Walker and Mabry Need to Hit for Power, Too
Not only are the Chicago Cubs not getting the type of power they would have hoped out of Matt Murton, but two other players are falling very short in the power department: Todd Walker and John Mabry.
As valuable as Walker has been -- filling in for Derrek Lee at first base and leading the team with a .368 OBA -- he is falling short of his normal power production. Walker's Slg.% currently stands at .388, 50 points below his career average, despite a batting average (.292) right around his career average (.290). He hasn't had a Slg.% this low since 1997, when he slugged .353 in 156 at-bats for Minnesota as a 24-year-old. Over the prior two seasons for the Cubs, Walker hit a home run once ever 28.5 at-bats. This year, he has 3 home runs in 209 at-bats, or one per 69.7 at-bats. His doubles rate is down 33% from his 2004-05 levels as well. Given that Walker is doing other things well at the plate, it is unclear what has caused his power loss.
Less clear is what has caused -- or, at least, has been a symptom of -- Mabry's power loss. Over his career, Mabry has hit 1.49 groundballs per every flyball. This year, just about everything he is hitting is on the ground. His GB/FB ratio is 2.46. He has hit just 13 flyballs against 32 groundballs in 71 at-bats. As a result, a career .409 Slg.% hitter has been reduced to a .268 Slg.% this year. Brought in to provide a good lefthanded stick off of the bench, Mabry has just 2 extra base hits in 71 at-bats this year. Even Freddie Bynum has twice that many in 59 at-bats. In contrast, Mabry hit 26 doubles and 21 home runs in 486 at-bats for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004-05. When the Cubs signed Mabry, we certainly weren't expecting earth-shattering production, be we also weren't expecting Scott Bullett's 1996 production.
Someone will need to go when Derrek Lee eventually returns. What are the chances that Mabry is the one?
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Power - Wouldn't know it if Baker saw it!
I preface what I am about to write by saying there is a difference between Triple A and the bigs. However, why some players get more than an opportunity and some don't, I will never understand. With the sorrowful lack of power in the whole Cubs organization, Why can't someone give Restovich an opportunity to get some cuts at the Major League level. Any athlete knows that it is easier to perform knowing that a gun isn't at your head ready to go off if you don't get a hit. This is what this guy has had to deal with at the big league level. Every time he goes down and settles in at the Triple A level, he kicks butt. In only 45 games, 163 AB's, he has hit 10HR, 29 RBI's, 103 TB for a .331 batting average. This is even more remarkable knowing that 8 of the 10 HR's are solo shots. He doesn't even get any respect on his team as everyone talks about Felix Pie whose numbers pales in comparison. Comparative speaking, Restovich's numbers would lead the Cubs. Look, all I am saying is he deserves a shot more than some people on the 25 man roster does. It appears that if he is brought up and takes someone's place then the GM and coach looks bad because the players they have placed their bets on have done pitifully.