When the Giants Come to Town, It's Bye-Bye Baby

10.23.2008
The Buster Watch

Yesterday’s boxscore: Posey went 1 for 2 as the designated hitter. And as Rainman pointed out in yesterday’s comments, Buster had two passed balls behind the plate in Tuesday’s game. That makes seven total.

Questions to ponder: Could all the passed balls be a case of the yips? If it’s psychological, is he showing other signs like the infamous “Mackey Sasser disease”? If someone wants to buy me a ticket to Hawaii, I’m happy to do a little scouting.

Or, if his problems are physical, could it simply be that he’s been playing ball all year, he’s worn out, and not moving well behind the plate? Or is Posey suddenly confronted with sliders and curves that break more than anything he ever saw in college? Often prospects don’t pan out because they never catch up to the “game speed” at higher levels.

As for a possible position change, we know he started his career at Florida State as a shortstop. Skills-wise, it’s unlikely he can jump back there as a professional and give the Giants the necessary defense. If he can, more power to him. But more likely is a move to second base, a la Craig Biggio, where Posey’s projected bat skills — high average, decent but not overwhelming power — would play quite nicely.

For all my speculative muck-stirring, let me state I don’t want him to change positions. Any sign of him doing so this fall or next spring would smack of panic on the Giants’ part. Let him finish the fall campaign, go home and rest a couple months, then see how he does in early spring, his body and mind refreshed.  

P.M. UPDATE: Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus writes an excellent column today. First, he points out that B.J. Upton’s lack of hustle on two ground-ball double plays might have cost the Rays dearly. Second, he writes this about last night’s sloppy play:

Maybe we're finally reaching the point where the time between innings is affecting focus—there was at least one inning where every player on the field was ready to go, and just waiting for permission from Fox to play, permission which came only after an awkward full minute.

Perhaps in the next TV contract, MLB should trade some short-term profit in exchange for getting back a measure of control over the presentation of its product. That's anathema to the current administration, but it's clear that we're about at the breaking point when it comes to TV's impact on the game, and especially the postseason. The elongated commercial breaks have been extended too far.
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5 Comments

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obsessivegiantscompulsive | October 23, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply

For the older folks amongst Giants fans, I think someone who had that problem even before Mackey Sasser was Gary Alexander. But my memory is foggy and I cannot locate a reference.

When it gets this bad, I think he's starting to think too much instead of just reacting. When relying on muscle memory, players do well, but when they actively think about it, like ELM noted, the speed of the game will eat him up.

I won't worry about it unless he's still doing it next year. Fatigue, partying (it is Hawaii after all and his first time out and with money, and he looks like the boy next door, for gosh sakes), thinking too much, too many possible and plausible reasons.

Why can't he go back to SS? Have you read a scouting report that doubt he could go back? Not to say he could or couldn't, but just wondering what led you to say this.

ELM | October 23, 2008 7:17 PM | Reply

>>Why can't he go back to SS? Not to say he could or couldn't, but just wondering what led you to say this.

No scouting report. But if he was a blue-chip SS, he probably would have stayed there, no? And if he wasn't a blue chip SS in college, he won't be good enough to play there in the pros. That's my line of reasoning. I'm happy to hear evidence to the contrary.

Ryan | October 24, 2008 3:46 AM | Reply

From what I've heard about Posey and SS: he could play it, but not particularly well--below average in the range. 3b or 2b would be a better fit.

Like Martin, I won't worry about it much unless it continues next year.

Chris in Berkeley | October 24, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply

Yes, MLB need to take back baseball from FOX and lock out Joe Buck. What a tool, he has no business broadcasting a baseball game, much less a world series game. He is such a bore!

Zo | October 25, 2008 6:38 PM | Reply

Remember Spiderman on the bases? There is no sewer too fetid for Bud Selig to search for yet another quarter. This is the man that presided over a time of record revenues, but will be remembered for 1 am baseball games and a generation of young people who are not fans because they were asleep.

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