Randy Ruiz - future DH?

by touchemalljoe on Aug 18, 2009 10:32 AM EDT

After 5 games (granted a very small sample size) Randy Ruiz has put up good production numbers with a relatively high number of strikeouts. This is about what we might have expected as an upside for him. Is 22 games in Minnesota last year, 5 games with the Jays this year, and a prolific minor league batting record enough to convince us that he is in the mix to be the DH next year? If so would Lind and Snider cover enough ground in the corner outfield spots? From watching him so far does he look like someone who could defy the odds and have a good major league career after such a relatively late start? On the FAN radio the other day I think it was Mike Wilner who compared him to Oakland's Jack Cust in that respect - but Cust is a little younger and had a few more cups of coffee before becoming a regular. If that's who Randy Ruiz is (with a higher batting average hopefully) is this a good potential affordable fit at DH moving forward?

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Personally, I could care less about Ruiz’s age, as long as he can hit.

Ruiz’s big flaw is that he Ks too much. As such, despite his higher average, he has lower OBP and OPS than Cust. This may prove to be a fatal MLB flaw as MLB pitchers may be more effective at exploiting Ruiz’s lack of plate discipline better than can MiLB pitchers.

However, Ruiz does generate good average in MiLB, so despite Ks he can still connect.

Obviously, Ruiz’s current AVG and SLG are fine, despite modest OBP and K-rate approaching 40%.

I guess the Jays have to see where his numbers settle out. If Ruiz can keep his avg at or above 300 in MLB, than 30% K rate may be acceptable (implying OBP and OPS discount), given Ruiz’s power (ie: SLG).

by aagoodfella on Aug 18, 2009 10:59 AM EDT reply actions

Well how about we use all this money we've saved from the AJ Burnett, Scott Rolen and Alex Rios contracts

And get a legitamate DH. I have no idea who this might be, but as long as it goes to improving the team. Or have Lind DH and get a new fielder.

Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.

by craig in calgary on Aug 18, 2009 11:02 AM EDT reply actions

II think having Lind DH and getting a new fielder is the best option.

No decent DH’s on the market.

'But I don't want to go among mad people' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that' said the Cat 'we're all mad here'.

by JohnnyG on Aug 18, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think

DH is a good position to try to fill on the cheap with a 31-year old career minor-leaguer. the better option is to go out and get a player. Then, inevitably, when there are injuries and/or ineffective players, if Ruiz is any sort of real deal, he’ll get his chance. If you rely on Ruiz and he shows he can’t handle major-league pitching, there’s no fallback.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Aug 18, 2009 12:13 PM EDT reply actions

Dont forget about Dopriak.

Hes definitely in the mix for DH/1B next year.

Onions Baby Onions

by ohmybosh on Aug 18, 2009 6:03 PM EDT reply actions

This is...

almost like a spring training for him right now, where he’s trying to prove he can hit MLB pitching and stick around at this level for awhile. He certainly paid his dues playing most of his career in the minors, and it would be great to see him succeed in landing a spot in this team coming next year..

"Sports is something you know, not something you should preach.'

by valter on Aug 18, 2009 9:02 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t think he should be guaranteed a starting spot, but there’s no reason why he couldn’t make it as a part time player and play his way into a starting spot.

by cnagy77 on Aug 19, 2009 11:45 PM EDT reply actions

I would rather have Ruiz than yet another Mencherson.

by siggian on Aug 20, 2009 9:11 AM EDT reply actions

i am not sure mencherson is any longer an option …. he is washed out of the MLB and playing for the Hanshin Tigers (Japan) — still, I think

I wonder if the Hanshin Tigers would be interested in a right-batting first baseman?

by aagoodfella on Aug 20, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Mencherson is the term I use (but I won’t take credit for it because folks here were using it long before me) for washed-up formerly-decent players who JP signs in hopes that they will drink from the fountain of youth and recapture what they had 3-5 years ago when they were actually able to play. Kevin Mench and Brad Wilkerson were last year’s Menchersons, and Delucci and Millar are this year’s Menchersons. You could extend the term to pitchers because a few years ago JP signed three pitchers who were clearly past it and none of them made it through spring training.

by siggian on Aug 20, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Tips on spotting a Mencherson

1) Look for a player whose last decent season was 3 to 5 years ago
2) That player would have been a good player but not a star at that time
3) The player has been designated or waived from his last team

Any other defining characteristics of the Mencherson?

by siggian on Aug 20, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

yep, that does not sound like good search criteria

by aagoodfella on Aug 20, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Nope, that pretty much covers it. Spot on.

However in reference to those three pitchers. They all made it through Spring training.

(Thompson, Zambrano and Ohka) but all flopped out before the half-way point of the season

'But I don't want to go among mad people' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that' said the Cat 'we're all mad here'.

by JohnnyG on Aug 20, 2009 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Thank you for the correction. Actually, it makes them proper Menchersons because they were taking up roster spots (though Thomson wasn’t really because he was on the injured list the entire time.) that perhaps could have been used for prospects. In the end, the young players that they used to replace these guys had pretty good seasons.

by siggian on Aug 21, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions