Delgado Has Been Caged

If the warning track were the home mark in Shea Stadium, Carlos Delgado would have over 40 home runs right now. That’s what I keep saying to myself. The only problem with this statement is that the only thing the warning track garners is an out and he’s been making all too many of these.

Delgado has taken a dive in every category of his hitting. Compared to last year, he hasn’t even reached his three quarter mark. Let’s take a look at last year’s versus this year’s production:

2006
AB: 524
BA: .265
HR: 38
RBI: 114
OBP: .361
SLG: .548

2007
AB: 454
BA: .249
HR: 18
RBI: 68
OBP: .326
SLG: .430

The two categories that are his bread and butter (home runs and runs batted in) are at an all time low since he started regular play. His previous was 25 (1996) home runs and 91 (1997) runs batted in and those were both accomplished during his first and second years with the Blue Jays.

If Willie is going to keep him at first for the remainder of the season, Delgado has got to figure out why he’s swinging the bat so badly all year. He, just, hasn’t been the Carlos Delgado that baseball has gotten used to. No longer is he the Big Cat. Instead in a one season turn around he has been picked up off the street and placed in the animal shelter. All of his power has seemed to be used up and the only thing that is left is a shell of his former self.

I wish I were wrong, but this case has been standing for the whole season and for Delgado to walk out with his usual 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in, he’s going to have to borrow Superman’s powers from him because I just don’t see it happening.