50% Rule Hurts Griz Chances for a Good Season

Trades & 50% Rule
Causes Bears Headaches

The Griz were thrilled to acquire players like Alex Gordon, Ryan (no relation) Howard, Dan Uggla, and Vernon Wells.

Gordon was acquired after Block 1 and his former team had used him – amassing 102 ABs and 111 PAs. Gordon had 543 MLB ABs and 584 MLB PAs in 2007 – so we needed to collect an additional 181 PAs to reach the 50% total of 292 and to have the right to keep him after this season. We didn’t use him much in Block 2 because we had had our best ever Block in Block 1 and led the Division for the first time in our league history. So we tried to remain competitive, using Miguel Cabrera at 3B instead of Gordon. With no other trades – we could carry him short without a problem.

However, after falling to a distant 2nd place at the end of Block 2 we had a decision to make. Try to add to our offense or give-up on the season. We traded for Howard, Uggla, & Wells – to add to our offense.

Then we looked at how the new additions had been used by their prior teams. We determined it was time to play guys to reach the 50% usage Rule, even at the cost of being competitive. We did not want to lose someone we were counting on for the future, especially someone we just acquired. So Gordon was assigned full time duty at 3B. (PS We know the rule where we are able to keep 2 players who have not reached the 50% usage rule.)

Howard must have fallen out of favor in Leigh Valley as his 299 PAs indicated his manager liked him and used him. He was just 24 PAs away from qualifying at 50% usage. However, the Griz have other options at 1B/3B/DH and we determined that we had not used Justin Morneau enough prior to Block 3. So using both Morneau and Howard at 1B and DH along with Gordon at 3B meant players like Miguel Cabrera and Kevin Youkilis, who had kept us in the pennant race, would have to sit.

Uggla was acquired after Block 2 and had a carry over usage of just 69 PAs. 281 PAs short of the 350 needed PAs (700 MLB PAs). We figured we probably could not collect the needed 281 PAs over the shorter last 2 Blocks, but we would give it a try. We batted him leadoff and have not taken him out of the line-up. Worst case scenario: Uggla could be one of the 2 players I could claim to keep who did not fulfill their 50% requirement.

Wells came over after Block 2 with 143 PAs – 174 PAs short of 50% usage of his 622 total PAs. However, we had no problem marking Wells a regular in our everyday lineup.

Additionally, we had our own problem spots as well. Like Morneau, Stephen Drew had been used sparingly, as well through the first two Blocks. We installed him as a regular batting him the near the top of the order so he could reach the 50% usage. Thus, we played Block 3 with a bit less competitive line-up and we did not perform. We reached 81 losses and while we have improved our win total over prior seasons, we all know playoff teams cannot lose more than half their games.

Going into Block 4 the following Griz players need:
Uggla to get 117 PAs;
Drew 54 more PAs; and
Wells 15, Gordon 9, and Damian Miller 4.

All Pitchers that have a potential to be kept have bypassed the 50% usage through Block 3, and know I need to monitor potential over usage.

Speaking of over usage – the Griz acquired Rajai Davis who had been used 204 PAs out of a total available 211. Griz management made Davis ineligible, sending him to the minors, however he still was used 10 times to be overused.

OH WELL – WE DO THE BEST WE CAN.
WE WILL ALWAYS GO FOR THE WIN – NO MATTER WHO WE PUT OUT THERE.

GO GRIZ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!