Say Hi to Matt Joyce, Your New Right Field WAR-lord

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 2, 2009 10:49 PM EDT

Matt Joyce is going to be a fantastic hitter one day soon.

When I wrote that I didn't think "one day soon" would be "within the next seven days", funny how those things work out. Joyce has only been up for two games and here he has two homeruns, a double, and a single. I talked about his impressive power display at Triple-A a lot in that post, and so far he's not disappointing. Outside of the handful of games he was up during the first week, I hadn't seen too much of Joyce. Everything he hits sounds like it's squared up and blasted. Everything. After Joyce's double, I exchanged a few messages with the ol' scout buddy. He was in attendance on Sunday and says that Joyce's bat has a lot more pop than when he saw him in the minors. I'm guessing the bomb of a homerun Joyce hit that day had something to do with that, but still, the power, it's there, it's beautiful.

Hit Tracker's page for Joyce has both of his homeruns listed for this season entering tonight. Both are past the 350 foot mark down the right field side, one is beyond the 400 foot mark, the other is a few feet away. I wouldn't be shocked to see tonight's join the 400+ foot mark. I went back and checked Joyce's 2008 homeruns. Only one is listed below the 350' mark, and that is right on the line. Four of his homeruns lay beyond the 400' mark, and one is on top of it.

Joyce and David Price are exactly what this team needs to help get back into this race. Go back to when I wrote that Joyce was going to force his way into the lineup by crushing righties. Entering tonight the Rays team OPS against righties was .793, versus lefties: .832. That's not a good split to have when nearly double the amount of plate appearances have came against righties. Joyce helps to erase some of that gap. As much as I appreciate Gabe Gross' value and talent, his bat is nowhere near what Joyce's can be right now.

The right field bleachers should get familiar with Matt Joyce. He's going to be sending a ton of souvenirs their way over the years.

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Comments

LOL @ the invisable comment in this thread

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jun 2, 2009 11:03 PM EDT reply actions

I want to turn it green/grey. That comment if fantastic!

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Jun 3, 2009 7:22 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Joyce is great

But I’m a little skeptical about Price. He’s obviously got elite major league stuff right now, but I’m not sure that with his control the way it is, in addition to as many pitches as he throws, that he can be the “stopper” the team needs as the No. 2 starter. I think that the wear on the bullpen may be mitigated since he’s in-between Shields and Garza, who usually last well into games, but I’m just not sure that he’s consistent enough to be a catalyst for the team’s resurgance.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Jun 2, 2009 11:14 PM EDT reply actions

If he's a league average starter this year.

That’s better than what Kazmir had been giving us out of that spot. And better than Sonny/Niemann to date this year.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 2, 2009 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions

League average in terms of rate stats, or taking into account IP/GS as well?

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Jun 2, 2009 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Both?

I hate to keep blaming the umpire, but the bottom of the strike zone Saturday was non-existent.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 2, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm sorry PLK, but you sir are nuts.

Even with his current command, he’ll end up around league average in GS/IP and almost certainly above-average in everything else. His stuff is just too good. His fastball is not only on of, if no the hardest in the league, from a lefty, but it moves. He is a guy that can get by having only two pitches and still become an elite pitcher. It would be amazing if he figures out his change-up, but he doesn’t have to.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Jun 3, 2009 7:25 AM EDT up reply actions

I could be wrong

but I seem to remember Randy Johnson being a 2 pitch pitcher (fastball, slider) in his prime.

My father was six foot four when he left for Japan. When he came back he was five foot even. The Japanese blew off his shins and the doctor told him he would never walk again. He never gave up. He walked right to that doctor, looked up, and punched him... in the kidneys.

by Deepdoodle on Jun 3, 2009 7:30 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't disagree with your characterizations of his talent.

But innings pitched is no small part of the equation. He’s certainly better than Kazmir, and was the logical choice to take his place, but he can’t be an elite starting pitcher if he consistently leaves four innings of work, and quite often more, to the bullpen. Now I’m sure that he’ll eventually get it together and last longer into games, but I’m not convinced that he’ll do it this year. You simply need to eat innings if you’re a starting pitcher, there is no way around that, and he falls short. If he doesn’t crack 5 IP/GS, he won’t be close to league average in that respect.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Jun 3, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Alternative title: Ode to Joyce

Hopefully he can beat the hell out of lefties that aren’t HoRam.

by antimatter on Jun 2, 2009 11:33 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

rec'd for title 'Ode to Joyce'

by walkoffwalk on Jun 2, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

uh so can we DFA Krapler already?

by walkoffwalk on Jun 2, 2009 11:39 PM EDT reply actions

6 years of Joyce > 3 years of Jackson.

I don’t mean for this to become another Joyce/Jackson piss-fight, but I think the fact that Joyce has 6 years left and Jackson has 3 years left is often overlooked.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 2, 2009 11:42 PM EDT reply actions

Maybe when Burrell and Bartlett return...

we keep Joyce in RF and make Zorilla our permanent second-baseman. It’s a thought. That would be a great line-up.

by Zach Attack on Jun 3, 2009 12:05 AM EDT reply actions

I like that alot

by Doug09 on Jun 3, 2009 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions

*a lot

f my life

by Doug09 on Jun 3, 2009 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions

He'll have to do better in the field than tonight...

if he is going to be an everyday 2B.

by Doyouseeit? on Jun 3, 2009 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions

If I see a Sign Lady sign that says "Jump for Joyce".

I will curb-stomp her sooooo hard.

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Jun 3, 2009 12:13 AM EDT reply actions

Since I sit in right field

this is good news for me. I wonder – does Joyce make Gross expendable, and if so, what is his value?

by Deepdoodle on Jun 3, 2009 7:23 AM EDT reply actions

i would think he makes Gross expandable, and i would think Gross would have some decent value because he is a pretty useful player. Good defense and solid bat against right-handers.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 3, 2009 8:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Joyce's Two Bombs Were Great

But his best AB was hanging in there with two out in the sixth against lefty Ramirez and driving in those two runs……..CLUTCH

Every day player?
That would be better than great.

by s125405 on Jun 3, 2009 8:56 AM EDT reply actions

Hit Tracker has last night's bomb at 437'

Which is now the longest True Distance HR for the Rays all year. Welcome to the show kid now don’t do anything to ever leave us. LINK

Rays Win!

by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 3, 2009 10:12 AM EDT reply actions

Someone's on the same wavelength as you.

Unreal that I stumbled upon the following quote from someone I can only imagine understands the game of baseball. Forgot who wrote it but I’ve copied & pasted it for all to read. I guess great minds think alike:

“Then there was Price, Neimann, and Davis. Someone had to be traded or moved to the BP. BTW, Joyce is going to be great. He stays back on the ball well, his hands are back, his head is as still as they come, he turns(opens hips) ultra quick, and has a swing so sweat it’ll give you a toothache. I would say that DET has gotten the best end of this deal thus far, not in the long run. I believe Joyce may be a hitting machine when given the chance to play every day.”

by ConnorManning on Jun 3, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions

Please tell me you just quoted yourself.

That would be the best thing ever.

by Suttree on Jun 3, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

He said FORGET WHO WROTE IT.

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jun 3, 2009 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't put it past him to quote himself and pretend he wasn't.

Troll.

by Suttree on Jun 3, 2009 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, perhaps you'd like to ascribe semetic heritage to him, then derride him for that too???????????

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jun 3, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Somebody woke up on the bitch side of the bed this morning.

by Suttree on Jun 3, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I had to climb over your mother to get out of bed.

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jun 3, 2009 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Yet he copied and pasted it.

That’s odd.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 3, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Stop platooning

Put Joyce in right and keep him there! Stop starting gross! He’s 2nd string!

by dram57 on Jun 3, 2009 3:17 PM EDT reply actions

ugh

Selgy

by mittens on Jun 3, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions

In his defense, he's probably right.

If Joyce is going to be up, he should be playing full time, as much as I like Gabraham.

by Suttree on Jun 3, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

He's right, but we both know his talent evaluation of Goss is wrong.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 3, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

it's not the evaluation of joyce that i'm disagreeing with here

it’s the fact that people severely underrate the value of a L/R platoon

Selgy

by mittens on Jun 3, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions

let me clarify myself

i’m not saying that joyce isn’t more valuable than our gabe platoon, either. just that getting rid of a platoon for the sake of doing so is silly.

Selgy

by mittens on Jun 3, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I can agree with this.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 3, 2009 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't know if anyone has used this yet but...

I think its finally time to reJoyce this season.

by OnHisOwnIgnorance on Jun 3, 2009 6:10 PM EDT reply actions

Ugh...

maybe I’m just bent on seeing the platoon, and I know I’m preaching to the converted, but…

I’m sorry but I still think the platoon needs to start. Its probably evident but I’m nowhere near close to giving up on Kapler, and I have loved Gross from his days with the Brewers (pretty much I’m biased).

Firstly, can we say that if Gross’ career UZR/150 is over 18 that we can expect the platoon to put up 10-15 runs defensively if used correctly. I’m sorry, while I think Joyce can be serviceable in right field I would still be surprised to see any less than a 10 run difference between the two parties we’re talking about.

Also, is there anything to say Joyce can put up a .360 – .380 wOBA right now? I think, given playing time, he should be around the .350 – .370 range right now (and hopefully more as time goes on), but what says that Gross/Kapler won’t be at least league average the rest of the way. I think league average is conservative, and wouldn’t be surprised at a .340 wOBA from them (hell, they’ve been hitting FB like crazy but none seem to be leaving the yard. Also, Kapler’s BABIP has fallen to .213 while his LD% has gone up to 14.5%… wtf).

I really don’t think this is the time to be experimenting when the only benefit we’ll be getting is the saving of a roster spot (which is bigger than I’m playing it out to be) and a POTENTIALLY marginal upgrade in production.

I have little faith that Joyce puts up more than .25 WAR over a full season in RF, and the potential for failure is there in a way I just don’t see with the Gabes. I don’t know… I feel its too risky, more time in AAA wouldn’t necessarily hurt Joyce, and we have a 2.25 – 2.75 WAR platoon already.

….

I just don’t think I’ll ever be happy.

by Navi's_Navy on Jun 3, 2009 7:49 PM EDT reply actions