Friday, February 10, 2012

Koby is just happy to sign

Koby Clemens told Mark Berman that he's just happy he was able to sign with another team.

Clemens:
"With how long it took, with all the free agents that were still out there and the waiting game, it was all new to me. So I'm just relieved and excited that one of the few teams that was interested in me giving me a great opportunity and I'm looking forward to getting out there and showing the Toronto Blue Jays organization what I can do."

It's a shame that it didn't work out with Clemens. Regardless about how you feel about his dad, for about a year and a half, Clemens looked like the 2nd Coming of Babe Ruth.

Think about it this way - in terms of the percentage of his hits that were for extra-bases:
2005 GRN (133 PAs): 36.4% (.876 OPS)
2005 TRI (36 PAs): 33.3% (.799 OPS)
2006 LEX (352 PAs): 35.7% (.660 OPS)
2007 LEX (484 PAs): 34.6% (.755 OPS)
2008 SAL (458 PAs): 39.4% (.792 OPS)
2009 LAN (492 PAs): 48.7% (1.055 OPS)
2009 COR (21 PAs): 0.0% (.569 OPS)
2010 COR (535 PAs): 46.8% (.825 OPS)
2011 OKC (444 PAs): 43.3% (.756 OPS)

Clemens always hit the ball hard, he just didn't hit it often enough. But despite a career 41.9% XBH%, he only had an OPS over .800 in three of seven seasons. His OBP and SLG were there, but ultimately his lack of defensive viability (he had at least 20 games at LF, 1B, C, and 3B) and 23% strikeout rate did him in. Hopefully a new team will give him the change of scenery he may need.