I'll buy into the "Guti was miscast and discouraged" theme. Ask your point guard to be your leading scorer (unless he's that kind of player), and it's going to mess up his game. Lots to teams get lost thinking a great role player can be a great feature player, but usually it doesn't work out. Get Guti back into his role, and maybe things turn up.
But then I want to reiterate my "Saunders was rushed" theme. I was a big Saunders fan early, but having spent time looking at his background, I thought it would take him awhile to reach his peak -- multi-sport athlete, cold climate, late to focus on baseball.
So I was as hyped as anyone when he was killing AA at 21 and AAA at 22. It looked like he was ready before anyone expected. But I don't think he was. I don't think he should be judged on age-22 and age-23 MLB seasons, because he doesn't have the kind of background that indicates he should be in the majors at that age.
I think he has a better offensive upside than Guti, in that I eventually expect him to have at least comparable HR power, but more doubles and walks -- but that may not happen until he's 26 or 27, and it may need to happen somewhere else.
He's kind of a victim of his own success, and of coming up at a time when his franchise is desparate for help.
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