| Cristian Guzman is the most inconsistent player in
Major League Baseball. One day he will make a spectacular defensive
play like the double-play he initiated with the bases loaded in the
tenth inning against Chicago last Wednesday. However, the next day
he will wave his glove at three groundballs while barely making an
effort to come within ten feet of the ball. One day he will drive
the ball hard and end up with one of his trademark triples, the next
day he will weakly tap out several times around the infield. He will
also swing while walking in the plate (ala
Ichiro!).
Guzie's inconsistencies were much easier to accept when he was a
younger player who was promoted to the Twins way too early. However,
something clicked and for three months in 2001 he was one of the
most exciting players in all of baseball. Then he hurt himself at
the All-Star Game and has never fully recovered. His electrifying
speed seemed to vanish (odd considering his injury was too his
shoulder) as his stolen base percentage and number of triples
plummeted. This season, he has finally regained his prowess for
triples, but the rest of his speed game is lacking.
There are two answers to explain Guzman's inconsistent play and
neither of them are appealing as a Twins fan. The first possibility
is that Guzman is still injured and has been hurt for two years.
Something physically is bothering his back or legs or some part of
his body, and Guzman and the training staff is withholding this
information from the public. If the Twins were not completely
lacking middle infield depth, then maybe Guzman would finally
receive the time to heal that he has been desperately needing for
the past two years. Option B is very troubling. You see, and I hate
to be this pessimistic, it seems more and more likely that this is
the highest level that Guzman will ever reach. For some reason he
simply is unable to take the next step and will remain maddeningly
inconsistent for the next several years.
There really is nothing more exciting in baseball than watching
Cristian Guzman drive a ball into the gap. You see, just before he
hits first base, he decides that he will end up with a triple and he
really turns on the jets. He flies by second base and slides into
third usually well ahead of the throw. Now the cliche is repeated
often, but I must repeat it again. Nothing is more exciting in
baseball than watching a triple, and no triple is more exciting than
a triple hit by Cristian Guzman.
As recently as 2001, he was very easily my favorite Twin. Since
that time, his struggles and increased playing time for other
players has dropped him behind
Flounder and
probably AJ on my list
of favorite players. Plus, as recently as 2001 he was living in my
hometown of Richfield. Unfortunately, I have no idea where he makes
his summer residence anymore.
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