Minor League Discussion & Boxes 5-21-12

[toonsterwu]

One of the odder things this year, IMO, was the lack of pop from Rebel Ridling. Well, 3 HR's in the last 2 days.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Craig's got it...basically hoping Raley offsets his mediocre velocity with better command and control of more pitches, which can be equally important in the world of pitching. So far this year he's doing alright, albeit repeating AA so so far so good.

 

Agreed Ha's bat will determine his future, as it probably should.

[rawaction]

Jackson 0-3 with 2Ks. That means he has now struck out 16 times in his last 34 ABs. And since I'm a nice guy, I'll point out that on May 17th, he went 3-4 and put the ball in play every time. 16Ks in his other 30 ABs in the last week and a half.

[toonsterwu]

Jackson 0-3 with 2Ks. That means he has now struck out 16 times in his last 34 ABs. And since I'm a nice guy, I'll point out that on May 17th, he went 3-4 and put the ball in play every time. 16Ks in his other 30 ABs in the last week and a half.

 

Even I can't defend the K's anymore, and lord knows I tried on Sickels site for a year or so there. Even if he's over-thinking it, as I've heard, this is still bad, no matter how you slice it. There isn't even a built in Torreyes "positive spin on something bad" aspect (in Torreyes case, the fact that he's not striking out and poor BABIP).

 

I sort of wish that they would sit him for a few days, but that won't happen, barring an injury. He pressed last year when he got to Iowa and eventually worked his way out of it, and I imagine he might do the same here, but a little time off seems like it could help.

[El Duderino]

I'm still afraid he's going to end up being Drew Stubbs.

[rawaction]

Jackson 0-3 with 2Ks. That means he has now struck out 16 times in his last 34 ABs. And since I'm a nice guy, I'll point out that on May 17th, he went 3-4 and put the ball in play every time. 16Ks in his other 30 ABs in the last week and a half.

 

Even I can't defend the K's anymore, and lord knows I tried on Sickels site for a year or so there. Even if he's over-thinking it, as I've heard, this is still bad, no matter how you slice it. There isn't even a built in Torreyes "positive spin on something bad" aspect (in Torreyes case, the fact that he's not striking out and poor BABIP).

 

I sort of wish that they would sit him for a few days, but that won't happen, barring an injury. He pressed last year when he got to Iowa and eventually worked his way out of it, and I imagine he might do the same here, but a little time off seems like it could help.

 

Yeah, I don't know what's going on with him. Can't be just pressing. And, he just struck out swinging at a pitch in the dirt. Damnit.

[toonsterwu]

I'm still afraid he's going to end up being Drew Stubbs.

 

Oy, hope not, but yeah, it's a possible outcome. Stubbs defense in CF is a bit overrated, IMO (not sure what the advanced metrics say). The fact that Jackson walks more should help him be slightly better overall.

[El Duderino]

Jackson 0-3 with 2Ks. That means he has now struck out 16 times in his last 34 ABs. And since I'm a nice guy, I'll point out that on May 17th, he went 3-4 and put the ball in play every time. 16Ks in his other 30 ABs in the last week and a half.

 

Make that 3 Ks.

[rawaction]

I'm still afraid he's going to end up being Drew Stubbs.

 

Oy, hope not, but yeah, it's a possible outcome. Stubbs defense in CF is a bit overrated, IMO (not sure what the advanced metrics say). The fact that Jackson walks more should help him be slightly better overall.

 

Stubbs was a decent enough player in 2010. A 3 WAR hitter, with average CF defense. Stole 30 bases and didn't get caught much. Flashed pretty good power, decent enough patience. I actually projected him to really blow up last year, as I picked him early in my roto league (oops!).

[El Duderino]

Jackson 0-3 with 2Ks. That means he has now struck out 16 times in his last 34 ABs. And since I'm a nice guy, I'll point out that on May 17th, he went 3-4 and put the ball in play every time. 16Ks in his other 30 ABs in the last week and a half.

 

Make that 3 Ks.

 

Four.

[toonsterwu]

I legitimately flinched when I saw the 0/5 with 4 K's for BJax. Ouch.

 

Rhee with an ... eh game. Struggled a bit in the first. His struggles remind me a bit of his struggles to start last year. Here's hoping that he gets it going in the summer, like last year.

 

On the plus side, nice win for Daytona. Shame Loosen got a ND - excellent outing by him, got beat by Flores on one pitch. Szczur/Alcantara each with 2 hits (but Alcantara had 3 K's).

[craig]

...Craig, you sure he played CF in Korea? .....

 

No. I'm sure he primarily played OF in Korea. My recall is that the standout tool when he signed was the arm, which fit for RF/C, or for CF.

 

I think he was projected for RF when he signed because he wasn't stop-watch fast then, just as he isn't now. Lee and Ha were the speedsters, Kim was the serious power prospect, Na was the supposedly gold-glove CF, and Ha was the other guy with the good arm.

 

Most American HSers played SS or CF in HS because that's where the best athletes/prospects usually go, and anybody who's good enough to be a decent pro prospect was probably the best athlete/prospect on his HS team. I suspect the same principle might apply in Korea. So my guess is that Ha played CF in Korea, but BA/scouts just didn't expect him to play there in the pros.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm by no means giving up on Brett Jackson, but at this rate I really can't imagine him being a key contributer to next years big league team.

[El Duderino]

Nate Samson mercifully struck out, so Brett did not get a 6th AB.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

That really is scary/ridiculous to see so many K's. Maybe it's just a phase? Did he get punched in the eye at some point and doesn't want to tell anyone he's blind in one eye? Too much time staring at screens straining his eyes?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Nate Samson mercifully struck out, so Brett did not get a 6th AB.

 

Has Nate Samson been here all along? I feel he was gone for like 3 years.

[Little Slide Rooter]

R.I.P. any hint of Jay Jackson being remotely considered a "prospect".

[toonsterwu]

R.I.P. any hint of Jay Jackson being remotely considered a "prospect".

 

Define "prospect" in your usage there. I don't think he's a "system arm" just yet (which was what I argued a few weeks back in one of these posts) ... although he's teetering dangerously close to it. He's not, for me, say, on a top 40 list of guys to pay attention to, and with all the youngsters, maybe not top 50 or 60.

 

Oh, Samson started the year in AA. Decent line in limited AB's. I completely missed why he got bumped to AAA. Probably some side-effect of the Cardenas/DeWitt swap? Too lazy to check that one.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Current it kid Junior Lake was 2/4 with a walk today.

[jersey cubs fan]

holy crap Jackson

 

those draft previews weren't lying when they said he had issues making contact with the baseball

[UK1679666180]

holy crap Jackson

 

those draft previews weren't lying when they said he had issues making contact with the baseball

 

It's usually one of the more accurate stats when translating collegiate/HS hitters to pro-ball. If they have high Ks there, more than likely it's going to carry over.

[toonsterwu]

holy crap Jackson

 

those draft previews weren't lying when they said he had issues making contact with the baseball

 

It's usually one of the more accurate stats when translating collegiate/HS hitters to pro-ball. If they have high Ks there, more than likely it's going to carry over.

 

Sure ... I mean, even the most optimistic of us out there probably pegged him as a 25-30% K guy. I just don't think anyone thought it would get as bad as it's getting right now (44% in the last 10). I am hoping/expecting that he'll get hot again, K's will drop a bit, and make his season K% roughly passable. I figure, it's probably just a pretty bad stretch for him, and he's probably over-thinking at the plate and pressing a bit, but it's pretty ugly right now.

[craig]

....I figure, it's probably just a pretty bad stretch for him, and he's probably over-thinking at the plate and pressing a bit, but it's pretty ugly right now.

 

The recent 40%+ rate is probably a slump that won't last forever. But he's been consistently 35% or worse for over 300 Iowa AB's. He was 35% k-rate last summer there, he was up in that neighborhood in April, now it's accelerated some.

[UK1679666180]

holy crap Jackson

 

those draft previews weren't lying when they said he had issues making contact with the baseball

 

It's usually one of the more accurate stats when translating collegiate/HS hitters to pro-ball. If they have high Ks there, more than likely it's going to carry over.

 

Sure ... I mean, even the most optimistic of us out there probably pegged him as a 25-30% K guy. I just don't think anyone thought it would get as bad as it's getting right now (44% in the last 10). I am hoping/expecting that he'll get hot again, K's will drop a bit, and make his season K% roughly passable. I figure, it's probably just a pretty bad stretch for him, and he's probably over-thinking at the plate and pressing a bit, but it's pretty ugly right now.

 

I agree, with guys like him there's an obvious smaller window for error with the higher given the huge increases of BABIP (especially with his bat speed and power) compared to a strikeout. It'll always be the key of whether or not his production can maintain despite low contact and if it can't, he'll likely end up at 4th OF. He's extremely gifted and in a bad slump right now, I doubt all of a sudden the PCL figured him out. Even if the k's lower his expected numbers to avg. type of levels, if he can stick in CF, he'll be fine.

 

I would be curious to look up at the stats at NCAA.org and look at the top strikeout guys who were drafted over the last 5 years and see how well it correlates.