Fred Lewis: This Year's Sheffield But Better
by James Kannengieser on Mar 12, 2010 11:00 AM EST
24 comments
In a recent online chat, CSNBayArea's Mychael Urban gave a shout-out to SB Nation blogs Athletics Nation and McCovey Chronicles, and also predicted that 29 year-old Giants outfielder Fred Lewis would be "cut loose near the end of camp". If this happens, the Mets should try to sign him, much like they did when Gary Sheffield became available just before Opening Day 2009.
Lewis is a lefty-hitting corner outfielder with a career wOBA of .343 in 1048 plate appearances. Projections peg him at something around a .330-.340 wOBA, or slightly above average. He's also a plus defender in the corner outfield spots, per all the defensive metrics. This is an overall league average performer who would be manning the Mets' fifth outfielder spot (and is probably better than the current third and fourth outfielders).
Lewis is out of options and wouldn't cost anything. Based on this post at McCovey Chronicles, it seems he might be the Angel Pagan of the Giants, at least in the average fan's view:
The haters chime in here, saying things like "Lewis drives me nuts when he plays the outfield! He takes weird routes! He makes stupid baserunning mistakes! He just isn’t a heady baseball player!" I can see your point. I disagree with the premise that it adds up to Lewis being a below-average player, but I can see how he’s a frustrating player to watch.
Sounds like the type of player Brian Sabean wants no part of, much to the chagrin of MCC but potentially to the delight of Amazin' Avenue. Production trumps (almost) everything, and Met fans should be happy to endure the occasional baserunning blunder in return for a 1-2 win player being paid peanuts.
If the season began today, emerging cult hero Chris "The Animal" Carter would be worthy of a spot on the big-league bench. However, if Lewis is jettisoned by the San Francisco brain trust and signed by the Mets, Carter would rightfully start the season at AAA. This situation should be monitored and let's hope for a subpar March performance from Lewis.
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I didn't realize Lewis fell so far,
He was pretty well liked by writers and the average fan when he took over for Bonds with a good number arguing that he represented a significant improvement. Anyways, signing him would be a solid, smart move.
If that means we get rid of GMJ
sign me up!
If there's ever a riot at Citi Field and Oliver Perez was the starter, I started the riot.
Similarly
hoping Mejia doesn’t do so well for the rest of his spring outings so Jerry can contain himself.
Trying to believe is my full-time occupation.
Won't happen. One word why...
…and that word is FRENCHY!
Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the street: wheredotheygo?!?!?
I wish I were kidding.
Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the street: wheredotheygo?!?!?
I'd pass on Lewis.
I’d rather see either Carter or Pridie filling out the roster, as each of them have the potential to add a specific strength to the bench. If the Mets are going to use up a 40 man spot on a guy that gets waived, I’d have to think there would be some more intersting pitching options that become available.
Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?
Carter or Pridie have a chance to add a strength to the bench.
but Lewis actually has the all-around skill set to be a quality starting outfield option, which Carter might also have but it seems like Lewis has more. Pridie is almost certainly never going to more than a defensive sub, but Lewis is a lot like Angel Pagan and could be a cheap league average starter.
"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'
it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.
I don't think the Pagan comp is a good one at all.
Pagan rates as a better defender by both metrics (+/- is a pretty big gap), and he really wasn’t considered a viable starting candidate until he had a good year with the bat last year (while Lewis’s bat has been steadily declining).
Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?
I'd love to have him.
I think he’d be a Marcus Thames-type.
Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the street: wheredotheygo?!?!?
They're pretty different.
Offensively they’re not even close to similar: .277/.355/.420 Lewis career vs. 243/.306/.491 for Thames.
ain't had enough...
Lewis >>>>>>>> GMJ
"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.
by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Mar 12, 2010 1:27 PM EST reply actions
As a "costs nothing" acquisition, whatever.
But I’d be hard-pressed to compare Lewis to Sheff, largely because Lewis has never been known to hit for power. The lack of slugging hurt the Mets last year as much as any other offensive problem, and Lewis’s bat is really Luis Castillo with a little more pop. If he matched Sheff’s 10 HRs in 2009, it would be Lewis’s career high.
He’d be a nice addition (especially for the defense), but Lewis isn’t worth making any crazy acquisitions to acquire his services.
He's not really a plus defender though.
UZR only has him as above average in left, and +/- has him as about average across the board.
Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?
"only has him as above average in left"
You’re really using 111 innings in CF and 223.2 in RF (compared to 1628 in LF) to claim that he’s not a plus defender? His overall UZR/150 in the OF is +4.8. Plus/Minus has him at +7 for his career overall, and UZR says +6.7. They rate him near identically.
by James Kannengieser on Mar 12, 2010 2:18 PM EST up reply actions
Those numbers are backing up exactly the point I was trying to make.
He might be a slightly above average defensive corner outfielder, but he’s hardly a real plus defender compared to what we already have (and there really isn’t any reason to think he’d be decent in center, so he’s really not that versatile). We have two guys in Francoeur and Pagan already who could reasonably be expected to be just as good (if not much better in Pagans case) in the corners, as well as guys like Martinez and Evans that could be in the discussion as well. When Beltran comes back Lewis likely would not even be included in our best defensive outfield late in games.
Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?
Tatis probably deserves a mention there as well as slightly above average.
Carter’s minor league numbers would indicate he could be included as well.
Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?
The Sheffield comparison
Had to do with a player who became (will become) available around Opening Day and less to do with a comparing their skill sets. It’s pretty obvious they’re not similar players.
by James Kannengieser on Mar 12, 2010 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
i'd love this move
but doubt it will happen for a couple of reasons. 1, GMJ has been raking and seeing how omar/jerry seem to want him to win a spot on the team, there’s no chance they’ll overlook his performance and bring in someone else. and 2, i’d have a really hard time believing that if sabean did decide to cut abit on lewis, he couldn’t trade for at least something from someone out there, there are just too many smart GM’s to let that one slip by.
as far as his value to the mets, i’d compare him to a john maine type acquisition. will he be out of this world? no but for nearly nothing will he often perform above league average w/ the chance for more if the stars align? definitely. and as far as his profile, the pagan comp is perfect, very similar skill set, varying degrees of performance so far but they can very easily be the same player.
i knew this sounded familiar
from my offseason plan post, under the 4th OF option:
“Off a down year I’d see if we could nab Fred Lewis for cheap.”
by Rob Castellano on Mar 12, 2010 2:57 PM EST up reply actions
Lewis is obviously better than
GMJR., but that doesn’t say much. And he strikes out a ton for a guy that doesn’t provide much pop. If it came down to him or Carter on the roster, I’d take Carter.
He'd instantly be the third-best outfielder on the team
Yet I don’t think he’s the type of player Minaya would want.
Aaron King is still my homeboy... iffy mechanics and all
McFAQ for all you newcomers out there.
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