Baseball for the Thinking Fan

Login | Register | Feedback

btf_logo
You are here > Home > Baseball Newsstand > Baseball Primer Newsblog > Discussion
Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Sunday, May 04, 2008

WaPo: Cristian Guzmán Reemerges in ‘08 (RR)

Which is probably the greatest reemergence since bloated Insp. Dan Clay sucked in all that wormdirt!

On Sept. 1, 2005, Guzmán was hitting .195. After yesterday’s 4-for-5 performance—one that delivered the Nationals’ fifth win in their last six games—the shortstop is hitting .303. Why even bring up the past?

“That’s three years ago,” Guzmán said. “Why do I have to think about 2005? We’re in 2008. Let’s think about 2008.”

It is, of course, so much more palatable. Guzmán has undergone two career-altering surgeries since the nadir of his career, the first to fix his shoulder, the second a Lasik procedure to fix his eyesight. That one he considers more important, and the evidence could be in his 46-game stint last season, when he hit .328.

“For me, I think that’s the biggest, my eyes,” he said.

...“He’s healthy,” Manager Manny Acta said. “He’s not walking a lot. But just being healthy, having that [eye] surgery a couple of years ago, he’s making better contact and really enjoying the game.”

Repoz Posted: May 04, 2008 at 11:55 AM | 8 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
  Related News: GeneralWashington

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

Page 1 of 1 pages
   1. Sean McNally Posted: May 04, 2008 at 01:56 PM (#2768380)
When Guzman came back last year briefly - he just looked like a different player at the plate. He was swinging with authority, rather than slapping at the ball - especially lefthanded.

While much of that ridiculous contract was a waste, its hard to say that on balance, it wasn't maybe even a fair deal considering salary inflation these days.

If he keeps it up, Bowden would be wise to flip him to a contender at the deadline this year.
   2. Chris Needham Posted: May 04, 2008 at 02:05 PM (#2768384)
While much of that ridiculous contract was a waste, its hard to say that on balance, it wasn't maybe even a fair deal considering salary inflation these days.

I still remember BPro coming up with a new formula to evaluate contracts that off-season and proclaiming Guzman to be the best signing.

I wonder if they've revised it since then!

If he keeps it up, Bowden would be wise to flip him to a contender at the deadline this year.

Given their lack of MI in the minors, and their likely unwillingness to spend Furcal-type money, I wonder if they'll make a push to re-sign him instead.
   3. Long John McCaine Mutiny on the Bounty (scott) Posted: May 04, 2008 at 06:19 PM (#2768512)
in a sport where hand eye coordination is so vital, i don't understand why every player doesn't consider LASIK.
   4. A One-Shoed Craig K Posted: May 04, 2008 at 06:29 PM (#2768516)
in a sport where hand eye coordination is so vital, i don't understand why every player doesn't consider LASIK.

Probably some still concerned about the risk of it, I assume.
   5. Danny Posted: May 04, 2008 at 06:30 PM (#2768517)
I still remember BPro coming up with a new formula to evaluate contracts that off-season and proclaiming Guzman to be the best signing.

I wonder if they've revised it since then!

That was Nate Silver, and he ran a mea culpa after the season.

I felt bad for him, because his methodology was sound. The problem was he had to use BPro fielding stats, and nearly all of Guzman's projected value came from his excellent FRAA ratings (which have since been changed). Every other system rated Guzman as pretty awful with the glove.
   6. Chris Needham Posted: May 04, 2008 at 07:09 PM (#2768551)
I remember something funky with his defensive numbers at the time of the signing (and I'm too lazy to check my archives).

I think the year before he signed with the Nats, the Twins installed the fieldturf. His range numbers shot right up, which if you weren't making an adjustment for that in your formula would skew things to make him look better than he is.

I've been less-than impressed with him in the field. He's not Jeter out there, but a few too many grounders zip through into LF. He also seems to hold back on some throws. I don't think he quite trusts his shoulder post-surgery. He's probably in that next tier above the worst in the league.
   7. Belfry Bob Posted: May 05, 2008 at 11:36 AM (#2769093)
Which is probably the greatest reemergence since bloated Insp. Dan Clay sucked in all that wormdirt!

Well, of course, because as we all know, the future is where we will spend the rest of our lives.
   8. 3Com Park Posted: May 05, 2008 at 01:22 PM (#2769166)
Just off the top of my head, I'd rate NL shortstops into four broad categories, listed below. I didn't attempt to rank players within categories, so listings are just as I thought of them. At his current level of play Guzman seems to fit pretty well with the below average group, but not anywhere near the bottom of the league.

Elite
Ramirez
Reyes
Rollins
Furcal

Above average
Tejada
Tulowitzki
Escobar

Below Average
Drew
Hardy
Greene
Guzman
Wilson
Theriot
Keppinger/Gonzalez

God Awful
Izturis
Vizquel et al.
Page 1 of 1 pages

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

 

 

<< Back to main

Support BBTF

donate

Thanks to
Backlasher
for his generous support.

Bookmarks

You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.

Hot Topics

NewsblogMONEYBALL~ Oscar Nominations 2012: Academy Award Nominees List ~ MONEYBALL
(595 - 6:22am, Feb 10)
Last: Quiet Flows the Don Taussig Avenger (Edmundo)

NewsblogKnobler: Stay away from steroids -- but vote how you want
(20 - 6:11am, Feb 10)
Last: Athletic Supporter leads the nation in drifters

NewsblogSources: Cubs’ Starlin Castro Accused Of Sexual Assault
(5844 - 6:10am, Feb 10)
Last: David Nieporent (now, with children)

NewsblogRosenthal: Swapping Figgins for Ichiro at leadoff could revive Mariners' offense
(1 - 6:02am, Feb 10)
Last: A One-Shoed Craig K

NewsblogJeff Sullivan: The Worst Team Ever Projected?
(51 - 5:57am, Feb 10)
Last: Sam Hutcheson is the 'saur with the rainbow roar

NewsblogPrimer Dugout (and link of the day) 2-10-2012
(4 - 5:37am, Feb 10)
Last: Not The Real Fausto Carmona (Dan Lee)

NewsblogOrioles Scouts Banned from Korea
(6 - 5:27am, Feb 10)
Last: Fancy Pants Handle is the AntAgonizer

NewsblogNY Daily News: Brian Cashman's accused stalker says Yankees GM misled feds on steroid probe
(49 - 4:34am, Feb 10)
Last: Ron J

NewsblogWhatever Happened to the Spitball?
(19 - 4:19am, Feb 10)
Last: toratoratora

NewsblogFangraphs: Cameron: The 10 Worst Transactions Of The Winter
(83 - 4:15am, Feb 10)
Last: drdr

Transaction Oracle2012 ZiPS Projections - Texas Rangers
(19 - 3:53am, Feb 10)
Last: Jebuddhallah

NewsblogGrantland/Bill James: An Open Letter to the Hall of Fame About Dwight Evans
(26 - 2:04am, Feb 10)
Last: DanG

NewsblogL.A. Times: 11 bidders remain in running to buy Dodgers
(7 - 1:56am, Feb 10)
Last: Joe Kehoskie

NewsblogNYT: Alderson Remakes Needy Mets From Bottom Line Up
(41 - 1:37am, Feb 10)
Last: PreservedFish

Newsblog'Duk: Tim Lincecum slims down with swim routine, loses appetite for McDonald’s
(282 - 12:44am, Feb 10)
Last: MM1f

Buy MLB playoff tickets, plus 2011 World Series, 2011 ALCS tickets and NLCS game tickets. We also have Texas Rangers playoff schedule, tickets to Red Sox games and Yankees game tickets. Plus, buy Phillies baseball tickets, Tigers playoff tickets and the biggies like ALDS baseball tickets and 2011 NLDS tickets.

Demarini, Easton and TPX Baseball Bats

 

 

 

AllianceTickets.com has cheap MLB Tickets. Get all your Colorado Rockies Tickets, Seattle Mariners Tickets, San Francisco Giants Tickets and all your favorite baseball tickets here. We also carry cheap Denver Broncos Tickets, Seattle Seahawks Tickets and Denver Nuggets Tickets.

Page rendered in 0.3011 seconds
40 querie(s) executed