Q Can Jeff Keppinger unseat Edwin Encarnacion at third base? Luke, Sophia, W.Va.So when I saw this picture in the Enquirer from yesterday's game, I just had to post it!
A Unseat? Don’t you mean put Encarnacion into a seat in the dugout? I don’t see Keppinger as an everyday player. He is good at moving around — two starts at third, one at second, one at third. Just once wouldn’t you like to see Encarnacion smile or act as if something excites him that isn’t green with Benjamin Franklin’s picture on it?
STOP THE PRESSES! EDWIN ENCARNACION IS SORT OF SMILING!!!!Well, at least he looks excited. So Hal McCoy's wish has been granted! Woohoo!
Update: With a hat tip to Doug, Eddie showed emotion once again tonight when he hit a game-winning single! Hal must be beside himself!
Updated again: From C. Trent's blog, Pete Mackanin on Encarnacion: "It was good to see Encarnacion hit that moon shot home run and the big hit. I’ve never seen anyone so happy." (emphasis added)
Top Photo by AP/Tom Uhlman, with a mild bit of doctoring by me
Bottom Photo by AP/Tony Trimble, untouched and prestine
Updated AGAIN: Redlegnation noticed Eddie smiling AGAIN! And this time, it really was a smile! No question about it!
Update: With a hat tip to Doug, Eddie showed emotion once again tonight when he hit a game-winning single! Hal must be beside himself!
Updated again: From C. Trent's blog, Pete Mackanin on Encarnacion: "It was good to see Encarnacion hit that moon shot home run and the big hit. I’ve never seen anyone so happy." (emphasis added)Top Photo by AP/Tom Uhlman, with a mild bit of doctoring by me
Bottom Photo by AP/Tony Trimble, untouched and prestine
Updated AGAIN: Redlegnation noticed Eddie smiling AGAIN! And this time, it really was a smile! No question about it!
I think he is smiling again.
ReplyDeleteHe must play every night. seriously.
Good for Eddie. I really hope he catches fire here.
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note, this quote from Mackanin tonight bothers me:
ReplyDelete"It was nice to see Encarnacion contribute," Mackanin said. "Because he's been feeling bad about himself."
Is it possible that he's been feeling bad about himself, at least in part, because absolutely no one in the organization seems to be backing the kid when he has struggled?
Remain calm, Justin... Remain calm...
-j
You mean he gets down on himself becuase he sees Keppinger airmail one into the dugout and didnt get pulled? yet if he did it, he would have been pulled and then sat the next day? No way?
ReplyDeleteThis organization never fails to amaze me.
For anyone to suggest that somehow Edwin Encarnacion hasn't been given ample opportunity by the Reds to nail down the starting third base job lacks merit IMO. He has been up with the club approximately two years and has received over 1000 PAs. Does that sound, to anyone, like he has not been given a fair shot? I feel he has. At his current 2007 pace he will end up the year with around 500 PA. Isn't that enough time to develop? And his performance so far in 2007, if defense is considered, is probably among the worst of all NL third basemen. With this season lost is entirely out of the question that the Reds might start looking at other people as options at that position? That seems perfectly reasonable to me. Is Jeff Keppinger the answer? Probably not. In a season that is lost is it not logical to find out what Jeff Keppinger can offer the ballclub? I think it is. Encarnacion hasn't been short-changed in his opportunities to nail down the position. I say let him fight for the job. Competition is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteAnd as far as Keppinger air-mailing a throw and then not being pulled immediately, I'll just say that Edwin has air-mailed more than one. In fact he did it quite regularly.
Anyway, I love your site. Lots of interesting stuff.
It's absolutely true that he's received 1000+ plate appearances. He hasn't hit terribly in that time (0.260/0.341/0.429), but I certainly think he's capable of more. Regarding his defense, I won't make excuses for it, but the data I'm seeing indicate that he's been far better since returning from AAA this season--perhaps even above average. There's absolutely still reason to hope that he can be a solid defender, though I certainly am not saying he's bound to win any gold gloves.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, he's still just 24.5 years old, and already has two seasons in the big leagues under his belt. Joel pointed this out in another thread, but here are Tony Perez's numbers at comparable ages:
Age 23 (1st full year): 0.260/0.315/0.466
Age 24: 0.265/0.304/0.381
And then age 25: 0.290/0.328/0.490
Compare that to Eddie:
Age 22 (half year): 0.232/0.308/0.436
Age 23: 0.276/0.359/0.473
Age 24 (2/3 year): 0.260/0.340/0.369
Now, I'm not saying that Eddie's going to be a Tony Perez. But he's still very young, made it through the minor leagues very quickly, and still has a lot of potential. If the Reds are serious about winning next season, they need to be playing Eddie every day for the rest of the season--and they need to back the kid 100%, so the he can just focus on at LEAST getting back to where he was last year. -j
I know Edwin personally and I think that the organization needs to back him 100%. If you watch FSN Ohio, have you noticed that the announcer never has anything good to say about Edwin. Today he hit a homerun to tie the game and a little later he struck out in the 11th with no outs and 2 on. He( the announcer) said,"that was a poor poor at bat by Encarnacion." Well guess what, when Hatterberg was caught in a rundown ON THIRD BASE he(the announcer) didn't say a word. Changing the subject, Edwin has always been a quiet person, so it is always good to see him smile. Give the kid a break. Oh ya, thanks doug and justin for supporting Edwin, he and us as his friends really apprieciate it.
ReplyDeleteP.S. For a kid to develop he has to play and learn from his mistakes and I have noticed that his defense has increased considerably.
Thanks for your note, Junior! We're all rooting for the guy to turn it around. -j
ReplyDeleteHey Justin, do you agree with my comment?
ReplyDeleteI didn't hear that exact exchange, but I do agree that there often seems to be a bias against certain players--at least among the radio announcers. I never get to see televised games. -j
ReplyDeleteWell thanks for supporting Edwin. I think that if you are gonna be the announcer for a team you have to support the team and the ALL the players. Yes you can disagree, but at least support the younger players.
ReplyDelete