Splitting the Spring
 Mark Trumbo led the Angels with six homers in spring training. |
Hope springs eternal, so in the spring hope is eternal for the fans of thirty major league baseball clubs.
Some tend to take spring training stats as an accurate barometer of what will happen during the regular season. There’s no relationship, of course, between the spring and the subsequent 162-game schedule. In the early weeks, veterans play only a couple innings and focus on shaking out the rust. The late innings of spring games are filled with minor leaguers, and the lineups in some road games feature mostly names that only a Baseball America reader might recognize. And the thin dry Arizona air causes fly balls to carry further.
If anything can be gleaned from spring training stats, it might be in the last two weeks, when veterans play more and major league pitchers throw the bulk of innings.
With that thought in mind, here’s a look at what certain Angels players and prospects did in spring training overall, and within the last two weeks.
Mark Trumbo — Mark was the camp sensation, leading the Angels with six homers. A groin pull on March 16 cost him a couple games, but he was back in the lineup on March 22. Mark’s AVG/OBP/SLG overall were .297/.316/.662. But if you look at his numbers starting with his March 15 game, he hit .226/.250/.548 in 31 at-bats. He had ten strikeouts and walked once. Kendrys Morales will open the season on the disabled list, so Mark will play first base most nights.
Brandon Wood — A one-time top prospect who, if he were a cat, would be on his ninth life, Brandon came into spring with little expectation that he’d be on the Angels’ roster come Opening Day. His overall spring numbers were .242/.286/.530. But March 15 and later, Woody was .333/.412/.800 in 30 at-bats. He had seven strikeouts and three walks. Brandon made the Opening Day roster.
Jeff Mathis — Jeff is another Angel whose career so far has failed to live up to expectations. As an example of how meaningless are spring stats, in 2009 he had a spring line of .340/.429/.717 (53 AB), but in the regular season hit .211/.288/.308. This spring, Matty hit .391/.429/.522 (46 AB); since March 15, it was .440/.481/.600 (25 AB).
Howie Kendrick — In his minor league days, some suggested that Howie might win a batting title some day. By that measure, his career so far has been a disappointment, with a line of .295/.327/.425. In spring 2011, his overall numbers were .364/.413/.439 (66 AB). On/after March 15, his numbers were .361/.390/.472 (36 AB).
Erick Aybar — Nagging injuries and a bad plate approach plummeted Aybar’s 2010 numbers to .253/.306/.330. This spring, overall he’s .317/.359/.417 (60 AB). On/after March 15, he was .333/.394/.467 (30 AB).
Peter Bourjos — The words “Gold Glove” seem to have attached themselves to Pete’s outfield defense, but the question is will he hit enough to justify an every-day spot in the linup? In 2010, he hit .204/.237/.381 (181 AB) in his rookie season. This spring, he hit .364/.471/.564 (55 AB). On/after March 15, Pete hit .400/.514/.700 (30 AB). The Angels will gladly take a high OBP out of Bourjos and put him in the leadoff spot.
FutureAngels.com 