It’s always good to look at spring training numbers to give you an idea what you can expect from guys during the season. They’re facing the top pitchers who are all displaying their best stuff. No one needs time to get warmed up. No one’s trying new pitches or getting a feel for the ball. They are at the height of their game in March. In fact, I think someone should propose to Bud that the World Series could easily be played in March. Yes, The March Classic. I like how that sounds. Since these spring training numbers mean so much, I decided to look at some players in March:
Travis Buck – Four ding dongs with a phenomenal spring OPS of 1.165. Now we just need him to pull a Giancarlo and hyphenate his last name to Buck-You.
Scott Moore – Who Moore? How about “Who Cares Moore, He Has 3 Homers Already!” Am I right, or am I right-right?
Ryan Dempster – The Dumpster dropped out all his garbage last year and he’s back with a 1.50 ERA. Is that champagne? No, that’s Dempster sparkling!
Alex Rodriguez – Smoking balls left and right and that’s just what he’s doing off the field. Seriously, he’s hitting bomb after bomb this March. This is pulled from the latest article on A-Rod’s man strength, “No, you can’t ignore these numbers,” Girardi said. “And the way he’s driving the baseball is what you’re used to seeing from Alex and that you can’t ignore.”
These stats are from 2011 Spring Training. That’s right. You fell for the oldest trick in the book, mon. These are not from 2012. Seriously, please stop looking at spring stats. That Girardi quote is from 2011 as A-Rod was having a spring training to remember only to go on and have his worst season. Ryan Dempster was having about as solid of a spring as a pitcher can have and then he went out and had a 9.58 ERA in April of last year and never looked right. ‘Scott Moore who?’ is right. He has 7 homers in his career and did nothing last year. Travis Buck had 2 homers all of last year after lighting up Spring Training. Spring stats mean nothing. Let me say it again for emphasis, spring stats mean nothing. You should only be looking at who’s healthy, who’s winning position battles and who’s winning rotation spots. The rest is meaningless.
