Two years into a five-year, $64 million contract, Adrian Beltre has produced a .262 average, 44 home runs, and 176 RBIs. However, after the All Star break in 2006, Beltre slugged .552 with a whopping 18 home runs. Does this strong second half bode well for a turn-around in 2007, or will Mariners fans have to deal with 'A-Drain' once again? This blog intends to follow the 2007 season for Adrian Beltre, and the Seattle Mariners, and promises to hold no punches.
"I think it's a season that, personally, he's disappointed in," said Hargrove. "I think it was a year that he will [improve on] the longer he's here and the longer he's in the American League."
So said Mariners manager Mike Hargrove earlier this year. Thus far these words could not be more inaccurate. As the MLB season gets past the 15% mark, we see a further regression of Beltre. His descent is unabated, but surely every hole must have a bottom? He couldn't do much worse if he went up to the plate blindfolded weilding a mop.
In a year and a half he's gone from sure-fire All Star/Gold Glove to mediocre 2nd tier 3rd bagger and now to sure-fire out. 'But wait,' you say, 'Defense doesn't go into a slump, right?' Wrong. Actually it can, and the once supple rawhide of Adrian's glove has turned to stiff, hard leather.
The man who was signed to fill the 3-hole in the lineup drifts ever further down the card. How long before he trails tiny, slap-hitting shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt in the order? How long before he's replaced by someone with more power - like Willie Bloomquist?
His current 2006 numbers project to final numbers of .175 avg., 7 2Bs, 35 RBIs and 0 HRs. Wait, 0? Yes, 0. On the flip side he's on pace to finish with 42 SBs. However, given that his career total is 71 SBs, it seems unlikely that he will keep that pace up. But how many HRs will he hit? 20? 10? 5? Ugh.
We do know that SafeCo. field is murder on right-handed hitters who aren't on steroids, but how does a guy go from 48 to 19 and lose 80 pts off his avg.? It's not like he was going from Colorado to Seattle, he was leaving a pitcher's park to come up here. His bat looks slow, his ABs are weak. He is, in a word, terrible.
Adrian actually had a better year in 2001 playing with a colostomy bag after a botched apendectomy! Perhaps someone needs to prescribe him another round of Dominican surgery.
So said Mariners manager Mike Hargrove earlier this year. Thus far these words could not be more inaccurate. As the MLB season gets past the 15% mark, we see a further regression of Beltre. His descent is unabated, but surely every hole must have a bottom? He couldn't do much worse if he went up to the plate blindfolded weilding a mop.
In a year and a half he's gone from sure-fire All Star/Gold Glove to mediocre 2nd tier 3rd bagger and now to sure-fire out. 'But wait,' you say, 'Defense doesn't go into a slump, right?' Wrong. Actually it can, and the once supple rawhide of Adrian's glove has turned to stiff, hard leather.
The man who was signed to fill the 3-hole in the lineup drifts ever further down the card. How long before he trails tiny, slap-hitting shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt in the order? How long before he's replaced by someone with more power - like Willie Bloomquist?
His current 2006 numbers project to final numbers of .175 avg., 7 2Bs, 35 RBIs and 0 HRs. Wait, 0? Yes, 0. On the flip side he's on pace to finish with 42 SBs. However, given that his career total is 71 SBs, it seems unlikely that he will keep that pace up. But how many HRs will he hit? 20? 10? 5? Ugh.
We do know that SafeCo. field is murder on right-handed hitters who aren't on steroids, but how does a guy go from 48 to 19 and lose 80 pts off his avg.? It's not like he was going from Colorado to Seattle, he was leaving a pitcher's park to come up here. His bat looks slow, his ABs are weak. He is, in a word, terrible.
Adrian actually had a better year in 2001 playing with a colostomy bag after a botched apendectomy! Perhaps someone needs to prescribe him another round of Dominican surgery.
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