<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#Astros">#Astros</a> Tyler White-AL & Trevor Story-NL are the 1st pair of rookies to win the player of the week award for Opening Week of the same season</p>— Adam Wexler (@awexlerKPRC) <a href="https://twitter.com/awexlerKPRC/status/719657483338317826" data-datetime="2016-04-11T22:44:49+00:00">April 11, 2016</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
LOL! When I saw the link abbreviation http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...g-trevor-story...I thought it was yet another Trevor Story story.
This is the takeaway, not the fact that "he's really been getting some pitches to hit". If White isn't swinging at balls, then pitchers have to bring it into the zone. I see the takeaway more around plate discipline.
Basically Tyler White is really good at recognizing balls and strikes. Last night I noticed that Tyler was attacking Young on his changeup. Fought off the fastballs and waited for that change up that Young threw for strikes. His plate discipline is much needed on this squad.
I miss Carter's facial expressions. You could never tell whether he hit a home run or strike out. He has this sheepish smile ala Ted Cruz after every thing he did good or bad.
Also, one of his early at bats he had a bad swing and miss on Young's slider...and then not another after that. It was like all he needed was to see the pitch one time to catalog it and instantly recognize it for future ABs. It was really impressive after watching amazing hitters like Craig Biggio flail at sliders low and away for their entire CAREERS. White fixed that hole in his swing in one game.
there is only one thing to do now, trade reed in a package for another stud pitcher or catcher and win 6 word series before these guys get paid. love his plate discipline and we don't have to worry about the first baseman only showing up for august and september.
This is more of a general question, though the White/Reed situation obviously resonates - but I wonder a) if the Astros have a minimum sample size threshold for deeming players' accomplishments viable long-term; and if so, b) how long would you guess it is? My guess is roughly ~200 games; just under a season and a half. And obviously, there are sliding scales - I doubt Correa and White have the same expectations. But ~200 games gives them a full season to watch a player progress and adjust and deal with the grind + how they work on and improve their games over an offseason - with the opportunity to then watch that work pay off for 30-40 games.
If they can't get a really good read on that stuff within 100 games, I don't think they're doing it right. Sure, I think 200 would give them better information to work with--and I understand some of the things your're talking about require time--but I don't think Luhnow + co. are in the business of being paralyzed while waiting for perfect information.
Yeah, I would counter 100 games isn't enough time - though, that's discounting all the mounds of additional data they have - minors, winter leagues, spring trainings, etc., so maybe it is for them. I don't know why but Gerald Young popped into my head... and sure enough: .321/.380/.380/.759 his first 79 games; .232/.320/.290/.611 the rest of his career. I think the offseason is the key: how do they adjust to the league collectively adjusting to them. So ~200 games might be more viable for a game 1 rookie.
General things like strike outs, walks, and ability to make contact usually take about 25-100 games. Granted, some guys take much longer. Batted ball authority is difficult to judge. For guys making contact, 25-100 games might be all that is needed. For guys not making contact routine contact...years (it is tough for a player to get this time unless he's doing something to help the team).
Tyler White on baseball and hitting- "It has been my life since I was 4-years-old. Everybody back home would hunt and things like that. I've never done that." All he does is hit.
