Minor League Discussion & Boxes 6-23-14

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Based on conversation with industry sources, prospect punditry is so far up its own ass trying to convince us that stats don't matter that it's become unreadable.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Kris Bryant has absolutely no regard for minor league pitching.

[imb]

the downside if bryant fails is we're fucked as a franchise. the upside is brett might choke to death on his lame ass #sparkle nonsense

[Guest]

So Lindor, I assume, is playing elite defense still except he's regressed offensively from last season, and this makes him... better?

His walk rate is similar to last year overall. He's whiffing more, but also has 2.5x the home runs as last year in 3/4 the PA's. He hasn't really progressed as a hitter, but I wouldn't say he's regressed, either.

 

Lower SLG and substantially fewer doubles to go with that uptick in HR. Is the Eastern League a better hitters league than Carolina League (where he spent most of his time last season)?

His slugging is .391 instead of .395. First off, that's hardly a dropoff to pick on. Secondly, it is entirely due to a drop in batting average - the ISO is up ever so slightly.

 

The doubles are off - partly due to some of them being triples this year. But doubles can vary significantly from year to year, so I don't think that dropoff is particularly alarming.

[Gilby]

Since they're not that far apart in age, who puts up better offensive numbers, Rizzo or Bryant? Votto-esque approach, or 80 power?

[apete6]

Since they're not that far apart in age, who puts up better offensive numbers, Rizzo or Bryant? Votto-esque approach, or 80 power?

 

I'll say Rizzo for the simple fact that he has proven it at this point, but Bryant has higher upside IMO.

[sneakypower]

A .350 OBP .375 SLG is just not a thing to reasonably project for a player. Look around the league and the closest you can come is guys with real power(Choo, Werth, Santana) who haven't hit for much power this year. Guys with .100 MiLB IsoP get swallowed up in this run environment. They can still be regulars, but they aren't abundantly valuable.

what are you expecting from a 20-year-old in AA? same league and age, Andrew McCutchen had a .126 ISO (95 wRC+)

 

if you scout a guy to add power, then a lofty ranking is justifiable; even still, Elvis Andrus was moved just as aggressively, had a nasty-ass .086 ISO in the minors and basically has been a 3-win player throughout his career: a top-50 position player throughout that period

[KingCubsFan]

He and Gallo are in a league of their own. I really think Bryant should get some consideration for #1 overall, Ks be damned.

 

Given that those who were ahead of him this year are either injured, struggling, or graduating to the majors (or likely going to be graduating to the majors), I think you do have to make a legit case for him to be #1.

I'm going to pat myself on the back:

 

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=62607&p=3032777&hilit=bryant#p3032777

[Guest]

A .350 OBP .375 SLG is just not a thing to reasonably project for a player. Look around the league and the closest you can come is guys with real power(Choo, Werth, Santana) who haven't hit for much power this year. Guys with .100 MiLB IsoP get swallowed up in this run environment. They can still be regulars, but they aren't abundantly valuable.

what are you expecting from a 20-year-old in AA? same league and age, Andrew McCutchen had a .126 ISO (95 wRC+)

 

if you scout a guy to add power, then a lofty ranking is justifiable; even still, Elvis Andrus was moved just as aggressively, had a nasty-ass .086 ISO in the minors and basically has been a 3-win player throughout his career: a top-50 position player throughout that period

There is also some truth to Kyle's continuous assertion about minor league defense (nearly) always being overblown. If Lindor doesn't become a multi-win defender, this whole conversation is moot.

[Guest]

A .350 OBP .375 SLG is just not a thing to reasonably project for a player. Look around the league and the closest you can come is guys with real power(Choo, Werth, Santana) who haven't hit for much power this year. Guys with .100 MiLB IsoP get swallowed up in this run environment. They can still be regulars, but they aren't abundantly valuable.

what are you expecting from a 20-year-old in AA? same league and age, Andrew McCutchen had a .126 ISO (95 wRC+)

 

if you scout a guy to add power, then a lofty ranking is justifiable; even still, Elvis Andrus was moved just as aggressively, had a nasty-ass .086 ISO in the minors and basically has been a 3-win player throughout his career: a top-50 position player throughout that period

 

What I'm after (not from you, per se) is the acknowledgement that Lindor's IsoP and BB/K are not exclusive things.

[sneakypower]

If Lindor doesn't become a multi-win defender, this whole conversation is moot.

multi-win? i keep comping him to a +5 defender strictly so as not to invite kyle's annoying [expletive] ass into the thread to repeat his tired "great minor league defense never translates" stupidity

[davell]

Since they're not that far apart in age, who puts up better offensive numbers, Rizzo or Bryant? Votto-esque approach, or 80 power?

 

I'll say Rizzo for the simple fact that he has proven it at this point, but Bryant has higher upside IMO.

 

Not a slight meant towards Rizzo at all, but I fully expect KB to out slug him as soon as he arrives. Rizzo may have to wait until 2016 before Javy bypasses him too.

[ScrubMD]

 

Bryant walked twice, with no Ks. Seeing the ball well. He's about to get hot.

 

 

It's hilarious that it seems like he's been struggling and he has 1.189 OPS in Iowa.

 

(yeah yeah 90% k rate whatever)

[Guest]

Since they're not that far apart in age, who puts up better offensive numbers, Rizzo or Bryant? Votto-esque approach, or 80 power?

 

I'll say Rizzo for the simple fact that he has proven it at this point, but Bryant has higher upside IMO.

 

Not a slight meant towards Rizzo at all, but I fully expect KB to out slug him as soon as he arrives. Rizzo may have to wait until 2016 before Javy bypasses him too.

 

Javy has a lot of work to do not missing baseballs when he swings at them before he is any sort of threat to Rizzo offensively (even solely in SLG).

 

and Bryant is going to have to be damn good to be a better offensive player than this Rizzo. .400 on base guys with power don't grow on trees.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If Lindor doesn't become a multi-win defender, this whole conversation is moot.

multi-win? i keep comping him to a +5 defender strictly so as not to invite kyle's annoying [expletive] ass into the thread to repeat his tired "great minor league defense never translates" stupidity

 

You're sweet for acknowledging that I'm right about that. Thanks!

[Guest]

If Lindor doesn't become a multi-win defender, this whole conversation is moot.

multi-win? i keep comping him to a +5 defender strictly so as not to invite kyle's annoying [expletive] ass into the thread to repeat his tired "great minor league defense never translates" stupidity

 

You're sweet for acknowledging that I'm right about that. Thanks!

Well, you took something that has some truth to it and exaggerated the point on a repeated basis.

[imb]

@TomLoxas Just a heads up, little birdie told me Bryant camp not loving #sparkle thing.

 

glorious

[Guest]

What is the #sparkle story?

[Guest]

During my twitter stalking one day, I believe I saw Kris Bryant's girlfriend tweet about Bryant's dad being the hitting coach for both Bryant and Gallo at some point... Is this just a huge luck of having two beasts in the same area or should we be offering Mr. Bryant a contract?

 

Yep, it's luck. Las Vegas also produced Bryce Harper in the same age group.

[Guest]

@TomLoxas Just a heads up, little birdie told me Bryant camp not loving #sparkle thing.

 

glorious

 

Good. Hope it [expletive] stops.

[davell]

What is the #sparkle story?

 

Pretty sure it was originally a Parks thing.

 

Jon Greenberg just called it creepy, by the way.

[davell]

@TomLoxas Just a heads up, little birdie told me Bryant camp not loving #sparkle thing.

 

glorious

 

Good. Hope it [expletive] stops.

 

Even if its fake, I applaud Loxas for the idea.

[Guest]

Anything that makes Jon Greenberg uncomfortable is a-ok with me

[imb]

I get the same feeling when I see #sparkle that I got during that weird few months where dudes were acting like they were really into those cartoon ponies.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If Lindor doesn't become a multi-win defender, this whole conversation is moot.

multi-win? i keep comping him to a +5 defender strictly so as not to invite kyle's annoying [expletive] ass into the thread to repeat his tired "great minor league defense never translates" stupidity

 

You're sweet for acknowledging that I'm right about that. Thanks!

Well, you took something that has some truth to it and exaggerated the point on a repeated basis.

 

Thanks to you too!