July 24, 2012

Yankees Rent A Declining Ichiro

At the plate in 2012, new Yankee outfielder Ichiro Suzuki can best be summed up as "Mike Aviles without the power".
          AVG   OBP   SLG  OPS+
Suzuki:  .261  .288  .353   83
Aviles:  .262  .286  .412   83
While Suzuki can still play right field, he has been in serious decline as a hitter since 2010, and, at age 38, is not running as often. He's a free agent at the end of this season, so New York is renting a replacement-level platoon hitter with a very famous name for about three months at a fairly low cost. He'll do the job in the field in Brett Gardner's absence and his noodle bat won't make much of a difference one way or the other in the lineup.

Other 2012 splits (not including last night's stats):
                AVG   OBP   SLG
Against LHP:   .236  .242  .267
In July:       .208  .235  .273
With RISP:     .175  .255  .263
Late/Close:    .215  .257  .262
High Leverage: .175  .229  .190
He's 2-for-13 in three games at Yankee Stadium III. His first game there will be Friday night against the Red Sox.

7 comments:

wardo said...

When I saw this news, my first thought was that "The Boss" was doing deals from beyond the grave. However, seeing the stats you posted makes me feel a little better, here in war-torn southwestern CT.

laura k said...

When I saw this news, my first thought was that "The Boss" was doing deals from beyond the grave.

He might as well be, this was his calling card: big name players who are past their prime.

9casey said...

This seems like a P.R. stunt ,they get more out of Ibanez and Jones...

Jere said...

Wardo representin' SW CT, nice!

mattymatty said...

A question: How can Ichiro and Aviles have the same OPS+ when Aviles has a higher OPS and OPS+ isn't positionally adjusted (and if it was Aviles would get a bump by virtue of being a shortstop instead of a right fielder)?

allan said...

Park factor. Ichiro has put up his numbers in Seattle, which is an extreme pitcher's park, whereas Aviles plays in Fenway, which favours hitters a great deal.

wardo said...

Wardo representin' SW CT, nice!

You led me here, sir. I found Allan via your blog.