Is it wrong to want more from Andre Ethier?

I don’t think so.

Listen, it’s not like Andre Ethier is having some kind of miserable year so far. A lot of outfielders -- probably most -- would happily accept his current numbers: .324 batting average, five homers, 30 RBI, .407 on-base percentage, .458 slugging percentage.

Only for the No. 3 hitter in the lineup, nothing particularly special. In terms of power numbers, certainly nothing to make the sporting heart go aflutter.

If you’re batting third, you should be the best hitter in the lineup. You should be driving the ball. The one guy the other team never wants to see come up with runners on base.

Yet Ethier has two home runs in his last 36 games. He has two doubles in his last 114 at-bats, and 13 RBI -- which includes runs batted in his last four consecutive games.

It’s not wrong to expect more power production.

Certainly, you know he wants more. He is currently the third-highest-paid player on the team at $9.5 million. Next season is his last year of arbitration eligibility. He wanted a multiyear deal like Chad Billingsley got before the season started and seemed miffed when he did not receive a similar opportunity.

But how much would you be willing to pay for Ethier right now? He had that phenomenal 30-game hitting streak early in the season, though now you have to wonder if keeping it alive subconsciously turned him into a quasi-singles hitter.

Last season he had better numbers through 35 games (.392, 11 homers, 38 RBI, .744 slugging) than he does now through 61 games (.324, 5, 30, .458).  Of course, he was on a crazy triple-crown pace, but still that’s a significant drop-off in power. Then he fractured a pinky, and the stroke hasn’t been quite the same.

Ethier and cleanup hitter Matt Kemp (.320, 17, 50, .596) are the only real consistent power threats in the Dodgers lineup, or least they should be.

However winnable the division may look to the faithful, it’s hard to imagine the Dodgers making a real chase without Ethier upping his game.

ALSO:

Dee Gordon, Rubby De La Rosa spark Dodgers' 6-2 victory

Rafael Furcal expected back in 25-30 days, plus other injury updates

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Andre Ethier. Credit: Gus Ruelas / Associated Press

Comments

[DonInOregon]

I don't hear too many people complaining about Ethier... The hits are clutch, but as for Dingers, he's not the new James Loney. They'll come often and soon enough.

[AB]

In an alternative reality the hits are clutch. In the games I've been watching, the hits are clutch 1 out of like 15. MATT KEMP'S hits are clutch. Either's are kind of nonexistent.

[California Son]

He used to hit with power against right-handed pitching, but ever since that injury he seems reluctant to cut loose. His clutch hits used to be clutch walk-off home-runs.

[West Coast Ram]

I really like Ethier but I'm concerned with his production against lefthanders. I just don't think your #3 batter can have that poor of production against lefties. It is also a problem for your team budget to be that ineffective and paid as a superstar. I think it would be great to pay him $9.5-11M and have enough quality players to be able to bat him in the 5 spot.

[DAVID S]

I think like last year, Ethiers numbers fell off after an injury. We saw what he could do both last year and this before injuries. He is playing now with a bad elbow

[16blows]

"Is it wrong to want more from Andre Ethier?"

- was it wrong for Detroit Tigers fans to expect more from Jim Northrup?

slappy 'e' fandom (both of them) excuses aside - his pinky, knee, elbow, toe, back, feelings - if you hurt like Clemente and expect any sympathy, then you should also hit like Clemente... instead, we get bill buckner lite.

________

"In terms of power numbers, certainly nothing to make the sporting heart go aflutter."

- rumor is the rescue mission wants to retroactively change the food for tater terms from hrs to singles; all their clients are looking like gordon...

________

Rapier wit mine aside, slappy 'e' can't handle the pre$$ure upon him, expectations: MVP/Triple Crown, his hrs for taters, new contract desired, the 'leadership' role that he reportedly pined for, moodiness?/a Greta Garbo tack his i.e., camera-shyness or (not to mention he'd prefer playing in Boston, or Arizona, or most anywhere else that manny bats behind him)...all of the indicators are there, my opine.

He was and remains the most overhyped player in Dodgers/dudgers history; he's a journeyman talent that a star-starved LA fan base has tried willing into greatness; instead, we get slappy.

[alanw19]

always want more

but if he hits .324 in the 3rd spot, and the top two spots get on base, the RBI will come. So far, we've not been on base consistently in front of him. Perhaps Dee Gordon's 30-day tryout can change that pattern. Maybe Gordon leading off and Carroll hitting second playing second could juice the bases for he and contract man.

[Arthur Coulter]

I can't help but wonder if this has something to do with his changed grip since breaking his finger. He no longer wraps his pinky finger around the knob of the bat. That might flatten out his stroke, leading to less homers. No athlete likes to talk about fear. Hence we hear other excuses from Andre, such as his hitting streak affected his approach at the plate.

That said, he's batting .362 W/RISP, .336 with men on base, & has a .449 OB% W/RISP. He's managed to draw 10 walks with Matt Kemp coming up behind him hitting W/RISP. Pitchers still fear him. I hope he gets whatever it is out of the way & posts the numbers we've come to expect from him since we acquired him for a psychotic. I thought we did okay just to get rid of the psycho :)

[Labeldude]

Have to agree with you on this one Steve - he's not producing enough period, whether it be for a #3 hitter or Andre himself (compared to his past numbers.) On a team full of losers whom we can heap tons on, Andre needs to take his share of criticism as well when its warranted, and it is warranted.

[HI Dodger Fan]

Totally agree with DonInOregon. Ethier's HR swing will resurface. I think he admitted to subconscious adjustments during the streak. He'll get it back. The guy you should really go after is Loney. Even if he's brought the average back to .242 or whatever, it's still horrid and he's still not driving the ball. 19 RBI's as of June 7th is horrible. 9 extrabase hits is less than Jamey Carroll.

[Kirk Davenport]

I think the pressure of the hitting streak may have made him focus on contact instead of driving the ball and power.
However, I think expecting much power from him is not fair. His minor and major league history (except for a few spurts with the Dodgers) was in being a contact hitter and high OBP guy.
He is a nice piece to have if you are a team that has about 3-4 power guys, but if he is depended on to be a main power guy as the Dodger fans expect right now, that is expecting to much.
Also, despite no errors as a fielder and Steve "Psycho" Lyons claiming he is Golden Glove deserving, Andre is a poor outfielder. All of the newer stats like UZR show him to be below average and he consistently runs poor routes and does not get to ground balls in the gap well. Opponents frequently get an extra base on a hit or as a base runner while he is poorly chasing a ground ball to the wall. He has improved a bit on getting to balls to catch them and at times he makes accurate throws. However, with a below average arm and now arm injuries, he should not be playing right field - it is just that there is nobody else to play right field unless Kemp is moved there.
Put him at first base and expect a Mark Grace hitter - not Prince Fielder. Then go out and get a couple of real power hitters this off season. Bat him second with Kemp and two more big hitters behind him and then see what a good offense you have created.

[chris]

I think this is pretty ridiculous. He had a 30 game hit streak. He's getting on base and he's hitting for a great avg.

How about we get more out of James Loney? What about LF? Are we going to call out Matt Kemp's work ethic again? Give me a break.

[N.P.Krohn]

Shut it down lady. We got a quality LH hitting RF with 6(?) OF ass. hit .320 with a .400 obp hitting in front of Kemp's career year and you're complaining? Now you've given '16' an invitation to write about Ethier's Banjo playing at the plate.

[N.P.Krohn]

Until the first couple mos. of last season Ethier never showed the promise of being an elite power hitter just the propensity to hit the ball hard more often than most, alot of times when needed the most. He will hit alot more homeruns come July and Aug on the road pushing his end of the year totals closer to the 25 we have come to expect. Kemp leads the league in RBI and i'd wager that Ethier is the "R" more than any other Dodger in that equation. If Sands can start hitting will have the best OF in Baseball. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[matt]

ethier is a streaky hitter. we have always known this about him. he hits his home runs in bunches. it is a little worrisome that he hasnt been hitting for as much power but those numbers are nothing to be ashamed of. his power will come back. i would be shocked if he didnt hit 20+ home runs this year

[Arthur Coulter]

I like the idea of moving Andre to first base. This is the list of possible free agent outfielders to take his place though.

Bobby Abreu LAA *
Carlos Beltran NYM
Milton Bradley SEA
Mike Cameron BOS
Michael Cuddyer MIN
Jack Cust SEA
David DeJesus OAK
J.D. Drew BOS
Jeff Francoeur KC *
Jonny Gomes CIN
Gabe Gross OAK
Carlos Guillen DET
Raul Ibanez PHI
Conor Jackson OAK
Jason Kubel MIN
Ryan Ludwick SD
Nate McLouth ATL *
Juan Pierre CWS
Juan Rivera TOR
Cody Ross SF
Grady Sizemore CLE *
Nick Swisher NYY *
Josh Willingham WAS

Which one would you pick?

[Dodgerfan83]

Im not worried about Ethier , being my favorite player on the team. I like his game, hes consistent at the plate. Ethier is goin to deliver no matter what not like James loney witch I dont see him as Dodger very long because they've expected a lot from Loney and hasnt produce. We've waited long for loney to wake up I dont think hes that productive at the plate but only he's defense. Some players are late bloomers like Matt Kemp whos tearing it up and he's starting to show what he's made up and also he's role as a clean up hitter,but we see that Loney doesn't have much power. All we need is maybe another stong bat and consistent hitting from the other role players to make a good run at the division and contend.

[OldBrooklynFan]

I don't know, it's hard to say. Ethier has had his streaks, good and bad. He seems to go on hot spells and than cool off.-- .324 is outstanding for anybody but I guess we're expecting more power from him. You can't blame us because we've seen it.
That said it wouldn't surprise me to see him start hitting with more power, more consistently, for a while anyway.

[bluz1st]

You guys go ahead and bag on Ethier. All the writers on the LATimes do is try to bag on someone and attack the home teams players they cover. Why should Andre be any different. Not clutch someone in this blog wrote? He currently leads the team in hitting with runners in scoring position with a .362 average. He is one of ONLY 3 players on the entire team hitting over .300 and you attack him. He has the highest batting average ON THE TEAM. Leads the team in doubles. Leads the team in walks. 2nd on the team in number of hits. 2nd on the team in total bases. Plays his heart out. I could go on and on......You people are BRUTAL. He will probably be leaving the Dodgers in the next year or so with all the negativity around here driving him away. Don't be surprised if the 9.5 million you are complaining about ends up equaling about HALF his yearly salary with his new team. Then when he comes back to town wearing a Bosox uni and wins games for them against whatever local MLB teams are still left in LA (there may only be one at that point) you can write some more negative articles about him. You guys do not even appreciate the few great players you do have, let alone the fact that the Dodgers actually have some great people on the team that you should be thankful for having playing here.

[Harold]

Clutch hitting is a myth.

[jack abbott]

the problem is not Either, it is McCourt, Ned Coletti, James Loney and the rest of the losers on this team. A total disgrace to the Dodgers.

[RunsWithScissors]

Steve, why wussy out and ask if it's "acceptable" to wish for more?

We all wish for more. I wish Kershaw strikes out 10 batters in every game he takes the mound. I wish Billingsley would throw a no-hitter every outing. I wish Matt Kemp has a triple crown year. And I certainly wish that Ethier hits more home runs.

Heck, I've been wishing for Dodger miracles since 1959. But I'm just a lowly fan. You're a sportswriter. You have the power of the pen. Go out and demand this stuff happen. Plaschke and Simers do it all the time. Don't be a weenie.

Or is 'Dre on your fantasy baseball team? Would you be happier with a guy who hit 30 home runs, 80 RBI's, and a .200 average? Maybe someone like Mark Reynolds might be more to your liking.

Ethier has already come out and said he hasn't felt right yet, even during his streak. Sure, he hasn't hit many home runs, but unlike a bunch of other players, he's been contributing in other ways, getting hits, running the bases, and fielding his position.

Give the guy a break and be nice to him while he's still wearing a Dodger uniform. Perhaps you should wish for a way for him to stay a Dodger because no elite FA in their right mind would want to be a Dodger under the current ownership.

[JimH]

Should we expect more? Yes!!
Are we going to get more? Probably not much more.
Ethier is overrated by the Dodger fans.
However, he is a solid better than average ballplayer and aside from Kemp and Carroll, he is much better than anything we've got. Put the onus on the real underperformers, Loweeney, Barajas, Navarro, Frailcal, and just about every other player we have!!!

[HI Dodger Fan]

what in the heck does 16blows have against andre? practically every post, whatever the subject, eventually ends up with him blasting andre. that, to me, is not rapier wit. it's tiresome drivel.

[16blows]

Imbibe they every line mine - every time?

Allow Duane Thomas: "evidently."

Every overhype needs a counter - a prod (some prefer p***k) stimulate a discourse/expose false super-stars placed upon pedestal dudger fandom.

Welcome to my world.

[Joe Chorneau]

The shoe that fits here is if ain't broke, don't fix it. Complaining about Eithier is like complaining about Kemp not stealing enough bases because well let's face it, he's slowed way down. It seems the only good strategy is to look for improvement in the RISP's and OBS's for the other players. Mattingly's strategy to bench Loney for the not-so-hot-hitting Jerry Sands make backfire. He can't keep Aaron Miles out of the line-up, but where's he going to put him? Jamey Carrol's bat lacks the RISP and solo singles don't exactly make him a firestarter. Marcus Thames is just another left fielder disappointment. And so now we're just waiting for the future to happen now. I think this weighs on a player, especially one who has started a family. You can see the weight on the balls Eithier hits that don't quite make over the fence.

[court168627]

i can't tell if 16blows' criticisms of ethier are valid or not because i have no freaking clue what he's talking about.

[bluz1st]

16 blows, aka septic tank, is a Juan Pierre clone wannabe who got his feelings hurt when Andre took Pierre's job. He has been suffering, crying, whining, sticking scissors in his leg and posting psychotic drivel about it up on the web every since.

[Tony Fernandez]

Has anyone else noticed that Ethier is heating up lately? He's batting .340 the past 7 days and has a 1.100 OPS the past 14 days.

And if Ethier is not going to figure it out against lefties, then he either needs to be benched or hitting lower in the lineup. He has a great .984 OPS against righties and a meager .606 against lefties. That .984 would be one of the highest in the NL right now.

[16blows]

"You can see the weight on the balls Eithier hits that don't quite make over the fence."

- in the parlance, be known as 'warning track' power... a slappy, banjo hitter, punch & judy - Agent 86 as in "missed it by thaaaaaat much!", any other.

As for the rest, I've heard of 'throwing' heavy balls, but... carrying them, i.e., they weighing heavy on the mind?

The burden of a heavy load as as it were.

Reminds of the late EM Cioran, who offered, "we should have been excused from lugging a body: the burden of the self was enough."

What exactly are we talking about here: a philosophical contortionist or mere journeyman player?

I leave it to each of you decide...

[16blows]

"noticed that Ethier is heating up lately?"

- that boys on fire - on FIRE I say!

Somebody get a squirt gun...

[Airedale]

Ethier has a lifetime OPS of .855 and is at .872 at this time. His OPS+ is 147 compared to a lifetime 126. What the hell do you want from him. His RISP numbers are all very good. His HR total is low, but they will come in bunches, just wait!

Here are his team ranks:
BA--1
SLG-2
OBP-1
BB-1
TB-2
RBI-2
HR-3
2B-1
H-2
R-3
OPS-2

[16blows]

"Here are his team ranks:

BA--1
SLG-2
OBP-1
BB-1
TB-2
RBI-2
HR-3
2B-1
H-2
R-3
OPS-2"

- that and copious amounts overhype will get you labeled a star, MVP & Triple Crown fave a 4th place 29-34 team nigh on in cellar NL Worst.

To quote Chester Cheetah, "impressive sir."

As such his baseball resume 2011, slappy has has had a larger impact on the team's fortunes than most everyone.

Despite having already playing more games than 12 of 16 NL teams dudgers rank 10th in hrs - 11th in OBP - 12th in total bases and stolen bases and tied for 12th in wins - 13th in walks and slugging % - 14th runs scored and rbis - 15th extra base hits... yet, 'a cut above the rest' according some, as slappy.

Heh heh-larious.

Conclusion: like his team, slappy 'e' is much ado about nothing...

[willie1955a]

At his age, there is no reason to expect a power drop off. This age is when guys get peak power numbers. You have to wonder what's up with his elbow.

[Jon]

16Blows wouldn't know a good baseball player if he saw him.
Journeyman? Please.
Superstar? No not that either.
Above average, yes. 2nd best batter on team? Yes.
Ethier is what he is. Just off the top tier of OF's, not quite a superstar, but better than most....check his WAR for the year it shows how valuable he is. He's 14th in OF WAR at 1.8 (fangraphs, 1.7 on B-Ref) ahead of guys like Jayson Werth, Carlos Gonzalez, and Mike Stanton. That hardly makes him a journeyman.
Superstar, no, but a pretty good OF overall.

16 blows is an idiot and his comments lack any baseball knowledge. It's a wonder with fans like him that the Dodgers make so many stupid moves. I'm sure 16 blows could make Ned Coletti look like a genius!

[16blows]

@ the john

"16blows"

- yes, what is it now?

"wouldn't know"

- well here, lemme help: what would slappy 'e' like to be someday when he grows up?

"a good baseball player"

- be realistic, dream on your own time...

"Journeyman?"

- moreso one-trick pony than a jack let alone master...

"Please."

- I love it when they beg...

"Superstar?"

- Gesundheit...

"Above average"

- if only; on an insanely bad baseball team, an insanely mediocre player must by variance appear viable; slappy 'e' is the marv throneberry of the '62 Mets.

" yes."

- good, you're making progress...

"2nd best batter on team? Yes."

- well, that depends on your definition 'best' and '2nd'... as his average is the highest but his hr total is only 3rd behind kemp & barajas, you intimate that a lack of hrs/other is determinate. Agreed. slappy 'e's embarrassingly low 5 hrs for the entire season a #3 hitter is... how do you say, MUY STINKO.

"Ethier is what he is."

- a latter day bill buckner lite...

"but"

- yes?

" ....check his WAR for the year it shows how valuable he is."

- billy buck or slappy 'e'? bb hasn't played in years...

If you reference slappy 'e' and 'wins above replacement', well... at 6 games south of mediocre and in last place, I'm not convinced how having him here has helped. Are you saying the dudgers could do even worse than last place WITHOUT him? You got some splainin' to do.

"He's 14th in OF WAR at 1.8 (fangraphs, 1.7 on B-Ref) ahead of guys like
Jayson Werth, Carlos Gonzalez, and Mike Stanton."

- wonderful...

Who is werth? A guy has never hit .300 and is on his 4th MLB team - sounds like a journeyman talent to me. stanton? He is an career .258 hitter - sounds like [drumroll] a journeyman. gonzalez? He's had three mediocre years in 4 total MLB - can you say journeyman?

Here's 3 guys that all have higher WAR than slappy 'e': andrew mccutchen is 3.2, colby rasmus 2.3, michael bourn is 1.9. They are all better than slappy 'e' based on your measure WAR... are any more than journeyman?

bourn is a .264 career hitter - can you say 'journeyman' talent? rasmus .263 career...journeyman? mccutchen .283 - he must be a "just off the top tier not quite a superstar" you reference as he's ranked higher than ol' slappy 'e' who you claim IS.

Mere degrees shy of but superstardom - all of them, yup.

"16 blows"

- wait - now it's my turn to question you. How would you describe your own baseball knowledge nee lack thereof? I'll help you get started: "john is...

"an idiot and his comments lack any baseball knowledge. It's a wonder with fans like him that the Dodgers make so many stupid moves."

- yes... I couldn't have said it better myself, so allowed you.