Add new comment

How to get the team off a 64-HR pace?  Easy.
Get HRs from those guys who are SUPPOSED to be hitting them.  Fine - Kotchman is "supposed" to hit 10 HRs.  He's on pace to exceed that.  So *HE* is not a part of the HR drought.  Who is?
Lopez - supposed to get 20 - has 0.
Gutierrez - supposed to get 20 - has 0.
Griffey/Sweeney - supposed to get 20 - have 0.
My objection to "we must replace Kotchman to get HRs" is that to date, Bradley is the only guy expected to supply 20 HRs that actually has *ANY*.
Okay - Gutz has 23 total bases - so the lack of HRs is very obviously not a problem for him personally.  But Kotchman has 12 total bases, exact same number as Bradley.  That's also effectively equal to Figgins and Ichiro (13 each).  And Lopez, who just started hitting has 14 as of today.
The catching tandem has 9 total bases (and one of the 4 HRs). 
Meanwhile, DH has combined for 8 total bases. 
The offensive black holes thus far are Wilson (7 total bases) and DH. 
Personally, I find the notion that we need to upgrade first base - because we have a DH slot posting a .467 OPS - as bad analysis - and an inherently flawed position.
SSI occasionally pats itself on the back for taking the contrarian position.  Well, if everyone else believes that the DH slot is sacrosanct and untouchable - when every number to date says that DH is, in fact, the biggest problem -- well, I see that as SSI falling down on the job.
Moreover, the idea of replacing the .700 1B with a (in our dreams) .800 OPS 1B is VASTLY inferior to replacing the .500 OPS DH with a .750 OPS DH. 
Okay - at SS, you can argue that a glove is making up for at least some of a .500 OPS.  But, even there, you don't continue holding onto to Cedeno.  You try and fix the thing that actually IS the problem.
But, if your DH slot is hitting WORSE than Cedeno - then I see little value in grousing about how the mediocre 1B needs to be axed. 
If it's about clubhouse chemistry - than why is the ENTIRE CLUB slumping?  If Griffey isn't magically making Bradley and Ichiro and (even Kotchman) hit .800 -- then what the heck good IS he doing?