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AssumedPseudonym
Joined: 10/26/2016
Posts: 1129

Deerfield Beach Rats
V.7

Broken Bat Baseball
 Every team seems to have one. That one player who’s not really good enough to be an everyday player, but always seems to do something interesting when he gets playing time. It could be someone who hits .193 and has a RISP of .430 or so, or a pitcher who issues more walks than the rest of the staff combined and still comes out of it with an ERA of 2.06 when it’s all said and done, or even a crummy-fielding backup third baseman who leads the team in errors but never seems to contribute to the unearned run count. That one guy who’s just… well… that one guy who always does something.

 Note that this thread isn’t about superstars, chronic overperformers, or players you wish would do better but always disappoint. This is about that one guy you know you should probably cut, but who keeps doing something just right enough that you can’t pull the trigger, or maybe even don’t want to because he’s grown on you too much despite his obvious flaws. He’s the guy who would probably have a small but fanatically loyal cult following if he was a real life player, and there would undoubtedly be a bobblehead giveaway night for him sometime during the season to commemorate his sheer lolwut factor.

 For the Rats, that player is Adam Crocker. He was only my everyday catcher last season because, as badly as the team was doing, I wanted to give him some time to develop. He did, in a word, poorly. …At least until he got on base. Look at his speed. Then look at his stolen base count. Even his SB/CS ratio isn’t horrible, and was better last season than some of my supposedly faster players. He’ll probably never be my everyday catcher again, but he’ll be backing up Madrigal for the foreseeable future at the very least. And I’ll probably giggle every time I see him show up in the SB column.

 So how ’bout y’all? Who’ve you got hiding on your roster that’s that one guy?

Updated Wednesday, May 23 2018 @ 3:17:43 pm PDT
Cactusguy21
Joined: 07/25/2017
Posts: 815

Presque Isle Vikings
III.4

Broken Bat Baseball
For us, it's Matt Kirkpatrick. When he last started a full season (2033), he won the all-league award for first base. The thing is, I can't think of a worse All-League winning season. He was quite average that year, and his plate discipline is non-existent. The emergence of Jung Hwa Jeong (another free-swinging contact hitter) meant that Kirkpatrick got benched, and has now fallen to third on the depth chart behind rookie Ben Russell. But for some reason we keep him around, probably because I can't bear to get rid of such a decorated player.
Rock777
Joined: 09/21/2014
Posts: 9568

Haverhill Halflings
III.1

Broken Bat Baseball
I don't generally keep guys on the team who aren't platooning on one side or the other. But Kalani Palu is going to be the exception for a couple years at least. Keep trying to train up his Catching ability, and hoping he will someday learn how to swing a bat. Probably should have cut him directly in AAA, but its hard to give up on a 22 year old POT 14 who is allegedly going to become a "great hitter."
Cactusguy21
Joined: 07/25/2017
Posts: 815

Presque Isle Vikings
III.4

Broken Bat Baseball
That guy doesn’t look so bad @Rock, I would start him outright if possible, or at least platoon him, unless you have a lot of good catchers or something.
Rock777
Joined: 09/21/2014
Posts: 9568

Haverhill Halflings
III.1

Broken Bat Baseball
His hitting and his catching ability are both pretty poor. Its a liability to have him on the field. I'll get him into games when I can, but he will cost me games if I put him in right now. My two starting catchers are both much better.
Ced
Joined: 11/07/2014
Posts: 619

Denver Broncos
IV.4

Broken Bat Baseball
http://brokenbat.org/player/83814

Denvy hasn't had a guy like you're describing lately, but Mark Joseph was that one guy. Very memorable player in our franchise in regards to this forum thread anyway.

I finally gave him a full season, and he became an All-Star. I always had better options than him, but he was good whenever he could steal at-bats from others, be it through injuries or slumps.

Bonus, between the numbers tip: He gained 12 SI from age 29 to 31. Uncommon!

Another funny thing, though I don't know if it is about the player from my club, is when you slide That One Guy up the batting order when you gain more confidence in him, and he delivers, it's neat.
amalric7
Joined: 01/20/2016
Posts: 2235

New York Lancers
IV.2

Broken Bat Baseball
This doesn't fit the topic, but if you're gonna have one guy on the team...may as well be the man in black! :)
Alyksandur
Joined: 07/19/2017
Posts: 228

Boca Raton Gryphons
II.2

Broken Bat Baseball
 Actually, besides just Crocker on the Rats, I’ve got Danny Gunn on the ’Gulls. I spent most of the first half of last season about this close to cutting him. He had an ERA of 6-ish at the Break. He also had an 8-4 record, easily the team’s best. He wound up finishing 15-7 from the long relief slot in the bullpen. And he looks to be trying for the same thing again this season, albeit with a better ERA this time around.

Updated Thursday, May 31 2018 @ 10:46:03 pm PDT


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