The difference between JP France and Hunter Brown when they get in trouble with runners on base is night and day. France dares them to beat him. It resulted in multiple inning ending double plays. Brown tries to nibble and then puts himself in a bigger hole. Both rookies but only one has composure
I’m still high on Brown. He has elite stuff - but I completely agree, France right now has a better grip on the mental side of the game. Brown will be fine if he learns how to dig in and focus his mind on the job in front of him.
Or the whole "scheduled rest day" when the team get an off day the next day or the day before. Just baffling.
That’s a holdover from the Hinch days… and it’s probably more needed for teams that play deep into October every year at an unprecedented or uninitiated level compared to the rest of MLB right now. I just need them to stay healthy. I don’t care how many games they win the division by. This lineup, extra fresh with barely any miles on it, rolled out with off days in the playoffs, is going to be literally the thing that could carry them to yet another title… just like the pitching/bullpen carried them last year.
He had some off the field stuff that impacted his focus. Also, he is going to be someone that struggles sometimes making contact because he really struggles reading breaking stuff. He has worked very hard at improving it - but as a hitter he is a one trick pony. He can clobber fastballs but breaking stuff alludes him and he chases it, at this point he is mostly guessing. That can be a very helpless feeling for a hitter. His ability to pick up and hit breaking stuff can somewhat improve with time, but for most players with that issue, they have low batting averages and on base percentages. Vinny Castilla is someone that comes to mind with that issue.
Correa seemed like a guess hitter many times as well. Would see him watch fastballs right over the middle when he thought an off-speed would have been thrown and over swing on a pitch hitting the ground. But when he guessed right- he was money. Pena feels like that type of mold, but without the #1 expectations to be "da guy" so he definitely has room to grow under the radar.
Unless you are Chas and just figure it out through hard work. His numbers before this season was at least as bad against breaking stuff.
Vinnie Castilla was a ****ing outstanding in-season pickup. Look it up so I don't have to do it for you.
Much, much better 3B than I expected. He was really ****ing good, probably the best charging the ball, barehand and throw to 1B since Cammy, yes, better than Bregman. He was a godsend with the bat as well https://www.baseball-reference.com/...&t=b&year=2001#1066-1187-sum:batting_gamelogs
I think the postseason over inflated his capability. He seemed to have come back with more muscle which tells me he worked out in offseason. When he came up, he was going to be a player with good defense and decent offense. I think those expectations got raised after the post season
If the ****er's gonna hit .330 through the end....I don't give a damn where he hits, just leave him alone and keep doing it. Last 50 starts: .291 .357 .378 .734 Last 30 starts: .336 .392 .454 .846 Last 15 starts: .349 .388 .508 .896
Agreed!!!! I don't have data but I think 2nd hole works best for him and I think leaving him there maximizes his ability. Those are fantastic numbers. Having him have a .800 obp would be crazy bc that means basically everyone in the line up would be above 800 when Diaz catches.
