Citi Field is Still Standing

I arrived here a short time ago and despite some of the early angst that has set in on the team's struggles, the ballpark is still up. Of course, Daniel Murphy also just missed a fly ball during early work (only kidding - the Marlins are on the field - give him time).

But I'm going to try to talk you all down from the ledge - you've got to make room for the Yankees' fans up there.

Here are the problems and solutions:

Problem 1. David Wright is striking out a lot

Solution: Patience. This has never been a big problem for Wright and as unsightly as the 23 strikeouts in 70 at-bats looks, it's a small sample size and he is still hitting .271, not .171. The odd part of this stat is that he also isn't hitting for power while he's striking out. He's got just one homer and six RBI so far this year, but let's use 2007 as a historical precedent. Wright was homerless in March and April that year, driving in six runs in 24 games and 108 at-bats (with 23 strikeouts, too). He finished the season with 30 homers, 107 RBI, a 325 batting average and a .963 OPS - and a manageable 115 strikeouts.

Problem 2: Daniel Murphy can't play left field

Solution: Patience. Noticing a trend here? Murphy is brutal out there right now - but that's not a surprise. Even when he caught the ball last year he usually took terrible routes to the ball, misjudged plays and somehow wound up with the ball in his glove. This year, not so much. He's working tirelessly and will eventually corral enough fly balls to justify his place in the batting order. What is more troubling are the other parts of his defensive game. He is quick heading to a ball down the line and quick getting it in - but there is the odd cut-off pattern coming to light where Jose Reyes looks like a big brother coming to have the ball handed to him to handle.

Problem 3:Oliver Perez and the uncertain starting pitching.

Solution: Patience. Okay, here you might have patience, but I'm a little panicked. Perez is getting another start, Saturday in Philadelphia. But does his 0.35 ERA against the Phillies last year hold up when he looks as bad as he has looked? Beats me, but the oddity now seems to be the good game. He had one in spring training when the world seemed to be against him and he had one earlier this season against the Brewers. But can you count on time is going to straighten him out? The more I talk about Perez the less I think you should move off the ledge just yet. The real problem is if you move him out - what's next? Tim Redding? He's Tim Redding. Dillon Gee? O-3 with a 5.40 ERA at Buffalo. And you already have a fifth starter type talent in the fifth starter spot.

Comments

[number15]

at the end there it sounded like you were imploring me to jump. i agree with everything you said though. there's no reason to believe that these three things won't correct themselves over time. hopefully it will be sooner rather than later.

[Steve Popper]

Not you in particular, number 15, but I guess that trying to explain Ollie does make the world seem harder to figure than it did on the stat's page or in college philosophy. Hang to the wall for now.