2K11 Jose Tabata

[Jefe]

2010: 61/4/35/.299/19 (102 games, 441 PAs)

Razzball projections: 90/6/40/.280/40

Bill James: 83/7/52/.287/37

Any chance he tops that, if the Pirates surprise?

[joncarlos]

The Pirates' first 3 hitters should be Tabata, Walker, McCutchen. Alvarez will likely hit cleanup. Walker will regress a bit but Cutch should improve a bit. So there will be plenty of people to drive Tabata in.

However, the Pirates' 7-8-9 hitters will almost definitely be the worst in the NL, so there will be nobody for Tabata to drive in. (Alvarez 4, GJones/Diaz 5, Overbay 6, Chris Snyder 7, Ronny Cedeno 8)

Hurdle says he's going to run a lot, so 40 steals is within reach. He only stole 19 in 405 AB last year but he also stole 25 in 224 AB at AAA, giving him 46 for the year.

Last year Tabata had a 6.3% walk rate, which is actually better than most Pirate leadoff hitters but still not great. But he makes good contact (14.3% K rate) and hits the ball on the ground a lot to use his speed (2.42 G/F, 16% LD rate, 59% GB rate). He hit .299 last year with a .339 BABIP. I know I railed against sustainable BABIPs in the Matt Kemp thread and Tabata has a lot less history than Kemp, but the speed and GB rate should make his BABIP sustainable.

I'd like to see him hit more line drives to make him a more valuable MLB player. But as a fantasy player he'll be just fine with a .290/.345/.410 line as long as it is accompanied by 40+ steals and around 100 runs. I'd still put him under 8 HR and under 50 RBI even if he plays 155 games, though.

[DJBeasties]

The Pirates' first 3 hitters should be Tabata, Walker, McCutchen. Alvarez will likely hit cleanup. Walker will regress a bit but Cutch should improve a bit. So there will be plenty of people to drive Tabata in.

However, the Pirates' 7-8-9 hitters will almost definitely be the worst in the NL, so there will be nobody for Tabata to drive in. (Alvarez 4, GJones/Diaz 5, Overbay 6, Chris Snyder 7, Ronny Cedeno 8)

Hurdle says he's going to run a lot, so 40 steals is within reach. He only stole 19 in 405 AB last year but he also stole 25 in 224 AB at AAA, giving him 46 for the year.

Last year Tabata had a 6.3% walk rate, which is actually better than most Pirate leadoff hitters but still not great. But he makes good contact (14.3% K rate) and hits the ball on the ground a lot to use his speed (2.42 G/F, 16% LD rate, 59% GB rate). He hit .299 last year with a .339 BABIP. I know I railed against sustainable BABIPs in the Matt Kemp thread and Tabata has a lot less history than Kemp, but the speed and GB rate should make his BABIP sustainable.

I'd like to see him hit more line drives to make him a more valuable MLB player. But as a fantasy player he'll be just fine with a .290/.345/.410 line as long as it is accompanied by 40+ steals and around 100 runs. I'd still put him under 8 HR and under 50 RBI even if he plays 155 games, though.

JC, MLB Depth Charts has McCutchen leading off with Tabata hitting 2nd. What are your thoughts on that?

[joncarlos]

JC, MLB Depth Charts has McCutchen leading off with Tabata hitting 2nd. What are your thoughts on that?

Maybe Hurdle said something different recently and I missed it, or maybe they are just speculating. But everything I have seen is that they believe Cutch is their best hitter and should be #3, and Tabata with his wheels should be #1. Walker is the only logical guy to hit 2nd.

[chancellor]

2010: 61/4/35/.299/19 (102 games, 441 PAs)

Razzball projections: 90/6/40/.280/40

Bill James: 83/7/52/.287/37

Any chance he tops that, if the Pirates surprise?

Razzball's projections look on the optimistic, though within reality, to me. 40-45 RBI looks about right with the abysmal bottom of the order the Pirates have.

[willthethrill]

Tabata has bulked up noticeably … and it’s muscle, not fat. “He’s a beast,” one player said, glancing across the clubhouse as Tabata slipped into his workout gear.

“Yeah, I’m bigger,” Tabata said, grinning. “I worked out in the gym every day this winter. I want to be bigger and stronger. This year, my idea is to hit more home runs …

"The power is there,” he said. “I know it is. The ball was jumping off my bat in winter ball.”

Yahoo: http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/blog...fantasy-325536

[joncarlos]

Oh man. Dude, you're a ground ball hitter who can fly. Why? I would seriously mark him down a couple bucks after reading that.

[schlesinj]

Oh man. Dude, you're a ground ball hitter who can fly. Why? I would seriously mark him down a couple bucks after reading that.

Maybe he will have to do push ups after he hit fly balls.

[DJBeasties]

Maybe he will hit the groundballs harder but im not sure that will help.

[joncarlos]

For the first two Grapefruit League games, Jose Tabata has been penciled into the leadoff spot in the lineup.

Last season, in his 101 starts, Tabata batted leadoff 33 times, hit second 66 times and was in the third spot twice. The 33 leadoff appearances came almost exclusively right after Tabata was called up to the Pirates in June.

Manager Clint Hurdle mentioned Saturday there will be some tinkering with the lineup through spring training, but indicated it is a possibility that McCutchen could stay in the No. 3 spot in the order, where he hit the first two Grapefruit League games.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11059...#ixzz1FHk9blx0

[gopper2]

Is G Jones a platoon for Pirates?

I have him in a few leagues and was considering a good source of power for a backup to my first nine.

[joncarlos]

I have him in a few leagues and was considering a good source of power for a backup to my first nine.

Yes, most likely he'll platoon with Matt Diaz in RF. Overbay is slotted as the every day 1B, though he may lose a few ABs to Steve Pearce if he makes the team.

It's all good, though, you don't want Jones facing lefties anyway.