Brandon Phillips with above average SS defense is probably a hall of famer. That’d be awesome if Matthews was that good.
I like him as a bench bat and see him in that capacity next season with Dubon being traded as part of a sell-off this off season
I don’t see Boggs/Zobrist as a possible ceiling for Wagner. Boggs was an elite defender at 3B whose career MLB k rate is <7%. Zobrist was a pretty good defensive player at 2B and RF and had 3 seasons of 20+ HR, and 6 seasons with double digit steals. So Wagner becoming Boggs with less defense and more strikeouts or Zobrist with less defense, less speed, and less power is probably his realistic ceiling. Wagner is a decent prospect and almost certainly has an extended MLB future, but it is extremely likely to be as a bench player or fringe regular and the chances of him being a star are pretty remote.
I raised an eyebrow when they drafted him - he wasn't from a big school, he didn't really have any obvious special ability - but he has gotten better overall as he has moved up the ladder, and he has hit .300 the last few years. In AAA he has drawn a lot of walks, but he has not been driving the ball like he did in AA. If anything, I think they want to see him hit the ball a little harder. He doesn't have to hit homers, but he does need to get a lot of doubles to be a good regular. This year, through the same number of at bats - he has half as many doubles and 5 less homers - and he is playing in a more offensive league. I think at 26 years old, his time needs to be soon - but I think that they are going to want to see more than an .825 OPS in Sugar Land. Having said all that - I have wondered if he would be a better option at 1st than Singleton.
Yeah - the reports on his work effort, attitude and desire to be great are all very positive. Whenever a guy has college experience and is still raw, I question why - is it an effort thing? Did he not get good coaching? - so hearing positives about his make up is awesome.
HS coaching too. Or "select ball" as it is these days. You never know, that's why scouts are important.
Right now - he is on track to be a Bill Mueller type player if he gets enough playing time. He is drawing walks better than Mueller right now - but he isn't quite as good with the glove. If Wagner can learn to become a 35-40 times a season doubles guy, then he really can take the leap into the very good territory as a hitter. He did it in AA, but so far hasn't in AAA.
Now yall got me thinking about Boggs...he and George Brett were who I patterned my game after as a kid
Yep. He was ****ing awesome! He must have been a serious a-hole playing in a market like Boston and not getting more love.
Most baseball players are weird, but he was a really special guy: https://www.pastpri.me/home/wade-boggs-the-visible-man
The first half of his career he was Basically Rogers Hornsby. Mike Schmidt was probably the best (maybe) that I have seen. Eddie Matthews is criminally under-rated, he was better than Aaron for the beginning of their career. I think I may have to agree with you and go with Boggs though - 40 doubles and 40 strikeouts is a nasty duo when you walk and hit 350. Yes it is - there is also a lack of just good old fashioned 330 hitters that can walk and hit it in the gap 30-40 times a year. Altuve was like that for awhile, but this team really could use someone like that. Hell - I would be thrilled if the Astros traded for Luis Arraz to play first.
Good to see some American black players in the game at a young age. We are doing well from an international angle and wealthy white kids---- but we could use more poor white kids and more black kids coming through the game.
No - he is loved in Boston. The only reason he doesn't get more attention is because he played the second half of his career with the Yankees. He was almost traded a number of times by the Red Sox early in his career, including to the Astros actually... he should have won at least 1-2 MVP awards, he was arguably the best player in baseball in the second half of the 1980's. He was also the most amazing drunk in baseball history---- Billy Martin and the Mick were amazing, but they were mean drunks..... Roger Clemens when he was young was just an idiot while drunk........ Boggs was mellow, and few figured out he was even drunk... actually Bagwell was a good drunk too.
