Just Want to Throw This Out There....

[_amon _ones]

Everyone damns Bonds for how big he got over 15-20 years. David Arias was not a big guy when he debuted either. He may have been a lousy hitter and something clicked in Boston. Or he could have spent the 2002 offseason steroid cycling his ass off, trying to get stronger since the Twins had just cut him. Still, he has a nice swing for Fenway.

I think a lot of it really had to do with not having to worry about playing defense anymore. If you are a poor defensive player, even while playing first base, then that is a worry. But, if you are moved to DH, you don't have to worry about your defense until interleague play.

 

[James]

Ortiz also had so me kind of personal issues when he was in Minnesotta, i cant remeber exactly what it was but dude has some issues.

 

[CornerThree]

I think a lot of it really had to do with not having to worry about playing defense anymore. If you are a poor defensive player, even while playing first base, then that is a worry. But, if you are moved to DH, you don't have to worry about your defense until interleague play.

Actually, I'd heard just the opposite. They say it's very hard for a lot of guys to adjust to not playing defense at all. It's basically just like pinch hitting all the time, some guys are better than that than others. Throughout history, basically Edgar Martinez is one of the few successful DH's. Guys just don't like to do it usually.

 

[_amon _ones]

I agree to some extent. Mike Piazza is a good example of that. He always said he didn't want to DH because it took his head out of the game. His catching just eventually got so poor, that it turned in to his only choice to stay playing because he was such a good hitter.

I just think for guys such as Edgar, Ortiz, and Hafner that their defense was such a liability that not playing a true position is a relief. They just go down to the cages underneath the dugouts and take batting practice in between at bats.

 

[_amon _ones]

Jack Cust is another of these types of all stick no glove players.