Time to start worrying about Ackley?

[unlvmariners]

Welcome. Since CBS had their boards removed quite a few of us from the Mariners boards over there have begun posting here. Good to have you join us.

Its great to have more Seattle/ Mariner fans on the board. It seemed like the Mariner boards where dead until CBS shut down then myself and several others came over here thanks to cotton (blade) letting us know about it.

 

[octagondd]

Yah, I came over from ESPN due to the crazy trolling on both the M's and Hawks board.

 

[blade]

Yah, I came over from ESPN due to the crazy trolling on both the M's and Hawks board.

uh-oh

 

[wazzu31]

There's two schools of thought when comparing Zduriencek to Bavasi.

The first one is most obvious. Bavasi spent a shit load of money on bad player investments. The team went from a contender to a cellar dweller under his regime. He fielded the first and (still) only $100 million payroll/100-loss team in history. He ran the farm system into the ground.

That's all true. What generally isn't acknowledged is that he inherited a core group of players who had seemingly grown old overnight and were past their prime. He inherited a manager who was beginning his second year with the team and was clearly incapable of filling the huge shoes of the Lou Piniella legacy. Only one year into his regime and he had to do a major re-loading. To summarize, the deck was stacked against him right from the start. And he tried to re-vitalize the program. In 2005, he signed the biggest fish of the offseason that year (something the mariners had never done before or since). Unfortunately, Beltre, offensively, was not a good fit for Safeco Field.

Bavasi failed because of 3 reasons

1. Pat Gillick did his normal killing of a franchise
2. Ownership wanted to keep fans happy so they raised payroll because of their incompetence of realizing that the older players production fell off the map in September of 2002
3. Bavasi didn't have the experience to say no to the brass when it came to moves he had to make such as the crazy contract of Ichiro. Nor the experience that involved relationship with other GM's in order to make trades to free up room on the major league roster for guys like Choo and Jones

But disagree with Beltre's offense being a bad fit for Safeco Field, in fact I would argue that if there was anyone who had a chance to excel at Safeco Field it was Beltre. Everywhere he had played in the majors except with the Mariners he had used the right center gap, in Seattle he seems to always swing for the fences on dead pull. He would go through great 1 or 2 week stretches where he was on fire by using right center. It seems as though he was just trying to justify his contract by trying to hit moon shots.

 

[blstoker]

I'm usually a glass half full guy, but it has come to that time when I have to admit the Jack Z has done everything he can to positively affect the roster. The biggest issue I have is what could anyone else do, with what the team is willing to give him. The M's are ranked 24th in salary, and are performing at about that level.

As for the topic at hand, Ackley has been doing well of late. In the last 15 games he's batting .333, while being hitless only twice. He'll need to prolong it, but he is showing signs of turning it around.

Smoak may need to think about dropping the switch hitting and concentrating on getting into a rhythm on one side of the plate. I'm all for a switch hitter when they hit from both sides, but when switch hitting makes it so you can't hit effectively from either, it's time to change. I feel switch hitting has prolonged his slumps and shortened his streaks.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I'm usually a glass half full guy, but it has come to that time when I have to admit the Jack Z has done everything he can to positively affect the roster. The biggest issue I have is what could anyone else do, with what the team is willing to give him. The M's are ranked 24th in salary, and are performing at about that level.

As for the topic at hand, Ackley has been doing well of late. In the last 15 games he's batting .333, while being hitless only twice. He'll need to prolong it, but he is showing signs of turning it around.

Smoak may need to think about dropping the switch hitting and concentrating on getting into a rhythm on one side of the plate. I'm all for a switch hitter when they hit from both sides, but when switch hitting makes it so you can't hit effectively from either, it's time to change. I feel switch hitting has prolonged his slumps and shortened his streaks.

I've noticed that Dustin Ackley is on a nice little streak. Hopefully he keeps it up and makes me look stupid for even asking the question originally proposed in the thread.

 

[dude82]

I've noticed that Dustin Ackley is on a nice little streak. Hopefully he keeps it up and makes me look stupid for even asking the question originally proposed in the thread.

I think this streak that he's on (9-game hitting streak and hits in 13 out of his last 15 games now) kinda snuck up on a lot of people. Either that, or folks are afraid that if they make too big a deal out of it now, he'll start going back the other way again. We all know he's capable of being a really good hitter. We saw that when he first came up a couple years ago. He just got screwed up by a few things last year and I look forward to seeing him return to being the hitter we thought he was when we drafted him.

 

[unlvmariners]

what Ackley has done the last few weeks really has given me some hope. I have also been given a little extra hope for Smoak. I think he looks better than the numbers show. I would like to see some more power out of him especially if he isn't going to hit for a high avg.

Ibanez shouldn't be on the team in my opinion. Between Ibanez and Bay I would rather have Bay especially with Chavez hitting well.

 

[octagondd]

I agree, both Ack and Smoak have played better, but it could just be a hot streak. I think Smoak should focus on one side of the plate, whichever he feels the most comfortable. Right now that seems to be hitting LH. I really hope they are getting it together and can continue rolling a bit. Smoak needs to hit for more power though, but I guess you have to ask for hits first before doubles and HRs.

 

[unlvmariners]

I agree, both Ack and Smoak have played better, but it could just be a hot streak. I think Smoak should focus on one side of the plate, whichever he feels the most comfortable. Right now that seems to be hitting LH. I really hope they are getting it together and can continue rolling a bit. Smoak needs to hit for more power though, but I guess you have to ask for hits first before doubles and HRs.

The hope is that it's not just a hot streak for Ackley but it is very possible. Same with Smoak he has been a very streaky hitter in the past. Usually his hot streaks do not last as long as his cold streaks.

 

[dude82]

The thing that I've noticed about Smoak is that, despite his early struggles, he's been taking quite a few walks this season. I believe he walked twice in tonight's game and leads the team in walks for the season. That tells me that he has been working on his plate discipline and while he still strikes out too much, he appears to have a better eye at the plate this year.

Ackley's hitting streak ended tonight, but he did manage a walk and his batting average has climbed considerably from the depths of the .083 or whatever it was a couple weeks ago.

That being said, I'll be much happier when this offense, as a whole, can figure out how to hit with the bases loaded and less than two outs so that it produces runs. Getting guys on and getting them into scoring position is nice and all, but you have to get them in and that's been the team's biggest problem on offense this season. Once they get that going, look out.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I'm happy to see Dustin Ackley is starting to pick it up. When I made this thread Dustin Ackley was hitting sub .200 and now he's up to .260 and just hit his first grand slam.

 

[unlvmariners]

Yeah when you started this thread Ackley looked miserable. Now he is looking like he has improved from last season.

 

[seattlefan75]

I pretty much gave up on smoak I don't mind him hitting .250 but if your hammering 30-40 homers a year that's solid for a 1st baseman. barely pushing 20 as a first baseman tells me that your nothing really special more of a #6 or #7 hitter on a good team.

Ackley is the opposite of smoak hes suppose to hit well over .300 kinda have like a Derek Jeter in his prime type numbers but it seems he would be lucky to even get 150 hits a season.

Im giving Montero more of a chance because he did hit pretty well for a first time season in the league while Ackley and smoak both played just well enough to not get sent down to AAA. however everything else about this mans game sucks if there was ever a player that's just ment to be a career DH its Montero

 

[unlvmariners]

Smoak seems to be playing better imo. What I want to see out of him is more power, RBI's and hit LHP. Nice to see him getting a bunch of walks though.

It is a shame that Zunino isn't hitting all that well right now otherwise i would say send Montero down and call up Zunino and lets see what the kid's got.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Since this seems to be the official rant page for the Mariners "big 3" I figured I'd post a pretty interesting ESPN article I read last night...

Time for Mariners to make tough decisions - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

Taking another look at the "big 3"

Justin Smoak: I will give him this, he is at least making me cringe a little less. He only has 1 home run this year, 6 RBIs. BUT! He is hitting .235 with an OBP of .355. Both are career highs, the .355 OBP being very respectable. The fact that he is getting on base more is a good sign for me because he had a mediocre .290 OBP last year. I think we all know he has the power (despite his 19 HRs last year there had to have been at least 6 that he hit to the warning track in Safeco that would go out in most other parks), the main concern is his average/OBP. At least he has moved from terrible to mediocre.

Dustin Ackley: Hitting .234 with a .291 OBP. Not much has changed since the last time we talked about him.

Jesus Montero: The man is having a horrible season at the plate with a strong regression from last year. Due to his age, limited experience and "potential" I'm willing to not blast him yet. My hope is that he finds a new supplier this off-season. I have a strong feeling with his dealer being busted he's been off his PEDs which not only will decrease strength but will no doubt decrease confidence.

On a side note lol at Jesus Montero being listed at 6'3. I've stood next to him and he would be lucky to crack 6'0.

 

[SeattleCoug]

The most talked about scenario for later this year is Smoak hitting the road with Morales going to 1st, Montero to DH and Zunino coming up to catch.

However Montero hasnt proven anything. We all know he cant catch, but the DH scenario is pointless to talk about if he isnt hitting. He hasnt proven he can be the DH now or in the future. Unfortunately he are kinda in bind at C position as Zunino isnt ready. I would love to be able to send Montero but there is no one else to catch really. Jesus Sucre is an option I guess, but the problem is if Zunino and Montero are down their are either of them getting enough work?

Kinda stuck at this point

 

[blade]

The most talked about scenario for later this year is Smoak hitting the road with Morales going to 1st, Montero to DH and Zunino coming up to catch.

However Montero hasnt proven anything. We all know he cant catch, but the DH scenario is pointless to talk about if he isnt hitting. He hasnt proven he can be the DH now or in the future. Unfortunately he are kinda in bind at C position as Zunino isnt ready. I would love to be able to send Montero but there is no one else to catch really. Jesus Sucre is an option I guess, but the problem is if Zunino and Montero are down their are either of them getting enough work?

Kinda stuck at this point

Smoak and Ackley are singles hitters now. Didn't see that coming. The 'new' Smoak is hitting for a higher average and he's walking more, but there has been no increase in runs scored nor RBI, so, what good is the 'new' Smoak who has a better BA but less power?

We are 1/4th of the way into the season now. it isn't 'early' any more. Those two are officially out of excuses. Time to bag the Smoak experiment and find a useful platoon partner for Ackley.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Smoak and Ackley are singles hitters now. Didn't see that coming. The 'new' Smoak is hitting for a higher average and he's walking more, but there has been no increase in runs scored nor RBI, so, what good is the 'new' Smoak who has a better BA but less power?

We are 1/4th of the way into the season now. it isn't 'early' any more. Those two are officially out of excuses. Time to bag the Smoak experiment and find a useful platoon partner for Ackley.

I agree but sadly we're stuck with this for the rest of the season.

 

[blstoker]

Smoak and Ackley are singles hitters now. Didn't see that coming. The 'new' Smoak is hitting for a higher average and he's walking more, but there has been no increase in runs scored nor RBI, so, what good is the 'new' Smoak who has a better BA but less power?

I have always felt that getting on base is a positive thing. Smoak has been doing that this season. He has the highest OBP of any Mariner with more than 60 PA this season. One issue is that those behind him haven't been hitting, as the next 3 batters are batting .223 combined for the season. It would be much lower if Ackley hadn't had his streak to bring his average up. I am not as concerned about his power issues. Since arriving to Seattle he hits a HR 28.65 ABs, it only takes him having an Ibanez type two nights and he's back at that pace for this season. Now, his average with RISP is abysmal, and he is gonna have to do better. There's no excuse for batting .129 for any situation, let alone when there are runs on the line.

Over the last 3 weeks, Smoak has been hitting .315 (.456 OBP) and has scored 8 runs in 16 starts. I know he isn't the best base runner (or at least he's one of the slowest guys on the team outside Montero), but if he gets on base, eventually someone is gonna hit him in, in theory. And he's been getting on base a lot, nearly twice a game the since April 22.

The problems with the M's offense are not just Smoak's lack of power. This team has no offensive identity. There isn't enough power to lean on the HR for their offense, they don't hit for average, they aren't in motion on the base paths and they don't set up runs using small ball.