Which would actually be Taro, who is 9-0 in SSI now, but ... hey.  

Even if comments aren't intended as supplications to the luminescence that is Dr. Detecto, you know we gotta handle the letters with care.

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A TAD-BIT ENTHUSED ABOUT CARP PLAYING LF:

[Tad] Mike Curto wrote the following "...I was surprised they DH'd Carp and Peguero played left field - it seems to me the defense would be better if they flip-flopped."

Carp also commented to the media that he primarily played the outfield as he was coming up thru the Mets' minor league system.  So this is not Carp's first rodeo when it comes to playing the outfield and Curto sees a noticeable difference in ability between the two - any reasonable person should not have any worries if Carp is placed in the outfield, as long we are not using Gutierrez as the bar we judge our outfielders by.

Hadn't realized about Carp playing the OF coming up.  That's important.

And anything Mike Curto says is important.  SSI weighs his Rainiers observations at least equally to a random scout's.

When you have a A++ in pitching and an F-- in hitting, any kind of first aid for the sucking chest wound could mean the pennant.  Carp could be the second RBI man in 2011, to go with Smoak.

Carp to LF would have been a no-brainer before he slimmed down.  Now what is it?

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ONE NIETZSCHE WHO DON'T NOT BELIEVE IN NOTHIN':

FNietzsche:  I have no knowledge on swing mechanics, but my goodness Carp's swing impresses visually.  It seems to be sharp and level through the zone and his head is quite still.  He hasn't made contact on one of his power swings yet but I can definitely see the ball going a long way as soon as he does.Yesterday he was the only Mariner to draw a walk against Verlander, and he even threw one in against Valverde after getting behind 0-2.  What percentage of big leaguers are even capable of that? 50%? 40%?Through two games he has a .777 OPS against 3 pitchers whose combined ERA's would be in the low 3's.  I think he'll be alright.

Isn't it amazing, with a Halman and a Carp, how obvious their adjustments are even watching a couple AB's?

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Dr. D is sincerely not buying the "have no knowledge" shtick there Herr Nihilist, but appreciate the humility :- )

There's a chess cartoon about an old guy - Bogulyubov was it? - sitting with head in hands, pieces strewn about the board, lamenting his zero score in a tournament.  "The kids have all read my book!"

Readers around the blog-o-sphere, even if they hadn't started off with a background in baseball mechanics, have now all read the same stuff.  Everybody in the community is knowledgeable about hitting and pitching mechanics, wouldn't you agree?

You might not know quite as much as G-Money about mechanics, but you definitely can carry on a conversation with him and can disagree where you like.  

Long live the internet.  It's going to be the salvation of humanity.  :- )

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THE ACTUAL BASEBALL COACH SIDLES UP TO THE WATERBOY:

[RockiesJeff]  Jeff, interesting that the bigger trend intersects here in mentioning Carp. But Carp is also bigger by smaller. I adhere to the growing trend among many to get away from developing the big muscles to the cat-like muscles with a strong core. The P90X generation has a lot for kids coming up serious about baseball. You don't need to move a 300 lb lineman but just hit the 5 ounce moving target. I find Carp's comments very interesting in a day where so many weight coaches want big muscles. I have greater fear of the mountain lion over the rhino.Best to Carp. I hope he not only succeeds at the plate but can prove himself on the field.Thanks for your insights!

Love the "bigger by smaller."  :- )   Of course the point is --- > applied power.  Adam Dunn is the 21st-century baseball player, not Chone Figgins, but of course if you can have the mountain lion Josh Hamilton then you take that.  But you don't get a 1-1 draft pick every year...

By P90X I think Jeff is referring, generally, to the long-term imperative to become physically more evolved.  Coaching high school ballplayers, the "mountain lion" target is the feasible target.  Tom McNamara, on draft day, has access to a somewhat different demographic. 

A high school coach can't take a 17-year-old to Justin Smoak territory in the 18 months before his last ballgame.  What an MLB player development system can accomplish is a bit more grandiose :- )

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POSITIVE THAT JOBSHARES ARE DA WAY TA GO:

[PositivePaul] I'm still skeptcal that Carp can produce enough in the majors, but I'm certainly an advocate of change.

Actually, my quibble is that they had an opportunity to try out Kennedy at 3B, a position he's played not infrequently, and get Carp some reps at 1B  ... Ackley for 2B and Kennedy for 3B. Figgins has been given plenty of chances. Let him battle for PT orts and fill in in the OF as needed or 3B or 2B... He's 'succeeded' in the role of super-utility player before. He's not entitled to starting 3B every day.

Swap Peguero ) with Ackley and let Figgins be the roving OF option. Carp starts in LF, with Halman spelling Carp & Guti and even Ichiro on occasion. Let Peguero get the instruction and PT he needs consistently in Tacoma...

That's the one thing still making me edgy too, Paul... why no Kennedy at 3B yet, even for a single game... suspect the answer may be in politics.  Figgins is NOT dumb, and he KNOWS that a Kennedy appearance at 3B (ahead of LRod, the current sub at 3B) is the handwriting on the wall.

Zduriencik and Wedge have come a looooonnnnng ways in breaking down the Vet Entitlement, but the Kennedy 3B glove-across-the-face might have been an overplay politically.   Dunno, am just musing.

But yeah.  Ackley 2B, Kennedy 3B, Figgins to the McLemore role, that has been the SSI fantasy also ...

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