Just to riff on El Duque’s excellent lead-off piece this morning, Joey Gallo is looking at something far worse than plunging below the Mendoza Line.
As of today, our import from Texas is hitting all of .144 as a Yankee. If this keeps up, he will break a mark I frankly never expected to see threatened: Gary Sanchez’s .147 average as a regular last season.
I mean, this is all-time bad. It’s not that .144 would be the worst in modern times. It would be the worst for a Yankee, ever.
Potzkying around in stats from the days when your New York Yankees were your New York Highlanders, back in the deadball era when men were men and they were mostly trying to hit a dissolving sphere of mush in the twilight hours…I can’t find any regular who ever hit lower.
Thus far, Joey’s .144 has come in 30 games and 129 plate appearances. Sancho’s record last year was in 49 games and 178 plate appearances. In other words, the mark is there for the taking.
Oh, I know, I know. Batting average is such an old-fashioned, misleading statistic.
Joey G. hits for power, and…and…and draws a lot of walks!
But as ZachA pointed out, his power has also been well below what it was in Arlington. Gallo’s slugging average has dropped from .490 with the Rangers this year to just .346 as a Yankee—well below the team average of .402.
His OBP went from .379 to .310 with our boys—below the team average of .326.
That’s right: as a Yankee, Gallo is badly underperforming the rest of the team even in the things he’s supposed to excel at.
Hey, I like Joey Gallo. He hustles, plays a very good outfield, and doesn’t have a snit fit when the fans are so gauche as to boo him (Though his restraint may be put to the test when our pinstriped heroes return.)
But the idea that Joey could be
some sort of equivalent to Curtis Granderson or even Graig Nettles for the game
today, hitting for power if not average, drawing walks and playing a fine
defense…has, I think, been put to rest.
If this continues, the Yanks would be foolish to give him a big free-agent contract in the offseason—which would mean another four minor leaguers surrendered for nothing.
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78 comments:
No way is Gallo long for the Yankees. It's absurd to have a regular in the lineup hitting 200 and striking 200 plus times per year.
I believe he a signed with us next year as well. He will be in his third year of arbitration. FA in 2023.
But don't worry, sure he is on the verge of being historically bad, but, as I said earlier today, he can always throw his back out and spend next year over at Jacoby's house.
Doug K.
Ironbow,
Gary Sanchez C'mon down! :)
Doug K.
Using Baseball Reference to find the worst single-season batting average in Yankees history (min. 100 PA and excluding pitchers), we get:
1B Babe Borton .130 BA in 1913
3B Bill McKechnie .134 BA in 1913
1B Mike Hegan .136 BA in 1967
RF Jesse Barfield .137 BA in 1992
C Joel Skinner .137 BA in 1987
LF Joey Gallo .144 BA in 2021
C Gary Sanchez .147 BA in 2020
2B Stephen Drew .150 BA in 2014
SS Jim Mason .153 BA in 1975
SS Dick Howser .153 BA in 1968
Joey is arbitration eligible...he's making 6.2 million/yr. He would be a bargain coming back next year...they just need to fix him somehow...the GIDP thing is very troubling...
Yeah he sucks right now...none of us knows when he turns it around...
Very interesting, ZacharyA!
And I admit I'm fudging things a little bit. Of all those individuals, baseball reference lists only Sanchez and Jim Mason as starters—that is, they had the most plate appearances at their positions.
As of now, Joey Gallo is not that with the 2021 Yankees. But he is only 33 PA behind poor, woebegone Miggy to be the "starter" in LF—something he will certainly accomplish, barring sudden and devastating injury.
So if Joey can keep playing and keeping whiffing...we have a chance to see history made!!!
Yankees teams with sub-.240 BA
1908 (.236)
1913 (.237)
1914 (.229)
1915 (.233)
1917 (.239)
1965 (.235)
1966 (.235)
1967 (.225)
1968 (.214)
1969 (.235)
2021 (.238)
Historic stuff.
ZacharyA, thanks for reminding me of Stephen Drew. That man still haunts my dreams. I'm gonna go look for some rain to cower under and drink myself silly
Drew was a nightmare because just when he was a bout to finally get benched he'd hit a Home Run and he would get to start another ten games.
Doug K.
Hitting a home run in a game is the new Yankees equivalent of a hot streak.
Playing Odor ahead of Wade at third base . . . AGAIN tonight. Sheer self-destructive idiocy.
I think other teams are also suffering from abnormally low BAs.
I think.
Anyone else have the earworm of Ralph Kramden yelling "Hey, Naughton!!" through the window?
Yes.
I love you, the Commentariat.
That said, brava and bravx to ZachA. You got me to bb-ref both Jesse Barfield and Joel Skinner! Very well done!
Barfield was aged 32 in 1992 and his feet and legs were gone. He retired after playing only 30 games in that his last season. Make of that what you will.
Skinner on the other hand - I remember him as athletic, fine glove and cannon arm - was aged 26! One of the back up catchers that year. Played in 64 games and had a dreadful OPS of 11. That's right: Eleven. One word OPSs are not good. Hard to explain just how bad, but 11 is freaking bad. Worse than replacement player bad. AND THE VERY NEXT YEAR THE YANKS LET HIM PLAY IN 88 GAMES. Skinner would play in 9 MLB seasons to a WAR of 0.0 and a lifetime OPS of 60.
It's not that much of a surprise that Gallo doesn't hit into too many DPs. You can't do that if you strike out all the time.
T'is true Platoni. Hitting into a DP requires the ability to make consistent contact.
No, Firefly. I have an earworm of you ranting against COVID vaccinations.
Not a single time asshole
Sorry, I should refer to you by your title -- Joe Buck's boyfriend.
Bullshit, sock puppeteer.
The As pitcher was afraid of everyone EXCEPT Gallo
Ever closer to the Mendoza Line inches Joey G.
Fear the Sanchez line.
King Kong Gallo. Didn't Kingman hit at least 230 - 240? Did he ever strike out 200 or more times in a season?
Never. Not even once in a sixteen year career.
Dave Kingman was an awful person, despite never striking out 200 times. Was he the first player with 400+ HRs not to go to The Hall?
Patrick Joseph Naughton (born April 16, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). His MLB debut was on August 8. He already has a wiki page, so good on the Angels to seeing to that. I'm not calling him Packy. He make entirely too much money at the league minimum to be called by his grade school nickname.
Times have changed.
Kingman’s worst year for Ks was 1982 when he struck out a whopping 156 times in 607 plate appearances. He hit 37 home runs that year.
ALSO - he rarely hit into DPs - the most in one season was his penultimate year with the A’s when he hit into an astonishing SEVENTEEN.
You could look it up.
He may have been a dick -but he’s always held up as a HR/K statue - a reputation he doesn’t really deserve. We may have to give that honor to Gallo.
Easily.
I don't remember any particular reason why he's known as a jerk. And googling "was dave kingman a jerk" that provides precious little. Bad rap maybe?
https://1059thex.iheart.com/featured/mark-madden/content/2020-11-17-my-dave-kingman-story/
Cole is making monkeys out of these guys. 10k so far.
Can you imagine how Tyler Wade must feel? There’s only one guy in this lineup today with a higher BA (the meaningless statistic) - Judge - and he’s in the bench again.
I can imagine him having a beer or two after the game and wondering WTF? What does a guy have to do?
Where's Miggy these days? I lost track.
Sounds like Gio is heading for the 10 day. Just a guess. Yankees say a couple days, and you know how much we can trust them. It's his hand this time.
And why no Allen? Florial over him because Esty is more a part of future plans?
Wade should be asking for a trade already. This is stupid.
Cole cracking.
But not when he throws the fastball. See ya, Babe Ruth.
So there is an infamous Bill Gallo cartoon that he drew up when Kingman was ahead of Maris to hit past 61 home runs. Kingman got to the point where he would not discuss the record with the press. That triggered Gallo to draw up a press conference where Kingman wouldn't discuss the home runs. Basement Bertha (I'm sure most would remember her) then said "Well, let's discuss your strikeouts then..."
@JM:
August 23, 2021 New York Yankees placed 3B Miguel Andujar on the 60-day injured list. Left wrist sprain.
Ranger, that sounds a lot more like Bill Gallo and the other Knights of the Pressbox were the jerks. Which we all know is true. Because they are small-minded petty fuckers. So that explains that.
Awful steal attempt. Yeesh.
Why is DJ running there?
Thanks for the info, Ranger.
Bill Gallo was an asshole.
Brandon Marsh is exhibit #1 on why the Yankees should continue the facial hair policy.
If I remember correctly, even Maris got sick of talking about the record. I think the pressure relieved him of some of his hair.
Bill Gallo was an asshole. For many, many years.
Can that be right? Cole has thrown 116 pitches?!?!?
Yes, Maris's hair was falling out in clumps. Stress. Happened to my first wife once, too.
Wish we could clone Cole. 15 Ks. He's a serious stopper.
Who the fuck let that happ…
Never mind
JM, I wish we could clone Judge too
Judge seems a bit locked in.
That's right, Dick. And he looks like he feels fine. No high stress pitches to speak of. He could go 135, easy.
I think Cone talked about the one size fits all pitch count. He said it was bullshit, that it's the situations that can make 75 pitches as wearing as 150.
Voit's having a pretty good night.
And that's what matters, not the raw count.
Kay has said on his radio show that Cone is the best baseball analyst in the media, hands down. I agree.
That coming from a guy who’s actually thrown that many pitches - stool, it’s a lot
I meant still, not stool. There’s already too much shit on the team and it has an odor
"Well, they're heading for the exits Jiggs..."
They obviously haven’t been watching the Yankees bullpen this year
Not so fast, El Chapo is rested and ready!
The Master is playing manager. Lasagna only threw 6 pitches. Wants him out there for the 9th. Quotes Joe Madden, "Why search for the ineffective reliever." Sage words from a smart manager.
And of course Flopsweat is warming up, because we are being punished for our years of steadfast fandom.
WTF is Chapman warming for? MUST be just getting his side work in. RIGHT????
To set up the eventual testicle-excoriating walk-off grand slam you just know he wants to give up.
SON OF A BITCH
It’s amazing to me that Chapman has spit the bit so many times this year and Boooooone keeps throwing him out there, yet guys like Wade have to ride the bench in spite of their value to the team
Boone is an idiot.
But Chappie looked very good. All he had to do was stand up straight. Who knew?
@JM
Chappie mentioned in post gamer a few days ago that they looked at video from a few years ago (when he was good) and they saw that. So they made the adjustment.
Bonehead still sucks.
Casshman still sucks.
HAL REALLY still sucks.
But, it was a win.
Yippee Ki Yay, mutherfuckers.
Hrrmm. This of course means that the next game will be especially hellish.
Staring into the gates of hell hellish, if you'll excuse the repetition.
Did I just see that the Yankees recalled Officer Kriske on the scroll at the bottom of the screen, or did I dream that later on tonight and then create a false memory that I had actually seen it for reals, yo?
I'll take one game without soul crushing defeat and maximum agita, whoop whoop!
Sorry I missed it—and particularly you guys, as always.
The magic number is 5!
Damn, I feel triggered. I was sitting in the stadium wearing a Leiter t shirt when a security guard came over and gave me the bad news he was traded for Barfield, right before it got posted on the scoreboard.I was so pissed.
for what?
Joey Gallo currently has a 3.5 WAR for the season which is pretty damned good. I for one hope that we keep him next year, and just SEE. He is a player that the old stats (not denigrating "old stats" because when you know what to look for....) won't, at first glance appreciate.
IMHO, the two positional players who must be moved are Sanchez and Torres, especially Torres. We should get some decent value for him due to his potential (there are always "miracle workers who believe, or can bring him around), but especially because he's cheap. Torres is not a SS, and we have a better second baseman already. It will amaze some (all) of you that the analytics have Odor has an above average second baseman. Obviously DJ will be at second for a few more years, barring injury.
Kevin, you pathetic bullshit artist and worm. Odor has a 2021 defensive WAR of ZERO. His 2020 defensive WAR was MINUS 0.4. You just make shit up to promote your personal faves. You're a fraud and a liar and a moron.
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