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Brian, I too am quite sure the roster cut down was set long before this game. The thing is, everyone in camp was probably quite sure of it as well. You can’t carpe diem if your fate is already sealed.
cranny, its not about Nootbar. Its about everyone else, and not just now in ST. It is about self empowerment. An army of one.
The psychology bb brought up is real. But it counts much more when you’re trying to win games than it does for something like spring training.
This is a wake up call to Junior Fernandez. He should have shown up at ST better prepared, IMO.
I’d like to see Tommy Parsons developed as a starter.
What’s it going to be like if Delvin Perez keeps doing what he’s been doing on the back fields and emerges as a star player at the major league level?
Junior Fernandez’s stock has dropped like a rock in the last 12 months. What in the world happened? This time last year he was being talked about as a closer candidate and now he is the first cut.
I said before camp started that it wouldn’t surprise me if Rondon made the team over Sosa. I still think that could happen despite Sosa being out of options.
Shildt Sunday pre-game:
Bader leading off vs. LHP. Opportunity to move him up in order with others staying behind in Jupiter. Also hasn’t had as many at-bats this spring. Maybe can get an extra by leading off. Platoon advantage also considered. Bader has been working on shortening his swing, making it more compact. Similar to O’Neill. Chase rates are down and walks are up. Good indicators. Bader took it too far vs RHP last year (took too many pitches in the zone). Want him to be aggressive.
Outfielders have unique dynamic competing and helping each other. Group is close. Everyone has performed pretty darned well. Push each other, not cutthroat. Healthy for players and team.
Wants a lineup with interchangeable parts. If the guys hitting 6-7-8 don’t deserve it, you have a deep offense.
Hicks pitching today. Want him to be in control, throw pitches where he wants, execute pitches. Pretty much same as all Ps in their first outing. Excited yesterday and today. Already checked off velocity box in live BP vs. MLB hitters earlier.
Asked about Nootbaar and Toerner, cuts last night were bittersweet. Was able to meet with 8 of 12 before the game, but talked to the two OFs after the game. Both are with the team today (on travel roster). They did a lot right to help them win game yesterday. Special day for both.
Onn multiple closers, set 7-8-9 inning pitchers, good teams have depth in pen. Former closers include Gio, Alex and Jordan plus Andrew Miller. Others capable include Helsley, Cabrera and Webb. Different guys will have different opportunities this year.
Always a chance for the DH this year. Be fluid. Put light feelers out, but there is no smoke. Trying to give pitchers three starts batting again to get ready for the season.
J
unior Fernandez’s stock has dropped like a rock in the last 12 months. What in the world happened?
Its like he did a Delvin Perez in reverse.
They’ll most likely trade Sosa if they can’t keep him because Rondon outperforms him.
Bader sure looked different at the plate today. No strikeouts. I don’t think he gook a swing at that down and away slider once. He put the ball in play with every AB. This is much more interesting than that power swing-and-miss that was becoming his hallmark. Hope it leads to something big for him and his fans.
Shildt Sunday post game:
Taking Hicks out after one batter – common sense prevailed. Excellent umpire crew. Reasonable. Will pay fine 10 of 10 times to protect players.
CMart has guile, but occasionally finesses too much. Doesn’t have to throw 95-96 every pitch. Trust him to pick his spots. Pleased with his stuff and how he has gone about it. As him being named third starter, he is established in league. Last 2 years not what anyone wanted. Last year washout. He has earned it in last two starts.
Never saw 22 pitch at-bat, but Wieters tied the NL record with 20 last season. Could not have been more encouraged by Hicks. Threw a lot of strikes. Exceeded today’s expectations. A lot of soft contact. Yadi came out to give him a blow at 13-14 pitches, so like two hitters. Will stay on normal schedule.
Parsons has come on early in games with other team’s starters still in, starting with first appearance, relieving Jack in the 1st vs. WAS. Certainly has made his mark.
Carpenter. Walks, eyes, timing indicate that things are going in positive direction. Couple of good swings. Very positive day. Making plays and doing all he is asked for defensively.
Monday starter will be John Gant. Flaherty to throw to internal hitters who want more at bats on Tuesday. Hitters seeing Scherzer Monday and Jack Tuesday is good to get them ready for the season.
Will be some starters in Monday lineup with Tuesday off day. Yadi to take a blow. Carp and O’Neill to play back to back for first time. Expects O’Neill will hit higher in lineup, as he deserves it.
I wish someone would come up with one of those over/under threads. Those are fun.
I think O’Neill will have a batting average around .275 this year if he doesn’t start swinging for the fences. Carlson will hit around .260-.275 as he continues to adjust to the majors and the pitchers adjust to him. Next year will be his breakout year. Bader is one who I expect to surprise a lot of people. I see him hitting around the .280 mark. As long as he can keep focused on what he has done so far this spring, I think it will pay off for him in the regular season.
Of course, I could be way off base and some would question how many drinks I have had.
I noticed that also muds, about Bader, solid contact but at’em today. Guillermore stole a hit from the outfield anchor with a fine play up the middle. As you mentioned, Baders pitch selection was noticeable good.
When Bader is OPSing .820 and striking out at a 15% clip in August, both bccran and mudville will be passing around the ‘Baderade’ to other members of the Bader Fan Club. No doubt about it.
I doubt they have to worry about that mud. I just hope he’s closer to 2018 Bader than 2019 Bader.
O’Neill hit .262 in 2019, so .275 is reasonable. He looks good so far.
I will have to wait until I can see some of Carlson on TV a few times. So far I can find no reason besides hype to think he is ready for prime time. What we know is he hit .280 in the Texas League 2 years ago and hasn’t shown anything so far in ST.
Not to pile on, but Carlson made a bad throw from right today that missed the cutoff man and was corralled between third and home. It surprised me because he is usually fundamentally sound. The cameras caught Bader discussing it with Carlson immediately afterward.
I hope Carlson’s offensive struggles will not be affecting his defense.
4-for-22 (.182), all singles. Just one walk. 8 Ks for a 34.8% K rate. .432 OPS.
Still two weeks to get going…
If Carlson continues like that, there is a small, outside chance he gets sent down and we have an opening day starting OF of O’Neill, Bader and Thomas. IF, big IF, that happens, Rondon and Sosa could make the team. Edman could play some OF while any of Rondon, Sosa or Carpenter plays 2B.
Relax cranny. He bested the Mendoza line by 5 pts in 2019 and you can rest assured he can do it again.
Carlson’s ST line right now is – .182/.250/.182/.432 with a 33% K rate.
Bader’s ST line right now is – .143/.200/.214/.414 with a 7% K rate.
with a single in their next AB:
Carlson – .217/.280/.217/.497 with a 32% K rate.
Bader – .200/.250/.267/.517 with a 6.25% K rate.with a home run in their next AB:
Carlson – .217/.280/.348/.628 with a 32% K rate.
Bader – .200/.250/.467/.717 with a 6.25% K rate.So what does all those figures mean?????? It’s still too small a sample size. As is looks right now, Carlson is struggling a little and Bader shows signs that he might be adjusting. I wish I could find some other sites that had more data on spring training stats. I would like to see hard hit info and also check and see if Carlson and/or Bader are hitting into bad luck. That would tell more than their current stats.
The last thing to keep in mind is that 10 of Bader’s 15 plate appearances have been since he came back from his forearm injury.
O’Neill – .476/.500/.857/1.357
Dean – .316/.350/.421/.771
Thomas – .300/.364/.400/.764Forsch – you said “as long as Bader can keep focused on what he’s done in the Spring, I think it will pay off for him in the regular season.” I simply posted his Spring stats. Well, maybe not striking out so much is some sort of an improvement.
But then again, outs are outs.Carlson? I’d cut him a little slack. He has all of 119 major league plate appearances. Bader has 1,050. Slight difference there.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Carlson has an overall average type year with the bat, tilted so that his second half is better than his first (90 OPS+ first half, 110 OPS+ second half). This probably will cause the fans to consider him something of a bust, while forgetting that he has never really been seen as a high ceiling prospect, rather a likely good to very good player who has a lot of attributes that will serve him well in playing OF in the majors for a long time. Think of a Matt Carpenter type who plays the OF. That’s a good, albeit never elite player. To expect otherwise is a little short sighted, albeit fueled by the Mo comparisons to Oscar and Albert, which was unfair to Dylan.
bc, name me 3 players who have changed their approach to hitting who saw results in their slash line within the first 15 plate appearances. I would guess you can’t name me 1. It takes time. That’s why I want to see those other things that might say he has been unlucky.
If 15 plate appearances with a new hitting approach is enough to pass judgement, Carlson would have been cut a long time ago.
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