Ryan Langerhans: The Bad
by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 29, 2009 2:19 PM PDT
in Seattle Mariners Stats
- Contact. In the Majors, Langerhans has run a career contact rate of 74.0%, which is below the league average. He hangs out in the high 70s in AAA. It's not that Langerhans has a really long swing or anything - it's that he just misses the ball a lot. He makes contact with pitches out of the zone like Russell Branyan and he makes contact with pitches in the zone like Wlad. The only thing keeping his overall contact rate a little higher is that he doesn't chase as many balls. He does a good job of identifying pitches, but he doesn't do as good a job of hitting them.
- Consistency of contact. In the last post, I showed you that, since 2006, Langerhans has hit six big league home runs longer than 420 feet. The issue is that that's out of 752 plate appearances. So while he's definitely demonstrated that he has some good power, he doesn't show it that often. He only has 24 Major League home runs in 1141 trips to the plate, and he has 37 in 1242 in AAA. Split between two levels in 2008, Langerhans only went deep six times. There's nothing in his track record that suggests he's going to come in here and start beating pitchers up. It's good to see him hitting for more power in AAA this year, and I imagine he'll hit at least one or two impressive shots with Seattle, but he's not exactly Adam Dunn. His 9.7% HR/FB makes him out like AJ Pierzynski.
- Playing time. The more time Langerhans spends on the field, the more time Balentien spends on the bench. And while I personally don't think this is that great of a concern, since I'm not real high on Wlad's ability now or in the future, most fans of teams in our position don't want to see some journeyman taking time away from a ~25 year old with power potential. A lot of people want to see what Wlad can do given regular action, and Langerhans' presence will likely prevent that from happening. So how much you like Wlad will in large part determine how much you like this trade.
- League transition. I imagine this has crossed a few people's minds, so it's worth pointing out that Langerhans has spent (edit: almost) his entire career with NL organizations. Of course, that didn't bother Endy. And Branyan's certainly re-acquainted himself with the AL pretty well. I forgot why I brought this up. This point is stupid.
- Insufferable blogosphere. We love talking about players like this more than I imagine you love reading about them. I apologize in advance.
I like reading about players like this as much as you like writing about them.
By the way, what is the league average contact percentage?
Jed MC - June 29, 2009
Around 80-81%
Jeff Sullivan - June 29, 2009
Generally ~81%
Aaron Campeau - June 29, 2009
Dammit
Aaron Campeau - June 29, 2009
He did some time in Oakland
abender20 - June 29, 2009
For stealing a base?
I hear they don’t take kindly to that sort of larceny in those parts
seattlecougar - June 29, 2009
They look the other way when the lakers win chamionships though
d0nkey - June 29, 2009
Yes go oakland lakers!
I will make fun of myself when applicable
d0nkey - June 29, 2009
Didn't he do about two days in Oakland?
Yet for some reason I seem to recall him in an A’s jersey for longer than that.
pmc47 - June 29, 2009
2 games, 5 PA.
marc w - June 29, 2009
Ah yes.
May 1 and 2, both in Fenway.
For some reason I have a false memory of some play where he’s running through the outfield in the Coliseum, which could never have happened. I think my brain’s broken.
pmc47 - June 29, 2009
I think "journeyman" is a bit harsh on Langerhans
He is, rather, a capable major-league player who’s never gotten a real shot because he doesn’t make good contact — sort of like a Gutierrez version of Russell Branyan, except that he was never as highly-regarded a prospect as either.
The Ancient Mariner - June 29, 2009
Sounds a lot like Guti
maybe not quite as good a fielder, and with worse contact skills but a better eye.
Maybe this isn’t a fantastic way to look at it, but dude’s got a career -15 RAA (almost all of those during his miserable 07) and a career +27UZR as a COF. So if he hits like he already has, seeing only intermittent action and playing a terrible 07 in three extreme pitcher’s parks, he’s still an aboev average player.
So this is great, except we gave up Morse, who batted like .500 one March. BURN THE TREE.
Bearskin Rugburn - June 29, 2009
BURN THE TREE dude's screed looks much better from 2 years away
Langerhans career CF UZR looks to be -13.3. In his largest sample, from 2007, he was at -24.5. Gutierrez he’s not.
He’s been great in the corners, so replacing Chavez’s performance is certainly doable.
marc w - June 29, 2009
No need to apologize for anything
If writing about the Langerhanses – or is it like “moose”, a word with no plural? – of the world can replace even one poorly-thought-out polemic about the Mike Morses of the world not getting their chance to shine. the written world is a better place.
pdb - June 29, 2009
Rec'd for mocking those who are concerned about him changing leagues
Poochie - June 29, 2009
I've said this before
but if rambling about defense is going to be this blog’s blind spot, then we could do a hell of a lot worse.
CapSea - June 29, 2009
"Insufferable blogosphere. We love talking about players like this more than I imagine you love reading about them. I apologize in advance. "
YOU ARE FORGIVEN!
The Typical Idiot Fan - June 29, 2009
I don't know why Jeff needs to apologize for something we are seeking.
It’s why most of us are here and not somewhere else.
Wilder. - June 29, 2009
This has probably been written somewhere, but what kind of contract does this guy have?
How long do the M’s have him under control?
Ezzra - June 29, 2009
Roughly 3 more seasons.
Matthew - June 29, 2009
I'd rather see Langerhans/Balentien than nothing but Balentien
as I just don’t see that much there anymore in Wlad.
ignacio - June 29, 2009
I'm just confused as to what makes him anything more than Jeremy Reed 2.0.
Or is the hope that he delivers more on the offensive end than Reed did?
discovolante - June 29, 2009
He's better
Jeremy Reed, career wOBA: .295
Ryan Langerhans, career wOBA: .313
Langerhans had a .380 OBP in the majors last year. The fact that he couldn’t land a major league job over the winter is an indictment of the ongoing inefficiencies of MLB decision making.
davidcameron - June 29, 2009
He's also significantly less crazy
Graham MacAree - June 29, 2009
Was there something specific that led to the conclusion that Jeremy Reed is batshit?
Mariner John - June 29, 2009
Just collections of rumours
I don’t think he’s Grienke crazy. More like Billy Beane crazy
Graham MacAree - June 29, 2009
I can confirm...
…that he’s an “interesting” guy.
PositivePaul - June 29, 2009
Great pic, btw.
The Ancient Mariner - June 30, 2009
Go Natinals!
OlSalty - June 29, 2009
Also, who cares?
We could certainly use Jeremy Reed 2.0 right now and we traded Mike “who cares” Morse for him.
Matthew - June 29, 2009
Some people care.
Poochie - June 29, 2009
And again, the comparisons to Reed don't make a whole lot of sense
Langerhans has shown he can be a decent hitter at the major league level, Reed never did that despite multiple chances.
And we didn’t pick up Jeremy Reed for absolutely nothing at all, either.
OlSalty - June 29, 2009
new acquisition
Does Morse have a bad personality or what? He’s hit well in the majors and minors and he’s played outfield and all the infield. I can see why the other teams might want him but I can’t see why a “never a hitter” like Langenhorn would be someone we’d trade a known good hitter for. What’s so wrong about Morse?
undeterredphil - June 30, 2009
Morse can't hit and he can't play defense
Jeff Sullivan - June 30, 2009
Langenhorn?
Jeff Sullivan - June 30, 2009
Aren't those the danishes?
The cheap ones they sell at 7-11?
Aaron Campeau - July 1, 2009
Tasty.
msb - July 1, 2009
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