Running Baseball Thread, Part the XII

Other than stolen bases, what exactly does Reyes do that Rollins doesn't do better?

Or is it one of those things that everyone outside of N.Y. just needs to take y'alls word for?

Updated:

Reyes vs. Rollins

AVG: Rollins, .296 to .295
OBP: Reyes, .369 to .343
SLG: Rollins, .525 to .433
OPS: Rollins, .868 to .802
Runs: Rollins, 116 to 100
Hits: Rollins, 170 to 165
2Bs: Rollins, 33 to 28
3Bs: Rollins, 15 to 11
HRs: Rollins, 24 to 10
SBs: Reyes, 72 to 27
Total Bases: Rollins, 305 to 242
Total Bases (with steals added): Rollins, 332 to 314

 

You mean besides play in NY?

 

OK mustard, I was just fooling with you on the Rollins-Reyes issue, but you seem to seriously believe Rollins is superior, so here goes:

No. 1, you're taking those stats right after a particularly bad stretch for Reyes. He's been ahead in batting average and hits for most of the year, which would make those stats look a lot more even.

No. 2, This is the first year that Rollins has shown significantly more power than Reyes. As far as the other categories go, Reyes is faster, has a better arm, generally hits for a higher average, and is a superior defensive player to Rollins.

No. 3, I can't prove this of course, but I'm going to say that if you polled all the GMs in baseball about which SS they would take right now, Rollins or Reyes, the winner would be Reyes. If you disagree with that, you're fooling yourself.

No. 4, the NY hype thing doesn't apply that much to Reyes, who doesn't get near the attention that someone like David Wright gets because of the language barrier. Whatever edge in publicity that he has over Rollins is mostly due to the fact that he's appeared in the postseason. When Rollins gets his team there, give me a call.

Rollins is a terrific player. Reyes is better.

 

Actually, I don't think either one of them is clearly better than the other. I think it's realllllllly close, though, which is how this whole thing started. The truth is, they're called on to do different things, offensively, so it's a little tough to directly compare the two.

And if Reyes' defense is clearly superior to Rollins, he must be awfully damn good. Because Rollins is pretty damn stout there, too.

Finally, Reyes is pretty close right now to his career averages at a quick glance.

 

OK, who's going to hit the walk-off HR for Boston?

 

The argument about this being a particularly bad stretch for Reyes is meaningless. We are talking about where things are now. The numbers are the numbers and both guys have had their rough stretches.

And No. 2, we're talking about this year, so who showed what kind of power in the past is equally as meaningless. And Rollins is on a pace for 29 home runs this year. He had 26 last year. So this is really nothing new for him.

Yes, most GM's would rather have Reyes. He's younger and still getting better.

And if you think Wright gets more hype in New York than Reyes, you have no idea what you are talking about.

 

I wonder if Rollins has the most plate appearances of all players in the 21st century. 700+ a year every year since '01.

 

Or none.

 

He's baaaack!

www.allstarstats.com

 

He's going to pitch against the Mets?

 

I was hoping.

 

OOP, most of what you said isn't worth responding to, but I'll say this. When I said most GMs would take Reyes over Rollins, I wasn't talking about the future, so Reyes' youth isn't a factor. Most GMs would take Reyes over Rollins right now, this minute, for tomorrow's game. Also, if you think Reyes gets more hype than Wright, you're crazy. Check out which one of them has the endorsements, the eligible bachelor coverage, the All-American boy image. The only attention Reyes gets is for what he does on the field. Wright gets far more than that.