Projo Fantasy Sports Blog

By Michael Salfino

Ryan Howard has turned from league MVP to Dave Kingman - the epitome of a one-dimensional player. But he's not alone among players who do one thing really well and not much else.

Put Kingman in the run-scoring environment that Howard currently enjoys for Kingman's whole career and "Sky King" hits 509 homers with a .257 career average. Put Howard in, say, Shea Stadium in the NL, circa the late 1970s, and his power numbers mirror Kingman's, though Howard adds value with his healthy walk total (except he's more sloth-like on the bases).

Howard barely is slugging .500 with his 17 doubles this year and is on pace to strike out more than 200 times; Kingman never topped 156. They're both hacks in the field, as Howard has already committed 15 errors at first base. Kingman at least could play (okay, "man") third and a corner OF.

The Phillies should make the Kingman comparison when Howard again takes them to arbitration (he won $10 million last year when the Phillies offered $7 million). Times have changed, though, as Kingman was regarded as a circus act back then and Howard is viewed today as a perennial MVP candidate.

Here are the other players this year who do one thing well and not much else.

Cristian Guzman is hitting about .300 but has only 19 walks. He's also punch-and-judy with the .100 isolated slugging (minus batting average). To be fair, according to Baseball Info Solutions video scouts, Guzman is plus-eight (plays made versus the average shortstop), eighth-best at the position.

Willy Taveras has 61 steals and only 7 caughts, but he's slugging .311 despite getting half his games at Coors. And you can't be a table setter with a .315 on-base percentage.

One-trick pony pitchers include Carlos Silva, who has great control when it comes to putting the ball exactly where hitters want it. Yes, the 26 walks in 140 innings are nice, but 191 hits? His 6.36 ERA shows he's earned every bit of that 4-14 record (but not the four-year, $48 million contract).

The numbers say Ubaldo Jimenez is one-dimensional with that fastest fastball (94.8 mph on average, tops for starters) and lagging results. And you can't blame Coors, as his ERA there (3.31) is much better than on the road (4.77). Maybe the glass is half full with him. But given that he's second (to Barry Zito, a no-trick pony) in walks, I'd say it's more likely half empty.

Matt Lindstrom gets noticed for averaging a blistering 97 mph with his heater while striking out less than a batter and allowing more than a hit per inning. Remember, these benchmarks are about 30 percent easier for relievers to attain.

It's much harder in this offensive era for players to make a living with their glove. That's never the plan today.

But Jack Wilson (plus-12 at short) is a void (.315 on-base, .350 slugging) with the stick.

Carlos Gomez is a sick plus-26 defending center for the Twins, but "worthless" is too kind a word to describe his offensive game.

Second baseman Adam Kennedy (plus-18) and catcher Jose Molina (30 caughts in 67 stolen-base attempts versus him) would play every day if they could even hit a little bit - but they can't.

Now let's make some related recommendations.

Buy

Nelson Cruz, OF, Rangers: Maybe he's an AAAA player, but .342/.429/.695 has to adjust somewhat (37 homers in 388 Triple-A at bats). Last chance for major-league romance for Cruz.

Hold

David Bush, P, Brewers: He's allowed fewer base runners per inning than Brandon Webb. But he always seems to be unlucky - this year it's homers (22). He's frustrating enough to have gotten shipped out of the rotation on the heels of a 13-K start. He's back there now, but would be an awesome closer if anyone would think outside the box.

Clay Buchholz, P, Red Sox: He's back in the minors indefinitely. But still consider him a top prospect. The fastball was 95 mph again Tuesday night in Double-A. But he somehow managed to allow four runs in six innings even there (0 walks, 8 Ks).

Luis Ayala, P, Mets: AKA, "the devil you don't know" in the Mets' pen right now. Except he bedeviled the Nationals before transferring to Shea. The cynic says he's gotten worse three years in a row and has middling (at best) stuff. The optimist notes opportunity is the biggest key to getting saves.

Sell

Coco Crisp, OF, Red Sox: Boston went fishing for some waiver-wire help after J.D. Drew went down with his herniated disc. Crisp is a great fielder, but the stick is too weak for a corner spot and the Red Sox have center covered with Jacoby Ellsbury.

Daniel Cabrera, P, Orioles: He's "no trick" now, too, as the fastball has gone from first-rate to just decent (92.8 mph on average). He's scheduled for an MRI on his elbow and has refused to discuss his health with reporters. Even when his stuff was dominating, Cabrera consistently disappointed.

 Tags  Adam Kennedy baseball Baseball by the Numbers Carlos Gomez Carlos Silva Clay Buchholz Coco Crisp Cristian Guzman Daniel Cabrera Dave Bush Jack Wilson Jose Molina Luis Ayala Mat Lindstrom Michael Salfino Nelson Cruz Ryan Howard Ubaldo Jimenez Willy Taveras

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