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December 13, 2005
Can Nomar At The Bat Help The Yankees?
Given the chance that Nomar Garciaparra might join the 2006 Yankees, I decided to take a closer look at his career numbers - to determine which modern batters were like him (to date) in terms of relative production at the same age (with the hope to see if any "like batters" still had some juice in their bat after they turned thirty). Thanks to the Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia, this is what I found:
I like the David Justice and Jim Edmonds "comps" found here as they also (like Nomar) had some injury speed bumps before their 31st birthdays. And, both of them were able to post some decent years with the bat between ages 32 and 34. This tells me that it would not be without precedent to see someone like Nomar rebound at age 32 to have a decent season with the stick.
If the price is right, and it's nothing more than one or two years on the deal, the Yankees should make a run at Garciaparra - it's not as big a risk as I once thought.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at December 13, 2005 11:46 AM
Comments
As a one-year experiment, I'd like to see what Nomar can do with 500 ABs as the super-sub. Nomar needs a stage to resurrect his superstar status...whether he plays with the Yankees after 2006 is immaterial -- for both sides. If we get a .290/.350/.475 year out of him, why not? The only thing to fear (other than fear itself), of course, is his injury-prone recent past. A very good thing about Nomar is he doesn't strike out a lot and, even with reduced power, can spray the ball around the diamond.
Posted by: JohnnyC ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at December 13, 2005 12:05 PM
Nomar hit something along the lines of .290/.320/.510 after being switched to 3rd base last season. I think a switch to DH would further enhance his numbers. I think .350/.475 is a very conservative estimate. I wouldn't be shocked if he puts up .340/.540 like he did during some of his later Boston years.
Posted by: DownFromNJ at December 13, 2005 12:08 PM
Tell me it wouldn't be satisfying to see him torch the Red Sox in '06, a la Reed Johnson 2005.
Posted by: Jason O. at December 13, 2005 12:14 PM
As much as I like to think it would be a great twist of the dagger, I know the words "two thousand four" would just be thrown back at me.
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at December 13, 2005 12:26 PM
And when they say 2004, ask them if they would like this for Christmas ;)
http://www.distantreplays.com/distant/product.asp?s%5Fid=0&dept%5Fid=3115&pf%5Fid=PAAAAAHDNFBEBLCP
Posted by: James Varghese at December 13, 2005 04:58 PM
Cool jacket.
But, part of me sorta hates all that "26 time" talk - because as soon as it started, that was the last time that they won one.
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at December 13, 2005 10:28 PM