Ryon Healy vs Mike Ford vs Dan Vogelbach
.
So Ryon Healy just had surgery, and though the doctor says "4-6 weeks" the bubbly coaches expect less. Maybe 3 weeks. Maybe 3 days, who's ta say?
That 4-6 weeks would be "until you can start playing at 100 MPH" and the 4-6 weeks, let's just say 6 weeks for giggles' sake, puts us at April 6th. Before real work on hitting can begin for Healy.
....
The silver lining for the 'Frame, and it was designed with one built in for every output, would be a (FORCED) opportunity for Dan Vogelbach. Dr. D has been quite convinced that there is a non-baseball reason for his freezeout -- and a .372/.454/.516 March is going to result in, in technical baseball-speak, "we're going to forget about the freezeout."
There are two Dr. D's, a sabe version and a scout version, and the scout version blows several mind gaskets every time he even attempts to contemplate why Dan Vogelbach is not standing in the chalk lines, zipping enemy pitches into left field. The sabe version of Dr. D would like to be able to explain this but his review of 'Bach's career .390 minors OBP comes up a bit puzzled. Dr. D is not yet 100%, entirely, comprehensively convinced that Dan Vogelbach's .390 OBP would be fundamentally different in the major leagues.
So, if we see a non-chastized, non-demoralized, rejuvenated 'Bach come into Arizona ready to pick out strikes for immediate punishment, it will be okay by him.
....
Mike Ford will appear in relatively few HOF ballots but his 267:245 lifetime EYE ratio (and robust runs/game ratio) has him squaring off as a tale-of-the-tape role player. Fangraphs' top prospects sez:
Ford went undrafted out of Princeton despite being named both Ivy League Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year as a junior, so the fact that he’s going to wear a major-league uniform at all is incredible. He is a long-time statistical performer with more career walks than strikeouts in five pro seasons. As a first-base-only prospect, Ford needs to hit a ton to stick in the big leagues. He has excellent ball/strike and breaking-ball recognition and tracks pitches well.
Scouts think he can be beaten with velocity up in the zone, but he’s an otherwise solid offensive player whose pure physical talent may just be short of viability at first base.
.
Agreed that Ford's a role player. But that last line always makes Dr. D smile: it is one of the most common (and sometimes thoughtless) cliches in the book: "plays 1B/DH and can't hit decent velocity." We'll see if it's true. Even if it is, let me know the next time you notice Robinson Cano turn around a 97 MPH fastball at the letters, you feel me? That particular Cy Young pitch gets a lot of guys out, and you can have a career without batting .300 against Cy Young pitches.
Whether Ford is going to do anything with his chance or not, a big spring by 'Bach' and a big 'HQ prophecy on Healy would be okay by Dr. D at first base.
Enjoy,
jemanji