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#Post#: 488421--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: Dave23
Date: March 7, 2024, 8:30 pm
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Anyone not watching should turn it on right now and watch
Michael Arias pitch.
Talk about some funk…his pitches dance…
#Post#: 488423--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: Dave23
Date: March 7, 2024, 8:40 pm
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Come for Arias, stay for Cam Sanders…
If Sanders can throw strikes, he plays a big role in our bullpen
this season. He’s filthy.
#Post#: 488424--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: Chiman
Date: March 7, 2024, 8:41 pm
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Changeup was really nasty
#Post#: 488425--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: Deeg
Date: March 7, 2024, 8:54 pm
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--- Quote from: Dave23 link ---
>
> Anyone not watching should turn it on right now and watch
Michael Arias pitch.
>
> Talk about some funk…his pitches dance…
>
--- End Quote ---
A complete wild card, raw as can be, but the movement is
absolutely crazy. Kind of reminds me of Maples in the sense
that it's unlikely he can ever command enough to be an effective
pitcher, but the upside is so great that you want to give him a
real chance.
#Post#: 488429--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: Dave23
Date: March 7, 2024, 9:04 pm
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He’s a nastier Juan Cruz…
#Post#: 488438--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: craig
Date: March 7, 2024, 10:03 pm
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--- Quote from: davep link ---
>
> Morel can have SUBSTANTIAL value as a supersub, as Zobrist
had. But there is a major difference. They have been grooming
Morel as a supersub since he came into their organization, and
they have found that a player that can play a lot of positions
well is extremely valuable, but a supersub that can play a lot
of positions poorly - not so much. Morel has been moving around
to just about every position on the field, and in most of them
he has not performed to their expectations, or at least to their
desires. ...
>
> ....I believe it is not time to put him in a position that he
is more likely to succeed. Let him play ONE position, and see
if his improvement ... can be enough to warrant every day play.
...
--- End Quote ---
Sure, that's what they are trying. See if his improvement can
be enough to warrant regular play. We're all hoping it does.
And all wary that it might not.
Zobrist and "supersub": Everybody wishes they had a prime
Zobrist, who was excellent defensively at multiple position, and
was excellent offensively in his prime. But prime Zobrist
"Supersubs" are rare and non-existent. It's hard to be
excellent defensively at any single position; harder yet at
multiple positions. And it's harder yet to excel at multiple
spots defensively while also being a good hitter. Zobrist was a
very rare player.
But even without a "super" sub, you still need subs for every
spot. Most are "non-super" subs. Most subs are imperfect
players: either they don't hit great or they don't field great.
*IF* they were perfect and did both, they'd probably be
starting. But somebody needs to play when a starter doesn't,
and usually the sub will be less complete, variably lesser in
either offense or defense.
I hope Morel develops into a responsible, sometimes
highlight-reel defender at 3B. But if he doesn't, might he be a
better offense-defense sub at 2B than the alternatives? Might
he be a better offense-defense sub at 3B than the alternatives?
LF? RF? 1B? He might be less-than-starter-good defensively at
many of thosee, but will the alternative sub be much better
defensively? Will the alternative sub have more valuable
offense-defense combination at many of those spots? A
good-hitting sub can be useful as a multi-position sub even if
he isn't really starter-quality-good defensively at any of them.
#Post#: 488442--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: Reb
Date: March 8, 2024, 1:25 am
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--- Quote from: Deeg link ---
>
> Morel ranks above-average in DRS, Rtot, fielding percentage
(which Reb only likes when making one of his tortured arguments,
apparently), DPR, and UZR/150 (where he's #6 of 74 2B with 350
or more IP at second in 2022-23).
>
>
--- End Quote ---
DPR is a subset of UZR/150, so that’s double counting. According
to DPR—which is basically turning double plays—Dansby Swanson
was below league average in 2023!
Indeed, UZR/150 has Swanson as an average defensive SS for his
career (0.6) but rates Paul DeJong career defense (6.3) superior
to Swanson. I mentioned previously the oddball UZR defensive OF
ratings of Schwarber as a Cub. Just too many anomalies for my
taste. Others can disagree.
OAA and DRS are the go-to stats for most——for what’s available
these days. Combined, they have Morel at 2B as 0. Average, not
above average.
Morel has made very few errors at 2B, granted. That's a good
sign.
In any case, Morel just has too few 2B innings to make any grand
pronouncements. That means a gray, ambiguous area which is hard
to live with in a black-and-white world.
#Post#: 488443--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: Reb
Date: March 8, 2024, 1:59 am
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Regarding Sanders and Arias and Escobar today.
Kind of surprised that Sanders went thru the Rule 5 unclaimed
last winter. Seems like kind of guy you'd want to look at during
spring training and assess.
Sanders’ Oppo batting averages in 2023 at Iowa by month:
.143-.175-.146-.139-.283-.118. That bad August evidently scared
off the Cubs and so no call-up. Maybe this year will be
different.
Probably unlikely that Arias can develop and rely on both his
Slider and Change-up and, therefore, remain a SP. Maybe he can
and be a 3-pitch SP. That would be exciting. Fingers crossed.
But, more likely, a 2-pitch reliever and could be lights out in
that role. Unlike Maples—who had a high stress delivery—Arias
works a little easier.
Like the way that Escobar attacks hitters. Just goes after them.
Was kind of squeezed by ump first two batters but persisted.
Think might have trouble with gopher ball if makes the club.
#Post#: 488451--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: davep
Date: March 8, 2024, 10:09 am
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--- Quote from: craig link ---
>
> Sure, that's what they are trying. See if his improvement can
be enough to warrant regular play.
>
--- End Quote ---
If Morel's defense is so bad that we don't want him to play 150
games at third base, with bad defense, how does it help if he
plays 150 games at several positions, with bad defense? If
indeed Morel can not learn to play third base in an acceptable
way, then the next alternative would seem to be to use him as
the full time DH. If Morel can not play defense well, and IF
his offense is 20% better than the average player, as he was
last year, I would much rather rest Gomes, Madrigal, Swanson or
Hoerner on the bench than have Morel on the bench and them
"resting" at third base.
I have no idea if Morel can be an acceptable third baseman. It
seems reasonable to me that it is easier to improve if you
concentrate on ONE position, than it is if you have to learn 4
or 5 positions simultnaeously. But if he fails, move him to DH.
#Post#: 488487--------------------------------------------------
Re: Today’s Game - 2024
DIR By: JeffH
Date: March 8, 2024, 3:55 pm
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Matt Shaw is going to be a wrecking machine.
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