MLB: Why is David Ortiz Sucking?

[mplscyclone]

Here are the stats over the years:

Age G AB OBP SLG HR SO AB/HR
24 130 415 .364 .446 10 81 41.5
25 89 303 .324 .475 18 68 16.8
26 125 412 .339 .500 20 87 20.6
27 128 448 .369 .562 31 83 14.5
28 150 582 .380 .603 41 133 14.2
29 159 601 .397 .604 47 124 12.8
30 151 558 .413 .636 54 117 10.3
31 149 549 .445 .621 35 103 15.7
32 109 416 .369 .507 23 74 18.0
33 51 198 .288 .308 2 55 99.0

Anyhow, I've heard varying stories on what people think. Do you think he's lied about his age, done steriods/hgh, combination of wrong age/steriods, or just natural decline

People act as if this is all of a sudden, but when you look at the numbers this is a 3 year decline.

 

[CrossCyed]

Just a really bad year. He's not quite this bad, but I do think people know a little more about how to pitch him.

 

[mplscyclone]

Well that sucked. I tried to post the stats with better formatting but it will not let me. Sorry for the garbage thread!

 

[LeBron]

I can't really think of anything other than steroids. If he lied about his age, he would've started to decline a few years ago. Also, natural decline doesn't usually start til your like 35.

 

[BryceC]

No Manny, probably never be the same after the injury, etc.

 

[DavClone]

He is reverting back to the way he was with the Twins. He sucked then too.

 

[drmwevr08]

Becuase Mo Vaughn is his hero.

Decline sometimes starts early. I wouldn't say its steroids automatically, but he may have done em.

 

[AIT]

He wouldn't be the first 33 year old to have his skills decline.

 

[egami]

 

[MidwestZest]

It's hard to think that it would be steroids. 1. He's still HUGE. 2. Steroids do nothing for your hand-eye coordination. So he just must not be hitting it as far. But if that were the case and he was sitting at 14 home runs right now, then his average would only be 12 hits better..... right?

I think he'll right the ship before the year is out

 

[CylentButDeadly]

It's easy to assume that he is allegedly off PEDs, which of course implies that he was once on PEDs, and attribute that for his poor season, but I do think it is a combo of things. (1) I assume he used in the past, but I have no proof. (2) As good as Youkillis & Bay have been playing, you can't tell me that there is one person in baseball that fears those guys as much as they feared Manny. Harold Reynolds broke it down on MLB Network and he said that Pappi just wasn't getting as many fastballs as he used to. (3) His age and injuries are catching up with him. The wrist injury was a major one. Derrek Lee hasn't been the same power hitter since he hurt his and neither has Papi. Also, Papi has pretty worn knees too. (4) He's just in a really bad slump. Sometimes slumps can't be explained, just like hot streaks can't be explained.

Bottom line, you mix all these things together and you have the catastrophe that is David Ortiz: Version 2009

 

[Clones85']

33 in baseball years isn't that old. Especially for a guy that DH's a lot. Steroids end of story

 

[mplscyclone]

He wouldn't be the first 33 year old to have his skills decline.

They've been declining since 30. If the stats I posted were formatted well, you could see that....

 

[warsend]

steroids and no manny

 

[MidwestZest]

It's easy to assume that he is allegedly off PEDs, which of course implies that he was once on PEDs, and attribute that for his poor season, but I do think it is a combo of things. (1) I assume he used in the past, but I have no proof. (2) As good as Youkillis & Bay have been playing, you can't tell me that there is one person in baseball that fears those guys as much as they feared Manny. Harold Reynolds broke it down on MLB Network and he said that Pappi just wasn't getting as many fastballs as he used to. (3) His age and injuries are catching up with him. The wrist injury was a major one. Derrek Lee hasn't been the same power hitter since he hurt his and neither has Papi. Also, Papi has pretty worn knees too. (4) He's just in a really bad slump. Sometimes slumps can't be explained, just like hot streaks can't be explained.

Bottom line, you mix all these things together and you have the catastrophe that is David Ortiz: Version 2009

this makes a lot of sense. especially the manny part

33 in baseball years isn't that old. Especially for a guy that DH's a lot. Steroids end of story

this makes less sense cause there is no explanation

 

[mplscyclone]

33 in baseball years isn't that old. Especially for a guy that DH's a lot. Steroids end of story

Something else to look at is with the Twins he wasn't that durable. Notice it isn't until he's 28 until he had a season where he didn't miss time to injury.

 

[HiltonMagic]

I'm obviously biased, but I don't think it's PEDs. Like I read somewhere, he isn't belting bombs that are falling short at the warning track like so many other former 'roiders.

 

[egami]

2. Steroids do nothing for your hand-eye coordination.

Steroids don't, but there is still question in the scientific community as to whether HGH does and wide-spread reporting indicates it may very well. be interesting to see if it is ever proven to actually do it.

 

[06Panther]

It's hard to think that it would be steroids. 1. He's still HUGE. 2. Steroids do nothing for your hand-eye coordination. So he just must not be hitting it as far. But if that were the case and he was sitting at 14 home runs right now, then his average would only be 12 hits better..... right?

I think he'll right the ship before the year is out

Its hard to believe that it could be steroids? What planet have you been living on?

 

[gocubs2118]

I love how everyone just assumes its steroids, thats ignorance at its best.