Apr 29
Can someone please tell me why this man is still in the Yankees organization? He’s 22 and has been in A-ball for the last 5 seasons. As of yesterday, he’s had 1,927 minor league At Bats and has whiffed in 634 of them – fashioning an OPS of .661 in the process.
Yes, reports say he’s a fine defensive outfielder. But, he cannot hit – at all.
Sure, he was a 3rd round pick (in 2003). And, O.K., some say he’s a hard worker with great tools. Also, I know that he’s a survivor of B-cell lymphoma (a form of bone cancer) which he had in his left ribcage (back in 2003).
But, again, he’s 22-years old and been stuck in A-ball for 5 years because he cannot hit. It’s time to cut the cord, no?
18 Responses to “Tim Battle”
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April 29th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Actually, there’s been some thought to converting him to pitcher but, with Rule V looming, he may not be around after this season anyway.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Leave the poor scrub…I mean guy…alone.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
I don’t think anyone will be taking Tim Battle to make the jump after the season. I’ve been waiting for one of you guys to pick this story up. Any non-statistical scouting reports out there on whether or not this guy has a chance to even make it AAA? He is still 22 after all…a year younger than Eric Duncan and several years younger than Miranda.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Why you would write this is beyond me Steve. Or did the ’staff’ write it?
April 29th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I didn’t even notice the cancer part…that could definitely be a reason…plus he is still young…or maybe he’s a future coaching prospect or Brian Cashman’s nephew haha
April 29th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I don’t know much about how the minor leagues work. But not everyone in the minors is a prospect, right? The Yankees presumably have some reason they want to keep this guy around for now – it may have nothing to do with his prospects as a future major leaguer.
I don’t really care if the Yankees want to keep him around. What harm is it doing? It’s not as if he’s blocking anyone or eating up a lot of salary or a spot on the 40-man roster. If cutting Tim Battle loose wouldn’t make a difference to the present or future major league squad, then I don’t care whether they do or don’t.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
i kind of agree with everyone else, here. what was the point of bashing the guy just for the sake of it? he dump your daughter, or sleep with your wife or something?
April 29th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Anyone who follows the minors knows about Tim Battle. Has all the tools — power, speed, etc. — but has been putrid throughout his minor-league career. Everyone had high hopes for him because of his skill set, but it’s become obvious that he’ll never hit.
He has a cannon arm and people have often talked about the idea of him being converted to a pitcher. I think it started as a joke, but now it has to be seriously considered. He won’t be the first or the last guy with great skill who couldn’t hit a baseball.
April 29th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
If he’s got that kind of an arm then I guess I have to ask: what the hell are they waiting for? He’s shown the can’t hit or advance in the system. Just make him an pitcher already. That’ll either help him progress with his career or hasten his exit.
April 29th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Hey, for me, it’s not personal.
But, to those here taking this as an opportunity to take personal shots at me or my family, well, please read this:
http://tinyurl.com/55jbw8
And, as always, thanks for helping my page view stats with your reading this blog all the time.
Back to Battle, why? Simple: I just got my recent print edition of BBA in the mail and it had the Yankees organizational stats – which I always read, even if they’re dated.
And, when I saw Battle’s name, and stats, I thought “Why is he still with the team?” And, hence, this post.
April 29th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Hey Steve, I called him Brian Cashman’s nephew so I get extra points for that right?
April 29th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
But, to those here taking this as an opportunity to take personal shots at me or my family, well, please read this:
——
I would hope no one would ever take a baseball conversation as a chance to attack you or your family, but I didn’t see anyone do that here.
April 29th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Someone mentioned jokingly if he had slept with Steve’s wife…which I’m sure Steve feels was out of line…..
April 29th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Back to the topic of baseball…Anybody hear anything at all about CJ Henry?
April 29th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Yes, reports say he’s a fine defensive outfielder. But, he cannot hit – at all.
———-
Then I guess he’s projected to be a 5th OF (if that), with some pinch running thrown in.
I do suspect that he’s being kept around because he’s a “good guy.” Or he’s just a warm body on the roster.
The pitching angle’s intriguing, I must say. It couldn’t hurt. I’ve always felt that a team should get as much use from a player as they possibly can, and barring injury, all positional options should be considered.
April 29th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Is there health coverage at that level? It’s possible that they keep him on the roster so he can retain the insurance. It wouldn’t be the first time there was an arrangement like that.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:38 am
I read somewhere at one point that Josue Calzado was another candidate to be turned into a pitcher. It’s worked so far with Mike Dunn. Might as well try it out.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
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