In article <13664@news.duke.edu> fls@keynes.econ.duke.edu (Forrest Smith) writes: >In article <1993Apr20.165738.16495@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> msilverm@nyx.cs.du.edu (Mike Silverman) writes: >>o any of you experts want to analyze Ron Gant? > >omeone sure needs to analyze him.  Gant is a head case.  In his, what, six or >seven years in the Majors, he's put together a combined total of maybe one >good season?  He lacks self-confidence, but worse, he doesn't really >understand baseball.  Curiously, he seems to perform best when his job >is threatened.  Sit him down for a game, and he might get a hit the next >night.  But let him play, and what is he thinking about?  Getting hits, >driving in runs?  No, he's worried if he's going to get that 30 stolen >bases, or that 100th career home run.  He appears to have no learning curve. >He never figured out how to play third base (what a fiasco).  He still >plays the outfield with his legs.  He's lucky he's so fast, because it enables >him to outrun his mistakes (but, as I suggested earlier in the season, it >looks to me like he's slowing down a little bit, or else every groundskeeper >is watering the infield dirt a little extra). > >Gant has had way too much of a chance already.  He may get hot again for >a couple of months, but he'll always revert to his true level.  Gant's ML record  Age 28 this season.  Year   G   AB     BA   OBP   SLG   HR   SB  CS 1987   21   83  .265  .271  .386    2    4   2 1988  146  563  .259  .317  .439   19   19  10  <-- 3rd Base Expt. year 1989   75  260  .177  .237  .335    9    9   6 1990  152  575  .303  .357  .539   32   33  16 1991  154  561  .251  .338  .496   32   34  15 1992  153  544  .259  .321  .415   17   32  10  In the majors for parts of 6 seasons, total playing time approx 4.5 seasons.  Just looking at his hitting record, he's had 2 seasons of OPS greater than .800, which is pretty good for an OF.  His 1988 season is pretty decent for a rookie 2B.  The move to third base explains a lot of his 1989.  When he returned as an OF, he began hitting again.  And of course, last year he slumped.  But no learning curve?  He has obviously improved his batting eye over the years, as well as his SB/CS ratio.  As to his fielding, he was an infielder when he was drafted, a 2Bman as he came up through the Braves system, and then the Braves put him through 2 position changes in the space of a year.  He's an adequate OF, although not great, and at least some of your perception of his fielding is colored by watching him learn to play the OF at the ML level.  (I know you're another long-term Braves fan :)  About playing 3B...IMO, that's the 2nd most DIFFICULT position to field, after catcher.  At SS or 2B, you need more range and  speed, but at 3B, you've got to have quick reflexes and have  a GUN for an arm.  There are NO second chances at 3B, even when playing sandlot softball!  Granted, I'd still put my best overall infielder at SS, but that's because he gets more chances, not because the job is harder.  It still amazes me that so many teams have tried to convert other position players to 3B.  But maybe that's because the supply of "natural" 3B is scarce.  Finally, Gant is a player who puts pressure on himself to perform well, and works hard to improve.  You don't get those amazingly huge arms on that relatively small body without a lot of weight work.  Now, whether he's been overdoing it these days may be a valid question, as is the question of whether he tries too hard to make something happen during each at-bat. But frankly, if a player is going to not live up to potential, I'd much rather they fail by trying too hard, than by not trying hard enough.  You might be able to teach relaxation to an adult; but at that age I don't believe you can teach hustle.  All that said, I don't think I'd sign Gant to another long-term contract.  He's 28 now, and I think he's free-agent eligible in 2 years, when he'll be 30.  Given his career curve and limitations, I wouldn't expect him to last much past 35 as a ML ballplayer.  He might surprise me here, but Atlanta's got some talent on the farm, and I'd rather take my chances down the road with Nieves et al.