The Thursday Thinker: Adding No Value

by Kyle Lobner on Feb 3, 2011 12:47 PM CST in Events

I know I'm hammering pretty hard on Mark Kotsay this week. I promise after this I'll try to give it a rest for a while.

In yesterday's Mug I mentioned that Kotsay has been worth -3 WAR (according to B-Ref) since the start of the 2006 season. That fact by itself is pretty incredible, as there's only two position players in all of baseball who have been worth less over that time: Juan Castro (-4.3) and Jose Castillo (-3.7).

Here's a quiz to put -3 in perspective: Since the start of the 2006 season, there have only been six position players who were worth -0.5 rWAR or less as a Brewer. How many can you name in three minutes?

The rules remain the same: Post your score in the comments but do not comment on any specific answer until after 6 pm Central time, so everyone gets a chance to try it out without having it spoiled for them. And, of course, there's no reason to cheat here, because there aren't any prizes.

Some of you are masochists and will get these pretty easily. If you get them all, post your time along with your score.

Have fun, and don't forget to post your score in the comments!

Tweet Comment 36 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

2

I believe getting only two brings me to a negative WAR on BCB

BCB: Pointless Exercises in Devils Advocacy
BCB Fantasy Football League 2 Champ

by Jeo on Feb 3, 2011 1:04 PM CST reply actions

That's OK

You can easily have a very negative WAR but still boast of an astronomical WAM (Wins Above MrLeam)…

Ready and able to turn any discussion into one about Russell Oles Branyan...

by MrLeam on Feb 3, 2011 1:29 PM CST up reply actions

so, you struck out then?

by PagsBrewCrew on Feb 3, 2011 1:33 PM CST up reply actions

No more than on any other Thursday Thinker...

Well, to be honest, my score on this one was 1 higher than it usually is.

Ready and able to turn any discussion into one about Russell Oles Branyan...

by MrLeam on Feb 3, 2011 2:09 PM CST up reply actions

You know who else has an astronomical WAM

Russell Branyan

BCB: Pointless Exercises in Devils Advocacy
BCB Fantasy Football League 2 Champ

by Jeo on Feb 3, 2011 1:59 PM CST up reply actions

3

Pujols is the Barack Obama of baseball.

by sjlee on Feb 3, 2011 1:14 PM CST reply actions

Right to hammer on him

and Melvin too

I didnt do that quiz but fangraphs has his WAR at -1.6 for the past 4 seasons, 5 seasons ago he had a 0.3, and that was the last time he had positive value.

There are only 2 active players worse in the game than he has been. If the Brewers already have the worst overall player in Betancourt, they may also have the worst bench player as well in all of baseball.

How does DM’s “legacy” look if the team falls just short this year, and Kotsay’s -0.7 WAR is the difference? At least his veteran leadership will have helped them cope better.

by backtocali on Feb 3, 2011 2:08 PM CST reply actions

If the team falls just short

I’m not going to blame the bench player. I’m going to blame the manager.

Twitterize me: @mykenk

by Mykenk on Feb 3, 2011 2:10 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Kotsay is likely worthless

But if he plays enough and is terrible enough to run up -0.7 WAR, that’s on Roenicke, not Melvin.

But I understand that blaming Roenicke doesn’t fit your stated crusade.

Now that's great tasting chicken!

by Kyle Lobner on Feb 3, 2011 2:10 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

This is the first time I have honestly hoped a baseball player

would brake something in a very bad way, so you are doing better than me. I will be merciless in my booing. This is such a bad bad signing that even me, who has never booed, is going to be the loudest ass in the park.

by Braunstalker on Feb 3, 2011 2:28 PM CST up reply actions

Whoa

I’d at least want to see how he is used, performs or if he’s even on the opening day roster before I get up in arms about it.

I get that he’s on the 40 man at all, but Melvin hasn’t been shy about releasing those guys if they aren’t performing – Gerut, Duffy and Brad Nelson come to mind. If he’s truly awful, I don’t think he’ll play enough to get -0.7 WAR.

Get a ife broseph

by Supertramp on Feb 3, 2011 2:40 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

I have a sprained knee

and haven’t been able to walk right for a week. I may have gotten overly carried away.

by Braunstalker on Feb 3, 2011 2:59 PM CST up reply actions

I think you may be worth more WAR than Kotsay right now

by PagsBrewCrew on Feb 3, 2011 3:29 PM CST up reply actions

At the very least, I know when I have no/little value. I am Mecheian in that respect.

by Braunstalker on Feb 3, 2011 10:37 PM CST up reply actions

The reason he's racked up negative value is because the White Sox were using him as a regular 1B/DH for some reason.

I doubt he’s anywhere close to the worst bench player in the majors.

Ryan Braun: He loves it. -- Four pitchers in history with 8.5+ WAR and <250 IP seasons: Greg Maddux (age 29), Pedro Martinez (age 28), Roger Clemens (age 27), Zack Greinke (age 25).

by SRB on Feb 3, 2011 3:16 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

I got 5. Shruggiiiiity.

Twitterize me: @mykenk

by Mykenk on Feb 3, 2011 2:10 PM CST reply actions

lies!

6 (all)
0%
5
0%
4
0%
3
20.7%
2
27.6%
1
51.7%

no one even has 4 yet

by PagsBrewCrew on Feb 3, 2011 2:21 PM CST up reply actions

Makes me feel better about my score though...

Ready and able to turn any discussion into one about Russell Oles Branyan...

by MrLeam on Feb 3, 2011 2:27 PM CST up reply actions

best part of the quiz

typing “ESTRADA” with 100% confidence

by keephopealive on Feb 3, 2011 2:14 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

My one and only

but I knew he was on there from the bottom of my heart

Too close for missiles, I’m switching to Ueck.

by theBrouhaha on Feb 4, 2011 8:03 AM CST up reply actions

5

Thought the one I missed was pre-2006 but nope.

I never use a big word when a diminutive word would suffice.

by TheJay on Feb 3, 2011 2:24 PM CST reply actions

I only got 1

"Football - For the Touchdowns; Playbook - Full of Touchdowns; PIRATE HAT and BACKUP PIRATE HAT" ~ WR Emeritus Golden Tate

by stempke on Feb 3, 2011 3:07 PM CST reply actions

aawwwwwwwwwww

what a cute Pit Bull

"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."
BCB Fantasy Football League 1 Champ

by Hyatt on Feb 3, 2011 6:53 PM CST up reply actions

Struck out

Knew #1, just couldn’t think of his name.

by nullacct on Feb 3, 2011 3:15 PM CST reply actions

2006 seems forever ago

by mladwig0 on Feb 3, 2011 4:24 PM CST reply actions

4

by Hyatt on Feb 3, 2011 6:43 PM CST reply actions

2

glass slippers???? I always drank out of a gold and ruby laced chalice that was served by Theodore, my butler.

by Brew Town Boozer on Feb 3, 2011 6:59 PM CST reply actions

4

by badgerman59 on Feb 3, 2011 8:32 PM CST reply actions

3

I didn’t realize Jody Gerut was that bad.

My goodness.

by BrewHaHeather on Feb 3, 2011 9:19 PM CST reply actions

by PagsBrewCrew on Feb 4, 2011 11:12 AM CST up reply actions

It depends on which WAR you want to use

fWAR has Gerut at 0.3 in 2009, which is the highest fWAR that Gwynn ever had as a Brewer.

Pujols is the Barack Obama of baseball.

by sjlee on Feb 4, 2011 10:03 AM CST reply actions

by molitorfan on Feb 5, 2011 7:33 AM CST up reply actions

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