Polo Grounds |
Coming Later Today –
10 00 am
–Stephen Guilbert - Shortstoptions: Javier Baez is not a Shortstop
12 00 pm
– Craig Mitchell -
2 00 pm - Baseball America - Highest Draft Bonuses of All-Time
2 00 pm - Baseball America - Highest Draft Bonuses of All-Time
4 00 pm
- 2015 Draft Profile - SS - Brendan Rodgers -
Lake Mary (FL) HS - UPDATED 7-9-14
In his last 4 starts, Steven Matz has throwing 23.1ip w/ 25 K's & 5 BB's,
allowing only 4 ER.
The best offenses in #MLB over the past 14
days, by wRC+:
1. #Indians
2. #Mets
3. #Tigers
4. #Rays
5. #Angels
6. #Cardinals
There’s a story I want you to read (http://nypost.com/2014/07/17/the-pitching-prospect-whos-hailed-as-yankees-best-in-a-decade/) that Joel Sherman wrote… about a scout talking about a Yankee
prospect. The name of both the scout and player are not important. What is are
steps and factors this scout used and found to determine he had found what you
and I call a ‘prospect’… the velocity of the fastball… the location on the
edges of the zones the ball wound up in… the fact his changeup gave the pitcher
‘a special combo of arm strength, easy of delivery, fastball command, and
quality to the breaking ball’. He was describing two + pitches like they were
the second coming of Christ.
What next impressed the scout came after a
hitter got on base. The side-stepping and getting the ball to the plate from
the stretch was extremely fast, yet the velocity and command remained intact.
Read the article. It will teach you a little about the scouting game. You will
also notice that there was no emphasis on the stats being generated for that
game either.
Fangraphs on Allan Craig and Lucas Duda –
On May 26, the Mets, frustrated in the midst
of what clearly was becoming the franchise’s sixth straight losing season,
fired hitting coach Dave Hudgens, replacing him
with Lamar Johnson. You can’t fire an entire
team, so the baseball cliché goes, so you settle for cosmetic solutions in the
hopes of demonstrating to your disillusioned fanbase that yes, measures are
being taken to right the ship.
I
can’t speak to whether Johnson possesses magical abilities, but the team has
played .500 ball since he was tapped as hitting coach, averaging slightly more
runs a game. And whether it’s been Johnson’s tutelage or just the way the moon
and the stars have been aligned, Duda has become a different player.
What’s
changed? He’s been much more successful hitting offspeed pitches, and almost
everything about his approach at the plate has turned around for the better.
He’s swinging less often at pitches outside the strike zone while making better
contact on the pitches he can hit. In doing so, Duda has seen his line drive
rate spike, while also seeing an increase in fly balls, to the point where he
now leads qualified National League hitters in fly ball percentage. That’s
great to see, because as Duda, 28, has gotten older, his batted ball distance
has steadily increased each season. http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/dropping-allen-craig-for-lucas-duda/
The author went
trying to come up with a reason to trade Duda for Alan Craig. Look… as I have
said a number of times this past month. There are far more pressing issues than
who is playing first base in 2014. Leave Duda alone. He’s having a career year.
Marty asked –
The Newark Bears of the Independent
League shut down operations this year. The ballpark in beautiful, unoccupied
and a stone’s throw to New York City. I don’t know if the International League
would expand, or is limited to its resident cities with teams playing merry go
round every year with major league affiliations, but it seems like a great fit.
Any
thoughts as to the politics of making this work? – Marty
Mack – You know, this is a great idea. Now someone just
has to sell it to the powers to be in the International League… and… get the
Yankees to approve it. Herb/MMS pointed out earlier this week that the Mets really pissed off the Yankees when they blocked a similar regional move. Consider this a real long shot. Maybe give them one of out minor leaguers for the rights.
BA’s ‘Not So Hot’ on Thor –
Noah Syndergaard, rhp, Mets. Despite throwing 98 mph seemingly without
effort while collecting the save at the Futures Game, Syndergaard has had a
rough go at Triple-A Las Vegas since June. In that time he’s logged an 8.71 ERA
in seven starts, while allowing opponents to hit .351. His other peripherals
look fine—8.7 strikeouts and 2.0 walks per nine innings in that span—so don’t
hit the panic button just yet. The 21-year-old needs to mix his pitches better
and not catch so much of the plate with his fastball, which is true for many
power pitching prospects. http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-hot-sheet-july-18/?sm_id=social_20140718_28074616
John
(Chicago): Ben! I'm so glad you're the one fielding questions because we might
get some DSL insights. Do you have any thoughts on catcher Ali Sanchez, a July 2 signing from last year who has
put up great numbers so far?
Ben Badler:
He was one of the best catchers on the international market last year and just
made the DSL all-star team. It's an extremely short, inside-out swing that
helps him make a lot of contact with mostly gap power, although he's shown some
surprising sock at times this year. Very good catch-and-throw skills too with a
strong, accurate arm and a quick release, with ability to control the running
game well beyond his years. Looking like one of the better international
signings from last year.
By
the way… Danny Goodwin (1971) and Tim Belcher (1983) were the other two household names
that were drafted #1 overall and didn’t sign with their team.
Goodwin wound up at Southern
University for two years and was then drafted first overall again, this time by
California. He went on to a meh 7-yr MLB career where he hit .236.
Belcher enrolled in the east coast
powerhouse Mount Vernon Nazarene University, but was signed by Oakland. He
pitched for eight teams over 14 years, going 146-140, 4.16.
You sometime get one shot at the big
headlines and none of them guarantee a successful career.
5 comments:
That would be awesome if they could go to Newark, but there would have to be some MAJOR skankee ass kissing going on!!!
That was another scratching my head maneuver from this dum ownership group. If you let them put one franchise close we could of did the same thing. I was hoping for one on Long Island.
Conforto 3-8 so far. Promote him to Lucie after his first HR.
Duda is just fine. We need to build a lineup strong enough to push him down to 5-7 permanently but I'm satisfied with the big guy this year.
I'd have no problem if Syndergaard were demoted to AA if the thin air is bothering him. Binghamton is weather-wise close to Queens, so if he went down there and completely dominated, he could be called up from AA. They may just want him to punch thru his struggles and adjust. Either this year or next for a promo is fine with me, as long as it is not next June.
Duda emerges, Ike submerges. Last 28 days, Ike has been in 19 games, 13 as a starter, and he is just 7 for 43, with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. Anyone want to trade Duda for Ike Davis? I imagine Ike is available.
Newark would be great - make it happen. I'd love to see the AAA team play there.
I definitely picked Ike over Duda, hopefully I continue to stay wrong for a long time on this topic...
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