Reds Sign Josh Anderson
by JinAZ on Jan 6, 2010 7:00 PM EST
in Off-season
24 comments
Yesterday, the Reds signed LHB OF Josh Anderson to a minor league contract. Nice to see a fairly local guy getting a spring training invite.
But what can he do for the team? Here are his stats, courtesy of FanGraphs:
Hitting
| Year | Age | Team | PA | %K | %BB | %LD | BABIP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ISO | wOBA | wRAA | wRAR |
| 2006 | 23.9 | AA | 610 | 12% | 4% | --- | 0.348 | 0.308 | 0.344 | 0.385 | 0.077 | 0.335 | -1.2 | 15.7 |
| 2007 | 24.9 | AAA | 564 | 13% | 6% | --- | 0.316 | 0.273 | 0.319 | 0.341 | 0.068 | 0.302 | -16.5 | -1.0 |
| 2007 | 24.9 | HOU | 75 | 8% | 7% | 19% | 0.387 | 0.358 | 0.413 | 0.403 | 0.045 | 0.367 | 2.0 | 4.1 |
| 2008 | 25.9 | AAA | 541 | 11% | 6% | --- | 0.346 | 0.314 | 0.353 | 0.405 | 0.091 | 0.356 | 11.0 | 25.4 |
| 2008 | 25.9 | ATL | 146 | 23% | 5% | 22% | 0.370 | 0.294 | 0.336 | 0.426 | 0.132 | 0.348 | 1.9 | 5.8 |
| 2009 | 26.9 | DET/KCR | 298 | 14% | 4% | 16% | 0.280 | 0.240 | 0.275 | 0.304 | 0.064 | 0.279 | -14.2 | -6.3 |
| 2010 | 27.9 | James | 198 | 13% | 5% | --- | 0.317 | 0.277 | 0.313 | 0.351 | 0.074 | 0.312 | -3.9 | 1.4 |
| 2010 | 27.9 | CHONE | 473 | 15% | 5% | --- | 0.321 | 0.276 | 0.319 | 0.369 | 0.092 | 0.317 | -7.2 | 5.4 |
Anderson's calling card is his speed. He has 280 SB (69 CS, 80%) in the minors, and is 36 for 43 (84%) in the majors. Unfortunately, that's his only offensive weapon. Slugging is not his forte (19 HR's in 3200+ PA's in the minors), and his minor league walk rate is at Brandon Phillips levels, so he has to get on via the base hit to get on base and create HAVOC. He avoids the strikeout reasonably well, and both James and CHONE think he might hit ~0.270 next season. That's just enough to be a tad above replacement level as a hitter given his lack of other offensive skills.
Fielding-wise, he seems roughly average--slightly below average in CF, above average in the corners. CHONE projects him at -3 runs in CF per season, based on MLB & minor league numbers, which would negate his CF position bonus. Fan Scouting Report has him at +7 runs in LF, which equates to right about average overall. Detroit fans recognized him as having outstanding sprint speed, good acceleration, but below-average instincts and an average arm.
Overall, I see him as somewhere around a half-win player. Assuming he'd make near-minimum salary if he makes the roster, he could be a decent guy off the bench, especially because you can leverage his speed for pinch running situations... But hopefully not someone who will get a strong look at a starting job. I'd definitely put him behind Chris Dickerson and Laynce Nix as a left-handed platoon option in left field, for example.
He also seems extremely redundant with Willy Taveras--Anderson projects to be the better hitter, though he might be slightly poorer as a fielder--so I'm not sure what to make of the signing. Could it be that Willy will actually not make the opening day roster? Or did we just not get enough of Taveras last year and we need more?
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you know,
this post made me more hopeful that Taveras will be cut. Of course, there’s also the very real possibility that Dusty asked for more speed so Walt went and got Anderson, and as long as he gets 4 or more hits in ST they’ll put him on the team.
But seriously, this guy is basically another Taveras. Why else would you get him unless you’re cutting version 1.0?
Rotoworld
had an odd comment:
He can play all three outfield positions and will have a decent chance of cracking Cincinnati’s roster out of spring training.Really? A decent chance?
Let’s see: I can’t imagine they’d have more than 5 OFs:
Clearly better, no doubt on the opening day roster:
1. Bruce
2. Stubbs
3. Dickerson
Better and younger:
4. Balentien
So unless the Reds are complete idiots (I know, I know) he’d have to beat out all of Taveras (who’s owed $4M next year and is the exact same player), Nix (who was superficially pretty good last year), and Heisley (who’s better).
I think Anderson has a “decent chance” of being AAA organizational fodder; to say anything more is….fantasy.
"You never know how you look through other people's eyes"
I think
there’s some doubt about Dickerson being on the opening day roster.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
I don't think the Reds like him very much
Wouldn’t surprise me if he was traded or something.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Chris Dickerson is too intelligent, creative and good of a citizen to ever be highly thought of by the average Cincinnati Bozo fan.
Let alone old school baseball guys…he cares about things like the environment and is way too articulate to be a pro jock (esp. a black pro jock). Yep I could see him getting traded, which may not be all bad for C-Dick he might actually have an opportunity to play elsewhere.
I still see him as a #4 OF for the 2010 team.
Incompetents invariably make trouble for people other than themselves.
Larry Mcmurtry
I also think
there’s even odds he’s on the DL on opening day. Dunno if he’s as injury-prone as Dusty says, but I think he is injury-prone.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
That too...he's such a good guy that I really want him to somehow be better than he had shown himself to be.
<img src=“http://thm-a04.yimg.com/image/b0fe5a6297e76576”/>
Here we go -
Incompetents invariably make trouble for people other than themselves.
Larry Mcmurtry
That's what you say as positive PR for the signing
by Dave from Louisville on Jan 6, 2010 9:01 PM EST up reply actions
why would Rotoworld say it, though?
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Yeah....
he looks like AAA roster filler to me.
The only upside to him making the roster over Taveras is that at least Dusty won’t be compelled to play him as much as he played WT. Otherwise, they both stink.
http://www.redlegnation.com
Guess I now know which jersey i'll be buying at Redsfest 2010
"I expected much better than that".....tHan
by obc2 on Jan 6, 2010 9:14 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
It's a minor deal, but I like to profile any new acquisitions with the potential to get decent playing time.
This guy got 300 PA last year and I don’t know if I’d heard of him. This is how I learn.
-j
I write at:
Beyond the Boxscore | Red Reporter | Basement-Dwellers.com | Twitter: @jinazreds
no problem at all with your post
i actually was enlightened by the analysis – sincerely. as long as he isnt in CF on opening day im indifferent
Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand
these signings
always puzzle me. I remember even back in the early 90s the Reds signed these minor league players. One who comes to mind is the most awesome name in baseball … Razor Shines.
I will forever be mystified at how some of these guys get contracts. I suppose we do need to fill out a roster at Lousyville. Sadly, some of them bleed through the paint and end up in center field at GABP, leading off.
Gulp.
Don't try to win every game, just the last one.
Just AAA fodder
Anderson is not to be confused with Hamilton
Incompetents invariably make trouble for people other than themselves.
Larry Mcmurtry
sweet BB%...
NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh nostalgia…
From my Tigers insider
picture scott podsednik, but completely terrible. he has tons of speed, but he either hits lazy fly balls or routine grounders to second. defensively, it’s like his speed disappears. i think he gets really bad jumps on balls, because he never tracked anything down and always seemed to be trying to “catch up” to the ball. oh, and when he gets on base he gets picked off a LOT. not so much on pick-off moves, but like not freezing on a line drive, crap like that
I once defended the managerial styles of Jerry Narron after a Reds loss in a bar after a long night of drinking. I wish I could say that I don't remember doing that.
Baserunning
His baserunning numbers with DET last year from BPro show him at -0.4 runs overall, which is hard to do when you have nice SB numbers and terrific speed. Your post helps explain that.
-j
I write at:
Beyond the Boxscore | Red Reporter | Basement-Dwellers.com | Twitter: @jinazreds
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