From: tchan@ucselx.sdsu.edu (t c)
Subject: Re: Jerald Clark, stinker or stud? (was: Padres mid-season)
Organization: San Diego State University Computing Services
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 23:47:09 GMT

demers@cs.ucsd.edu (David DeMers) writes:

>We can disagree, but I didn't say Ward was a great offensive player,
>just that he can probably out hit Jerald Clark.  He really hasn't
>gotten much of a chance this season, starts one game a week and

Ward had his chance when Riddoch benched Clark.

Clark practically lost his left fielder's job but tehn when he was given
spotted chance to start games he made the best of the opportunity and hit
his way back into the starting line up.  While Ward was playing in Clark
's place he never showed that he is their everyday left fielder otherwise
they would never put Clark back in there.
>pinch hits.  He does draw the occasional walk, which is why his
>OBP is higher than Clark and Azocar (though still
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
oh boy, 0.286-0.282->0.004, well you are right and it IS higher.

>pretty bad, but how does a .180 hitter get a good OBP anyway).

>From today's USATBW: 
>	 BA   OBP  SLG
>Ward:	.188/.286/.282  85 AB
>Clark:  .229/.282/.362 271 AB
>Azocar: .227/.269/.261  88 AB

>As to what took him so long to get to the majors, let me point
>out that he is in the Padre organization, which spent a lot

Ward was bounced arouond the minor leagues his whole career until he
signed with the Padres in winter 1990.  It's the Padres who give him 
the only chance to play in the major.  He was in the Mariners farm system
for some time and never made it consider how bad the Mariners was during
the last several years. He then played in the A's farm system for a year or
two  and was pretty  much going to give up baseball before the Padres finally
give him another chance. 
>of time trying to get Shawn Abner et al. to hit, while never giving
>*any* opportunity to Warren Newson, nor much of one to Shane
>Mack nor Alex Cole, nor Thomas Howard  (who isn't very good
>anyway, but is better than Abner or Clark).  I don't think
>it's Ward's fault.  He's always put up decent minor league
>numbers, though I admit he's not going to be (and never would
>have become) a superstar.  

>The Padres have a competitive team, and can challenge for
>the division title.  They have players at 5 positions who
>are near the best in the league, and Jackson is ok in CF.
>The pitching staff has been disappointing, but is pretty
>decent, really.  If they played Ward/Stephenson instead
>of Clark, it might make 1-2 games difference; that could
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Clark 	WAS  a bad outfielder last season but he had worked very hard
during the winter and had made himself into a very solid outfielder.
A lot of people, including Jerry Coleman; Rick Monday; Riddoch; Letiner
, had praised the improvement in Clark's defensive plays.  Stephenson
has only played the outfield position since this season he was a career
first baseman.  
>be a *big* difference at the end of the season.

>Even Jim Vatcher should be an improvement, though the 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
havn't hear about him or seen his numbers this season, no comment.
>organization seems to be pretty biased against little guys
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
you seem to be pretty biased against Jerald Clark.