Howie Kendrick: The injury-depleted Angels suffered another blow when it was learned that Kendrick suffered a broken bone in his finger. He is expected to miss anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. Kendrick was off to a good start, going 2/4/.327 with 2 steals in 49 AB. However, the batting average was inflated by a .353 BHIP%. For a player with his poor batting eye, .20 in 2006 and .10 this year, he will need to make better contact, 80%, to sustain a high batting average in the long-term.
Chone Figgins: Kendrick's injury assures that Figgins will step right back into the starting third base role, with Maicer Izturis moving over to second base. The decline in Figgins' batting average from .290 in 2005 to .267 last year was more a product of a BHIP% fluctuation, .287 to .261, than a loss of skills. There are conflicting signs of whether Figgins' is one of the 10% of players who have a favorable control of balls put into play. In his favor, Figgins has blinding speed and good control over the strike zone, .65 Batting eye in 2006. Working against him is a pedestrian contact rate, 84%/84%/83% over the last three years. Considering that last year's BHIP% was 33 points below his three-year average, a batting average rebound is probable. One thing that you know you will get with Figgins is speed. Over the last two seasons he has stolen 114 bases in 147 tries.
Rob Mackowiak: On Wednesday, Scott Podsednik said that he could be several weeks away from running. He was placed on the 15-Day DL on Tuesday, but it sounds like he will be out longer than two weeks. Mackowiak should continue to pick up AB against right-handers and he came through last night, going 2-3, with a 2-run home run. He brings a very unspectacular skill set to the table. The power and speed that he showed when he hit 17 home runs and stole 13 bases in 2004 have declined over the last two years to the point of being below league average. The loss of power looks real as his ground ball rate is in a three-year uptrend 46%/51%/54%. The .290 batting average from 2006 was inflated by a BHIP% of .311. The poor contact skills, 77% last year, lack of power, and decline in speed say that he is more of a .250's hitter.
Akinori Iwamura: Iwamura is off to a hot start, hitting .349 in his first 43 AB. With a 12/8 BB/K ratio, he is also exercising very nice plate patience. However, his high batting average is inflated by a .355 BHIP% and his power declined in each of his last three seasons in Japan. It remains to be seen whether he can regain the power stroke of 2004, when he hit 27 home runs. Now facing better pitching in the major leagues, the smart play would be to bet against it.
Vincente Padilla: Padilla owners should be breathing a sigh of relief that he only allowed 3 runs in 6.1 innings despite walking 6 and striking out nobody. In four starts, he now has 13 walks and just 6 K's, while giving up 5 home runs. There have been some reports that he is pitching with some soreness. For the time being, you may want to sit him, especially for home starts.
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