White Sox Sign Jeff Keppinger

[Rice Cube]

I'm sorry but just going off 6 weeks and him getting out of the slump after is so unpredictable. Dewey posted that bacon had nearly 200 at bats with not do good numbers. I want a guy in the 2 hole who can get on orove the lead off guy around to get them in scoring position for Dunn and Pauly

I <3 when Icehog talks dirty

 

[brett05]

Brett,

My only gripe with what you're saying is that the numbers you are posting aren't real, and if they are I cannot find them anywhere under any search term.

I've used BBR, Fangraphs, a home made stat generator that produces aggregate numbers based on unique search terms, and I can't find any 6 week stretch where Beckham OPS'd 800+ in the 2 hole.

I've said it previously in this thread, the theory of Beckham, good-great fielder, occasional power, is a great theory. I like that theory a lot. But the actual results are so bad that I don't think they merit a starters role in the modern game of baseball.

Before the power revolution I do think that Beckham would be a positive on most teams. But 2B hit well now. Beckham can't make up the difference with his glove IMO. He isn't a first division starter.

Baseball reference. June 24 back another 43 games
It's not can there be better 2 hole it's is Jeff better. As previously stated Gordon is better in four tools. And there gave been plenty worse players for champion teams

Imo you all severely undervalue defense

Like I said opening day will answer it all

 

[brett05]

I'm sorry but just going off 6 weeks and him getting out of the slump after is so unpredictable. Dewey posted that bacon had nearly 200 at bats with not do good numbers. I want a guy in the 2 hole who can get on orove the lead off guy around to get them in scoring position for Dunn and Pauly

If Jeff bats two you'll hear Taylor made double play a ton

 

[nickofypres]

Baseball reference. June 24 back another 43 games

May 7th to June 24th, 43 games: 264./310/412 (722 OPS)

Batting second all season: .258/305/402 (707 OPS)

 

[DewsSox79]

May 7th to June 24th, 43 games: 264./310/412 (722 OPS)

Batting second all season: .258/305/402 (707 OPS)

These numbers keep getting posted yet brett thinks he was good for 6 weeks.

and this opening day thing is tiresome.

 

[icehogfan08]

If Jeff bats two you'll hear Taylor made double play a ton

He has a good average. If he hits into double plays a lot his average wouldn't be as high. If he's in the 2 hole he could use his contact skills and execute the hit and run and that could cut back on these double plays

 

[Capt. Serious]

If Jeff bats two you'll hear Taylor made double play a ton

and you'll hear "Beckham strikes out or pops out" alot.

get with reality & realize Kepp is better than your hero.

 

[DewsSox79]

im sure this is just me repeating myself but again here:

beckhams defense is good but it DOES NOT make up for his bad hitting.

His OBP was never high and definetley not high enough to be in the 2 hole.

and this whole opening day thing is kinda we todd did. if he is our number 2 hitter opening day....we had a bad offseason and wont be contending and or it wont last more than a couple of weeks.

side note...dislike rep is not a "no thanks" button...so if you are going to use it when you disagree with someone than I will make my posts worth the dislike rep.

you dont want people saying "jesus christ" and we dont want you totally misusing the dislike rep button. If you want I will start sayin jesus christ in everything again even though I stopped because it hurt your feelings.

pick your battles. you lost this debate due to PURE RAW DATA. Not opinion...all FACTS.

 

[nickofypres]

Jesus Christ, Dews, you can't use Jesus Christ in vain.


Christ, man, what the hell is wrong with you?

 

[Rice Cube]

I won't go so far to say the Brett is right, but there is a non-zero chance that Beckham might not suck if given enough time in the #2 spot.

It's just not very likely given what we've seen so far.

 

[Rice Cube]

Here's Beckham's minors stats:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=beckha001gor

I wasn't paying attention but I assume he was offered arb. His on-base skills are there but he only spent a wee bit of time at AAA before being called up. Maybe he needs extra seasoning? I don't think you give up on the guy but he hasn't been a good hitter for most of the past three seasons and you now have over 2000 plate appearances worth of data that scream "SUCK".

 

[DewsSox79]

The 32-year-old former Ray led the American League with a .376 batting average against left-handers and was the most difficult player in the league to strike out.

He presumably will bat second if the roster stands as is.

"I like the (No.) 2 hole, I hit a lot there in Houston and San Francisco," he said. "Last year with the Rays, I bounced around. It really doesn't matter where I hit in the lineup, (but) I like the challenges of hitting in No. 2 hole. It's kind of tough to do those little things, but I pride myself on getting them done."

per the trib.

 

[brett05]

So it's used for childish purposes dews?

Why don't you take a moment and explain it's usage because I believe Rush explained Rivas a no thanks

 

[MRubio52]

Here's Beckham's minors stats:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=beckha001gor

I wasn't paying attention but I assume he was offered arb. His on-base skills are there but he only spent a wee bit of time at AAA before being called up. Maybe he needs extra seasoning? I don't think you give up on the guy but he hasn't been a good hitter for most of the past three seasons and you now have over 2000 plate appearances worth of data that scream "SUCK".

Bacon got rushed.

I'm going to go into some makeup opinions here, it's all speculative, really. I don't know Beckham and this is all just an opinion:

I think Beckham is a guy that never really learned how to fail and adjust properly at the minor league level. Beckham has a refined game, you can tell he's been playing baseball his whole life. I think that when he started to fail at the MLB level he didn't know how to handle it and started tinkering with his swing in the worst ways. I think he never really learned how to recognize offspeed stuff and he's constantly putting himself into bad counts.

Yeah, there is a chance that everything clicks and he just gets it. I just think he'll always be inconsistent and uneven. Spikes of brilliance, pitfalls of disaster.

 

[Rice Cube]

To bring us back to some other points, I don't think you can use a hot streak, "meaningful hits" or hits with RISP, or GIDP as reliable indicators of future production when evaluating a player which are various things that have been brought up with this thread.

That said, I think most of us are aware that Jeff Keppinger is a mostly singles-hitter with occasional power. Even if you don't want him in the #2 spot he's still good as a bottom-of-the-order guy to reset the offense when the lineup turns over.

 

[brett05]

I won't go so far to say the Brett is right, but there is a non-zero chance that Beckham might not suck if given enough time in the #2 spot.

It's just not very likely given what we've seen so far.

I would agree, it's just worth taking a chance and finding out for sure IMO.

 

[brett05]

you dont want people saying "jesus christ" and we dont want you totally misusing the dislike rep button. If you want I will start sayin jesus christ in everything again even though I stopped because it hurt your feelings.

I know this is hard to see, but it would be like me telling someone over and over again about how their sister or daughter or wife was sexually attacked. It's not right and for believers like myself it's even more offensive.

I have totally noticed that you have scaled it back and I 100% appreciate it.

 

[Capt. Serious]

in 2459 career AB's, Kepp only has 173 K's. Perfect #2 hitter.

 

[nickofypres]

in 2459 career AB's, Kepp only has 173 K's. Perfect #2 hitter.

What makes him a godo #2 is his OBP. Not striking out doesn't mean anything.

 

[DewsSox79]

What makes him a godo #2 is his OBP. Not striking out doesn't mean anything.

that is up for debate. If Deaza gets on and doesnt steal (which the sox love running into outs) if you have the 2 hole hitter more of K candidate it is an out but it is way more unproductive and with this lineup and Dunn batting 3rd you do not want that.

this was also said today but our GM who is more a metrics guy and he even believes that too many K's is not a great thing to have in the lineup (see our discussion on twitter about reynolds)

While the White Sox feel that Flowers can be every bit the defensive catcher Pierzynski has been, there are some areas on offense that are cause for concern, especially with him in the same lineup as Adam Dunn.

“That could increase our strikeout rate a little bit if Tyler is getting more playing time behind the plate so that was definitely one of the things we were looking at,” Hahn said.