So, I've got this guy in AAA who's won two MVP awards, and has a ridiculously career OPS.  For some reason, I've just never thought he would make it in the Bigs.  I mean, I think he'd hit well, but would his lack of glove and splits be worth it?

Anyway, I'd like to know what the forum thinks...am I crazy for keeping him in the minors for so long?

Also, not sure how to post player profiles, so I'm just going with this.

http://www.whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=1947629

He's not going to break any records in the majors but with 97 power and 93 eye he would be a pretty useful hitter on many teams, especially against lefties. I wouldn't use minor league stats to judge future ML performance but I think he might be worthy of a shot in the big leagues given his ratings.

That makes sense.  I mean, as a playoff-caliber NL team, I'm just not sure there's a place for him, and no one's ever offered a trade for him.

Gerald Ross.

You play in the NL and are a playoff-caliber team?

In that case, the only role I could ever see for him as a designated pinch-hitter (since he *is* at least a switch-hitter). Under the old engine, he might have had some success in that role. With the power damper on, I think even that is a stretch.

Plus, you're in Portland.

Portland AAA (2,1,2,1,1) is a hitters' park.
Portland ML (-4,-3,-4,-2,-2) is where hitters go to die.

Great points, zbrent.  I did call him up once and he did okay.  As-is, I've got tons of offense, though, so there's no need for him.  But sometimes I look at his OPS and think, "Should I have that guy in the majors?"  You guys have basically confirmed what I thought.

in his only ML experience he has 5 walks and 15 strike outs.. He's only had 56 ML ab's so there isn't much to really determine how he'd do.. Guys with those ratings really don't do well in the ML anymore unless they are in an extreme hitters park. 

http://whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=2350783 is probably worse overall in hitting, and hes had some pretty good success.  Won the ML Homerun Derby this season.  Kind of crazy.

The guy would be a good edition off of the bench after september call-ups. He could give you some good pinch hit ABs off of the bench against lefties and also spot start against lefties to give your starting 1B a day off.

www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx

Hub Grimes is a similar bat, with less eye.  431 HR and a 1.080 OPS in the minor leagues .  I decided to give him a shot and he has put up a .293/.350/.553.  Hub does have better defense, so he can fill in for corner IF/OF when players are tired.  I'd give your guy a shot, even if it's just a PH.  Although I'd play him over King at 1B.

Posted by ragnarok35 on 8/13/2010 1:14:00 AM (view original):
http://whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=2350783 is probably worse overall in hitting, and hes had some pretty good success.  Won the ML Homerun Derby this season.  Kind of crazy.

Yeah, the Homerun derby is all guys like that may be good for.....

He reminds me a lot of a player I have on a big league roster that has had a very productive career: www.whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx

I had a guy that looked a lot like this guy hit 76 bombs in one season, but it was in Colorado and it was in year 2 of a start up league. But you can't argue with the fact that he is going yard once every 14 at bats at the ML level. Why not give him a shot to see if he can keep that up? Also, don't forget that he is a switch hitter. That bad right handed split won't hurt him as bad when he is batting from the left side. In other words, I get more concerned about a right handed split with a right handed batter. Here's why...

Your pitcher will always be going with his lower split. So if a right handed pitcher is 80 against righties and 55 against lefties, you are playing against his 55 number and not his 80 number. And very few pitchers will be nearly as effective against the opposite handedness. (is that a word?)

And also look at his push pull number. I have been studying that a ton lately. He pulls the ball. That's good for a power hitter. I have a guy who looks better than him right now who can't hit at the ML level because he has extreme power (97) and also has better contact and splits than your guy. But he wastes that power by going backside all the time. I don't care how strong you are, opposite field shots aren't as likely as pull shots. His number is 66 which is getting close to being a total opposite field hitter.

Either way if a guy pulls the ball he deals with left field and left center (or rf and rc) instead of dead center. So the theory there is that he simply doesn't have to hit it as far to get it out. I think this guy can hit 30-35 homeruns even in Portland.