Chris Marrero - Age 23 - MLB Service Time 0.033 Years
How He Became A Nat: Drafted 15th overall by the Nats in 2006
The Raw Numbers:
Games - 31
AVG - .248
SLG - .294
oWAR - 0.5
Key Stat: XBH% - 4.6. Not good. The league average was over 7. At a corner infield position, especially First Base, you have to hit more HRs and more 2B. Now, of course this was his introduction to Major League pitching and his 44 XBH at Syracuse show his potential, but his cup of coffee didn't impress many people.
Best Game: Sept 21 against the Phillies. Chris went 2-4 with a double, a walk and 2 runs scored. He helped start an 8th inning 3-run rally that proved to be the difference in the 7-5 win.
Worst Game: Sept 17th vs. the Marlins. A big goose-egg for 5 with 2 Ks in a 13 inning loss. He also left 3 runners on base and his at-bats seemed to get worse as the game wore on. Not a good night in his hometown.
Capball Grade: C- His defense was better than advertised, but that's about all we have good to say about his 31 games. He looked lost at the plate, lacking the ability to really drive the ball to any parts of the park. He doesn't get too much of a markdown because it was his first taste of the majors, but it was still nothing more than average by any standards.
2012 Nats Status: A week ago, this would have been quite different. Heading to spring training to battle Adam LaRoche and hopefully earn the back-up 1B job and a spot off the bench. However with his torn hamstring, it is unlikely he is back before June and it is a real possibility that he never plays again in the Majors. He has a real history with injuries and the nature of hamstring injuries does not bode well for his career. [Ed note. - Does anything good ever happen at winter ball?]
One stat you didn't mention: Marrero had 3 Sac Flys in 31 games. That's the same number as Zim and Nix, more than Bernadina, Ramos, and Ankiel, and only one less than Espinosa, Morse, and Werth. All these guys had at least three times as many ABs as he did. I don't know how many times they batted with a guy on 3rd and less than 2 outs and came up empty, but Marrero did his job in those situations. I think he warrants a C or maybe even a B-.
ReplyDeleteI agree his power leaves much to be desired, but his cup of coffee wasn't all that bad. To give him the same grade as Werth is unfair. (Of course, I think Werth deserved a D at best, given the expectations.)
hitting a long fly ball with RISP is not enough for a first baseman drafted in the first round...
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