I like Gold Gloves and I cannot lie: the Jason Heyward thread

[Sammy Sofa]

Another excerpt from the Verducci book, this time about the Heyward rain delay speech...

 

http://www.cubsinsider.com/2017/03/14/excerpt-tom-verduccis-upcoming-book-gives-inside-look-heywards-rain-delay-speech/

 

[David]

just preordered the book

[UMFan83]

http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/43437/jason-heywards-swing-makeover-did-it-actually-work

 

Basically Jesse talked to rival scouts, all except 1 were pessimistic about Jason's swing and most said its basically the same.

 

“He has an arm bar [straight arm] and he’s late,” one NL scout said. “When you’re late, everything breaks down.”

 

Simply put, several scouts don’t like what they’re seeing.

 

“When there is no tension [in his swing], it’s fine,” another NL scout said. “When it’s a muscle swing, it’s long and late.”

 

Others got even more technical in indicating his flaws but ultimately it sounds like there is a disconnect between what those scouts are seeing and what Maddon is observing, or perhaps neither side is necessarily wrong when you consider it's a work in progress. There have been more balls hit in the air by Heyward, so maybe it’s just a matter of perspective. Maddon is adamant about his.

 

We will see...

[David]

no different from what law already said

 

scouts have always hated his swing, and it's easy to see why. it was talked about when he signed his contract too. we're just hoping it's back to the slightly less ugly version that managed to yield an above average offensive player who plays elite defense for like 3400 PAs before last year.

[Bull]

Fixed!

[David]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[David]

my brain won't even allow me to process the possibility of how good we'd be with an even league average hitting heyward and almora (+ a league averageish fielding schwarber i guess)

[imb]

What is so ugly about that swing?

 

That was so much better than it looked even two weeks ago. obviously repeating it is the big thing but yeah.

[Splendid Splinter]

Is a Fukudome (offensively) type season too much to ask for Heyward this year?

[David]

i just hit 2 2 run dongs with heyward in the show off strasburg. fixed.

[mikeyt34]

What is so ugly about that swing?

 

I hope that's not a blind squirrel finding a nut but yeah that looks ten times better than last year. I like what Maddon said the other day, that he's happy Jason is hitting the ball in the air more consistently.

[Bote McBoteface]

i just hit 2 2 run dongs with heyward in the show off strasburg. fixed.

 

Hah...I hit one off of Strasburg with Heyward today. Freakin bomb, too. I'm having more success with him than anybody else so far. Funny because I always grounded back to the pitcher with him in 16.

[We Got The Whole 9]

What are the Cubs players ratings on the new Show?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[Brian707]

What are the Cubs players ratings on the new Show?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

 

 

Pitchers Jake Arrieta: 92 Jon Lester: 90 Kyle Hendricks: 87 John Lackey: 81 Mike Montgomery: 75 Justin Grimm: 80 (AAA) Rob Zastryzny: 56 (AA) Eddie Butler: 55 (A) Brett Anderson: 72 Koji Uehara: 83 Carl Edwards Jr: 79 Brian Duensing: 65 Pedro Strop: 84 Hector Rondon: 84 Wade Davis: 91

 

 

Position Players: Kyle Schwarber: 76 Kris Bryant: 94 Anthony Rizzo: 89 Ben Zobrist: 85 Addison Russell: 78 Jason Heyward: 78 Willson Contreras: 78 Jon Jay: 70 Miguel Montero: 74 Javier Baez: 81 Tommy La Stella: 69 Jeimer Candelario: 59 (AA) Munenori Kawasaki: 67 (AAA) Matt Szczur: 67 Albert Almora JR: 64

[Sammy Sofa]

Is a Fukudome (offensively) type season too much to ask for Heyward this year?

 

Either you're tempering your expectations REALLY low for a really good player, or we have wildly different memories of Fukudome's offensive production.

[David]

Is a Fukudome (offensively) type season too much to ask for Heyward this year?

 

Either you're tempering your expectations REALLY low for a really good player, or we have wildly different memories of Fukudome's offensive production.

 

he was a bit below average in 2008 (91 wRC+) and a bit above average in 09 (110) and 10 (118).

 

I would gladly take an 09 or 10 fukudome offensive year + his defense if you could guarantee them to me at this point.

 

in heyward's good years, he's basically been at 120 3 times, 110 once, and 134 once.

Edited March 29, 2017 by David

[biittner77]

My Grandfather, who turned 100 in 2008, really hated Fukudome's "spinning around nonsense".

[Sammy Sofa]

Is a Fukudome (offensively) type season too much to ask for Heyward this year?

 

Either you're tempering your expectations REALLY low for a really good player, or we have wildly different memories of Fukudome's offensive production.

 

he was a bit below average in 2008 (91 wRC+) and a bit above average in 09 (110) and 10 (118).

 

I would gladly take an 09 or 10 fukudome offensive year + his defense if you could guarantee them to me at this point.

 

in heyward's good years, he's basically been at 120 3 times, 110 once, and 134 once.

 

That seems like really settling when it comes to a player of Heyward's age with his history and his price tag.

[David]

 

Either you're tempering your expectations REALLY low for a really good player, or we have wildly different memories of Fukudome's offensive production.

 

he was a bit below average in 2008 (91 wRC+) and a bit above average in 09 (110) and 10 (118).

 

I would gladly take an 09 or 10 fukudome offensive year + his defense if you could guarantee them to me at this point.

 

in heyward's good years, he's basically been at 120 3 times, 110 once, and 134 once.

 

That seems like really settling when it comes to a player of Heyward's age with his history and his price tag.

 

with his history?

 

as in coming off a year where he looked blind at the plate?

 

i'll be very happy if he can just be good enough to where he considers opting out.

 

if a 5-6 win player (what heyward has essentially been when he's been in that 09-10 fukudome range offensively) is settling, then i guess i'm daniel boone.

 

and that'd be serious surplus value with his price tag.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

2008 Fukudome at the plate with Heyward's baserunning and defense is a 3-4 win player.

[David]

2008 Fukudome at the plate with Heyward's baserunning and defense is a 3-4 win player.

 

yup (and that's surplus value too)

 

 

this conversation also brings up another point...it's also why i am relatively optimistic about him bouncing back. it's not like it's a high bar he has to reach on offense in order to be a very valuable player.

[Sammy Sofa]

2008 Fukudome at the plate is kinda...not all that impressive. 2009 Fukudome, however, looks much better. 2010 even moreso (according to FG). Like, 2017 Heyward just being 2008 Fukudome would just mean he's less bad at the plate, not actually good.

 

Again, just seems like really, really low expectations. What the heck sticks out to you guys about Fukudome's 2008 offensive value?

[Sammy Sofa]

2008 Fukudome at the plate with Heyward's baserunning and defense is a 3-4 win player.

 

Yeah, I know; again, given his history prior to 2016, that would still seem like a pretty big disappointment.

[David]

2008 Fukudome at the plate is kinda...not all that impressive. 2009 Fukudome, however, looks much better. 2010 even moreso (according to FG). Like, 2017 Heyward just being 2008 Fukudome would just mean he's less bad at the plate, not actually good.

 

Again, just seems like really, really low expectations. What the heck sticks out to you guys about Fukudome's 2008 offensive value?

 

What?

 

Nothing. The whole point is that even if he's only 08 Fukudome at the plate, he is a 3-4 win player. That's how high the floor is with his defense and baserunning.

[David]

2008 Fukudome at the plate with Heyward's baserunning and defense is a 3-4 win player.

 

Yeah, I know; again, given his history prior to 2016, that would still seem like a pretty big disappointment.

 

Given the history after 2016, it would seem like

http://i.imgur.com/6MWvwWI.gif