Reaching

[Edgy MD]

Here are the whole league's top ten on-base percentage guys.

1) Trout, M, LAA: .443
2) Betts, M, BOS: .436
3) Freeman, F, ATL: .424
4) Bryant, K, CHC: .418
5) Robertson, D, TB: .417
6) Belt, B, SF: .416
T7) Judge, A, NYY: .412
T7) Markakis, N, ATL: .412
9) Machado, M, BAL: .409
10) Arenado, N, COL: .407

Brandon Nimmo, who (for maddening reasons — It's not like he's been hurt) doesn't have enough plate appearances to qualify, is at .450.

FOUR FITTY!

[Centerfield]

He is awesome. And not only can he get on base, I feel like as he gets regular playing time, his power will emerge. This shots he hits are bombs, his exit velocity is terrific.

It really is maddening that half the team had to drop dead before he got regular playing time.

[Edgy MD]

I also think he looks surprisingly comfortable against lefties. Yeah, there'll probably be a platoon differential at the end of the season, and he seems to get more swings and misses against southpaws, but his main weapon — his pitch recognition, doesn't seem affected at all. And he doesn't step in the bucket against curves from lefties. In fact, he has the added advantage of some of those curves bouncing off his elbow protector.

[smg58]

Against righties he has to play, pure and simple. He actually has a higher OPS against lefties this year than either Conforto or Bruce, although they're all in the .500s.

[batmagadanleadoff]

• 1) Trout, M, LAA: .443
  2) Betts, M, BOS: .436
  3) Freeman, F, ATL: .424
  4) Bryant, K, CHC: .418
  5) Robertson, D, TB: .417
  6) Belt, B, SF: .416
  T7) Judge, A, NYY: .412
  T7) Markakis, N, ATL: .412
  9) Machado, M, BAL: .409
  10) Arenado, N, COL: .407

Brandon Nimmo, who (for maddening reasons — It's not like he's been hurt) doesn't have enough plate appearances to qualify, is at .450.

FOUR FITTY!

Here are the whole league's top ten on-base percentage guys.

Yeah, I've been following that particular stat and leaderboard for about a month, now.

Also, Nimmo's leading everybody but Trout and Betts in RC/27. (I love that stat).

[Vic Sage]

watching SNY talking heads last night, and they're all quite sure that Nimmo is a nice 4th OFer to have, but not really a starter.

Um, fuck youse guys. Anybody with a career .400+ OB% who can play a decent OF (including adequate CF), run and throw well, with some occasional pop, can start for me any day.
I'd play him over Bruce in a heartbeat.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I would too. I'm guessing that the reason that some prefer Bruce is because they feel he needs to play every day in order to get hot again. (And the other, probably unstated reason, is the bias towards giving more playing time to the guy with the higher salary.)

[batmagadanleadoff]

Vic Sage wrote: watching SNY talking heads last night, and they're all quite sure that Nimmo is a nice 4th OFer to have, but not really a starter. Um, fuck youse guys. Anybody with a career .400+ OB% who can play a decent OF (including adequate CF), run and throw well, with some occasional pop, can start for me any day. I'd play him over Bruce in a heartbeat.

That's the outfield version of the Dave Magadan argument. .400 OBP territory -- you're talking Hall of Fame standards for, arguably, the most important offensive stat.

Yeah.

[Edgy MD]

[fimg=600:1tc6fhum]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Bundesstra%C3%9Fe_450_number.svg/1280px-Bundesstra%C3%9Fe_450_number.svg.png[/fimg:1tc6fhum]

[Frayed Knot]

At least have him play regularly until he proves he CAN'T keep it up.

One problem with the "fourth outfielder" stuff is that it's an idea some got in their heads because that's the way he was (sometimes) labeled as he made his way through the minor leagues and didn't
immediately set the world on fire. Not coincidently this was also right around the same time it became fashionable to say that picking him at #13 overall was a "reach" by the Mets (something the
detractors knew all along of course though I remember nothing of that at the time) and shirley he'd have been available in a later round if they still liked him.

But just because someone once said that this is was he is doesn't mean he is that, and taking the view that the label is the reality and the reality unfolding in front of you is nothing but a mirage is just
stupid, particularly for a guy with only ~250 ML ABs under his belt coming into the season and very few of those on any kind of a regular basis.

Ride that horse til it drops ... and hope it doesn't drop.

[smg58]

Frayed Knot wrote: Ride that horse til it drops ... and hope it doesn't drop.

I'm all on board with this.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Nimmo needs more playing time. Bruce and to a lesser extend, Conforto need some time off. Nimmo is outperforming both of them and it's not even close.

[Edgy MD]

And, to a greater extent, Gonzalez.

But now, with two outfielders DL'd, it isn't much of an issue.

[Centerfield]

After a tough doubleheader earlier this week, Nimmo as now seen his OBP plummet to .422. He hasn't drawn a walk since Saturday. He has, however, hit 3 HR's in the last 7 days, bringing his season total to 5. That matches 2017.

I think as word gets out about his OBP skills, he will be challenged more. So far he's been up to the task by punishing the ball. Hopefully he can keep this up.

He's collected 357 MLB AB's. Has an .819 OPS over that time. Is trending upward, has good exit velocity, and his defense is improving.

Also leads the team in steals in 2018 with 5.

[ashie62]

PLAY NIMMO IN CF EVERYDAY

This should be an easy decision. Cespedes, Bruce and Adrian Gonzalez look kinda washed up.

Jay Bruce can play 1B

As constituted the Mets are an old team. play Nimmo, daily

[Edgy MD]

I also think he's clearly got more range than Conforto if slightly less juice in his arm.

The idea that you don't want to move an established everyday player around causes teams (the Mets) to align their players against their better interests far too often. Also, they've been faking it in centerfield more often than not for years. They're faking it less if Nimmo is their centerfielder.

[smg58]

Centerfield wrote: After a tough doubleheader earlier this week, Nimmo as now seen his OBP plummet to .422. He hasn't drawn a walk since Saturday. He has, however, hit 3 HR's in the last 7 days, bringing his season total to 5. That matches 2017. I think as word gets out about his OBP skills, he will be challenged more. So far he's been up to the task by punishing the ball. Hopefully he can keep this up. He's collected 357 MLB AB's. Has an .819 OPS over that time. Is trending upward, has good exit velocity, and his defense is improving. Also leads the team in steals in 2018 with 5.

Like anybody good at working the count, you have to give pitchers reasons not to keep the ball in the strike zone in order to keep the walk totals up. Nimmo's extra-base numbers are improving, which is very encouraging. It will be interesting to see how Guillorme's very high walk rates in the minors play out in the long run up here, as he does not have much power to speak of. What you don't do is keep hitting the ball on the ground like Eric Young Jr. did. That will scare nobody.

[Centerfield]

And his HR's are not wall scratchers. They are bombs. Which suggests maybe this is sustainable?

Part of what made Rickey such a good walker is that if you put one in his tiny strike zone, he'd hit it 400 feet.

[Edgy MD]

Also only one off the lead league in triples.

[Centerfield]

"With Brandon Nimmo in right field, we didn’t feel that we had a need there.”

Stanton OPS: .793
Nimmo OPS: .969!!!!

[batmagadanleadoff]

Brandon Nimmo's not on the all star ballot. Devin Mesoraco is. As a Met.
.