Earlier today it was reported that Luke Scott and the Rays have agreed on a 1-year contract with an option for 2013. According to Scott the contract includes some incentives and he expects to be the teams DH. He only played in 64 games in 2011 and struggled as he tried to play through a shoulder injury by hitting .220/.301/.402 with 9 HR in 236 PA.. He had season ending shoulder surgery in July and anticipates that he will be ready for Spring Training.
Scott has a career OPS of .843 and a lifetime slash line of .264/.349/.494. In his career he has been very effective versus right handed pitching with an OPS of .859 (.271/.357/.501) while being adequate versus left handed pitching with an OPS of .787 (.240/.318/.469). His most productive season came in 2010 when he posted an OPS of .902 by hitting .284/.368/.535 with 27 HR.
The numbers for Luke Scott are impressive but there are some numbers that could be concerning such as his home and away splits and his performance at Tropicana Field.
Do any of these numbers concern you?
0 recs | 77 comments
is he borderline racist?
i’m serious
Kyungduck - January 11, 2012
Depends.
I’m inclined to think so, but the players on the Orioles downplayed it.
mr. maniac - January 11, 2012
imagine what a fiasco it'd be if there was a race war going on in the locker room..
pudieron89 - January 11, 2012
Luke has no issue with the Asians.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
Buzz kill
playjoyce - January 11, 2012 via mobile
What's his GB/FB ratio on balls in play?
Also, for those of you clamoring for Pena, I would anticipate Scott having a better bat: Again, if protection for Longo is the idea.
playjoyce - January 11, 2012 via mobile
There is no such thing as protection.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
+1
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
I agree protection is not real. Its been proven not toThat is why the logic in bringing Pena back is flawed.
Kotchman was more valuable than Pena last year, yet for some reason he is being pushed as an upgrade over Kotch because of the HR threat.
playjoyce - January 11, 2012 via mobile
yep
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
Good point.
But when projecting forward, it’s best not to just rely on one year of data. If I had to pick who I think will have the better year in 2012, I’d definitely pick Pena, even though he is so much older.
Steve Slowinski - January 11, 2012
It's the eyes man! :)
playjoyce - January 12, 2012
Concerns
We had him in Houston for a few years, and he could not be more useless with a glove on his hand. I prefer Damon.
cocanat - January 11, 2012
DH doesn't require a glove
and the Astros only gave up Jeroime Robertson for him:
http://tribetalk365.blogspot.com/2010/11/great-scott-really-but-robertson-had-15.html
MrNegative1 - January 11, 2012
FG has him as a positive fielder every season he played with the Astros.
SandalsNoPants - January 11, 2012
In 2010, it appears that the issue was BABIP.
And he even hit a greater percentage on line drives on the road.
mr. maniac - January 11, 2012
An interesting thing is that from 2008-2010 he has had a much better K/BB ratio at hom than away.
2008 Home: K/BB 32/45
2008 Away: 21/57
2009 Home: 33/45
2009 Away: 22/59
2010 Home: 33/45
2010 Away: 26/53
Total Home: 98/135
Total Away: 69/169
So maybe it is the comfort of playing with a home crowd?
And wow is he consistent in those numbers.
mr. maniac - January 11, 2012
Wow. There isn't much deviation there at all.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
A home/road platoon is in order
Ben Tumbling - January 11, 2012
Don't tempt Maddon
Barnacles - January 11, 2012
DHs better on turf
pudieron89 - January 11, 2012
Doesn't BJ hit better at Camden too? Maybe he simply picks up the ball better there.
That could be concerning.
playjoyce - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Like 99% of ball players hit better at Camden than at the Trop
It’s been shown that park factors extend to things like K/BB rate (perhaps for mental reasons?)
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
Yup, this was my main thought when looking at his splits.
Between that and the steady home/away BABIP difference, it just seems like he gets off his game on the road — his plate discipline sours and he doesn’t make as solid contact. I’ve got to imagine that’s more just a comfort thing than tied to any particular park.
Steve Slowinski - January 11, 2012
Why be concerned?
If he is slotted as the DH, it’s not like we are used to getting any sort of production from the DH spot.
raysbucsbolts1 - January 11, 2012
This is awful logic
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
The torn labrum on his right shoulder would be my biggest concern.
That is his lead shoulder for power as a LH’er hitter. While the recovery time is usually 6 months, the same surgery seemed to bother Upton the entire 2009 season(he had his surgery done in November)
budman3 - January 11, 2012
good point
I’ve seen Hafner and Upton both struggle coming back from shoulder issues.
MrNegative1 - January 11, 2012
In unrelated news, Travis Hafner found to be made entirely of glass.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
both were off-season jobs
in fact, just about everyone who has had that surgery did it in the off-season (Shawn Green, Adam LaRoche). At least Scott was smart enough to call it a year in July and get it done then.
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
So with a full year needed to get back to normal, should we expect Scott to struggle until July?
budman3 - January 12, 2012
Have to trust the medical team here
Our guy did the surgery so he knows the story and the surgery was 6 months ago. If this was off-season as Upton had before 09, I’d be more worried.
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
Johnny Damon popping off at the mouth.
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/content/johnny-damon-its-unhappy-day
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
"Didn’t realize the DH and 1B brought the offense down. Thought we would’ve had an offer.’’
AF seems to think it did.
Which is why I don’t see Kotchman or Pena returning either, especially at what they may cost.
Kotchman should be able to pull a 2 year deal and Pena is likely to get at least 6-7 million, IMO.
budman3 - January 11, 2012
Yikes
Did he mean “we” as in he and Kotch? Looked that way in the context of his quote.
Ben Tumbling - January 11, 2012
Sounds that way.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
We've said here many times
If it were those two they wanted back, it would have happened already. They do not appear to be primary options.
Scott, even with the bad shoulder numbers last year, has a higher wOBA & wRC+ than Damon over the past three seasons. When you see a chance to improve your ball club, you take it.
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
It's a shame he's not realizing that.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
True colors shining through?
I saw nothing but professionalism from him up close this season but this was not the road less traveled tonight.
This is a business; you are not kept until you are ready to leave. I want my business to field the best talent possible and if you have a chance to get younger AND better in the same move, you do it.
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
Players being upset that they are not on the Rays is a compliment to the franchise
Damon obviously wanted to play here, I don’t see it as unprofessional to be a little sore over not being asked back.
peteypab - January 11, 2012
I think him blaming the offense not being elite on the SS and C positions was unprofessional
benderbrodriguez - January 12, 2012
His agent is Scott Boras too
There’s a reason he’s jobless at this point in the season
Transplanted - January 11, 2012
It has almost zero to do with Boras being his agent, and lots more to do with the fact that he's old and not that good
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
wow
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
you mean its possible the rays can find an upgrade on a 38 yr old DH?
I, too, share in your disgust, johnny come lately. And well played with the attendance jab. Your original wit is only surpassed by your baseball acumen. They are a bunch of trolls, but what do you expect from a bunch of, well we can’t say it, but perhaps your replacement can. I hear he’s racist. He doesn’t have any class like you do.
raysfaninminnesota - January 11, 2012 via mobile
So...
Damon is mad because AF is trying to improve his team? Right…
Roy J - January 11, 2012
Apparently he doesn't see the logic behind that.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
That's cute
Coming from the guy who left the Red Sox for the Yankees.
fsucb - January 11, 2012 via mobile
lol
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
furthermore
http://www.foxsportsflorida.com/01/11/12/Damons-future-in-question-as-Rays-sign-S/landing_rays.html?blockID=644282&feedID=3720
FreeZorilla - January 11, 2012
wowwwww what a dick move
“Yes I’ll blame the two most defensively minded positions for being bad at hitting because the two most offensively minded were merely mediocre”
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
He has certainly made no friends this evening.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
There goes all the nice thoughts we had about his personality.
mr. maniac - January 11, 2012
Our DH's had the 5th worst OPS last season at .744
If team brought in Abreu over him, he could go off. Sorry, Johnny, but the club just improved.
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
And that's the best part about this club.
If it can be improved, your household name doesn’t keep you here.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
and if fans are going to stay away because of the name on the back of the jersey rather than the one on the front?
That’s their major malfunction.
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
I'd prefer the fan who doesn't cheer for the name on the front just stay home.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
I wouldn't
Sales are sales
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
Seriously though, the Rays keep their stars long enough.
The only player traded “early” was Garza.
mr. maniac - January 11, 2012
An argument could be made that Kaz also falls in this boat given that he was performing at the time, but DAMN that's a good trade in hindsight
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
He wasn't really performing at the time.
Sure, he went on a little hot streak for the Angels. But he wasn’t performing with the Rays.
mr. maniac - January 12, 2012
instead of grateful for the opportunity for one more year in the sun
He wants to be angry at them because no one else will give him a full time job. But he could say, and has over his career, that he has the choice to sign with whoever he wants whenever he wants. Well ain’t this a kick in the scrotum…
raysfaninminnesota - January 11, 2012 via mobile
BREAKING:
We will not be taking out an add in the TBT to thank Damon for his time here
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
Please refund me my paypal donation.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
lol
benderbrodriguez - January 11, 2012
We hardly knew ya JD
Baseball 101: The players chase the money and the fans and mgt. chase the stats.
just_another_handle - January 11, 2012
nice job, ramedy
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
Which one is Ramedy?
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
that's the twitter handle
I thought he posted as that here as well….can’t keep track of everyone
Jason Collette - January 11, 2012
Oh, ok. Didn't know if he posted here under something else.
Hatfield - January 11, 2012
he defs used to.
rglass44 - January 12, 2012
Vest? It should've refunded the Rays money
Transplanted - January 11, 2012
Damon's comments don't bother me
I think it’s kind of neat that he’s feeling emotional about, essentially, being fired. How many other ballplayers — particularly ones as mercenary as Johnny Damon has been over his career — are truly sad when their sixth employer doesn’t want them back?
AndrewTorrez - January 11, 2012
I agree completely
Damon is just upset about being fired, let the guy vent a little. I wish him well except in situations that would negatively affect the Rays.
peteypab - January 11, 2012
He can vent.
We’ll just like him less for it.
mr. maniac - January 12, 2012
I love this signing
If Scott didn’t have that down year last year he probably would have been too rich for us or BAL just would have kept him. From 08-10 he was a beast and with our own medical director doing the surgury on his shoulder I’m confident that the Rays have done their homework on his injury issue. He had a bad year last year but he only had one shoulder to swing with. Great move for the Rays.
JoeMasGlasses - January 11, 2012
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