2010 Player Profile: Casey Blake, The Man With a Face
by Eric Stephen on Mar 6, 2010 7:00 AM PST
in Community Projections
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PrintIn many ways, I feel bad for Casey Blake. Blake, a native of Indianola, Iowa, along with his wife, gave a cool $1 million to his local school district this offseason, to improve the athletic facilities. Yet, all dopes like me could talk about was that "The Beard" had shaved. He happens to be the guy caught in the middle of the controversial trade of rising catching prospect Carlos Santana to Cleveland in 2008. It isn't Blake's fault the Dodgers decided to give the Indians a better return than they received in trading the reigning Cy Young Winner C.C. Sabathia. All Blake did was what he always does: play baseball.
On the field, Blake had a fine 2009. His 4.2 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) was second on the team (to Matt Kemp). He had the highest walk rate of his career (11.2%), and hit .280/.363/.468, with a 123 OPS+, a .354 wOBA, and a 119 wRC+ (Note: wRC+ is similar to OPS+, but it calculates runs created based on wOBA. Like OPS+, 100 is average, and higher is better). Offensively, he had one of the best seasons every by an LA Dodger third baseman, with the eighth highest OPS+ (note: Ron Cey was good).
However, Blake was also stellar with the glove. After being below average defensively in each of his last three full seasons at third base -- 2004, 2007, and 2008, by both Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) and Plus Minus -- Blake had a very good season in 2009. He posted a +9.0 UZR/150, and +8 Plus/Minus. How did Blake rate so well at age 35? Well, might one reason be getting out of Cleveland? Here are his UZR/150 numbers at 3B the last few years (courtesy of Fangraphs):
| Year | Team | Innings | UZR/150 |
| 2004 | Indians | 1352.1 | -7.4 |
| 2007 | Indians | 1209.0 | -5.4 |
| 2008 | Indians | 635.0 | -13.4 |
| 2008 | Dodgers | 469.2 | +5.6 |
| 2009 |
Dodgers | 1161.0 | +9.0 |
Is there a huge difference in the quality of the infield (I'm thinking the dirt here) between Jacobs Field and Dodger Stadium? How did Blake go from a poor defensive third baseman with Cleveland into an above average one in Los Angeles? Did former manager Eric Wedge employ bizarre positioning tactics or something? Who knows? All I know is Blake has performed well as a Dodger both in the plate and in the field.
Fun Stat
After hitting just nine triples in 3,483 plate appearances (one triple every 387 PA) in the American League, Blake has seven triples in 798 plate appearances (one every 114 PA) with the Dodgers.
Contract Status
Under contract through 2011, with a club option for 2012:
2010: $6 million
2011: $5.25 million
2012: $6 million club option, with a $1.25 million buyout
Blake can earn up to $500,000 annually in incentives based on plate appearances from 525 to 600 (he earned $250,000 in incentives in 2009)
2010 Outlook
| Year | Age | 2B | HR | Runs | RBI | BA | OBP | SLG | wOBA |
| 2006 | 32 | 20 | 19 | 63 | 68 | .282 | .356 | .479 | .358 |
| 2007 | 33 | 36 | 18 | 81 | 78 | .270 | .339 | .437 | .336 |
| 2008 | 34 | 36 | 21 | 71 | 81 | .274 | .345 | .463 | .347 |
| 2009 | 35 | 25 | 18 | 84 | 79 | .280 | .363 | .468 | .354 |
| 2010 Projections - Age 36 Season | |||||||||
| Bill James | 29 | 18 | 72 | 68 | .257 | .337 | .426 | .330 | |
| CHONE | 25 | 18 | 67 | 70 | .260 | .335 | .434 | .338 | |
| Marcel | 27 | 17 | 68 | 68 | .266 | .340 | .441 | .336 | |
| Baseball HQ | 27 | 18 | 77 | 74 | .275 | .349 | .459 | ||
| ZiPS | 25 | 17 | 61 | 74 | .268 | .343 | .455 | ||
Many of the projection systems expect Blake to take a step back this season, which is understandable for a 36-year old. However, take a good look at the newly clean-shaven Blake and tell me he doesn't look five years younger, at least. Did Blake found the fountain of youth? Blake started 131 games last season, but nearly half (15 of 31) of his days off came in the final month of the season. Will he benefit from extra rest that Joe Torre has said he plans to give him throughout the season? Either way, Blake is a key player in the lineup. The Dodgers need a productive Blake if they are to win a third straight division title.
What is your prediction for Casey Blake in 2010? Give us BA / OBP / SLG, along with PA. I'm going with .275/.351/.440 in 536 PA.
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White Sox:
Pierre 7
Beckham 4
Pierzynski 2
Konerko DH
Ramirez 6
Kroeger 3
Morel 5
De Aza 9
Mitchell 8
Garcia RHP
Dodgers:
Furcal 6
Kemp 8
Ethier 9
Ramirez DH
Loney 3
Blake 5
Belliard 4
Paul 7
Ausmus 2
Stults LHP
by Eric Stephen on Mar 6, 2010 8:06 AM PST via mobile reply actions
DH?
I can’t remember: do all ST games between NL and AL teams have a DH, even at NL team home games? Or is this just “early spring training”? (How about early ST games between two NL teams?) Or is it like AAA – all games have a DH unless two NL teams “agree” to play without one? Can’t be, surely.
I think it’s home team’s choice but I’ll check
by Eric Stephen on Mar 6, 2010 10:06 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Working......again.
It’s Saturday so I can get away with one earbud in. I think “The Chin” will have an outstanding year. I believe (hope) the Dodgers have a power year. Many will disagree, but it’s only a projection.
534 AB, 21 hr, 78 runs, 89 RBI, .281 avg, .364 obp, .478 slug
feel free to jump all over this.
by Skunkburner on Mar 6, 2010 8:20 AM PST via mobile reply actions
I was thinking
that maybe Casey played a better 3rd base because he was able to concentrate on only playing 3rd base. However after checking his fielding games he was a full time 3rd baseman in 2004 and 2005. Then in 2006 he played zero 3rd base before moving back to the hot corner full time time in 2007. Interesting how he was moved off of 3rdin 2006 for the weak hitting Aaron Boone. You’d have thought the Indians would have been able to find a corner outfielder/1st baseman who could do what Casey did while letting Casey provide average production at 3rd instead of settling for such a weak hitting option in Aaron Boone.
I suspect that the first time Casey has a slump in 2010 we will see the Beard once again.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Casey has a tough road to hoe
Only 14 3rd baseman at age 36 have had an OPS+ > 100 since integration. Two first ballot HOF, one for sure HOF in Chipper, then Rose who would be if not for being an idiot.
Luckily 3 of those 14 have been Dodgers. Actually only two. Ron Cey did it as a Cub. Here is hoping for a Tim Wallach type of season.
Player OPS+ PA Year Age AB H 2B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
Chipper Jones 176 534 2008 36 439 160 24 22 75 90 61 .364 .470 .574 1.044
Mike Schmidt 152 657 1986 36 552 160 29 37 119 89 84 .290 .390 .547 .937
Wade Boggs 141 434 1994 36 366 125 19 11 55 61 29 .342 .433 .489 .922
Tim Wallach 127 466 1994 36 414 116 21 23 78 46 80 .280 .356 .502 .859
Tony Phillips 123 643 1995 36 525 137 21 27 61 113 135 .261 .394 .459 .853
Jim Gilliam 121 432 1965 36 372 104 19 4 39 53 31 .280 .374 .384 .758
Melvin Mora 116 570 2008 36 513 146 29 23 104 37 70 .285 .342 .483 .826
Gary Gaetti 116 578 1995 36 514 134 27 35 96 47 91 .261 .329 .518 .846
Pete Rose 115 731 1977 36 655 204 38 9 64 66 42 .311 .377 .432 .809
Graig Nettles 112 402 1981 36 349 85 7 15 46 47 49 .244 .333 .398 .731
Vinny Castilla 109 648 2004 36 583 158 43 35 131 51 113 .271 .332 .535 .867
Ron Cey 107 580 1984 36 505 121 27 25 97 61 108 .240 .324 .442 .766
Phil Garner 103 505 1985 36 463 124 23 6 51 34 72 .268 .317 .400 .717
Bob Elliott 101 432 1953 36 368 94 18 9 61 61 39 .255 .363 .389 .751
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 3/6/2010.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Torre notes
Its not as simple as one of the left-handed guys will make it. We’ve got Green, Blake seems much more adept at playing second base..11 or 12 pitchers, etc.
Of course, having the left handed bat off the bench does make things easier…especially if he’s of a certain level.
Stults and JMac will get 2.0 innings each today.
We’ll see Gagne towards the end of the game. I’m comcerned with watching him and not the hitters he’s facing.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 6, 2010 9:38 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Lasorda was named to the Cuban Baseball HOF. That’s his 16th HOF
by Eric Stephen on Mar 6, 2010 10:03 AM PST via mobile reply actions
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