can we talk about Starlin Castro?

[otis89]

Castro now has 190 hits on the season. He's averaging 1.68 hits per game for his career. For comparison, Pete Rose averaged 1.19. If he can avoid injuries, Castro is going to rack up a boatload of hits.

[Little Slide Rooter]

But hopefully less gambling debts.

[SouthSideRyan]

Castro now has 190 hits on the season. He's averaging 1.68 hits per game for his career. For comparison, Pete Rose averaged 1.19. If he can avoid injuries, Castro is going to rack up a boatload of hits.

 

Might want to check that math.

[otis89]

Castro now has 190 hits on the season. He's averaging 1.68 hits per game for his career. For comparison, Pete Rose averaged 1.19. If he can avoid injuries, Castro is going to rack up a boatload of hits.

 

Might want to check that math.

 

Whoops. I looked at total bases instead of hits for Castro. Castro is really averaging 1.23 hits per game, which is still really good.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Given the high amount of ABs/PAs...how impressed should I be with 50 XBHs at 21 and an 80% SB success rate at age 21?

 

This f'er is going to be so [expletive] good. How long before organizational craziness + a crapton of bad luck turns him into the next Prior, a potential superstar that never got there?

[UMFan83]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement? I mean by itself it seems cool because not many people get to 200 hits on a regular basis. But unless you are hitting .340, reaching 200 hits means that you are probably hitting 1st or 2nd most of the year and likely not walking adequately. Here is a list of 200 hit players since 2000. There are obviously some really good players, and some very mediocre players as well

 

Jose Vidro

Freddy Sanchez

Placido Polanco

Vladamir Guerrero (3)

Robinson Cano (2)

Adrian Beltre

Michael Young (5)

Jack Wilson

Alex Rodriguez (3)

Derek Jeter (5)

Garret Anderson

Shannon Stewart

Juan Pierre (4)

Chase Utley

Miguel Tejada (3)

Ryan Braun

Bernie Williams

Jose Reyes

Mike Sweeney

Ichiro Suzuki (10)

Bret Boone

Rich Aurillia

Mark Loretta

Alfonso Soriano

Todd Helton (2)

Jimmy Rollins

Hanley Ramirez

Albert Pujols

Dustin Pedroia

Johnny Damon

Vernon Wells

Magglio Ordonez

Matt Holliday

Darren Erstad

[jersey cubs fan]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

Nope.

 

If this was a different organization I'd probably be cheering for it just for the fun of it. But I don't like having a guy with patience issues trying to get to an arbitrary number of hits by year end. Production isn't about a specific number of hits and Castro still has a lot of learning to do. But oh well, he's good enough to not get screwed up by it.

[Brett]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

Nope.

 

If this was a different organization I'd probably be cheering for it just for the fun of it. But I don't like having a guy with patience issues trying to get to an arbitrary number of hits by year end. Production isn't about a specific number of hits and Castro still has a lot of learning to do. But oh well, he's good enough to not get screwed up by it.

 

He's probably good enough not to get screwed up by it. Still, it makes me nervous that he's taken exactly 2 walks in September.

[bukie]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

Nope.

 

If this was a different organization I'd probably be cheering for it just for the fun of it. But I don't like having a guy with patience issues trying to get to an arbitrary number of hits by year end. Production isn't about a specific number of hits and Castro still has a lot of learning to do. But oh well, he's good enough to not get screwed up by it.

 

He's probably good enough not to get screwed up by it. Still, it makes me nervous that he's taken exactly 2 walks in September.

I'm encouraged that he's averaging a walk per game over the last 24 hours.

[CubColtPacer]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

Nope.

 

If this was a different organization I'd probably be cheering for it just for the fun of it. But I don't like having a guy with patience issues trying to get to an arbitrary number of hits by year end. Production isn't about a specific number of hits and Castro still has a lot of learning to do. But oh well, he's good enough to not get screwed up by it.

 

He's probably good enough not to get screwed up by it. Still, it makes me nervous that he's taken exactly 2 walks in September.

 

2 walks is pretty much on pace with the rest of his season. It's his 3rd highest walk rate of the 6 months. And September is his lowest strikeout rate of the season.

[Brett]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

Nope.

 

If this was a different organization I'd probably be cheering for it just for the fun of it. But I don't like having a guy with patience issues trying to get to an arbitrary number of hits by year end. Production isn't about a specific number of hits and Castro still has a lot of learning to do. But oh well, he's good enough to not get screwed up by it.

 

He's probably good enough not to get screwed up by it. Still, it makes me nervous that he's taken exactly 2 walks in September.

 

2 walks is pretty much on pace with the rest of his season. It's his 3rd highest walk rate of the 6 months. And September is his lowest strikeout rate of the season.

 

You would hope that, as a 21-year-old develops, his September walk rate would be the best of the season.

 

You would also hope that, whatever his K rate, his walk rate wouldn't be so abysmal. I'm not crapping on Castro - I can't wait to watch the next 10 years - but I am crapping on the idea that, if he gets to 200 hits, it's a particularly huge achievement. ... especially since he leads the league in at bats. I'd be far more impressed if/when he one day puts together a .400 OBP season.

[UMFan83]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

Nope.

 

If this was a different organization I'd probably be cheering for it just for the fun of it. But I don't like having a guy with patience issues trying to get to an arbitrary number of hits by year end. Production isn't about a specific number of hits and Castro still has a lot of learning to do. But oh well, he's good enough to not get screwed up by it.

 

He's probably good enough not to get screwed up by it. Still, it makes me nervous that he's taken exactly 2 walks in September.

 

2 walks is pretty much on pace with the rest of his season. It's his 3rd highest walk rate of the 6 months. And September is his lowest strikeout rate of the season.

 

You would hope that, as a 21-year-old develops, his September walk rate would be the best of the season.

 

You would also hope that, whatever his K rate, his walk rate wouldn't be so abysmal. I'm not crapping on Castro - I can't wait to watch the next 10 years - but I am crapping on the idea that, if he gets to 200 hits, it's a particularly huge achievement. ... especially since he leads the league in at bats. I'd be far more impressed if/when he one day puts together a .400 OBP season.

Yeah...a .400 season is not gonna happen unless he starts hitting 30+ homers annually (i guess not completely out of the realm of possibility)

[treebird]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

Nope.

 

If this was a different organization I'd probably be cheering for it just for the fun of it. But I don't like having a guy with patience issues trying to get to an arbitrary number of hits by year end. Production isn't about a specific number of hits and Castro still has a lot of learning to do. But oh well, he's good enough to not get screwed up by it.

 

He's probably good enough not to get screwed up by it. Still, it makes me nervous that he's taken exactly 2 walks in September.

 

2 walks is pretty much on pace with the rest of his season. It's his 3rd highest walk rate of the 6 months. And September is his lowest strikeout rate of the season.

 

You would hope that, as a 21-year-old develops, his September walk rate would be the best of the season.

 

You would also hope that, whatever his K rate, his walk rate wouldn't be so abysmal. I'm not crapping on Castro - I can't wait to watch the next 10 years - but I am crapping on the idea that, if he gets to 200 hits, it's a particularly huge achievement. ... especially since he leads the league in at bats. I'd be far more impressed if/when he one day puts together a .400 OBP season.

Yeah...a .400 season is not gonna happen unless he starts hitting 30+ homers annually (i guess not completely out of the realm of possibility)

 

if you had to pick one player who you thought would hit .365 in a full season at some point in the next ten years, starlin would be up there.

[Clem Fandango]

Just out of curiosity, where does Starlin rank among outs created?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I know Sosa proved that anything can happen, but I really doubt Castro will ever develop into a player who takes a lot of walks.

 

If his power keeps developing and he becomes a plus defender, that's more than enough.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Just out of curiosity, where does Starlin rank among outs created?

 

he's 1st in outs made

1st in errors

5th in double plays grounded into.

 

also 1st in hits

3rd in BA

4th in triples.

[Backtobanks]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

Nope.

 

If this was a different organization I'd probably be cheering for it just for the fun of it. But I don't like having a guy with patience issues trying to get to an arbitrary number of hits by year end. Production isn't about a specific number of hits and Castro still has a lot of learning to do. But oh well, he's good enough to not get screwed up by it.

 

Just out of curiosity, where does Starlin rank among outs created?

 

he's 1st in outs made

1st in errors

5th in double plays grounded into.

 

also 1st in hits

3rd in BA

4th in triples.

 

And all of this at 21 years old. I'm not going to worry about him simply because he seems to be a very special talent who seems to want to get better.

[KingCubsFan]

I know Sosa proved that anything can happen, but I really doubt Castro will ever develop into a player who takes a lot of walks.

 

If his power keeps developing and he becomes a plus defender, that's more than enough.

Yeah he becomes a .315 hitter with 20+ homers and either average defense at short or plus defense at third base, he's a great player regardless of the walks.

[UMFan83]

I know Sosa proved that anything can happen, but I really doubt Castro will ever develop into a player who takes a lot of walks.

 

If his power keeps developing and he becomes a plus defender, that's more than enough.

 

And the main reason Sosa "learned to take walks" is because he started hitting 60 HRs a year. As soon as he started declining, he quickly reverted back into all or nothing Sammy.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

I know Sosa proved that anything can happen, but I really doubt Castro will ever develop into a player who takes a lot of walks.

 

If his power keeps developing and he becomes a plus defender, that's more than enough.

 

I think down the line he'll have similar patience to Ramirez. ARam wasn't and isn't much of a walker, but hes managed and IsoD around .060 for his career. I think Castro will make contact like Ramirez and post some really strong K:BB, which I like almost as much more walks.

 

I kinda see a SS equivalent of Ramirez in Castro...he won't have Ramirez's raw power but that will be traded for BA. I actually like that Ramirez is a mentor of his because beyond power these guys have a similar and rare ability to stay balanced at the plate, identify pitches, and then make consistent and hard contact. I've always felt like Aramis is kind of a template for the kind of hitter the Cubs search for...Not that that's the only hitter theyd like...I expect someone who takes walks is next (cough*Fielder/Pujols*cough). //end rambling

[Sammy Sofa]

//end rambling

 

Lies.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

//end rambling

 

Lies.

 

That specific ramble.

[champaignchris]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

It's not so much the 200 hits. It's the 200 hits prior to age 22. Which would make him the 10th to ever do that...

 

Ty Cobb, Al Kaline, Joe DiMaggio, Buddy Lewis, Vada Pinson, Alex Rodriguez, Garry Templeton, Hal Trosky, and Lloyd Waner.

 

I think we all know that Starlin needs to improve his defense, take more walks, and hit for more power. Luckily, at least the first and third of those things tend to get better as players enter their prime, which Starlin is probably 2 or 3 years away from.

[Bull]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement?

 

It's not so much the 200 hits. It's the 200 hits prior to age 22. Which would make him the 10th to ever do that...

 

Ty Cobb, Al Kaline, Joe DiMaggio, Buddy Lewis, Vada Pinson, Alex Rodriguez, Garry Templeton, Hal Trosky, and Lloyd Waner.

 

I think we all know that Starlin needs to improve his defense, take more walks, and hit for more power. Luckily, at least the first and third of those things tend to get better as players enter their prime, which Starlin is probably 2 or 3 years away from.

or 4...or 5. He's really young.

[pitchcs]

Am I the only one that doesn't see 200 hits as a very special achievement? I mean by itself it seems cool because not many people get to 200 hits on a regular basis. But unless you are hitting .340, reaching 200 hits means that you are probably hitting 1st or 2nd most of the year and likely not walking adequately. Here is a list of 200 hit players since 2000. There are obviously some really good players, and some very mediocre players as well

 

 

Yeah, but look at the players with multiple 200 hit seasons on that list.

 

I know this is obviously his first, but you'd have to think he'll be in line for 1-?? more.