tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post1875856275124905397..comments2023-10-31T06:31:41.395-04:00Comments on Bottom of the Barrel: ESPN Writer Says Josh Hamilton Lacks Mental Toughness, Commenters on Column Apparently Free to Roam in SocietyBengoodfellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-21667134618086173182012-09-25T09:11:42.567-04:002012-09-25T09:11:42.567-04:00Cory, I understand. I was checking it everyday and...Cory, I understand. I was checking it everyday and then noticed you had not updated it. I wasn't sure if you just didn't want to write anymore there or you had gotten too busy. <br /><br />That is sort of weird where Beltre has played. I thought about the oddness of him moving from Safeco to Fenway Park and then Arlington. Sort of how he learned his lesson in Seattle and had no interest in going to a place where he couldn't be successful hitting the ball. Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-7879439383229028062012-09-24T20:03:07.513-04:002012-09-24T20:03:07.513-04:00I've been really busy with school and other re...I've been really busy with school and other real life happenings that I haven't been able to write with as much regularity as I'd like to. Ill probably start posting on a more frequent basis during the off-season though with posts relating to free agency and what have you. <br /><br />I don't know, it is really hard to justify a 64 million dollar contract based on defensive value and above average production at the plate, and I totally get why you would feel as if Beltre wasn't worth it. What's actually kind of really interesting about Beltre's career too is he's played in seemingly only semi/extreme pitching (Dodgers Stadium, Safeco) and hitting (Fenway, Arlington) environments his entire career.Cory Gibsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10265287054483152908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-58645517759249754442012-09-24T19:46:42.986-04:002012-09-24T19:46:42.986-04:00Cory, I'm glad you understand. I was admittedl...Cory, I'm glad you understand. I was admittedly creating a straw man argument that was off-topic, but seemed to have as much evidence supporting it as Taylor's thought that Hamilton didn't have mental toughness. <br /><br />I will say I don't think Beltre was worth the money, even with his glove, but Safeco does seemingly destroy batters in many ways. It isn't a coincidence and I don't know why a free agent hitter would sign there. <br /><br />Also, I check your blog from time to time. How often do you update it? Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-59701742475414527482012-09-24T18:46:11.498-04:002012-09-24T18:46:11.498-04:00That is more then fair enough. I realize that, yea...That is more then fair enough. I realize that, yeah, what you wrote was more so relating to the author's comments relating to Hamilton's performance. Cory Gibsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10265287054483152908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-64215066033350635792012-09-24T18:25:02.575-04:002012-09-24T18:25:02.575-04:00Cory, I knew you were going to write in when I wro...Cory, I knew you were going to write in when I wrote that. I base my belief on that comment on the Fantasy baseball message board about Safeco Field. If I want to get into semantics, I merely stated a fact, because that was Beltre's line with the Mariners. Of course there is more to it. Beltre's splits at home for each year were: <br /><br />2005: .263/.312/.382<br />2006: .251/.310/.467<br />2007: .264/.319/.426<br />2008: .240/.303/.400<br />2009: .250/.283/.364<br /><br />His road splits each year were: <br /><br />2005: .248/.295/.440<br />2006: .283/.343/.462<br />2007: .288/.320/.538<br />2008: .292/.349/.512<br />2009: .279/.324/.393<br /><br />So there is a difference in Beltre's home/away splits. I don't know if that is worth about $13 million per year. <br /><br />My basic point was that Adrian Beltre was getting $13 million per year to be an average-ish player while Josh Hamilton was outperforming his contract. Taylor was trying to show what a hard worker and trooper Beltre is as compared to Josh Hamilton and I was trying to show no matter how much Taylor insults Hamilton for not being mentally tough he really is. <br /><br />Basically, I was being snide and creating a straw-man argument that had as much viability for truth as his anecdotal evidence which was supposed to be a comparison on the mental toughness of the two players. Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-48514056042941760692012-09-24T13:10:15.721-04:002012-09-24T13:10:15.721-04:00''Adrian Beltre signed a 5 year $64 millio...''Adrian Beltre signed a 5 year $64 million contract with the Seattle Mariners at the age of 26 and then repaid them for signing him to this contract by hitting .266/.317/.442 over the lifetime of his contract.''<br /><br />I think this is horribly unfair to Beltre. Looking at his road splits from that period, it's kind of clear Safeco had a semi-dramatic effect on his slash line. He may have hit .266/.317/.442 over the course of the contract, and that's not particularly impressive, but that's also ignoring his glove at 3B, which was arguably the best in baseball. <br /><br />I think Beltre's contract was either a wash, or a slight value based on what the Mariners paid him, not eregiously bad or anything though despite his offensive average-ness. Cory Gibsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10265287054483152908noreply@blogger.com