Am I crazy, or am I getting a shorter, lefty Vladimir Guerrero vibe from that swing?
Devers called up to Majors
- Thread starter DeadlySplitter
- Start date
Mostly because Devers has had only 17 inside strikes out of 166 pitches in the majors so far. Pitchers have worked him low and outside, and he has shown that he can handle those pitches with authority.
Maybe. But Gwynn seems more hunched over. And I didn't get to see a lot of Gwynn in his day, but there's someone that swing really, really reminds me of from somewhere in the 2000's era. Someone I'd have seen a lot of while watching the Sox.
Edit: I dunno, I think it might be Vlad. Just a smaller mirror image:
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Good point. I dont expect that changes much in YS3 and may lead to a reverse shift. At least 3 of his opp field extra base hits at Fenway are outs in YS3Mostly because Devers has had only 17 inside strikes out of 166 pitches in the majors so far. Pitchers have worked him low and outside, and he has shown that he can handle those pitches with authority.
Oh, Cano looks like much closer. Not sure if that was who I was thinking of, but I think that memory is so distorted now I'll never know.
But for reference:
That looks pretty damn close. That swing is sexy, however you want to put it.
Minor league spray chart in the comments of that article that I hadn't seen before.
I think what you're seeing with the comparison with Vlad is the pure two handed swing. Especially the quickness and keeping that top hand locked in. I noticed it as well.
This is my favorite post in a while because even though it's only 2 words it adds substance.
Holy shit is literally what I said when I looked at that spray chart. Holy shit indeed.
Baltimore chop, ball went straight up in the air , high enough for him to beat it out. Never seen that, but it's physically possible.
I can't articulate it, but I think you nailed it with the pure two handed swing. I think there's more, but I'd just embarrass myself trying to articulate it.
Between that swing and that spray chat, it's no wonder he's been untouchable. He looks like the type of hitter that it's really hard to have a game plan against. I try not to get too excited when a kid comes up and puts on a show like this, but this guy is pretty exciting.
In the entirely too early to tell but fun to discuss category, what is Dever's trade value through the eyes of a Sox fan right now? Purely 1-1 trade who are we giving him up for?
Considering how young he is and how many years of control Sox have, all through the prime years. I think the list is pretty small right now.
Considering how young he is and how many years of control Sox have, all through the prime years. I think the list is pretty small right now.
Also, a special appearance in the comments.
Let alone our positional need/continuous black hole.
I am also in "holy shit" territory.
There are, of course, very few conclusions you can draw from a sample size this small, in terms of statistics. But K% stabilizes very fast, and while Devers is still 20 PA or so short of that stabilizaton, I'm very encouraged to see his is in line with his minor league numbers so far (18.4%).
Whereas Moncada is rocking a 34% in 50. Yikes.
There are, of course, very few conclusions you can draw from a sample size this small, in terms of statistics. But K% stabilizes very fast, and while Devers is still 20 PA or so short of that stabilizaton, I'm very encouraged to see his is in line with his minor league numbers so far (18.4%).
Whereas Moncada is rocking a 34% in 50. Yikes.
I always wonder if Moncada was demanded in the Sale trade by the White Sox or if DD just said, "Moncada for Sale".
Was there any internal scouting that figured Devers may have a higher floor than Moncada (perhaps less of a ceiling)..... Was Devers ever part of that deal that got nixed and Moncada subbed in by the other team?
Not to derail but I still wonder something similar about the Adrian Gonzalez- Rizzo deal. Did San Diego demand Rizzo over Lars Anderson or did SD ever ask for Lars Anderson (way more hyped at the time 1B prospect) and Theo held firm and they reluctantly agreed to Rizzo.
Was there any internal scouting that figured Devers may have a higher floor than Moncada (perhaps less of a ceiling)..... Was Devers ever part of that deal that got nixed and Moncada subbed in by the other team?
Not to derail but I still wonder something similar about the Adrian Gonzalez- Rizzo deal. Did San Diego demand Rizzo over Lars Anderson or did SD ever ask for Lars Anderson (way more hyped at the time 1B prospect) and Theo held firm and they reluctantly agreed to Rizzo.
But chart shows where ball ended up no? If it ended up there without being touched it's foul. I think a ricochet off pitcher or bad data is more likely.
I think those are where the ball first touched ground. There are some doubles and triples in the middle of the OF that likely only go for extra bases if they skip past the fielder. The locations probably aren't pinpoint (mapping errors), or its possible the ump missed where the ball first landed (looks like a couple foul hits down the LF line)
This was implied in Speier's article yesterday interviewing NL scouts about which prospect they'd rather have, Devers or Moncada. He said the White Sox wanted both, but that DD held the line at just Moncada.
Perhaps it was a popup that was muffed and kicked back toward the plate, clipping a fielder en route.
I don't think it was a stretch that Devers had the higher floor given he could already field his position adequately and had a lower k-rate and better hit tool (according to scouting rather than performance). That ceiling gap sure seems to be shrinking in the early going.
That was the first thing I saw, then the two triples to shallow Left Field and one to shallow Right!?!?!
Probably an outfielder terribly misplaying the ball in a way that can't be ruled an error.
Don't spray charts show where the ball hits or where it was fielded (in the case of an out)? For example, if there is a drive than an outfielder comes in on but misses and it rolls past him for a triple, the cahrt shows where the fielder dove for the catch. Similarly, if a ball deflects off an infielder, doesn't it show where that happened and not where the ball ended up?
So it looks like hard stuff inside is going to need to be the first adjustment point for Devers. He got jammed a few times and was way late on one. I think the initial book will be work him away (very away) and then bust him in to get him out.
Given the need at 3rd, I'd say, Arenado. I'd take Bryant, too. That's about it.
Edit: There are SS's I'd trade him for, too, to play 3d or to let them move X to third. Correa, Lindor, Seager.
I'm not saying any of their teams would trade those guys for Devers.
His control will run out before he ever reaches his "prime years."
Let that sink in for a moment.
Thank you for posting this. Man I miss watching Vlad play baseball. Best bad ball hitter I've ever seen and the bat just seemed like a toothpick in his hands.
If Devers is even a remote approximation of Vlad it's going to be a blast watching him with the Bs. Thoroughly likeable young nucleus
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Far too small a sample size to say, but he does have 5 strikeouts in his last 3 games over 13 PA. He wasn't going to hit .400 all year and a slump is inevitable but I think he'll adjust more smoothly than JBJ and Xander. I think his 2018 will be a lot like Ben10's 2017.
anecdotally it's pretty clear that he's not getting the benefit of the doubt that a veteran would get on close strike calls. i wouldn't be surprised to see him have a bump in k rate. it's pretty obvious he's got a patient approach and puts up quality at bats.
also, he seems to have some deceptive speed.
so much to love about this kid.
also, he seems to have some deceptive speed.
so much to love about this kid.
Not to defend the initial post quality, but are you saying there are no discrete changes in approach or outcomes in those 12 ABs compared to the previous 12? It's a SSS but also a full third of his total MLB sample, and just because there's no predictive value or conclusion to draw doesn't mean there's no story to tell. Or put another way, do you think John Farrell and Chili Davis are refusing to analyze those 12 ABs?