2/6/23

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - OF - Jack Hurley

Jack Hurley

OF Virginia Tech

2021 VT stat line - 58-G, 232-AB, ,375, 1.116-OPS, 14-HR

2022-mlb-mock-draft-n78w7-st9r4-wa35p-2n5ls-8addg-ed27s?s=03 -
27. Philadelphia Phillies
Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech
Hurley is as steady as they come offensively with enough tools on defense to stick in centerfield long-term. He impresses metrically too with above average batted-ball data and big exit velocities. He’s more than talented enough to go earlier than this, but it goes to show how deep the class is.

11-4-22 - 2023 MLB Mock Draft 1.0 - https://www.perfectgame.org/articles/View.aspx?article=21422 -

13. Minnesota Twins | Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech

Minnesota stays on the college side here and grabs one of the top collegiate bats available. Hurley’s a projectable plus hit tool with a consistent track record of high-end performance on one of the best offenses in college baseball. It’s a mature approach with solid average power and real feel for the barrel. He’s one of the safer options at this point in the year. -IB

11-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: College Top 100 Prospects - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-college-top-100-prospects/ -

24 Jack Hurley OF Virginia Tech ACC

11-12-22 - 2023 MLB Draft – Top 50 College Prospects -

https://www.prospects1500.com/mlb-draft/2023-mlb-draft-top-50-college-prospects/

20. Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech – Hurley is as tough an evaluation as there is for me right now. The hands and feet aren’t in sync, there are a lot of moving parts in his swing, and he has put up concerning strikeout numbers. On the other side, a vast majority of those strikeouts have come on offspeed offerings, and he has shown the ability to barrel up quality fastballs. He was arguably the best offensive contributor on a Virginia Tech team that featured the number nine overall pick in Gavin Cross a season ago. The ball really jumps when he makes contact and he hit for a .375 average a season ago while showing an approach that allows him to use all fields and drive the ball all over the ballpark. The arm probably won’t let him play right, but he has enough speed he might be able to stick in center long term.

11-9-22 - 2022 Fall Report: Virginia Tech - https://d1baseball.com/fall-report/virginia-tech-2022/ -

The headliner of the group is junior outfielder Jack Hurley, who batted .375/.452/.664 last season with 23 doubles and 14 home runs, and spent his summer with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team.

He has a knack for hard contact, both to the gaps and in terms of traditional home-run power. He’s a plus runner, which makes him a potential fit as a replacement for Cross in center field—a position he played for Virginia Tech as a freshman— but he has the arm for right field, and if nothing else, he can slot back into left field, where he played last season. Suffice it to say that Hurley checks a lot of boxes.

11-4-22 - Perfect Game 2023 MLB Mock Draft 1.0 -

https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=21422&src=hmrep&s=03

13. Minnesota Twins | Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech

11-2-22 - https://baseballprospectjournal.com/jack-hurley-hopes-to-build-on-last-season/ -

Jack Hurley has played a valuable role for Virginia Tech since his freshman year in 2021.

As a first-year player, he was a regular in Virginia Tech’s lineup, showing flashes of his potential. After his freshman year, Hurley knew he needed to make tweaks to continue his evolution as a baseball player.

The Virginia Tech outfielder altered his swing mechanics leading up to his sophomore season last year. The work paid off significantly, as Hurley posted monster numbers. He was Virginia Tech’s best hitter in a loaded lineup, which included Gavin Cross, the ninth overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft.

Hurley hit .375 with 23 doubles, 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 232 at-bats last year. Scouts noticed Hurley’s success and development. Entering his junior season, Hurley is one of the top players in college baseball and a potential first-round pick in the 2023 draft.

10-19-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects-fx4td?s=03 -

19. Jack Hurley

Outfield, Virginia Tech

Hurley is a bit of a five-tool player who can impact the game in every aspect. He's got the hit tool and the raw power, and he's got the speed to steal double-digit bases as a pro. If there's one critique here, it may be that the throwing arm is below average, maybe a touch better than that. Hurley comes packed in an athletic frame with well-proportioned strength and organic loft built into his swing. He doesn't have to sellout for power or force things to his pull-side. He does a good job staying up the middle of the field and letting his bat speed handle the rest. Hurley has gone through occasional periods of swing-and-miss, coming almost exclusively by way of the changeup, but that's a development piece that should come as he ages. This is a big league regular bat.

9-19-22 - Top 20 college prospects for '23 Draft -

https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/top-college-prospects-for-2023-mlb-draft.html -

12. Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech

Hurley put up monster numbers in a loaded Virginia Tech lineup last spring, batting .375/.452/.664 with 14 homers and 10 steals and outperforming No. 9 overall pick Gavin Cross. He makes a lot of hard contact despite a busy left-handed swing, and he also has plus speed and a shot at playing center field.

9-7-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022-mlb-mock-draft-n78w7-st9r4-wa35p-2n5ls-8addg -

27. New York Yankees

Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech

Hurley is a five-tool type of guy, though none of his tools are specifically loud. He does everything well and he’s been a consistent performer inside a powerhouse lineup for two years now. Hurley has the ability to handle centerfield, but may be better suited for left field where his throwing arm won’t be challenged quite as much. Hurley’s got a good shot at being a solid big league regular who can contribute in a number of ways and become a staple at the top of a lineup for a decade.

8-29-22 - Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB

The 2023 MLB Draft Show has ARRIVED

We're kickin' things off with Jack Hurley (@jhurlz5), an ultra-talented OF with Hokies Baseball. Hurley is a potential 5-tool guy who hit .375 with 14 homers and 10 stolen bags in 2022. A BIG name to know.

https://t.co/kOkfKNFsDj

8-3-2022 -

Ranking the Top 30 2023 MLB Draft Prospects -

https://www.oddschecker.com/us/insight/baseball/mlb/20220803-2023-mlb-mock-draft-ranking-the-top-30-2023-mlb-draft-prospects -

22 Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech

7-28-22 -

2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 150 PROSPECTS -

https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects -

15. Jack Hurley

Outfield, Virginia Tech

All the 2023 Draft Prospects in the Mack’s Mets database can be viewed by going to www.macksmets.blogspot.com and clicking on 2023 DRAFT PROSPECT DATABASE found on the top, left of the front page of the site.

Paul Articulates – What about the defense?

If you have your ear to the many media outlets talking about the build-up of the New York Mets, you have probably heard many times how they “need another bat”, need to address the DH position, need another outfielder that can hit with power, etc. You have heard praise for Pete’s power; Jeff’s batting proficiency, Nimmo’s OBP, and many other offensive statistics. Pitching was paramount in the media buzz as the Mets dug out of a deep free agency hole to build a powerful staff from starters to the “best closer in baseball”. And their defense – you heard…crickets?

It is time to talk about the Mets fielding capability, as spring training is right around the corner. Is this an issue to address in spring training other than to run the usual infield practice, outfield fungoes, and cutoff drills? I took a look at the defensive stats, and I will share it with you here.

The number one objective of the defense should be to limit runs scored against your team. This gives you the best chance at scoring more against the opponent – which directly translates to WINS! Last year the Mets ranked second in the National league in runs against, allowing only 3.74 runs per game. That includes everything: earned runs, un-earned runs, and runs in their stockings. Only the Dodgers fared better. To succeed in this statistic, a team needs both great pitching and strong defense. We know the Mets had a great staff last year with two of the top pitchers in baseball. As a team, their 3.57 ERA was third in the NL behind the Dodgers and Braves. Slice it how you want: ERA+, FIP, WHIP, it was Dodgers, Mets, Braves or Dodgers, Braves Mets. The consensus is that the 2023 Mets’ staff is just as good as the 2022 staff. So will we be among the league leaders in fewest runs scored again? Let’s look at the defensive stats and the contribution of the players.

A traditional metric for fielding effectiveness is fielding percentage, which is the ratio of Putouts + Assists to the number of chances. The 2022 Mets were tied for second in the NL with a Fld% of .988, one thousandth of a point behind the St. Louis Cardinals. That is pretty good in my book. It has already been established that the pitching staff was good at limiting chances, and when opposing hitters did put the ball in play, the Mets defenders put them out as well as any other team.

Advanced metrics seem to put a different spin on things. Baseball Reference uses a statistic called “Rdrs” which compares total Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) to the league average. In this stat, the Mets actually came in just above the NL average (10) with a score of 11. The Dodgers and Cardinals were well above that with scores of 84 and 70, respectively. The weaknesses appear to be at third and first base in those advanced stats. Eduardo Escobar posted a -11 DRS and a -7 OAA (Outs Above Average) at the hot corner, which implies issues with range. Escobar also posted a .958 fielding percentage which is well below expectations at the position. Pete Alonso had a -2 DRS and -7 OAA so despite his hard work at improving his defensive skills it looks like he still has a way to go. I don’t see Pete getting a serious challenge for the first base position, but Escobar will have his hands full with a hungry Brett Baty. Baty does not come up with a reputation for a great glove, but from what I saw in several AA games, the kid does have range. The spring training battle for starting third basemen should be among the most competitive. Don’t forget about Luis Guillorme, who as a utility infielder may have the best glove on the Mets roster – he may give Buck Showalter plenty to think about.

The Mets outfield has good speed and defensive ability. Brandon Nimmo has steadily improved his outfield defense over the years, and a healthy Starling Marte will be a plus for the team in right. Mark Canha went errorless last year in left field, has the ability to play center in a pinch, and gets far less credit for his fielding prowess than deserved. Tommy Pham has been added as a fourth outfielder but that is more for his bat than his glove. Don’t forget that versatile Jeff McNeil can play the outfield corners as well as anyone.

Behind the plate the Mets are in good shape. Narvaez is a former AL all-star and Tomas Nido has a gold glove in his trophy case. They will both be working to mentor Fernando Alvarez on the position. Alvarez has often been reviewed as “not ready” on defense but sports a bat worth watching. Alvarez has a gun for an arm and should be able to become a very capable defensive catcher with some tips on managing the pitching staff and framing pitches in the last few years before robot umpires obsolete that skill.

So what about that defense? I think the Mets will be very sound this year, and with the intense competition at third and behind the plate you can expect the best from all involved. This should be an exciting year with strong pitching and defense to complement an improved lineup. Let’s go Mets!

Reese Kaplan -- The End of the Wilpons Vs. Steve Cohen

Before you know it Opening Day will be here and it often makes sense to put one's enthusiasm temporarily on the back burner and look behind at seasons in the recent past to see how much improved, if any, the current squad is expected to be in the season yet to begin. No one knows for sure how any individual will do, but using past history and contracts (new and pending) as indicators, you can make some educated guesses.

For purposes of today's exercise, let's look only at the final year of the Wilpon regime and then compare it to these first few years of the Steve Cohen campaign as owner and at least temporarily King of New York.

2020

The Opening Day lineup for the 2020 season was on long delay due to the international COVID outbreak that derailed many business from what was their normal way of doing things. The actual commencement of the 2020 season waited until late July after a July 1st beginning to what was previously known as Spring Training. On July 24th the team that took the field for the Mets included three familiar names but then it was filled with a lot of now former Mets:

Brandon Nimmo CF
Jeff McNeil 3B
Pete Alonso 1B
Michael Conforto RF
Yoenis Cespedes DH
Robinson Cano 2B
J.D. Davis LF
Wilson Ramos C
Amed Rosario SS

As expected, Jacob deGrom started the game on the mound.

This season was very much hard to grasp given the late start and 162 game normal duration reduced to just 60 games. It was not surprising that the Mets did not do well, finishing with a losing record of 26-34 and were awarded last place when the Washington Nationals finished with an identical record but bested the Mets in their head-to-head contests. The leaving not with a bang but a whimper was a good final denouement for the Wilpon mismanagement.

2021

For Steve Cohen's first season in command he was not initially making the wholesale changes that would follow. He allowed Luis Rojas to serve his sophomore season as manager despite his losing record for 2020 as the last minute substitute for the hired and then fired Carlos Beltran. The season did not progress particularly well, with the team once again finishing with a losing record across the full 162 game schedule of 77-85.

There was a front office issue with the chosen and then replacement GMs having issues that had nothing to do with baseball terminating their careers. Lots of players were brought into New York, but the most conspicuous one was the trade of Amed Rosario, Andres Gimenez, Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene to Cleveland for shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco.

While newcomers Aaron Loup and Taijuan Walker contributed quite well from the mound, most of the other roster changes and additions were at best neutral (Trevor May and James McCann) and often negative in their outcomes.

The Opening Day lineup included:

Kevin Pillar CF
Francisco Lindor SS
Michael Conforto RF
Pete Alonso 1B
J.D. Davis 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jeff McNeil LF
James McCann C
Brandon Nimmo LF

Starting pitcher was once again Jacob deGrom. This season looked on paper as if they would finish better than they did, but people like Pillar, Conforto, Davis, McCann and (surprisingly) McNeil did not perform up to expectations.

2022

It was in this season that Steve Cohen started flexing his ownership muscles quite a bit more. First came the front office with former Angels' GM Billy Eppler brought in to head up the Mets in that role. He was followed quickly by bringing in the eventual Manager of the Year for 2022, Buck Showalter.

On the roster, several changes were made. All Star Starling Marte who made his career playing center field was brought to the Mets to play right replacing Michael Conforto. Eduardo Escobar was brought here on a rather modest contract to take over at 3B. Mark Canha was a bit of an unknown in the NL East but he performed fairly well though perhaps a tad below his salary level.

No one knew what to expect nor where to play Jeff McNeil who began in the outfield, but finished the season by winning the batting title compared to all major leaguers. Robinson Cano was shown an expensive exit door after failing to perform and Jeff McNeil retook his usual spot at second base.

On the pitching side Max Scherzer was brought to the Mets to complement the already solid rotation (when healthy). He performed like the future Hall of Famer he's been. There were substitutes in a great many games at starting pitcher due to various injuries, but the club did wind up winning 101 games but lost the wildcard playoff game.

Here is the starting lineup:

Starling Marte RF
J.D. Davis DH
Francisco Lindor SS
Pete Alonso 1B
Eduardo Escobar 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Canha CF
Jeff McNeil LF
James McCann C

In place of Jacob deGrom who was injured the Mets sent little known Tylor Megill to lead them on Opening Day. He gave them five brilliant innings, walking no one, giving up just three hits and striking out six.

2023

So far the Mets don't know who will be in the lineup nor which order will be used, but a reasonable assumption would be something like:

Brandon Nimmo CF
Jeff McNeil 2B
Francisco Lindor SS
Pete Alonso 1B
Starling Marte RF
Daniel Vogelbach DH
Mark Canha LF
Eduardo Escobar 3B
Omar Narvaez C

This year it won't be injuries keeping Jacob deGrom off the mound for the Mets as he exercised his free agency and took a deal offered by the Rangers. Instead flip a coin between returning veteran multiple Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer or newcomer multiple Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. Following them will be free agent acquisitions Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana as well as returning Carlos Carrasco.

In the bullpen they brought back Edwin Diaz and Adam Ottavino while adding David Robertson and Brooks Raley to replace some of the outgoing relief pitchers.

Underperformer James McCann has been traded away. Seth Lugo, Trevor May, Joely Rodriguez, Trevor Williams and others have found new employers.

About the only criticisms still being levied against the front office are not improving the DH production and not finding another left handed veteran relief pitcher. Still, the overall assessment by most in the media is that the Mets are certainly looked at as a front runner to go all the way.

2/5/23

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - LHP - Grayson Hitt

Grayson Hitt

LHP Houston HS (TN)

1-31-23 - An Early Look at the Twins 2023 Draft

https://twinsdaily.com/news-rumors/minnesota-twins/an-early-look-at-the-2023-draft-r13623/

#49 - This one might make you chuckle. Last year, the Twins selected a falling Alabama southpaw in Connor Prielipp. Right now, Baseball America has Grayson Hill, an Alabaman southpaw, ranked forty-ninth overall. Hill lacked great control both at Alabama and in the Cape Cod League, but has shown flashes of big-time stuff.

1-22-23 - Peter Flaherty III @PeterGFlaherty

No arm in the country had a louder fall than Grayson Hitt (Alabama). Velo took a big jump as he was sitting 93-97, SL is still a + pitch, added a cutter to his arsenal that is a serious weapon. Attacks from high 3/4 slot, direction down mound has improved a lot

Top-40 Upside https://t.co/Crsd2w0wGE

1-21-23 - Top 25 Breakdown: No. 20 Alabama

https://d1baseball.com/season-preview/top-25-breakdown-no-20-alabama-2/

Picks to Click: LHP Grayson Hitt was one of the fall’s buzziest breakout prospects in scouting circles, for good reason. He’s been inconsistent so far in his career, but this fall he showed better command of a much more explosive fastball that bumped 97, along with a newly developed cutter and a quality curveball.

12-7-22 - MLB DRAFT 2023: WINTER'S MOCK DRAFT - https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/PBR/MLB-Draft-2023-Mock-Draft-First-Edition-4397815602?s=03 -

Giants

Grayson Hitt

LHP

Houston HS (TN)

12-7-22 - MLB DRAFT 2023: WINTER'S MOCK DRAFT - https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/PBR/MLB-Draft-2023-Mock-Draft-First-Edition-4397815602?s=03 -

Giants

Grayson Hitt

LHP

Houston HS (TN)

The top left-hander in the college class continues his ascent into the middle of the first round.

11-17-22 - 2022 Fall Report: Alabama - https://d1baseball.com/fall-report/2022-alabama/

The biggest difference for Alabama from years past is the presence of two big-time bullets on the mound in lefthander Grayson Hitt and righty Ben Hess, who have the stuff to match up with any duo in the SEC.

Hitt was a highly regarded recruit two years ago who struggled in limited action as a freshman, then took a step forward and earned a rotation spot as a sophomore, finishing 4-3, 5.34 with 68 strikeouts against 30 walks in 60.2 innings last spring. He flashed exciting potential last year, but he made a huge leap this fall and was one of the buzziest rising prospects in the country.

“Grayson Hitt has made a jump, that’s the story of the staff,” Bohannon said. “All the scouts that were here said that guy’s not getting out of the first round or supplemental picks. He was working 93-96, up to 97 multiple times, just commanding four pitches, with a little more fastball, but he’s always had some stuff and now he’s looking like a pitcher, commanding the ball, working ahead in the count. He’s always had a good slider, just kind of changed the grip on it and throwing it harder like a cutter, it’s a good pitch. Most of these young pitchers, they think they have a curveball and a slider and they kind of look the same. For Grayson it’s a distinct pitch, a 12-6, it’s a good offering. Everything else he throws is hard and they just don’t swing at his curve, and he throws it for a strike. I don’t think I would say it’s swing-and-miss banger, but they just don’t swing at it and he’s always had the ability to throw it for a strike. And it’s a good changeup.”

11-14-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: Five Rising Lefthanded Pitchers - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-five-rising-lefthanded-pitchers/ -

Grayson Hitt, Alabama– Far and away the leader of the Lefty Risers, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound athletic southpaw was a big name out of high school during the covid summer. However, at that point it was a stuff over pitch ability type of arm. It remained that way his freshman season in Tuscaloosa before earning a rotation spot last spring as the Sunday starter. Throughout his sophomore season, he was mostly a two pitch guy with a fastball and slider and he pitched through a lot of traffic, finishing with a 5.34 ERA in 14 starts over 60.2 innings. After 21 more innings this past summer in the Cape, he shut it down before returning to Bama this fall. The power-armed lefthander has opened eyes throughout the scouting industry with first round stuff; 93-97 mph fastball, a plus 88-89 cutter, a useful downer breaking ball that he’s always been able to land for strikes, and a solid changeup. He still hasn’t gone to the change of pace much during game action, but the pitch shows well in the pen. Currently, Hitt has shown scouts enough to project to the back half of the first round.

10-19-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects-fx4td?s=03 -

70 LHP

Grayson Hitt

Alabama

Hitt is a super-projectable lefty that's been up to 97 in the fall with a fastball that brushes the mid-90s with frequency. He's still working to develop his secondaries, but the slider and manipulated slider/curveball both have upside. Throwing his arsenal for strikes continues to be a point of emphasis in his development, but this is a strong, angular body with projection and upside that should see massive gains as he continues to mature.

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - SS - Eric Bitonti

Eric Bitonti

3B/SS Aquinas HS

2-3-23 - Top 20 high school hitters in the country entering the 2023 baseball season | Scorebook Live

Score Book Live -

Eric Bitonti, sr., SS, Aquinas (California)

Bitonti absolutely raked as a junior, hitting .526 with eight home runs and 41 RBIs, and the athletic Oregon commit also stole 17 bases and scored 55 runs. MLB scouts love the 6-foot-4 athlete's power potential and he doesn't turn 18 until December, factors that could help him land in the first round in July.

11-4-22 - Perfect Game 2023 MLB Mock Draft 1.0 -

https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=21422&src=hmrep&s=03

27. San Diego Padres | Eric Bitonti, 3B, Aquinas HS (Calif.)

The Padres under AJ Preller like to take big swings, taking late riser Jackson Merrill and James Wood with their first two picks in 2021 and now both of those are among the best prospects in baseball. Bitonti possesses monster upside, not too dissimilarly to Wood, with a huge frame and violent swing from the left side.

He’s going to mature into substantial power and as he fills out, will likely move off shortstop. Bitonti is also one of the youngest players in the class as he's still just 16 years old. -VC

10-19-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects-fx4td?s=03 -

21. Eric Bitonti

Shortstop/Third Base, Aquinas

Bitonti offers one of the most visually appealing swings in the entire prep class. High-level hit/power combo that’s well balanced throughout as a left handed hitter and a bat path that’s conducive to all-fields power. Ultra projectable, long frame that Bitonti incorporates extremely well into both his swing and throws across the diamond showing staying power on the left side of the infield.

The Oregon commit shows an immense package of tools that could end up proving to have day 1 type potential. The cherry on top? Bitonti won't turn 18 years old until December following the draft. He's incredibly young.

9-7-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022-mlb-mock-draft-n78w7-st9r4-wa35p-2n5ls-8addg -

15. Boston Red Sox

Eric Bitonti, Infield, Aquinas

The Red Sox have gone so incredibly heavy on California prep shortstops in recent years that, at this point, it’s almost impossible to ignore. Bitonti is more of a power-first infielder with tremendous bat-speed. He may end up at third base or in left field, but you’re buying the bat here. Bitonti will be just 17 years old on draft day, so models will continue to value him very highly.

8-3-2022 -

Ranking the Top 30 2023 MLB Draft Prospects -

https://www.oddschecker.com/us/insight/baseball/mlb/20220803-2023-mlb-mock-draft-ranking-the-top-30-2023-mlb-draft-prospects -

20. Eric Bitonti, SS, Aquinas HS

Bitonti is a left-handed bat who committed to Oregon. He won't even turn 18 until December and still has all the tools that could make him a first-round selection. He's got incredible power and great discipline at the plate.

7-28-22 -

2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 150 PROSPECTS -

https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects -

17. Eric Bitonti

Shortstop/Third Base, Aquinas

7-26-2022 -

2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 100 HIGH SCHOOL PROSPECTS -

6. Eric Bitonti

Shortstop/Third Base, Aquinas

Perfect Game -

https://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=778995

Eric Bitonti is a 2023 SS/3B with a 6-4 215 lb. frame from Hesperia, CA who attends Aquinas. Big and strong athletic build, stands out physically. Left handed hitter, hits from a slightly open balanced bent knee stance, uses his lower half well to generate bat speed, uphill swing with huge power potential, present bat speed and still plenty of projection, sees the ball very well and controls the strike zone, high ceiling offensive tools. 7.00 runner in the sixty.

Moves very well on defense for his size, light on his feet, throws well on the move and when off balance, solid present arm strength. Excellent student, verbal commitment to Oregon.

Tom Brennan - Great Baseball Hitters and Their Home Parks

HOME VS. AWAY: "There's no place like the road, Auntie Em"

My mind meandered from “home sweet home” to "on the road again." Making me think about those home parks….

How did some guys do at home vs. away?

Joe DiMaggio was often described, while he was still alive of course, as baseball's greatest living ballplayer.

He spent his entire career in a terrible hitting park for righties, Yankee Stadium, 461 feet to dead center and 463 to the left center power alley. Home plate in the Bronx, outfield bleachers in Westchester, pretty much.

How did it affect joltin' Joe? A whole lot.

He hit 148 HRs in Yankee Stadium and 213 on the road in 34 fewer games, so on the road he hit 44% more HRs than at home.

Road slash?

Joe jolted at a robust.334/.406/.611.

At home, "just" .316/.391/.547. Big disparity.

Ted Williams? He hit a resounding .361 in Fenway (vs. .328 on the road) despite being a left handed hitter and pull hitter. My presumption is that he smartly also tattooed a lot of doubles off the very short-distanced Green Monster in Fenway's left field, as he had an incredible 50% more doubles at home than on the road in his illustrious career.

Interestingly, his career hitting in lefty-friendly Yankee Stadium was well below his career slash line, likely in part due to tough pitching, like the great lefty Whitey Ford. But in St Louis' Sportsman Park, Ted was a career .399/.531/.750 hitter, likely due to second division poor pitching, and those slash numbers were actually much higher before his last 3 out of 10 seasons visiting that park, in which he "only" hit about .345.

Amazing side note - between the two all-time greats, they missed nearly 8 full seasons due to military service.

Two other greats, who played their prime 20’s years in cavernous Forbes Field (and 440 in left center, 458 in dead center, and 436 in right center is certainly cavernous), and played their later career years instead in friendlier Three Rivers Stadium, had these results at the two parks:

Willie Stargell

- Forbes: .284/.347/.499.

- Three River: .295/.389/.577.

Roberto Clemente

- Forbes: .329/.370/.485.

- Three River: .334/.390/.516.

Big power differential between those parks. More triples, though.

Most especially for the speedy Roberto.

Ernie Banks? Mr. Cub played his whole career in Chicago, and at home?

.290/.348/.537 in the park with the ivy-covered walls.

But a far lower and more pedestrian .259/.312/.462 elsewhere.

How about the Mets' best bashers?

Mike Piazza? .295/.373/.542 as a Met, but overall, including his great Dodgers seasons, when he hit .343/.432/.624 against the Mets in LA and Queens, at Shea he was .292/.371/.528, so he did hit slightly better as a Met while on the road.

David Wright? Loved Shea home cooking, hitting .318/.403/.555 in pitcher-friendly Shea, but just .285/.375/.451 in hitters' nightmare Citifield. Part of the disparity was due to his injury related decline while in Citifield, but most of it was not. You look at that .318/.403/.555 in Shea and you wonder what he'd have hit if he was a Cub playing in Wrigley his whole career.

My guess is instead of 242 career HRs and 970 RBIs, he would have popped 320 career HRs and knocked in 1,150, putting him into a more serious Hall of Fame conversation.

How about a few not-so-great hitters with some Mets power pedigree?

One had one great year with the Cubs - ex-Met Jim Hickman. In 1970, he had a career year with .315, 32 HR, 115 RBI. Wow.

In friendly Wrigley that year, he had 19 HRs and a huge 72 RBIs, but on the road, 13 HRs and just 43 RBIs. Sweet home cooking. He doubled his pleasure in Wrigley Field.

Pete Alonso finds it always tough for him in Citifield - also in 2022? Yes.

23 HRs, 72 RBIs on the road, a far lesser 17 and 59 at home.

Put him in Phily and his stats would have people saying he is a top ten major league offensive player. Pete, who wants a contract extension, is made to look less of a prodigious hitter than he really is by Citifield, where career-wise, he has hit 28 points lower and slugged 80 points lower than on the prodigious road. The park is likely costing him money. deGrom, on the other hand, was made to look like a pitching god in Citifield, with a 2.12 career ERA there vs. 2.97 career on the road. The pitcher-friendly park no doubt boosted his 2023-and-beyond pay checks.

Dave Kingman as a Cub in his big 1979 season?

25/69/.315 at home, just 23/46/.258 on the road. Quelle difference, Monsieur. Wrigley made power hitters bigly giggly.

While with the Mets? He hit poorly at Shea, throughout his career, thank you for asking.

He had 442 career HRs and 1,210 RBIs. What would his numbers have been like if, instead of his 664 games as a Met, he'd played for the Cubs instead? Maybe 480 and 1,300 - probably still not enough for the Hall of Fame, as the even more surly Albert Belle understands - the writers despise you, and you're toast. But tougher for Hall voters to ignore Big Dave if he had avoided the negative power drag of Shea Stadium.

Thus concludes yet another fences article, while hoping the Mets' right field modest fence adjustment this off season makes life a little more fun for the team's hitters, especially lefties like Nimmo and McNeil.

And more attractive to two lefty sluggers named Ohtani and Soto, to have them more seriously consider the Mets as their next home.

P.S. Pipp Appreciation Day

As a kid, you hear of Iron Man Lou Gehrig playing for Wally Pipp one day and taking over the position. Pipp got supplanted. So I decided to look up Wally Pipp. How did he do?

Turns out Uncle Wally played major league ball for a mighty long time, from 1913 to 1928, and was a career .281 hitter with 1,004 RBIs (more than any career Met) and 148 triples, including a league-leading 19 in 1924, just before Big Lou became a Yankee fixture starting in 2025.

Pipp had over 100 RBIs 3 times and 99 in one of his 3 later years with Cincinnati. Sounds a lot like, oh I dunno, an early era Keith Hernandez?

These days, Wally Pipp would get a Nimmo-like contract. Back then, he likely made $100,000 total - or less. Small consolation that $1 in 1923 was worth $17.43 in today's money.

“On the road again, I just can’t wait to get on the road again…”

P.P.S. Just Let Them Play:

Kyrie Irving the clown wants a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant still hurt, Ben Simmons and another starter hurt, and a few others get hurt during game. So, they just let the kids play.

21 yr old Cam Thomas steps in last night and scores 44 points (wow) in 29 minutes (wow) and Edmond Sumner (who?) adds 29 points in a Nets win. Only bringing this up to say, most fans expect the Mets prospects to struggle and not play much. But they will probably do very well, like the Nets’ kids. Just give the Mets’ puppies (Alvarez, Bay, Vientos) a chance to play, and they will be ferocious at the plate. Heck, Alvarez might even hit 44 HRs and Baty and Vientos 29 apiece. Those are the operative surprise numbers today.

Pages

2/6/23

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - OF - Jack Hurley

11-4-22 - 2023 MLB Mock Draft 1.0 - https://www.perfectgame.org/articles/View.aspx?article=21422 -

Paul Articulates – What about the defense?

Reese Kaplan -- The End of the Wilpons Vs. Steve Cohen

2/5/23

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - LHP - Grayson Hitt

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - SS - Eric Bitonti

Tom Brennan - Great Baseball Hitters and Their Home Parks