Jose Bautista
by Tom Dakers on Aug 24, 2010 2:23 PM EDT
in Toronto Blue Jays Analysis
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PrintBack from holiday and the thing everyone is talking about is a crappy, dashed out post by a reporter that figured by making up a controversy people would notice him.
Every body else has had a run at the idiot reporter that decided to tell us that the reason Jose Bautista is hitting so many home runs is because he is using PED. His evidence? Well, back in the mid-90's Roger Clemens is thought to have used in Toronto and that Greg Zahn was mentioned in the Mitchell Report.
The idea of just making something like that up out of thin air is, you know, the reason reporters give for not liking us bloggers.
The good part about it is it gives us a good chance to celebrate Jose's great year. Here is a guy that has never had more than 16 homers in a year and already he is up to 38 40 (I'll be changing it against after tonight). Who knows, he might make 50.
Bautista's problem in the past has been an inability to hit right handed pitching. Last year, for a good part of it, he didn't even try. He wouldn't even swing the bat against a righty, hoping to take a walk. His numbers vs. RHP last year: .202/.331/.333. This year he is hitting RHP (.266./375/.605), better than lefties (.210/.333/.506). Tthe difference between this year and the past is that he is hitting right handers the way he used to hit lefties.
What else is he doing different? He is walking at about the same rate: 13.9% of the time last year, 14.2% this year. You would expect, the way he is hitting, pitchers would be thinking of walking him more. He's hitting line drives at close to the same rate, 16.7% last year, 14.4% this year. The big difference is that he has turned ground balls from last year to fly balls this year. He was hitting ground balls 41.3% of the time last year, 32.0% this year. They have become fly balls, 42.1% last year, 53.6% this year. And, of course, more of those fly balls are leaving the park: 21.5% orf them this year compared to 12.3% last year. He's figured out how to get the ball in the air with some power behind it.
Anyway, my point was that Jose Bautista's season should be a reason to celebrate not something to cast suspicions on. He's having a great season. He has a good shot at setting a new Jays record for home runs in a season, 8 more will do it.
I said in the thread last night, and want to say again, that I'd rather people not suggest that he is using on here, unless you have some real evidence, that's he'd put on 40 pounds of muscle or that you have seen him wandering around with a bottle that said 'Illegal Steroids' on it or something else real. If you just want to say 'he's having a good year, he must be juicing', do it somewhere else.
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Jedi
Don't get Jose Bautista Mad. You wouldn't like him when he is mad.
by craig in calgary on Aug 24, 2010 2:29 PM EDT reply actions
Clearly he's on PEDs
or his hand would have been broken by Bautista’s mighty fist bump.
They're not just hitting home runs. They're doing the little things, like hitting doubles.
by Torgen on Aug 24, 2010 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well said Tom.
I for one believe that the Jedi council simply elevated his rank from Knight to Master. It explains everything.
I think there’s a fundamental misunderstanding about performance enhancing drugs and their effect on Home Run totals. Brady Anderson is one of the “icons” of the “steroid era” because of his 50HR season in the midst of ~20HR seasons. Yet, saying that it’s obvious that he took steroids because he much more than his career total does not make any sense.
If steroids do help players hit home runs you would expect players to sustain their totals over a period of greater than one season. Why did Anderson go from his 50HR back down to 18 the next season, did he suddenly stop taking performance enhancing drugs after having a career year?
Was Davey Johnson on PEDs when he hit 43HR in 1973 (next highest total: 18). What about Roger Maris and his 61HR (next highest:39). To say that Bautista, or Anderson were on steroids because of one huge year is to ignore the randomness in sports and sports statistics. I can buy the argument that guys with high, sustained HR totals may have taken performance enhancing drugs, but not players with a one-year blip in their career. It’s illogical.
Bautista’s having a terrific year. His HR/FB rate is reasonable compared to other Home Run hitters, he did not gain a massive amount of weight in the off-season as you said. I personally don’t expect for him to be able to sustain this level of hitting next season, but it’s been enjoyable while it’s lasted.
To insinuate that Bautista is taking PEDs, without even a shred of evidence, is shameful (and why wouldn’t he use them before when he could have become a full-time starter rather than a bench player?). Hopefully we’ll see him mash 10 more this season.
Very good points, thanks
"Don't tell me it's impossible. Be honest and tell me you can't do it. Tell me you don't know how."
Yessir
Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.
by Frederick0220 on Aug 24, 2010 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I hate the internet.
Start typing “Jose Bautista” in google. The first thing that comes up is “Jose Bautista Steroids”
Don't get Jose Bautista Mad. You wouldn't like him when he is mad.
by craig in calgary on Aug 24, 2010 3:05 PM EDT reply actions
Yeah, that is stupid.
Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.
by Frederick0220 on Aug 24, 2010 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I saw Bautista with a bottle that said Illegal Steroids on it… In big block letters and everything!
2010-11 Avalanche: Proving everybody wrong...again!
Me too, he rings out his jersey into it after each game and sells that to lesser players.
by T_Mizz on Aug 24, 2010 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Tom thankyou
We should not put ourselves above or better than people in the media. Statements of a derogatory nature should never be made without verification from reliable sources. Like my mother used to say," If you can’t say something nice about someone -—- he must work for The Star."
I don’t think we should take this personally. These are legit questions to ask. Cox is right. After all we’ve been through, how can we pretend this isn’t strange?
Fine, but at least present some objective evidence
Jeff from Lookout Landing sums it up very well.
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2010/8/24/1647930/the-mainstream-media-is-above
by shuswapslugger on Aug 24, 2010 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions
They have great content over there
Just don’t try to comment on it without having at least 5 professional editors review your work, lest you get your head chopped off.
by shuswapslugger on Aug 24, 2010 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
We should think the idiot is right?
We should blindly accuse people we have never met of something they are already tested for? Anyone that does good is a suspect? With no evidence at all? That he’s found a steroid that works without putting on muscle mass?
Maybe Griffin is right and we should question Dave Andreychuk. I though he made it clear enough this was stupid that no one would have
Honestly. Yes. Baseball has been dragged through the mud because of guys like McGwire, Bonds, and Clemens. We, as fans, have to realize and understand that.
And Griffin is right about Andreychuk. With all that we know, how can we not ask such questions.
There is no proof!
With McGwire, Bonds, Clemens there are proofs, whether it is evidence or suspicious body transformations, or both.
Do you see any of this in Bautista? Any proof at all to show that he might be enhancing his abilities through drugs? Anything at all other then “Man that guy has hit a lot more HRs eh”?
Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...
Weird stuff happens in baseball
For instance, this is the year of the pitcher with 7 no hitters already (and 2 perfect games!). So, basically, all the pitchers must be juicy and bringing back the “vasoline ball” (courtesy Major League). Weird stuff happens in baseball.
Now, because of the steroid stuff, we’ve become suspicious. FYI, Joey Bats looks no different physically compared to last year (ie he didn’t go Vernon Wells on us). So, what’s the big deal? While we’re questioning Joey Bats, what about Joey Votto? He must be taking something, right? Or Josh Hamilton? He came out of no where, right? Look at all those homeruns he hit last year at the All Star Home Run derby. He must be taking something, right?
Why can’t we just enjoy it. As for Cox’s column, you all know he’s garbage, right? Ditto for Feschuk.
"You put snot on the ball"
Excuse me, do these effectively hide my thunder?
by T.Dot_Bronco on Aug 24, 2010 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I would account that amazing pitching to worse hitting. But that is a matter of opinion.
Votto and Hamilton were always power hitters. They have just come into their own in recent years. To compare their numbers is rediculous.
Did you know Bautista hit for good power in the minors?
Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...
24 HRs in AA one year
Other than that his high was 15, must’ve been on steroids that one year too.
But seriously though 24HRs is decent power but hardly Baustista-like.
Moonraker playing tonight!!
via MLBastian
Moonraker, Escobar, Jedi, VW, Lind, Hill, Overbay, Buck, EE
Jose Bautista has a higher midi-chlorian count than you do.
Who needs juice when you have Midi-chlorians.
It’s not like it is just Bautista that is smoking bombs with the Jays, it is the whole team. Gonzalez now has 20hrs on the year between the Braves and Jays, which he may break his career high. Buck is 4 away from a career high. Even Molina and Mac might get career highs this year. Wells was on track at the beginning of the year, and Overbay has recently gotten back on track. Lind and Hill have been disappointments, but they are still hitting homers.
If you are going to question anything, it should be the entire Jays organization. And I think you would find the coaching staff had a huge role in the power surge. Bautista happens to be the poster boy right now.
not only is he on roids but he uses live kittens for batting practice
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by syc on Aug 24, 2010 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Gotta love those Jays
It’s great to see that management has finally managed to put together a team that we can be excited about. It’s been a number of years since we have had a team that has the pieces to pitch a great game and/or bash the ball out of the park (2002 comes to mind). Couple of things to add:
- Bautista has been smashing the ball since September last year (10 homers in 109 ABs to end the year) and spring training this past year, suggesting that perhaps a change in approach has lead to the power leap
- Love how Buck Martinez called the first homer. His very words were, “If Jose gets a fastball here, it could be a big one.”
-The staredown after the second homer was legendary. In fact, Jose stared so hard that David Robertson’s grandchildren will be attending therapy having watched that massacre
This is funny s---
Great stuff… when Jose reads blogs, he prefers Bluebird Banter. As do I.
Been reading for a while, only joined recently. Love the stuff you guys post on the Jays and appreciate the updates on the minors.
Bautista
Look Tom, just look after the site and don’t pretend to be important..people like you piss me off!! It is a legitimate claim to make Bautista take a test. If he’s innocent then he should have no problem walking into Toronto General and asking to be tested. The players union wouldn’t allow it for one, but the onus is on Bautista to clear his name…sorry that’s what a decade of cheaters earns you. Jose Go get a test and all will be forgiven, unless you have something to hide..pure and simple!!
you are confused
there is a testing regimen put in place by the league, and you can rest assured that Bautista has been and is in full compliance with it. I’m not sure why you think the “onus is on” him to do anything more than that, but you’re wrong.
"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
confused
ONE test per baseball season is not a good policy. What if he was tested on april 8th???? If he wants people to lay off of him, then take a test!!
You do realize that said writer, who covers hockey, is also one of the worst sports writers around right? Barry Bonds was listed between 185-95 lbs from 1986- 1996 from 1996-2000 he weighed around 210, after that he was listed at 230 lb
This is an example of what steroids do for you. Bautista is 195 lbs. Unless he was a scrawny base stealer last year, no significant weight gain. Fans that want to be a critic for the sport and especially “journalists” have a bigger responsibility to avoid making random accusations without a sliver of evidence. Currently statistics (actual evidence) point to improved approach and mechanics than some miracle drug that makes you stronger while making the inevitable muscle mass gain invisible.
As a Toronto sports fan I proudly follow the lessons of lachrymology.
O yea the Star Hack also has a thing for putting down any and all positive sports stories related to Toronto. Pretty sure he should just move to Nunavut and be happy in life. He is obviously miserable writing about Toronto sports.
As a Toronto sports fan I proudly follow the lessons of lachrymology.
First of all
he had a monster September last year. He extended his monster final month into this entire season. It would be safe to assume that if he were taking steroids, it would have had to start sometime last season. An average steroid cycle lasts about 2 months give or take. That means he would have had to start about early July for it to have an effect by September. Now if you believe he’s only been tested once since July of 09, you’re crazy. To maintain the effects of steriods one must engage in cycles 2-3 times a year. That would make it impossible for the steriods to be out of his system by the time a test was taken.
Now, let’s not be mistaken, you can hide steriod use with masking agents. He has passed every test he has taken. If he’s masking, fine he’ll continue to mask and pass his tests. For you to say “take a test” would not prove anything one way or another anyway.
The only way to know is to look at evidence. There is NO physical evidence to support claims that he is using. Do you have any idea what someone would look like if they took roids for over a year now? There would be at least 20-30 pounds gained. If he took 1 cycle in July last year he could get ripped yes, he may smack a few extra dingers in September, but thats where it would have ended. He’d be back to not hitting homers by now.
Excuse me, do these effectively hide my thunder?
by T.Dot_Bronco on Aug 24, 2010 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Seeing as he was on the upswing LAST YEAR, then they would have gotten him at least once during his "use".
And I say “use” because it’s unfounded and a baseless claim.
"Don't tell me it's impossible. Be honest and tell me you can't do it. Tell me you don't know how."
You're always welcome to leave
No one is making you stay.
"Don't tell me it's impossible. Be honest and tell me you can't do it. Tell me you don't know how."
People like me piss you off?
People that think you ought to have a little bit of evidence before you accuse someone of a crime? I don’t mind pissing people like that off.
Bautista has nothing to clear. You give some evidence. Show me the 30 pounds of muscle he’s put on since using. Show me something that would suggest that he is cheating. Anything. No? Just he’s good so he must be cheating. Bautista has had several tests. You really think he has to waste his time to satisfy you? Just cause one idiot reporter figured he needed a way to get his name mentioned somewhere, you figure Bautista has to jump through whatever hoops you want. Fortunately that’s not the way the world works.
But I’ve said this a half dozen times and you ignore, show me the muscle mass he has put on….go ahead. Steroids aren’t a magic pill that makes you a great hitter. It allows you to build muscle quick. Show me how it has worked on Jose.
http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/teams/players/bio/?id=4530
Career potential- Solid Offensive utility man
Recent Awards- Named to All-Star team
lol
As a Toronto sports fan I proudly follow the lessons of lachrymology.
by Redonred on Aug 24, 2010 10:23 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
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