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Ryan Ludwick a Stud

OK, so I'm guilty of hyperbole just like the papers.

Rob Neyer has a blog post up: Ludwick rids himself of "4-A" label

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=neyer_rob

A few pieces of interest:

He's ... until this season seemed like a so-called "Quad-A" player: ...

...I believe that a significant percentage of supposed 4-A players would fare well enough in the majors if given a real shot to actually play in the majors. In 2002 and '03, Ludwick racked up 693 plate appearances in Triple-A -- essentially one full season -- and posted this slash line: .295/.367/.543. Granted, he was in a hitter's league. But he was also 22 and 23 (turned 24 in the middle of 2003, actually), and most 23-year-olds who can hit like that in Triple-A are plenty good enough to play in the majors. Ludwick did get 263 plate appearances in the majors in those same two years, but he struck out too often, which killed his batting averages and on-base percentages.

The next two years were mostly lost to injuries.

...But when he batted .340/.380/.642 in his first 29 games they brought him up, and he's been up ever since.

Ludwick's stats this season are sort of a fluke. But his career .273/.344/.508 line in the majors? That's no fluke. That's the hitter that Ludwick's always been. Fundamentally, he's no more a fluke than Carlos Peña.

0 recs | Comment 13 comments

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YUP
I believe that a significant percentage of supposed 4-A players would fare well enough in the majors if given a real shot to actually play in the majors.

Neyer has been listening to Kellerman lately…

to me, abortion is not a religious issue, it's a common sense one...

by Longhorn on Aug 25, 2008 5:50 PM CDT   0 recs

Yeah I'm sure it's that

and not the other way around. :)

Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return

by zywica on Aug 25, 2008 6:04 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

seriously

you should listen to this guy; it’s unbelievable his knowledge about things like this…

Bill James is like his hero.

to me, abortion is not a religious issue, it's a common sense one...

by Longhorn on Aug 25, 2008 6:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You know, in a way, longhorn, you kind of remind me of Max Kellerman

That is, a totally inarticulate, much less charismatic version of Max…

Now don’t you go letting this complement go straight to your bulbous little head now buddy…

Last week I took a pleasure trip. I drove my wife to the airport.

by Brian Thomas on Aug 25, 2008 6:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ludwick is a nice guy.

Ludwick and Ben Broussard work out in the off-season at my gym.

I listened to a conversation right before spring training between the two of them. Ludwick’s goal for the season? 20 HR’s.

Luddy worked his ass off this last off-season and it shows. He is going to end up with 40 home runs and 140 rbi’s.

A really nice, friendly, easy going guy.

And to think, Ludwick makes essentially league minimum and Broussard was making eight times as much as him.

 

by paulbegala on Aug 25, 2008 6:12 PM CDT   0 recs

40/140...

may be a little steep, but the guy is having a great year.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Aug 25, 2008 6:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ludwick

sucked with us, he was my least favorite player back in the day.

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Act like it.

by miles on Aug 25, 2008 6:48 PM CDT   0 recs

About the comp to Pena

Wonder if next year, ludwick will come back to his career numbers like pena did.

What's the secret to a long life? "I masturbate a lot"-Ernest Borgnine. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/08/14/icymi-ernest-borgnine-reveals-his-secret-for-everlasting-youth/#onepage

by DJCahill on Aug 25, 2008 10:49 PM CDT   0 recs

You might need to stop saying that soon.

His post-ASB OPS is 1.015.

Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.

by t ball on Aug 25, 2008 11:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hmm, Neyer

Plager plagar palagr Copycat-ist? :-)

This is identical to a Passan story from 8/23, IIRC

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey," Bo Diddley

by Rodney on Aug 26, 2008 12:19 AM CDT   0 recs

And most of those stars

are folks Sharky wanted to get rid of so there would be more playing time for old, broken down hasbeens who are now out of the game, like Palmeiro or Gonzalez

What's the secret to a long life? "I masturbate a lot"-Ernest Borgnine. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/08/14/icymi-ernest-borgnine-reveals-his-secret-for-everlasting-youth/#onepage

by DJCahill on Aug 26, 2008 7:35 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Zing

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Aug 26, 2008 10:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

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