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Anybody know whether Ryan is related to Dr. Paul Langerhans, the 1800s German scientist who mapped out the pancreas?
Pepper, June 28
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=== Vargas, #5SP ===
Lest anybody get the false impression that we're slow to give credit, where credit is actually due... let us remind you that Jason Vargas was a *throwin* on the Putz deal.
Vargas surprised the M's as much as anybody -- or he'd have been a feature piece of the deal -- but still, Capt Jack was the one who picked Jason Vargas out of a lineup and said, "let's try THIS guy."
Roto champs can relate to that: they're just better at rolling the dice and getting box cars. Capt Jack's call on Jason Vargas, that's big-time GM'ing, the type of talent judgment that can and does impact a pennant race.
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=== Griffey, OF ===
Great to hear today's verdict that they're going to keep getting Junior out there as much as possible. As we all know, it's going to depend how the knee goes.
Is it a catastrophe, to play him out there a few games -- and then find he needs two days off? Hey, you can't have it both ways. Is he indispensable, or is he somebody who shouldn't even be here? :- )
If Griff comes up gimp for a few days, there are other guys who need AB's. Sweeney and Carp and Wlad and, now, Langerhans.
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=== Branyan, 3B ===
This section isn't a legal filing. It's a baseball chat. :- )
I talked with a real good baseball coach this weekend. I asked him, "How concerned would you be about Russell Branyan's bat if he switches position to third? You don't want to mess up his groove."
The man was instant. Shakes the head firmly. "Offense and defense are two different things."
But if Branyan makes four errors a week, doesn't that mess up his offense?
"If he makes four errors a week, he's back at first base." (Huh. Didn't Capt Jack say that about Phillippe Aumont, that a switch isn't a contract in blood?)
But doesn't embarrassing himself in the field put him in the wrong frame-of-mind in the bottom half of the inning?
"The man's 33 years old. Hitting is a different part of the game. He'll go up there and do his thing when he's in the batter's box. If he were 23 and trying to prove himself, that would be different. Branyan won't stop hitting because he switches positions. But the problem is, I don't think he can play third."
So there's that.
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In the NFL, they went to the 3-4 because there were great LB's around but no great DL's. The Seattle Mariners have 9,000 scrub backup shortstops and 9,000 lefty mashers who could play 1B.
If Branyan can play 3B, he's gotta try it. This is the one team in the world that needs its 3B/1B to play 3B.
I thought this coach got to the crux: at 33, Branyan could K-BB-HR in his sleep, and he's not liable to slow down because of a position switch. You try him at 3B, and if it's a problem, you just move him back.
That'll do for me too.
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Mike Carp was a very impressive talent call in the same trade that brought Jason Vargas. Carp got up here, and slap me silly, he showed the same magic sparkle dust that Vargas did. Why not get Carp onto the field, then? Whattaya want, an injury before you give him a shot? :- )
Cheers,
Dr D
Comments
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I wonder why people think that Branyan can't handle 3rd base now. Hasn't he logged more innings there at the majors than at 1st?
I think he'd be fine. Hes going to be a below-average 3B, but you can deal with that considering offensive boost. Or would you rather just start Ronnie Cedeno at 2B?
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Langerhans isn't the most exciting move, but hes a nice short-term stop gap until Mike Saunders is ready and he has a little upside. The fact that he costed us NOTHING is pretty nice.
I've got to admit I am a little concerned about the NL to AL conversion, but I think Langerhans is a much better hitter than a guy like Cedeno (who I was NEVER high on).
Unlike Reed, Langerhans BBs a LOT more (much better O-Swing%), makes less contact, and has more power. I think Reed is a good comp for him defensively, but hes a better hitter than Jeremy Reed.
Ya, I would have prefferred a guy like Gabe Gross who can give you a plus bat in addition to the plus D, but this is a nice short-term move for the Ms if they didn't want to pay ANYthing. Langerhans is also going to be a sweet #4 outfielder for the next couple years as well.
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... viewed specifically as a band-aid to take the short-term pressure off the Cheney guys, Langerhans is logical.
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Why don't you post front-page on Gross? :-) I think at this site anybody can post.
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I'm really warming to the idea of an audition, at least, at 3B.
Two backup SS's on the left side? UGH!
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To blow up the infield defense or not to blow up the infield defense...
That is the question.
Branyan's career UZR at third base since 2002: -7 (per 150 games). Eeeeeeewwwww.
That's a 20-run swing from Adrian Beltre's performance this year and that's being optimistic. Of course, the logical question is...what's our other option? Because it's not Lopez to third...if you do that, who plays second? Because that's not Betancourt (injured) or Cedeno (doing Betancourt's job) or Josh Wilson (AA-level talent...not even AAA).
At this point...I don't think we have much of a choice...I think Carp has to start at first and Branyan at third...it's only for 6-8 weeks...if Branyan can hold serve relative to the positive run gain you get from Carp upgrading us over the (lack of) production from Beltre...we're no worse off, though the ERA may well go up. Of course...that implies that Carp hits. We're not 100% sure on that, but if he doesn't, we do have other options (Shelton, e.g.).
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Heh...If we're going to go into dream scenarios the guy I'm REALLY hoping we go after is Seth Smith. Lefty bat, GREAT eye, good pop, average contact, above-average D with a poor arm (good fit for LF). Hes a potential J.D Drew with a weaker arm.
Gabe Gross is my favorite 'cheap' addition, moreso than even Langerhans. Great fit, very underrated ballplayer. Seth Smith, on the other hand, is a potential star.
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Hey, I'm a friend of the fish -- I suggested him as a possible acquisition before the Putz trade materialized. But, what if the choice isn't about Branyan at all?
What if the reason you keep Branyan at first is because you, (meaning Z and W) already "know" that Carp isn't yet ready for the full-time gig? What if, (God forbid), they are actually considering the possible negative ramifications of simply handing the 20-something the 1B gig? What if, (and I know this is completely new thinking to most Mariner fans), the club has a PLAN for how to best develop their young talent? What if the club understands there is a big flaw somewhere in Carp's game that they are working on fixing?
The previous regime was all about sink-or-swim development (sic). So, the masses have gotten used to the concept of calling a guy up - shoving him into a position full-time, watching him fail - and then blaming the failure on lack of talent, (and talent assessment).
Of course, every player is different. The development path for Pujols or Chipper Jones is NOT the same as Chase Utley or Jimmy Rollins or Raul Ibanez. Some guys are great immediately. Some make steady improvement and finally plateau. Others start quickly, then struggle, then rebound, then explode.
The focus is firmly on Branyan - can he play defense. The ASSUMPTION is that Carp can simply step in and thrive. Sure Carp has looked really great in his THIRTEEN (13) plate appearances. This is good news. But it doesn't necessarily mean he's ready for a full-time, (or even a full-time platoonee) gig.
Then again, Sweeney is a proven commodity at first base, (proven to be fragile), so why not just put HIM in as the full-time 1B? Why isn't anyone making THAT suggestion?
I suspect it is because the expectation of Sweeney's performance as a full-time 1B is such that nobody even wants to ponder that move.
I, for one, am happy to see the club showing patience and restraint in their treatment of prospects. The sense I get is that there IS a plan, and that they aren't simply dumping whatever the plan might be based on every random hiccup.
For years, I've watched a club that showed some skill at developing talent. When I first began looking at Seattle, I saw evidence everywhere I looked that the club was making moves that (in my eyes) were CLEARLY detrimental to the development of their prospects. Today, I am seeing signs of intelligence in the player development process. Of course, I have no way of knowing what the real motivators are. Maybe they are just petrified of Branyan's glove (or arm), at third base. Or, maybe it's not about Branyan at all.
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I think its about trying to maximize the Overall production.
Branyan at 3B gives you more opportunities to add offense. You can try Mike Carp or Shelton at 1st (or maybe a platoon between them) and see if one of them pans out.
Branyan at 1B opens up a spot for Cedeno or Woodward. One guy who is proving he can't hit AT ALL and the other a 33 year old RL player with very little upside.
The first option just has MUCH more upside and a higher downside as well. With Beltre out we need production. Branyan at 3B gives us more potential for that.