Red Reposter: The Golem of Porkopolis

CTR likens Walt Jocketty to Mrs. Mesoraco in that they both made a great decision to commit to Devin Mesoraco over the offseason. It's not just the sluggering swagger, either, but Devin has had a good eye and very good defense as well to put him up in the highest echelon of catchers.

Some Moran named Chris also took a look at Devin's season over at Hairball Times. He basically says that the Golem's been trading contact percentage for power, otherwise known as "the Blue Jays Way." What's interesting to me is that Mesoraco isn't really walking any less; he's still at 9%, which is basically his minor league rate and his last year's rate (and puts him 10th of 23 catchers with >300 PAs). And his K% of 22 is actually higher than it's been (and 11th-highest of catchers).

It seems to me that Mesoraco's just looking for a pitch he can pull, and spitting on pitches he can't. And in my time watching pitchers attack him, it's basically pitchers trying to throw a breaking ball on the outside corner for him to swing at, and he'll either miss that pitch or watch it go by for a ball. And if the pitcher has to go fastball or leaves one hanging, Mesoraco will hit it into the cemetery. It's fun to watch.

Maybe not so fun to watch? Baseball! That's what Derek Thompson tries to tell us in the Atlantic, arguing that strikeouts are ruining baseball. It's kind of a weird argument, and it uses some data straight out of wtfviz, but I know bbjones liked it. The argument is that the low strike is getting called more, and that it's leading to a rise in strikeouts. I'd argue that this is as much because of a rise in exotic breaking pitches as it is the umpires. But there is an interesting argument that umps should keep the game "fair" instead of "true," taking a page from soccer refs who try to control the game without affecting the style of play. Anyways, let me know what you think.

For as much as I rag on SBN, they do let David Roth do his damn thing, which sometimes involves gasping in fear at the mundane hell of internet ragers. So check that out.

And because I will read every "Baseball in ______" article, here's Joseph Bamat on Baseball in France.