I'd say they're good enough in 7 of the 8 spots. LF absolutely must be upgraded to have a shot IMO.

 

Maybe. Problem is an injury just kills them. You have to expect guys to get hurt during the season. I'm still not sold on Cozart. I still think Votto has seen his best days. I still think BP is on the downside of a .272 career batting avg. Hamilton is still a ? Bruce is a poor mans adam dunn. LF is not good. So you have the Catcher and the 3B man as solid.

Maybe. Problem is an injury just kills them. You have to expect guys to get hurt during the season. I'm still not sold on Cozart. I still think Votto has seen his best days. I still think BP is on the downside of a .272 career batting avg. Hamilton is still a ? Bruce is a poor mans adam dunn. LF is not good. So you have the Catcher and the 3B man as solid.

 

Of course you do, but you're also the most pessimistic (sports) poster on the site, so things aren't anywhere close to as bad as you make them out to be.

Of course you do, but you're also the most pessimistic (sports) poster on the site, so things aren't anywhere close to as bad as you make them out to be.

 

They have to get on base more. They have been running out starters at 2B, SS, CF, RF and P with OBPs right at or below .300. That is just a killer.

They have to get on base more. They have been running out starters at 2B, SS, CF, RF and P with OBPs right at or below .300. That is just a killer.

 

OBP is their biggest weakness for sure, but I'm of the belief that a Billy Hamilton with a year's worth of experience will be vastly improved in that regard. Bruce has always been pretty healthily about .300, so I'm not too worried about him.

OBP is their biggest weakness for sure, but I'm of the belief that a Billy Hamilton with a year's worth of experience will be vastly improved in that regard. Bruce has always been pretty healthily about .300, so I'm not too worried about him.

 

Hamilton to me is the key. He's been fun to watch and his batting average and power numbers have been better than I expected. His good batting average, however, has been largely negated by only drawing 17 walks--that has made his OBP about what I expected it to be. When you factor in that he has been thrown out stealing 16 times that hurts it even more. If take those 16 CS away from his batting average, because the benefit of his hit was essentially erased, then his average drops to .231 and his OBP to .257. I realize that is an over-simplified look at it because in some of those situations he moved up runners or even drove them in before being caught stealing. But on a team that struggles to score runs the CS are a killer given his already low OBP. I've been quietly encouraged though. I think he'll be a real asset in a year or two. He's not nearly their biggest problem now but he does have to improve.

They have to get on base more. They have been running out starters at 2B, SS, CF, RF and P with OBPs right at or below .300. That is just a killer.

 

So pessimistic.:lol2:

This is just completely untrue.

 

Mesoraco, Frazier, Hamilton, Bruce, Votto, Phillips would all start for the majority of teams.

 

Got to think about this. Thought it would be easy to name 14 better players at any / all of these positions. After trying to actually do so, it is pretty tough.

 

Assuming healthy, agree that Bruce, Votto & Phillips are top 1/2 of all starters. Meso, Frazier & Hamilton are having good seasons, but the sample is small.