an easy thing to do half way through the season. If he continues to hit and his average goes to .210, then .220, then .225 by the middle of September are these people still going to be saying, "He's only hitting .225" after he's brought his average up 35 points in three months? I'm not going to project what his OPS might be but if he brings his BA up by even 20 points his OPS will climb accordingly because of his power. Is he always going to be hamstrung by his poor start this year and the effect it has on his entire year's average?

 

*For those who think that I put no value on metrics, BAPIP is one of those things I'd never heard of before this season but I now think it can a better indication of how a player is hitting the ball than any other. This one makes sense to me because it's steeped in logic. Give me a metric that's steeped in logic and I'll buy into it. It's the ones that have a lot of mumbo-jumbo that I'm skeptical of.

 

That's not really true at all.

[Slasher9]

That's not really true at all.

It’s true if you believe he is a .190 hitter. If you believe he really is a 250+ hitter then it is “easier” to raise the sub 200 average rather quickly....

For me? He just needs to get 1 lousy single every 10 AB’s and he is my starting CFer. I don’t require any offense from him the #9 hitter in the league leading offense. I just need him to lockdown CF.

[mvp 78]

It’s true if you believe he is a .190 hitter. If you believe he really is a 250+ hitter then it is “easier” to raise the sub 200 average rather quickly....

For me? He just needs to get 1 lousy single every 10 AB’s and he is my starting CFer. I don’t require any offense from him the #9 hitter in the league leading offense. I just need him to lockdown CF.

 

My only point is that a short hot streak can greatly affect your batting average. 10 points half way through the season is no big deal. For example, if he goes 5 for 5 tonight, his batting average will jump 14 points overnight.

 

I think you're getting too far into the weeds with the "if you believe he's an x hitter, it's harder to raise the average" argument.

[Bellhorn04]

I think you're getting too far into the weeds with the "if you believe he's an x hitter, it's harder to raise the average" argument.

 

"Getting too far into the weeds" - I like this.

 

What can really be a mess is when you get too far into the weeds and you've also been smoking weed.

[Kimmi]

It’s true if you believe he is a .190 hitter. If you believe he really is a 250+ hitter then it is “easier” to raise the sub 200 average rather quickly....

For me? He just needs to get 1 lousy single every 10 AB’s and he is my starting CFer. I don’t require any offense from him the #9 hitter in the league leading offense. I just need him to lockdown CF.

 

For about a month now (since June 13), Jackie has been hitting .253/.329/.453/.783, with a BABIP of .281. I think even Jackie's harshest critics can live with that.

 

Either way, I'm with you. I can live with his 'weak' bat in the #9 hole given the defense he provides.

[mvp 78]

"Getting too far into the weeds" - I like this.

 

What can really be a mess is when you get too far into the weeds and you've also been smoking weed.

 

Just put on a little Bongzilla on the stereo and you'll be fine.

[mvp 78]

For about a month now (since June 13), Jackie has been hitting .253/.329/.453/.783, with a BABIP of .281. I think even Jackie's harshest critics can live with that.

 

Either way, I'm with you. I can live with his 'weak' bat in the #9 hole given the defense he provides.

 

250 should be fine to anyone. I can see why people wouldn't be thrilled with 190 tho.

[Kimmi]

I read some comments a few days ago from Jackie and also some comments in the game thread regarding how it's easier said than done to go to the opposite field if you're constantly being pounded inside. So, I looked up Jackie's pitch % heat map. It appears that possibly Jackie could try going to right field a little more because he's not being pitched inside as often as he makes it sound. Still easier said than done.

 

Heat Map

[Kimmi]

250 should be fine to anyone. I can see why people wouldn't be thrilled with 190 tho.

 

I get that. If the rest of our offense weren't as strong as it is, it would be a bigger issue. When you have a strong offense, you can hide a weak bat in the 9 hole.

[mvp 78]

I get that. If the rest of our offense weren't as strong as it is, it would be a bigger issue. When you have a strong offense, you can hide a weak bat in the 9 hole.

 

People were really just fired up because it was really the bottom third of the lineup that wasn't hitting. If it was just JBJ, it wouldn't have been a big deal. JBJ became the whipping boy just because he was in the 9th spot and we've seen him have some really hot stretches. I also just think a large portion of people on here just don't like him for whatever reason.

 

To me, if he hits 250, he's fine. I wouldn't give him $20M/year, but he's fine. I'd keep him around.

[S5Dewey]

 

To me, if he hits 250, he's fine. I wouldn't give him $20M/year, but he's fine. I'd keep him around.

 

I see that as being the good news about JBJ. With his offense the way it is he's not going to command $20M/year from anyone - and since he's currently with the Sox we may have the inside track at keeping him at a more reasonable price.

[moonslav59]

For about a month now (since June 13), Jackie has been hitting .253/.329/.453/.783, with a BABIP of .281. I think even Jackie's harshest critics can live with that.

 

Either way, I'm with you. I can live with his 'weak' bat in the #9 hole given the defense he provides.

 

It's not so much what he ends up at- just hit .250 the rest of the way and into October

[Carbo-Diem]

250 should be fine to anyone. I can see why people wouldn't be thrilled with 190 tho.

 

With the averages way down in the league as a whole, isn't .190 the new .250?

[mvp 78]

With the averages way down in the league as a whole, isn't .190 the new .250?

 

Hell no. Not unless there’s a ton of HR’s in there.

[jung]

Even recognizing that some pitchers will abuse JBJ if he is always looking to go opposite field, at least it gives him a shot. The pitching is generally so awful that its hard for many of these guys to pound any part of the zone consistently. Its hard for them to keep from throwing it into the press box!

 

Jackie should be looking for pitches that he can take the opposite way. It is almost impossible to pull your head off, have your shoulders fly open, or get your hips out ahead if you are trying to go opposite field. It even can be less punishing to be late to the hitting zone if you are trying to go the opposite way, another problem JBJ has. All of these negative traits are traits JBJ has shown as he has about the noisiest constantly changing swing I have ever seen. In fact, if he had not had spurts of going the opposite way, he would STILL be muddling around with a .189 BA and any sort of slugging % that would matter would seem entirely out of reach for JBJ this year anyway. So IMO, JBJ should just constantly look to go opposite field. Take his lumps when a pitcher does not give him the opportunity to do so as that is still better than watching all the various screwball stuff that works its way into his swing if he is not trying to go opposite field.

[cp176]

Come on JBJ - here is hoping that he has in fact been listening and paying attention to the advice that he has been given otherwise known as coaching. If he hits just a little, what's not to love about that outfield. Having gold glover Martinez to back them up doesn't hurt!