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Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!water!abgamble
From: abgamble@water.UUCP (abgamble)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: What's wrong with Hubie Brooks?
Message-ID: <182@water.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-Jan-86 15:39:36 EST
Article-I.D.: water.182
Posted: Wed Jan 29 15:39:36 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Jan-86 00:34:47 EST
References: <917@houxa.UUCP> <7783@watrose.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 73

>> <As an Expo fan, I hope you're right. Unfortunatly, I suspect the Expos
>> <won't be able to stay very close this year. Everyone always says that
>> <a team must be "strong up the middle", but look at who the Expos have.
>> <Fitzgerald, Brooks, and Winningham. (That's right, the debris of the Carter
>> <fiasco)  
>> 
>> Wooooaaa!  Wait a minute!  You don't like Brooks?!?  Why on earth not?
>> I'm personally happy the Mets got Carter last year, but I really wish
>> they could have kept Brooks.  (talk about having your cake and
>> eating it, too).  So, if Expo fans aren't happy with him, PLEASE SEND
>> HIM BACK.

Just as soon as you're ready to send Carter back  :-)

> 
>      I speak for most Expos fans when I say that Brooks did an
> admirable job last year...

Unfortunately I think you're right, you do speak for most Expo fans.

>                      ...  Whenever the 'Spos had men in scoring
> position Hubie came through with the clutch hits.  In fact Brooks led
> all NL shortstops in RBI's, and did a reasonable job of fielding his
> position.  If the Expos are to even make a token run at the division,
> then Brooks is one of the keys.

How many NL shortstops had the advantage of batting 4th? Especially
with Raines & Law (great OB averages) leading off. Also, leading NL
shortstops in RBI's is no great claim to fame. As a group, they were
pathetic hitters last year.

As for his fielding, it seemed that every time you turned around Duke
was saying that "Hubie missed that one, but his fielding has been
improving all year". 

Please don't get me wrong though. I don't think Hubie is a really
bad player, I just don't think he's as good as everyone keeps saying.
Moving him to shortstop was a good idea though, since he is an above
average hitter for a shortstop.

>   
>      I think the original criticism refers to Fitzgerald and Winningham.
> Fitz did a mediocre job behind the plate and was battling all season
> to keep his average above the Mendoza line.  

Fitzgerald played hurt most of last year and may improve. He's still
several leagues below Carter.

>      The Winningham situation is a little different.  He did a good job
> for a rookie center fielder, but there is still a lot of room for 
> improvement (Especially in the home run department).  Hopefully he will 
> blossom into another Andre Dawson.

.237 was a good rookie year? Another Andre Dawson? That is incredibly
wishful thinking.

>      The bonus in the Carter deal was Floyd Youmans.  This man can throw the
> baseball.  If what we saw in September was any indication, the Expos
> may still come out ahead on this deal.

I'll agree with you here. Youmans is the only chance for the Expos to 
salvage much out of that trade. He has shown some potential (he reminds me
of a young J.R.Richard) but we'll just have to wait and see how he 
developes. Don't expect too much for the next couple of years.

>                      
>                                Gary.
> 
-- 

                          - Bruce Gamble 
                            ihnp4!watmath!water!abgamble