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I have sometimes thought a worthwhile endeavour would be producing major college hitting stats that only include results vs Friday night starters. Number ones. I wonder if ML teams with all the analytics can filter the numbers to come up with that? Strength of competition matters when you are looking at results. I wonder how many homers Pujols would have had if he’d played 20 years in AA.
Simply put, if the SEC = AA, that would mean that the SEC annually features dozens of 19- and 20-year-olds playing well at the Double-A level. And that’s complete nonsense.
Im 100% sure this will blow right past our boy Shady, but he did pose the original question. It’s amazing how informed individuals can set the record straight. Thanks to guys like Bob and Brian, for making me less dumb. Thanks for taking the time.
KCB, you imply that I feel the SEC=AA. I just reported what I read or heard. Big difference that some lack the perception to realize. They are too eager to criticize.
blingboy, you might be on to what’s behind the Walker/Gorman struggles. I feel one of the reasons Burleson is so successful is his ability to adjust to the various ways many pitchers try to attack him.
Shady, the hypothesis I put forward about Walker and Gorman is by no means new. I have made precisely that point regularly for a long time. But all it takes is a week where the guy ties into a couple mistakes and everyone’s eyes roll back in their head and they float off to happy camper land. It is maddening, but it, too, is nothing new.
I think Burleson’s success is due being a good hitter, rather being a guy with an optimized swing that can send a mistake into outer space. Nobody with their face glued to a radar gun readout would be impressed by Burleson. And that is exactly the Cardinals problem, IMO.
I do want to say that I don’t think Walker’s poor results in AAA are due to him forgetting how to hit. I also don’t think it is 100% due to figuring out how to pitch to him. It seems like he would have caught on somewhat by now at least, which he has not. So I think they are working with him and trying to do something or other. I hope it works and then they can try to salvage Gorman the same way. Going forward, they truly do need to make sure they are not gearing a hitting prospect toward vaporizing Texas League mistakes at the expense of learning the art of hitting. Hitting is not just launch angle and exit velo in the same way pitching is not just spin rate, adding a few ticks and being able to strike out 14 future insurance salesmen per 9 innings.
Shady I did not criticise you. Read between the lines. I said people point facts out to you and you simply ignore them. Thats a truth.
To bolster Shady’s argument Jacob Wilson just became the 4th hitter from the 2023 draft to be called up. Of course this is 4 months into the season already.
KCB, maybe I trust my instincts more than I should. It worked out pretty good on Burleson. There was a time where I was a staunch supporter when it seemed like about 90% of Cardinals fans were not. Many supporting their negative-Burleson case with so called “facts”.
CC, Skenes is a glowing example that a high 1st round draft choice can have an immediate impact at the MLB level. Skenes was a #1 pick and Wertherholt was reported to be considered as the #1 pick.
I’m reasonably certain that most are aware that pitchers have always had a better chance to have an impact at the Big League level at an earlier phase and age than do position players.
Such a silly comparison. Skenes was a once-in-a-decade (or more) type of prospect, and was widely viewed as such at the time of the draft. #1.1 picks across the years aren’t all of the same quality.
My first hope is that Wetherholt sees game action promptly, which is not guaranteed. Then, I hope he doesn’t trip coming up the dugout steps and faceplant ending up on the IL. Then, if he doesn’t get immediately moved to the right side I will be happy. Hopefully he can acclimate to A ball by the end of the season, and we can think about what we’ve got.
When I posted my earlier comparison of the last four 1-1 picks who are HITTERS, the point was very clear. Yet, it was answered with a “could be…”
No, not “could be”. Those are FACTS, but they conflict with what one anonymous scout supposedly said, so they don’t matter. Then the comparison moved to two international teens who had nothing in common with Wetherholt other than they all play baseball. Next was an invalid comparison of college and pro levels.
Then we moved to pitchers, who I did not include for the reason 1tough mentioned. Some are apparently NOT aware pitchers and hitters are different animals.
Can’t wait for the next try…
I’ll never forget seeing Dwight Gooden first hand at the age of 19 burn through the NL in his rookie ’84 season. I remember thinking to myself, “This could be bad for a long, long time.” It’s a shame what happened to him because in my view he could have been one of the all time great RH’ed pitchers to ever walk onto a baseball field.
Shady I cant wait to see Westherholt play. Live. If they dont send him to Peoria I will drive to Florida. But I dont expect to see him in Stlouis until 2026 at the earliest. You are clearly a fan of his. You should do the same. MILB is awesome.
KCB, that would be nice. I am currently really enjoying the way Donovan, Winn and Burleson have evolved as Cardinals’ hitters. I’m expecting Wetherholt to “follow suit”. The sooner, the better.
I am currently really enjoying the way Donovan, Winn and Burleson have evolved as Cardinals’ hitters. I’m expecting Wetherholt to “follow suit”.
Not all that long ago Noot would have been part of any such list.
Shady wrote:
RBK, maybe Wetherholt is a “once-in-a-decade” pure hitter “type of prospect”. Just maybe.
Maybe he’s the next Joe Morgan. Maybe he’s the next Chase Utley. Maybe he’s the next Robinson Cano. Just maybe . . .
There is always a (very) small chance that any player may achieve outlier results in retrospect, but the key word here is “prospect.” As in: forward looking consensus view, as of today. He is not viewed as that sort of prospect as of *now* (i.e., at the time of the draft). If he were, he never would have fallen to #7. So why would you forecast/speculate about an outlier result as if it were the most likely baseline scenario/outcome?
Keep trying . . .
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