Two or three favorite diamondbacks right now?

[DiamondBacks5117]

Mine would be Jason Kubel and Montero. I have to admit i thidnt know much about Kubel until he became a diamondback but he is starting to make me think we should trade Para.

 

[devilalum]

I don't know about favorite but if I had to pick our All Star rep today the only player I think is even remotely deserving is Miley. If he throws another gem tonight I'd say he's got the inside track.

 

[thirty-two]

I really like Kubel and John McDonald. I know McDonald isn't much of a hitter (although his average this year is pretty good), but I just love watching him field. He's just so smooth.

 

[Longcolts]

Against the grain, my favorite D-backs are Justin Upton and Chris Young. I don't particularly like the way Upton acts when he's in a slump but he's young yet (Hell most men don't really mature till they hit 30 and he's only 25) When Upton gets on a tear he really gets on it, and CY brings back memories of Steve Finley playing the outfield. (at the plate not so much) Although he has been clutch at times, at 30 years old I believe he can eventually match Finley's career Batting average which if I'm not mistaken is around .280 or so. This year might be the year that he advances at the plate. I'm sure liking what I see from him with the changes he has made at the plate.

The potential of Upton is astronomical if he can just harness his inner self and become more patient at the plate. His inability to lay off the low outside pitches is frustrating as hell but I think eventually he'll get it. Talk about kryptonite. Those pitches seem to be his. Thank the Lord it looks like he's getting hot again. He's batting .412 for the month of may IIRC. Let's hope he can keep it up thru June. I think one of the major failings of this team is getting a number 4 hitter to help protect him. Maybe Kubel is the batter that can do that for him. Not to mention maybe CY is becoming the number 5 hitter we all need him to be.

 

[BC867]

I don't know what Chris Young is hitting since he came back, but his batting average has been declining steadily. A lot of 0-fers.

Let's see if he can turn it around, as he did at the start of the season when he stopped trying to hit every ball high into the air or if he falls back to his lifetime BAvg of .241. It won't be based on opinions. It will be based on performance.

As far as his going on the DL while he had a hot bat, one of the top fielding CF in the league should know how to gauge how many steps he has left on the warning track before he hits the wall.

He and Upton, who should be leading us to the playoffs, are hurting our chances with their lack of common sense.

I have said it before and see nothing to change the opinion that they are bad influences on each other. If our heart of the batting order depends on them . . . well, look where we are in the standings. Once again, it is not based on opinions. It is based on performance.

To be disappointed in how they have let down the team during their D'back careers is a justified fan reaction. Let's see them $hit or get off the pot once and for all.

 

[Homer Simpson]

I don't know what Chris Young is hitting since he came back, but his batting average has been declining steadily. A lot of 0-fers.

Let's see if he can turn it around, as he did at the start of the season when he stopped trying to hit every ball high into the air or if he falls back to his lifetime BAvg of .241. It won't be based on opinions. It will be based on performance.

As far as his going on the DL while he had a hot bat, one of the top fielding CF in the league should know how to gauge how many steps he has left on the warning track before he hits the wall.

He and Upton, who should be leading us to the playoffs, are hurting our chances with their lack of common sense.

I have said it before and see nothing to change the opinion that they are bad influences on each other. If our heart of the batting order depends on them . . . well, look where we are in the standings. Once again, it is not based on opinions. It is based on performance.

To be disappointed in how they have let down the team during their D'back careers is a justified fan reaction. Let's see them $hit or get off the pot once and for all.

So, the fact that Upton and Young DID help lead the team to the playoffs LAST YEAR is not justification enough for you? Because the team is middling around the .500 mark IN MAY somehow justifies your stance, and makes it not an opinion? The fact that Justin Upton finished 4th in MVP balloting and helped lead his team into the playoffs during a year in which he didn't turn 24 until after it was more than 80% over somehow leaves you still dissappointed in his career because of a subpar month and a half?

What you posted are opinions, ill-informed opinions based off of a skewed perception. And I notice your wrath is just leveled at CY and Justin Upton. Hmmm...what is it about those two guys that bothers you so much?

 

[BC867]

Hmmm...what is it about those two guys that bothers you so much?

Not fulfilling their potential!

Players with all the tools lead to expectations of great and steady play. If they had the emotional fortitude of someone like Kirk Gibson or Eric Young, for example, who made the most of their playing potential, they would be steadily at the top and so would our D'backs.

That is what bothers me. Two middle-of-the-lineup guys who, too often, can't be counted upon.

 

[JS22]

This thread is full of deja vu from last year.

 

[az240zz]

I thought I was reading last years May thread.

 

[Homer Simpson]

Not fulfilling their potential!

Players with all the tools lead to expectations of great and steady play. If they had the emotional fortitude of someone like Kirk Gibson or Eric Young, for example, who made the most of their playing potential, they would be steadily at the top and so would our D'backs.

That is what bothers me. Two middle-of-the-lineup guys who, too often, can't be counted upon.

Nice to slip in Eric Young like that. I like where you're going, but Eric Young is a poor example. He only had four somewhat average seasons, and his teams only made the playoffs twice. Once with only 82 wins. Next time, Juan Pierre or even Chone Figgins. They seem a lot more believable picks.

As far as Gibson, yeah, he had some big home runs, but the guy was an uber-prospect that overall had a pretty average career for a star. No All Star games. His MVP is somewhat controversial. And he missed games. A lot. In his 17-year career, he only player 130+ games four times. You only remember the good times; there were plenty of times that Kirk Gibson couldn't be counted on.

Last year, Justin Upton finished fourth in the MVP voting while leading his team to the playoffs. That is EXACTLY what you wanted him to do. Yet, that isn't enough for you. Plus, he did this at such a young age. To put it in perspective - Kirk Gibson had played about 100 games in the majors by the time he was Justin Upton's current age. Most of the great players in league history hadn't played a full season at that age, and Upton is a two time All Star. Any idea what Josh Hamilton had accomplished at 24? Yet he turned out OK?

Chris Young is what he is. A great defender, some power, below average to average on base percentage (you do know that's about 1000 times more imporant than batting average, right?). He's not a star, he doesn't have the skillset to be a star, but he's a good guy to have on your team. The only reason people think he has so much potential is because he is an athletic-looking black guy. Did you ever think that the reason that Chris Young isn't reaching your definition of his potential is because he is simply not that good?

The point is, no matter what these guys do, it will never be good enough for you. The D-backs were on top last year, and a huge part of it was because of Justin Upton and a lesser part of it was because of Chris Young. Yet you completely wipe out all of those accomplishments because of a subpar two months by Upton (overall, he hasn't been THAT bad, mainly because of the last two weeks, but he still has no power) and Chris Young being hurt (doesn't that make him more like Gibson, who missed so many games with injury?)

 

[BC867]

... some power, below average to average on base percentage (you do know that's about 1000 times more imporant than batting average, right?).

Doh! 'Sorry Homer, but I disagree (even overlooking the obvious exaggeration, of course). On base percentage is a key figure for a light hitting leadoff hitter. Someone to reach 1B ahead of the heart of the batting order and divert some of the pitcher's concentration.

With a middle of the lineup hitter, you want contact to advance the guys who walk two bases or more. Slugging percentage and BAvg are indeed more important there than on base percentage.

Young's .558 slugging percentage reflects his hot start. Unfortunately, since returning, his stats have slipped a lot.

And as far as Upton's slugging percentage, even Parra's is higher than his this season.

 

[AZ Native]

Parra' slugging % is higher than Upton's? It seems like Parra is having a rough start. What does that say about Upton?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Parra' slugging % is higher than Upton's? It seems like Parra is having a rough start. What does that say about Upton?

It says there are some injuries you just shouldn't try to play through.

Steve