Is Miguel Tejada Fatigued? Or Are We Just Lazy?

Earlier this week, I added to my list of things that Cecil Cooper has screwed up the fact that he just keeps playing Miguel Tejada all the time. It was an off the cuff reaction to what I was observing and reading. It might hold a grain of truth, but having looked into it further, I think that I might owe Cecil Cooper a semi-meaningful apology.

The impetus for this reflection came from Baseball Prospectus’ Marc Normandin, their fantasy expert, in an article in which he dissected anamolies in the SS market. Tejada has posted an ridiculous 25.3% LD rate through this point in the season. Given that LD% he should be sporting a .373 BABIP, which would put him back on the plain of his hot April start. The reason he hasn’t, is he is also meekly hitting 28.8% of his ball in play on the ground to his pull side, where, Normandin reports, he sports a .190 BA. My thoughts upon reading that, and Normandin even suggest to this to the reader too, was that he’s hitting so poorly due to fatigue. Which may still be true.
After mulling this over and trying to decide if my gut had been right earlier this week, I decided to look at his fielding stats (and no, not his Fielding Percentage) to see if he’s playing a lot worse because of his alleged fatigue. Towards the end of May, when I half-heartedly beat around the bush at saying that the Astros were due for a horrific collapse, Miguel Tejada was sporting a .873 RZR, good for 3rd in the NL among SS. This morning I decided to look at his RZR, simply as a means to confirm the Tejada fatigue theory. If it weren’t for the fact that I’d yet to finish my first cup of coffee, I would have been totally shocked, but he’s sporting a .872 RZR and leading all qualified NL SS. So where’s the fatigue?

In my humble opinion, the fatigue isn’t to blame -- though it may indeed be there. I think Tejada needs to make some sort of adjustment, however, in order to stay back on pitches so he stops taking 28.8% straight the opposing SS for a GIDP. If he can’t correct this, he needs to be slotted down in the line-up accordingly, because we can’t afford to have Berkman and Lee stranded because Miggy can’t swing the bat right now. The thing we all have to fear, is that Tejada has never sported such a high LD%, so if that deflates, we’re in serious trouble. It’s a little disappointing too, because how often do you hear of Player X and Y were taking extra BP or where in the cage trying make whatever adjustment to stay on their “A” game? I haven’t heard anything like that for Tejada and it’s frustrating that he gets to rest on the laurels of past performance instead of plow forward.

So Cecil Cooper, I’m sorry I unjustly accused you not understanding how to effectively manage Miguel Tejada’s playing time. But, I will still think you’re an idiot for keeping him in the “heart of the order.” So let’s work on that, please. While you’re at that, tell Tejada to get his jovial ass in the batting cage.

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