Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

[SPTO]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

If this is true, both Murphy and Cito should be immediately enshrined in Cooperstown. Last time someone led their league in HR by 14+? Mickey Mantle in 1956.

I wouldn't lie about that. Every interview i've heard/read he gives a lot of props to Cito. I don't know if it's just modesty or the absolute truth but there you go.

[Sandman42]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

I still want to know why people thinking taking steroids made Brady Anderson hit 50 homers that year. If they were from roids, why did he never come close to that level again? What did he stop taking roids after that season so he could go back to being his normal self?

[rdnk]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

I wouldn't lie about that. Every interview i've heard/read he gives a lot of props to Cito. I don't know if it's just modesty or the absolute truth but there you go.

Probably because he helped change his swing after they acquired him. Remember, he had 10 HR last September. So I guess it could be possible that he could do it again.

As for Cito and Murphy, isn't this Toronto team the leader in HR in the league this year? I also heard they beat their own club record for most HR's in a season...

Edit: Yeah, Toronto has 247 HR, next closest is 206.

[Nivek]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

Watch the highlights from tonight's game...the PED argument is stupid. The guy is just hitting the ball extremely well. That grand slam homer was ****, he just reared back and cranked it - his swing kinda reminds me of Albert Belle's in the late 90's.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

They were showing the chart of his HR's, basically all of which were left field/left center, and it supports what a poster said in this thread. That he has power, and developed his swing to where he kills it when he pulls it. Probably why his non-power stats are still so terrible, since a lot of pitchers stay away from his power zone. But when he gets that one pitch, I think he's proven he can kill you with it. Still think it's mostly a fluke, though, and don't see him ever hitting even 40 HR's again.

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

While I don't think he'll ever hit 40 HR+ again but I do think he can be a 20-30 HR threat who also Draws alot of Walks..

[SPTO]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

While I don't think he'll ever hit 40 HR+ again but I do think he can be a 20-30 HR threat who also Draws alot of Walks..

That's my thinking as well and I would be fine with that as his defense in the field is not too shabby either.

Anyways, hard to believe he his his FIRST opposite field HR all year last night.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

I'm still amazed he has not hit an opposite field homerun this year. That just tells me pitchers are either challenging him inside still or he's got the patience to wait for the mistake and he's capitalizing on it.

He just hit his first one of these into that flowerbox above right field at Target Field last night. His second of the game.

And you know what would end all this speculation about him taking PEDs? Major League Baseball actually testing for HGH. Unreal that they still don't test for that.

[Azamien]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

And you know what would end all this speculation about him taking PEDs? Major League Baseball actually testing for HGH. Unreal that they still don't test for that.

Good luck getting the union to agree to blood tests.

[SPTO]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

Good luck getting the union to agree to blood tests.

At the very least MLB is doing HGH tests in the minors.

[DrJones]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

And you know what would end all this speculation about him taking PEDs? Major League Baseball actually testing for HGH.

Or if they tested during the offseason.

[madhou5e]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

Why does everyone have to jump to the roids issue if someone is having a good year? Can we not just let Bautista alone and congratulate him on a fantastic season? Now if he suddenly slumps next year and hits less than 20 than there will be a bit of doubt but come on, maybe he just found his sweet spot.

[Dog]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

Why does everyone have to jump to the roids issue if someone is having a good year? Can we not just let Bautista alone and congratulate him on a fantastic season? Now if he suddenly slumps next year and hits less than 20 than there will be a bit of doubt but come on, maybe he just found his sweet spot.

In this steroid or post steroid era, steroids will always be brought up

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

Why does everyone have to jump to the roids issue if someone is having a good year? Can we not just let Bautista alone and congratulate him on a fantastic season? Now if he suddenly slumps next year and hits less than 20 than there will be a bit of doubt but come on, maybe he just found his sweet spot.

Because basically every jump like the one he had this year in the past has been tied to performance enhancing drugs. And then MLB continues to let the union refuse a comprehensive testing program. I don't like it, and I'm not accusing him of anything. But until MLB really, honestly addresses the problem, questions from some will continue.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: Jose Bautista - Rake or Fake?

How can you not question steroid use in this day and age? When basically every top HR hitter over the past 15 years was proven to be a juicer, the question has to be asked. Especially in the case of a guy like Bautista, who comes out of nowhere with a downright ridiculous power season, when he's never done anywhere close to that production before. As I said in this thread, I can buy him not being on steroids, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't ask the question.