Danny Espinosa for President!

[Lintyfresh85]

Alberto can actually function as a bench player, whereas Kennedy absolutely cannot.

That is true. Kennedy was terrible as a part time player.

[JMUalumni]

I think I fault Morse for that more than I do Kennedy.

Fine fault him more, but it doesn't change the fact that Kennedy gave up on a ball.  He has lost a step and certainly doesn't have the range to be a middle infielder anymore, with Morse playing behind him in the OF or not.

Kennedy's OBP is much higher than Gonzalez's... While Alberto is the better fielder, there's not a chance he's a better hitter, or base runner, for that matter.

Depends on what you look at.  If you want to include all of Al-Go's at-bats, then fine, but you are doing yourself a statistical disservice.  Consider that nearly a 1/3 of Albert Gonzalez's PA have been as a PH and only 1/10 of Kennedy's have been as a PH.  Then consider that most PH are not trying to draw a walk, but rather swing early and get a hit (right or wrong THIS is the PH mentality).  So to compare Alberto's season OBP to Kennedy's OBP seems a bit faulty.  Comparing them as starters has its faults too (mainly the amount of PA as a starter for AG), but doing so would be much more accurate.

AG as a starter:  .320/.333/.387 (78 PA)
AK as a starter:  .262/.333/.343 (262 PA)

I don't know if that line would be sustainable for Alberto over an extended period of starts, but I certainly think he would have a similar OBP to AK.

[Lintyfresh85]

Not a chance. Al-Go has never been one to take walks, in the lineup or pinch hitting.

Kennedy has always been a solid OBP guy.

Now if you said Al-Go could hit for a higher average... I wouldn't disagree with you at all... but as for OBP, Kennedy > Al-Go

[hammondsnats]

JMU, it could be Kennedy heard Morse call him off or that there was no chance he was getting to it.

I am trying to block that memory of that awful play out of my mind.  If it hit off one of their gloves or something, that's one thing.  But it's the fundamental aspect of it that grinds my gears. 

[DPMOmaha]

Fine fault him more, but it doesn't change the fact that Kennedy gave up on a ball.  He has lost a step and certainly doesn't have the range to be a middle infielder anymore, with Morse playing behind him in the OF or not.

Can't comment on that.  I litterally have no memory of him or his playing ability before he came to DC.  Both Morse or Kennedy were in position to make the play.  Morse should have called him off.  Cost us the game.

[JMUalumni]

 

JMU, it could be Kennedy heard Morse call him off or that there was no chance he was getting to it.

I am trying to block that memory of that awful play out of my mind.  If it hit off one of their gloves or something, that's one thing.  But it's the fundamental aspect of it that grinds my gears. 

Yeah, I don't want to think of it too much more, it is just that from the start he was jogging to the ball and didnt end up getting to it.  An inning later an identical play happened to Desmond and Harris, and Desmond sprinted from the get go and reached ball, perfectly executed.  I sure hope Kennedy was watching, b/c he got schooled by an error prone rook on how to play D.  Thats all Ill say on it, the play just really got to me.

[JMUalumni]

Not a chance. Al-Go has never been one to take walks, in the lineup or pinch hitting.

Kennedy has always been a solid OBP guy.

Now if you said Al-Go could hit for a higher average... I wouldn't disagree with you at all... but as for OBP, Kennedy > Al-Go

I definitely think AlGo could have an OBP similar (+/- .015) to Kennedy's, walks or not. OBP is an important part of the game, but I am not going to rest my evaluations of a player solely on it.  Gonzalez has a way better glove, is better at making contact (EDIT: well apparently this is not true for 2010), has more speed, but may not draw as much walks and probably isn't the better baserunner.  Fine with me,  I'll take him over Kennedy of 2010 any day of the week and that was the original point.

[Lintyfresh85]

I definitely think AlGo could have an OBP similar (+/- .015) to Kennedy's, walks or not. OBP is an important part of the game, but I am not going to rest my evaluations of a player solely on it.  Gonzalez has a way better glove, is better at making contact, has more speed, but may not draw as much walks and probably isn't the better baserunner.  Fine with me,  I'll take him over Kennedy of 2010 any day of the week and that was the original point.

I think we're talking about different players here.

Alberto Gonzalez - .261/.300/.347 career hitter

Adam Kennedy - .276/.330/.389 career hitter

Alberto Gonzalez AAA career numbers (782 PA) - .258/.306/.363

Nowhere has Gonzalez shown the ability to get on base in the upper levels of baseball.

I think you have him confused with someone else.

As for contact, Kennedy makes contact 88.5% of his swings. Gonzalez only makes contact 83.8% of his swings.

[JMUalumni]

Not confused by anything, I think with regular playing time he would have .315-.320 OBP.  One is at the beginning of his MLB career and the other is in the twilight of his career.  As for the contact, I noted 30 secs after my original post (damn you reply fast) that is was indeed false for this year, but it seems like the 83 is low for AlGo this year and the 88 is high for AK this year, cant really explain that.  

All of this arguing over the OBP is pointless though, because even if AlGo has a .300 OBP, I'll take him over 2010 AK.  Kennedy just really isn't that good anymore.  I didn't want to come to that conclusion (after watching him for much of his career), but after watching him the entire year I unfortunately have.  I'm not saying either player should be starting for the Nats, because neither should.  I simply would rather have the glove and bat of AlGo than the glove and bat of AK.

[Lintyfresh85]

Honestly, I think both are stretched as full time starters. If we have to keep one for a backup role only, I'd rather have Al-Go... but if we're going with one as a starter next year, give me Kennedy.

Either way, hopefully we get a new guy (Espinosa?) going into 2011.