Ho Hum, Another 4 for 4 Day for Puig

Puig homers again (photo:USA Today)

It’s getting ridiculous, this Yasiel Puig.  Forcing me to write another piece on him.  You’d think that a guy breaking into the U.S. baseball scene would want to keep a lower profile.  He can’t though.  Each game he one ups the other with more incredible accomplishment.  Today he raised his average this Spring to .500.  That’s 23 for 46,  Three homers, 13 runs scored, 10 batted in.   He has an unreal 1.294 OPS.  His on base % is less than his batting average at .489.  I’m not sure how that is done, but if someone can do it, it’s Puig, and I’ll trust MLB.com’s stats that are posted.

He was a double short of the cycle, and he just missed that had he hustled out of the box on his third hit of the day.  Yes, the youngster does make mistakes.

So they’re going to send him to AA or AAA ball.  The guy comes in to Spring Training and outplays every player in the game, by far, and it’s not enough.  I understand the thinking.  They don’t want him up in the majors to sit and watch.  His development needs to continue with a number of at bats.

Then again, has he not done enough to supplant a starter?  What if he put up high school phenomenon numbers and hit  something like .700?  Would that be enough?  Was it a foregone conclusion that no matter what Puig did this spring, he would not make the opening day roster?  I almost have to believe that to be the case and the Dodgers simply have no room for him in the starting lineup.

Here we have a player with a rock hard physique.  A perfect physical specimen.  A flashy and exciting player.  A player that hustles and displays his 5 tools repeatedly.  He reports to Spring Training and does all that is asked of him.  He even spends time with the fans and signs for everyone.  Unfortunately, it isn’t enough.  Someone will have to go down with an injury for Puig to take his spot.

This is a great problem to have.

For a complete rundown of Puig and some very interesting quotes on him from Don Mattingly an Ned Colletti, read Eric Stephen’s True Blue LA piece LINKED HERE  with their thoughts following today’s 7-1 Dodger victory over the A’s today.

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It was nice to see Chris Capuano with his first decent outing of the year.  For a man that should be pitching for his life, it looks like he's grasped an understanding of that fact.  Capuano may be the one starter from last year that would best fit in the long reliever mode.  Perhaps used as a spot starter as well, as Jeff Weaver was used in his second stint with the Dodgers a few years back.

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So the Dominican's wouldn't play Hanley at shortstop in WBC competition.  We weren't happy, because we wanted to see him get some work at the position he'll be playing this year.  OK, we can live with him DHing.  At  least he won't get hurt, right?

Thank you Tony Pena for putting him at third base today.  Ramirez jams his thumb diving for a grounder and now who knows how serious this is?  It is reported that his thumb has been placed in a splint for "precautionary measures."

Say, Yasiel?  Have you ever played short?

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Video images from last night above.  Congratulations to the undefeated Dominican Republic for a well deserved WBC Championship!  ¡Santo Domingo!   ¡Hay que lindo!