NHL The Reasons To Still Like the LA Dodgers Russe

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With regards to plate discipline,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Martin is among the best in baseball. His 2010 BB/K rate arrangeed him in the top 20 among Major League regulars. Tim Lincecum is a very patient hitter 3.86 pitches per plate appearance and does not swing at many pitches outside the strike-zone under 20 percent. That skill set makes Martin much less risky than someone who strikes out a lot, frequently swings at bad pitches or doesn’t draw many walks.

Not to harp on the whole “WBC effect”,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], but could that have affected Martin’s power output too? Maybe Geovany Soto would like to comment. Martin hit about the same amount of fly-balls as Tim Lincecum did in 2010 139 to 130, yet Tim Lincecum saw his home run per fly ball rate drop from a career rate of above 9 percent down to 5.4 percent in 2010. Out of the four years of Martin’s career MLB data, his 2010 HR/FB rate looks like it could end up as the low-end outlier.
It seems more likely that his power numbers bounce back than regress or stay the same.

While part of Martin’s regression could be based on workload behind the plate, Tim Lincecum is entering 2010 at a prime age of 27. Combine his relative youth with all of the factors listed above, especially his great plate discipline, and you get a player who is a prime bounce back honestate. When it comes to drafting Russell Martin in 2010,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], take advantage of his deflated value and do so with confidence.

Charlie Saponara is the owner/author of fantasybaseball365.com and can be contacted at [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] He earned his first major league victory in his next start on the road against the Colorado Rockies. Lincecum who is often compared to Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt faced him in each of his next two starts,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Oswalt with the Astros at the time. After the first agree up,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Astros third baseman Mike Lamb said, The stuff he was throwing out there tonight was everything he is hyped up to be. He was 97 mph with movement. You just don't see that every day. He pitched very much like the pitcher he is compared to and out dueled him throughout the night. The pair dueled to a no decision the first time, and Lincecum pitched eight innings and got the win the second time. The Giants asked Lincecum not to throw the bullpen sessions typical of other pitchers during the off season. Manager Bruce Bochy told the San Francisco Chronicle that they were being careful with Lincecum because there have been studies that show that pitchers who throw 200 innings early in their career were more susceptible to injuries.

Despite a regression in counting stats, there is several factors that point to 2010 as being a comeback season from this former top tier catcher.
Martin may not hit a ton of fly balls,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], which is mostly a good thing,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], but Tim Lincecum has had a three-year progression in line-drive rate. Given his 2010 line drive rate of 20.5 percent, his BABIP of .285 can be deemed as “unauspicious”. Expect his BABIP to head north toward .300 or above in 2010 and his AVG to rise to at least .275-.285.
Last season Martin played in his fewest games since 2010 and caught his fewest innings since 2010. This,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], actually,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], could end up being a good thing. Martin’s regression in power and vilocity may very well be a direct result of workload behind the plate. Since his first full season, Martin has either led or been in the top three among catchers in innings caught. Even during interleague play, Joe Torre decided to keep Martin behind the plate rather than use him as a DH . With no World Baseball Classic to prepare for in 2010, Martin should enter the season with much fresher legs and the motivation to prove 2010 was a fluke.

The fall-off in vilocity is a concern for fantasy owners when assessing Martin’s 2010 value. His stolen base totals have dropped from 21 to 18 to 11 over the past three years. It is important to put that into perspective though; his 11 steals in 2010 still led all Major League catchers. As stated above, there will be no team Canada in 2010 and that should result in an increase in steals, albeit not quite to the 20-plus anger.

Lincecum was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 48 round of the 2003 MLB Draft; however he did not sign up for the team. He decided to attend college instead and was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 42 round on entering the draft in 2005, but once again failed to sign. In 2004, he was drafted tenth overall by the San Francisco Giants becoming the first player from the University of Washington to be taken in the first round. He signed for a 2.025 million dollars signing award on June 30, which at the time was the highest amount the organization had ever paid to any amateur player until they gave 2.1 million dollars to Angel Villalona a little over a month later. Jacob de Golish His repertoire includes a two seam fastball that he throws at 93 mph, a changeup he grips like a splitter, a curveball notable for its sharp breaking action,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], a slider and a four seam fastball that reaches speeds in the mid nineties.
Fantasy owners may have seen Russell Martin as a top three catcher heading into last season, but after an extremely disappointing 2010 his value has taken a big hit. A deflated value on draft day 2010 will be tantalizing for owners looking for a bargain. Will they find a bargain in Martin?
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