2012 Phillies Player Preview: Brian Schneider
by RememberthePhitans on Feb 20, 2012 2:30 PM EST
in 2012 Player Previews
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PrintI love Brian Schneider. I love him so much that I spent like $50.00 on a brown bag with an autographed ball in it to get an autographed ball raise money for cancer, knowing telepathically that it would be a Brian Schneider ball. See, I didn't want a Cole Hamels or Chase Utley signed ball. And I specifically remember telling my son to throw the ball at the ball girl if it was a Juan Castro ball. But no, the Brian Schneider ball was awesome. Just...awesome... Like Brian is.
A Brian Schneider retrospective follows beyond the link, which I suggest you click, unless you are looking for hardcore analysis that tells you that Schneider is, at 35, going to hit better than he did when he was 34 and had an OPS of .502. That performance with the bat was worse than what Cliff Lee did with the bat. The only thing that prevented Schneider's rWAR from going below -0.7 was his limited number of innings played. But let's accentuate the positive, ok? Besides, he's a backup catcher.
Just pray that Chooch doesn't miss an extended amount of time, and we can just laugh, right? And click the link...
As you can see from this photograph, Brian Schneider is a viking:
via t1.gstatic.com
Vikings, throughout much of history, were winners. So is Brian. He wins. I was too lazy to look up "winz when Brian Schneider starts" but the Phillies were something like 28 - 8 when Schneider started in 2011, which is close to being totally unbeatable in baseball. Assuming, as I always do, that the internet comment thread I read the statistic on is accurate, the Phillies winning percentage with Schneider starting was .777. No, really, .777! That's all 7's! And it repeats infinitely, making an infinite force of 7 power, fueling the Phillies to VICTORY!!! I mean, look at the picture. It's full of win, right?
Schneider is also a bargain, possibly the biggest of all time. If you deconstruct the Phillies' record last year as 28 - 8 with Schneider, it follows that they were 74 - 52 without him -- a .587 winning percentage. That's as tight as any Taco Pal Logic Dome stuff you see around here! They should have been 21 - 15 in games with Schneider, so he single-handedly added 7 WAR for the team in just 36 games! That's MVP stuff, folks.
If he had played 162 games, the Phillies would have gone 126 - 36. If he had played no games, the .587 clip would have resulted in 95 wins. As you can see, Brian Schneider is a 31 WAR player! That's the best season any player has ever had!
At $5 million per WAR, he's worth $155 million, but he agreed to sign for just $800,000.00 for 2012. That's because he's a good teammate and wants the Phillies to be able to pay other players, like Ty Wigginton and Laynce Nix. He knows that they needed jobs, and in a tough economy, everyone has to make sacrifices. Schneider's values remind all of us why we should look to the baseball diamond for moral and spiritual guidance.
He's obviously going to try extra hard this year for a new contract, so expect even bigger things from him. I hope Amaro has the sense to extend him before he hits the market, though. In fairness, it would be hard to justify a $155 million dollar contract, given the luxury tax and everything, but the Phillies should look at just signing over the Comcast money starting in 2015 to Schneider. I mean, he's totally worth it.
In case you forgot, Schneider is a winner:
Of course, someone should crop that guy's khaki shorted butt out of the photo, but we don't get much money for the newsroom operations around here. Brian said he'd send some, though, if he gets a contract extension, because that's the kind of guy he is.
Want more win? How about this:
You may say, "But Brian Schneider wasn't on the Phillies in 2008, and, in fact, he played for the Mets!" You are right, but isn't this one of the most awesome photographs ever? Because it is "awesome" it belongs in the same group as "Brian Schneider." I mean, duh.
Bottom line on Schneider? Whistle as we walk past the graveyard of Chooch's health, and laugh at Schneider's truly awful 2011. Hope he bounces back, or better, hope that Schneider sees no more than 125 plate appearances. I'm sure he's a nice guy and all, but if Chooch misses a substantial amount of time, the Phillies may have to consider looking for help. Going into the season with Schneider as "Plan B" behind the plate makes me a little nervous. Catcher is one of the positions where the backups actually do play some, and it seems that a little less Laynce Nix and a little more anyone else (Travis D'Arnaud? Oh, crap...) might have been a good idea.
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Chooch.
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 20, 2012 2:50 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Awesome. And yet, potential joke killing notwithstanding, I fully expect him to, at 35, hit better than he did at 34. SSS’d FTW, or something.
Rod Barajas would disagree, though only again the Phillies.
by philsandthrills on Feb 20, 2012 3:28 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Even so, he’ll always be a backup C in my mind.
by philsandthrills on Feb 20, 2012 4:28 PM EST up reply actions
What if it HAD been a Juan Castro ball? Then Philly would be known as the town that throws batteries, boos Santa, and whose children attack innocent ball girls.
Monster.
Sometimes you beat the Wood Beast, sometimes the Wood Beast beats you
Why look'st thou so?' -"With my crossbow
I shot the Albatross."
by RememberthePhitans on Feb 20, 2012 3:35 PM EST up reply actions
I was bored enough to look it up. The Phillies were 27-8 in games Schneider started, and 2-4 when he comes off the bench. He is obviously the kiss of death off the bench.
This is funny
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
-Oscar Wilde
Excellent.
He was truly horrible at the plate, but I also am not bothered that he was re-signed. The pitchers seem to like him, and he should hit better this year.
Of course that will likely still mean no better than a low .600s OPS.
-------
Celebrating over 50 years of slightly more Phils wins than losses: 1961-2011
by schmenkman on Feb 20, 2012 5:11 PM EST via mobile reply actions
For $800,000.00, he could be Howard’s training buddy. More than the $800,000.00 is the question of a roster spot.
Why look'st thou so?' -"With my crossbow
I shot the Albatross."
by RememberthePhitans on Feb 20, 2012 5:28 PM EST up reply actions
I believe he got the rehire because of $ (can’t find the penny sign) and the fact he did really well with Worley and KK (more Worley).
"We are the Borg. Resistance is futile."
Yeah, I feel like a major motivation for keeping him around was to continue catching Vanimal.
Fare thee well, JM. In my book, you were the Greatest.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7890127&c_id=mlb
by Missing Jamie Moyer on Feb 20, 2012 11:12 PM EST up reply actions
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
-Oscar Wilde
by VanceinmyPants on Feb 20, 2012 11:53 PM EST reply actions
The Phillies have won five straight NL East titles, but have regressed each season since beating the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series.
OMFG…
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 21, 2012 12:14 AM EST up reply actions
read this version instead, it will make you slightly less pissed off.
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
-Oscar Wilde
by VanceinmyPants on Feb 21, 2012 12:23 AM EST up reply actions
I did a word check, and “regress” is not used in this article.
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
-Oscar Wilde
by VanceinmyPants on Feb 21, 2012 12:25 AM EST up reply actions
No way, man. You already screwed me over once. How do I know I can still trust you?
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 21, 2012 12:28 AM EST up reply actions
You can’t. But remember, I didn’t say you would love it, just said it wouldn’t make quite as mad.
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
-Oscar Wilde
by VanceinmyPants on Feb 21, 2012 12:30 AM EST up reply actions
That is some truly terrible writing. If 102 games is considered regression, than I will take more of that any day of the week.
No wonder people are getting fired from that network. No one has any regard for facts or non-prejudiced headlines.
A tie may be like kissing your sister, but it's better than getting screwed by a skills competition.
or handing over audio tapes that incriminate pedophiles to the proper authorities….
Sid Bream was out, Jeremy Giambi was safe, Pete Rose should be in the Hall, Walter O'Malley shouldn't, and the Expos should be in Montreal.
by Veni Vidi Vici on Feb 21, 2012 1:17 AM EST up reply actions
We can only hit against bad pitching…
by Cole_Hamels_Can on Feb 22, 2012 2:34 PM EST up reply actions
By the way, anyone catch Shane’s Hollywood debut?
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
-Oscar Wilde
by VanceinmyPants on Feb 21, 2012 12:28 AM EST reply actions
Way off topic
But a burning of a Koran has sent Kabul into a small frenzy. Afghan civilians that work on the coalition posts have all left. The Afghan National Army is deserting dozens at a time. Protesters are forming outside of the posts & what appears to be a riot mentality is beginning to form in them.
"Learning to eat soup with a knife"
Interesting:
Domonic Brown is in camp and said today he worked on his hitting with Gary Sheffield during the offseason.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) February 21, 2012
I’m not at peace if I start at triple A," Brown said Tuesday morning. "I’m coming to win a job. I’m fighting to win a job here.
following your previous logic, wouldn’t it be better if Dom thought this to himself, but didn’t say it publicly? Because now if he doesn’t make the team out of ST fans will have more reason (incorrectly) to assume this is a failure.
by Cole_Hamels_Can on Feb 22, 2012 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, probably. Although I don’t hold players to the same standard of media-savviness that I do for the organization. At least not until they’ve been around the block a little.
That makes sense. I wasn’t claiming that Dom was foolish to say that and I agree that I’m excited that he feels confident. I was just saying it might do more harm then good for him sadly if he can’t make the team.
by Cole_Hamels_Can on Feb 22, 2012 2:49 PM EST up reply actions
and so the hero’s quest begins.
Dom Brown is going to tear covers off baseballs this year. #catstradamus
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
I just hope he remembered to work on his fielding!
by taco pal on Feb 21, 2012 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I’d think so: there’s no better fielding mentor than Gary Sheffield
by yolacrary on Feb 21, 2012 12:34 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
me too, but really, when he tears covers is anyone gonna care? I’m guessing no.
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
Always fun to have to move abruptly from “everyone is underrating player X” to “everyone is overrating player X.” Won’t be the first time for us.
yeah, I was reffering to the idiot brigade for the most part. I actually read the comments on the link to the philly.com article above and found it very telling and interesting to see the lack of Dom hate. Amazing what a positive article does for those jabrones…
a lot of “go get em Dom!” “Hope he can live up to his poetential” “Would be great if he can…” stuff as opoosed to the standard “he’s a lazy bum who we should have traded by now” rhetoric.
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
The stuff he said in that article is what a winner would say. He’s showing he can be a Philly guy with a gritty attitude about the game.
/s, but only kinda.
Great use of “jabroni,” by the way.
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 21, 2012 4:14 PM EST up reply actions
I think that’s kind of a misconception though. Being in left means you’re graded on a lower curve. But your grade relative to that curve still matters just as much as it does for any other position.
I won’t argue that, but the bar is lower, so if you can be as useful as Pat the Bat and Rauuul, etc. then if you hit like I think we all believe he can, I won’t worry too much about the occasional weird route and drop. It would be nice if he gets it down and can eventually go back to Right Field if/when Pence leaves, but if he’s mashing, I can live with mediocre defense.
Other than the long throw to 3rd base, is there much practical difference between LF and RF? If you had two corner outfielders, and one had a strong arm and bad range, and the other had tremendous range and a weak arm, wouldn’t you put the first guy in right?
by topherstarr on Feb 22, 2012 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
Theoretically, you always put your strongest arm in RF. In your scenario, the only way I’d do anything other than that is if my CF had limited range as well. If I have a good, fast CF, I go with the arm every time.
There isn’t THAT much difference from a players perspective between LF and RF (and quite frankly, all the talk of Dom “learning” to play LF is a bunch of baloney. Even if he never played there in his life, its basically cutting in the opposite direction on everything, and realizi9ng that a LH hitters ball is going to spin and tail opposite than it will in RF and vice versa. Smoke and mirrors excuses from the FO)
As far as ability goes, you can get away with more mistakes, less speed, and a weaker arm from your LF, because Lf is always “ahead of the play” your throwing ahead of the runner to 3B and home, you have a better visual view of whats going on, etc…
Also, because there are more RH batters facing RH pitchers, you don’t get as many “tailing line drives” in LF, so in theory, more balls are hit with less hook to LF than they are to RF (where, for instance, a LH hitter drives a RH breaking ball or cutter in the gap between RF and CF with oppisite trajectory spin, and the bal gets away from you in the air….)
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
should have also added that, if anything LF is EASIEr to play than RF, so someone who’s played RF their entire career shouldn’t have too difficult a time adjusting to LF. LF to RF is a little tougher.
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
I don’t think anyone disputes that it’s easier in the long run. There could be an initial adjustment period though.
yeah, but its very, very minimal. If you’ve ever tried to write with your opposite hand, unless your ambidextrious is virtually impossible. Its not that kind of L/R switch. It’s a very intuitive switch. Not sure what I’d use for an example….
Maybe switching from an xbox to a playstation? it’s really just learning that the A button is now the X button? takes a few days to get used to it, but after a week or so its the same thing…
probably a bad example…
Anyway, point is in our case, Dom Brown played over 400 games as a professional in RF, and now has about 38 in LF. he’s got the gist. About 150 of those games came at the AAA or MLB level.
It’s one thing to determine that he needs more time to develop defensively, but I don’t buy the “he doesn’t know how to play LF yet arguement. that many fans seem to be screaming.”
The real question should be “How much better can he get DEFENSIVELY playing everyday at AAA vs. every day in Philly” vs. "Is he a liability in LF versus what we’ve put out there for the pasty 10+ years (NO) vs. the other options (debateable).
I’m of the opinion that he’s developed about as much as he can and will at the AAA level and its time to give him his opportunity now, and its up to him to make something of it.
I’m also of the opinion tat the decision of where he starts the year will have everything to do with his bat, and little to do with his glove internally, but will likely have everything to do with his “development as a LF” to the press and fans should he start the year at AAA.
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
I dunno. I guess I don’t have a strong opinion one way or the other what will be better for his defensive development. That’s such a case-specific question. We can have opinions about it, but not really informed opinions.
I also don’t think it’s so obvious that Brown won’t be a liability in LF vs. what we’ve had the past 10 years. His defensive stats were worse than Raul’s last year, and Raul’s stats were arguably the worst of his career.
yeah, but Dom’s defensive stats were better in the minors pre- second half 2011) than they were in the relatively small sample from last year, and they were in RF, not LF, where theoretically he should be better. It’s hard to say until hes got a full season under his belt at the ML level.
Plus, say what you want about development, but trust me, theres a HUGE difference between the way the ball carries to the OF at the ML level vs AA or AAA. thats arguably the biggest adjustment hes gonna have.
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
Attaboy, Dom!
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 21, 2012 12:42 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Victorino apparently didn’t take negotiating lessons from Rollins
Victorino on his own possible upcoming free agency: “I don’t plan on going anywhere else.” #PHILLIES
— Ryan Lawrence (@ryanlawrence21) February 21, 2012
During the first few months of the offseason, one thing I kept writing was that we knew Jimmy’s contract demands were just a negotiating position because “Jimmy is no dummy.”
On Shane’s situation, I have no comment.
scroll down to the vic article…. it’s worth it just to see what they did to his locker….
Guess who else becomes a free agent following this season?
Shane Victorino.
It seems 100 percent of the attention has been on Cole Hamels, but the Phillies’ All-Star centerfielder could walk following the 2012 season, too. Victorino arrived in camp today to a red carpet, director’s chair and lights in front of his locker following last night’s appearance on Hawaii 5-0. (Photo courtesy of Jimmy Rollins.) That’s all fun and games, but here’s some of what Victorino said about his potential free agency.
"You definitely think about it, but you’ve just got to stay focused on what’s ahead of you," he said. "It’s a big year for all of us, not just because of free agency. Getting back to where we need to be is very important. There are a lot of expectations. I don’t want to use the word disappointment, but last year ended so quick. We want to keep this team as long as we can, but there’s a certain point when all that stuff starts coming into play."
Victorino said there haven’t been any contract negotiations yet, but he said he plans on it.
"I don’t plan on going anywhere else," he said.
Victorino said he would "like to stay focused on the season and not worry about that kind of stuff, but you never know what’s going to happen. I never put a time frame on anything, but I just want to stay focused on playing the season out and seeing what happens. We’ll go from there. But I don’t think you should put a time frame on it. But is it going to be a distraction if you’re talking about it during the year? Yeah, I think sometimes it does."
So, much like Hamels, Victorino said he wants to stay in Philly and has no timetable to reach an extension …
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
followed by
“Hey Zo-Zo! check it out! My watch is on that table! Timetable! get it! Hey look… Brown got a mohawk! Hey Dom? Is that itchy? It looks itchy? Wanna go shag some pop ups? I need some gum. Jimmy? You got gum? Later Zo-Zo!”
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
by Joecatz on Feb 21, 2012 4:13 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
F me. I clicked on the article about Brown in the CSN sidebar, not realizing that it was a John Gonzalez special. Stay away, everyone! Don’t click on it!
I could tell just from the title that it was going to be a shitstorm no matter who wrote it..
But now that you’ve already crossed the dark side, care to summarize it? I’m guessing he basically says “No.”
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 21, 2012 8:50 PM EST up reply actions
No, that wouldn’t be his style. It’s just a lot of mealy-mouthed “He keeps saying he’s going to rebound, but will he really? I don’t know, does anyone really believe that? I’m not saying anything, I’m just asking questions…” blah blah blah. Which is typical.
That article sounds interesting. It really does, but is it really? Now, I’m not saying it’s complete horseshit, I wouldn’t say that, I’m just asking questions.
Something like that?
Well done.
Why look'st thou so?' -"With my crossbow
I shot the Albatross."
by RememberthePhitans on Feb 22, 2012 8:09 PM EST up reply actions
Gonzalez is like the embodiment of some of our select pals over at Talking Chop.
by Wet Luzinski on Feb 22, 2012 11:54 PM EST up reply actions
I love that article. It's so funny.
There was another outfielder in the assembly – a large man with a faux hawk. His hands rested on his head and his fingers were interlaced. He seemed at ease. It was the first time in a while that Dom Brown looked comfortable.
“His hands rested on his head.” Get it? Cause he always has his hands to high. LOLOLOL.
He will be average, like Wilson Valdez.
He will be a failure, like Ben Francisco.
Classic
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Celebrating over 50 years of slightly more Phils wins than losses: 1961-2011
Honestly, I figured a guy as clutch as as Francisco to be a Philly.com folk hero. Talk radio callers, at least, were annoyed when he was traded because “he was the only guy who hit in the playoffs.”
by topherstarr on Feb 22, 2012 11:16 AM EST up reply actions
A stopped clock is right twice a day.
Why look'st thou so?' -"With my crossbow
I shot the Albatross."
by RememberthePhitans on Feb 22, 2012 8:10 PM EST up reply actions
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