Fangraphs: Paul Janish

[weams]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/paul-janish-on-not-hitting/

Paul Janish is your classic good-glove, no-hit infielder. In parts of seven seasons with the Reds, Braves, and currently the Baltimore Orioles, the 32-year-old defensive whiz has slashed .215/.282/.289. Outside of 2010, when he had a .723 OPS and hit five of his seven career home runs, in 200 at bats, Janish has been a non-entity at the dish.

Like most glove-men of his ilk, Janish hit well enough in the minors to reach the big leagues. His bat hasn't translated to the highest level, but success is often a byproduct of extended opportunities, of which he?s received a paucity. It?s a chicken-and-egg dynamic: you need to hit to stay in the lineup, but you need to stay in the lineup to hit.

That isn't to say Janish would be a productive hitter if given a chance to play every day. He might not even be a league-average hitter. Janish realizes that. Even so, he can?t help but wonder if he maybe could have been more than he is: a vacuum cleaner bouncing between Triple-A and a big-league bench, essentially because he's failed to flourish in 1.234 sporatic MLB plate appearances.

[LookitsPuck]

< 1 WAR over 7 major league seasons spanning well over 400 games. In nearly 800 games in the minors his slash line is .255/.339/.360 - .699 OPS. I mean...why even write this article? It's not like he's ever hit well in the minors for an extended period of time. Is the original writer just making a case for no-bat, all-glove infielders? He has a 4.3 dWAR. But if his net WAR is essentially zero (year to year)...I just don't get the point? He's a backup SS option, not a starting SS option. Or a utility guy. That's all I got.

[SteveA]

< 1 WAR over 7 major league seasons spanning well over 400 games. In nearly 800 games in the minors his slash line is .255/.339/.360 - .699 OPS. I mean...why even write this article? It's not like he's ever hit well in the minors for an extended period of time. Is the original writer just making a case for no-bat, all-glove infielders? He has a 4.3 dWAR. But if his net WAR is essentially zero (year to year)...I just don't get the point? He's a backup SS option, not a starting SS option. Or a utility guy. That's all I got.

That was my thought.... Fangraphs actually took the time to write an article about Paul Janish ?!?!?!?

[wildcard]

He will be dropped from the 40 man this off season. His decision will be go to AAA with the O's or try to catch on some where else.

I think the O's may promote Ozzie Martinez to Norfolk SS next year if the O's can re-sign him as a minor league free agent.

[Enjoy Terror]

There's already too much talk on this board about Janish possibly replacing JJ Hardy. It shouldn't have to be said, but I'm glad someone wrote this article for their sake.