Archive for the ‘Anthony Rizzo’ Category

Anthony Rizzo Powers Through Calls for Demotion

Posted by Scott Lewis under Analysis, Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs on Apr 29, 2013

Chicago Cubs v Milwaukee Brewers

If we look back at any of the wealth of preseason projections and informed fantasy themed predictions on Anthony Rizzo, they all sing a similar refrain: expect an impact hitter.

ZiPS projected the 23-year old Chicago Cubs first baseman to hit .279/.349/.503 (.362 wOBA), with 31 home runs. While the returns on the power numbers have been impressive, Rizzo has seen his K% take a sharp spike upwards to 26.5% in the first month of the 2013 season. The increase in strikeouts and some early contact issues have rendered a .211/.304/.511 (.353 wOBA) in 102 plate appearances.

Sample size? Sample size.

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Projecting Anthony Rizzo

Posted by Drew Fairservice under Anthony Rizzo, Projections on Jan 16, 2013

In part three of what already exceeded even the wildest of expectations, the curious eye of Getting Blanked looks at the projections for young studs from around the baseball world. Today, Anthony Rizzo.

Do you know how good Anthony Rizzo is? If you do, please let me in on your secrets. Anthony Rizzo looks good and his stat lines look good, too. He remains a mere first baseman. Lots of people can put up okay numbers at first. Can Anthony Rizzo ever become a first baseman of the Prince Fielder/Albert Pujols “larger than life wOBA” mould?

Rizzo finally made his Cubs début in June after the Cubs kept his service time in check, starring for the awful Cubs to the tune of a .349 wOBA with 15 home runs. Good numbers but his 116 wRC+ ranks him 15th among first basemen with 350 PAs, behind Brandon Belt and narrowly ahead of player like Freeman and Mark Teixeira.

So he’s good but not great? Is that fair to say? Keith Law likes Rizzo in 2013, ranking him ahead of the more established Freddie Freeman and the more hyped Eric Hosmer in his top 25 under 25 listicle. Do the projection systems agree?

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