P-MAC THE AAAA CRUSHER
posted 8/22/08
by Jason Martinez






At age 27 and in the midst of his 4th AAA season, Paul McAnulty is quickly earning the tag, "AAAA hitter". Too good for AAA but not good enough for
the big leagues. He's in somewhat of a baseball purgatory.

For whatever reason, his minor league success (.306/.397/.496 in parts of seven minor league seasons) has not translated to the big league level.
In four AAA seasons ('05-'08), he's a .315 batter with 41 HR's and just 187 strikeouts in 1000 AB's. He's been rewarded with a major league in
each of these four seasons. But in his 212 major league at bats, P-MAC is batting just .208 with 62 strikeouts, while also proving that he's not a very
good defender or baserunner.

To McAnulty's credit, he did not sulk after his demotion to Portland this season. Instead, he has been taking his frustration out on Pacific Coast
League pitchers since the minute he arrived back in the very familar city of Portland. His .391 BA, 480 OBP, and .754 SLG are impressive, to say the
least, even in a hitter's league like the PCL. He's averaged a HR nearly every 10 AB's (12 in 138 AB's) and has 28 BB's and 28 K's.

So what's next for a guy who will be 28 years old entering 2009 with not much of a reputation for defense or baserunning and likely no future in the
outfield of the San Diego Padres? Well, if he ever sticks in San Diego, it will be as a pinch-hitter. Unfortunately, he has not shown any hint that he's
ready to assume that role. In 56 career pinch-hit at bats, he has just 7 hits (.125 BA) and 21 strikeouts and his 1-for-20 line in '08 probably punched
his ticket back to Portland.

I'm really not sure what it takes for someone to be good at sitting on a bench for two or three hours and then getting up, taking a few warm up
swings, and trying to hit a 90-something mph fastball. It would be great if P-MAC could become that guy. It's obvious that the Padres need someone
that can be successful at that role. And the 'AAAA Crusher' is a Padres draftee and seems to fit the current "patient-aggressive" philosophy, at least
in the minors, that is stressed throughout the organization.

I'm rooting for the guy, honestly. If he can grow into a bench role and thrive as a late-inning pinch-hitter, I'd love to see him in a Padre uniform in
2009. I just don't ever want to see him in the Padres outfield ever again.