The Pujols Comp
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Brian Cashman kidded Jack Zduriencik last week, saying that Albert Pujols' numbers are Montero-like. Cash was willing to go Mike Piazza or Miguel Cabrera on the comp, but Jay-Z raised him back with Albert Pujols.
Dr. D has seen zero commentary on this, other than on SSI. It is odd: nobody has been interested in even asking the question, "Why, exactly, does Zduriencik think that?" Possible answers:
- Because he pulled the comp out of his ear?
- Because he's trying to sell the trade?
- Because he doesn't understand baseball the way we bloggers do?
- Because of .... what?
Dr. D is feeling very, verrrrry lonely these days, because when Zduriencik makes a comparison like that, his reaction is to wonder about the thinking that goes into the process, not to simply wave it off as naive.
Jay-Z has not explained his thought process. But if Dr. D were comparing Montero to Pujols, this would be his thought process: that Montero has a combination of PWR and HIT that is combined by only a couple of players per generation, such as Albert Pujols.
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Q. The chart there indicates that Montero's HIT is 70 and his PWR 80. Who else does that?
A. Pujols, Vlad Guerrero, Manny, and Jesus Montero .... I'm out of ideas here. You? Mike Piazza used to do that. Garry Sheffield.
Here is a loose correlation between the 20-80 scouting chart, and actual ML batting averages and HR's, according to BaseballHQ:
| Grade | Descr | AVG | HR |
| 80 | plus-plus-plus | .320+ | 40+ |
| 70 | plus-plus | .300+ | 32+ |
| 60 | plus | .286+ | 25+ |
| 50 | ML avg-solid | .270+ | 17+ |
| 40 | minus | .250-.270 | 11-16 |
| 30 | minus-minus | .220-.250 | 6-10 |
| 20 | minus-minus-minus | below .220 | 0-5 |
With Montero, you're talking about a player who maintains a 70 HIT skill while swinging the bat as hard as Adam Dunn. That's what the conversation is about. That is the pro-level discussion that is being lost on us out here in the peanut gallery.
We can compare NBA, or NFL, scouting. When a Heismann trophy QB runs around end and picks up the first down on a scramble, that's not what a scout is going on. When he throws a floating screen pass that goes for 50 yards and a TD, that ain't what the scout is going on. However, if he takes a 5-step drop, checks off his first receiver, and then throws a laser beam 15-yard out with carry, now we're talking about a play that mattered at the next level.
With Montero, it's not the overall bulk numbers. It is the crushed HR's off low-away sliders. That's the topic at hand.
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