|
|
Post by ramireja on May 22, 2017 15:18:19 GMT -5
Revisiting our recent drafts, this year has been particularly kind to our 2014 class which is starting to shape up nicely. That class has great potential for MLB players including:
Chavis
Travis
Ockimey
Beeks
Shepherd
Danny Mars, Tyler Hill, and Trenton Kemp all come from that class as well and have potential to reach the majors in a 4th OF role.
Even Cosart, Procyshen, and Sturgeon have a non-zero chance of making the majors while McAvoy is having a bit of a resurgent year in AA. Its pretty remarkable really and thats not even including Kopech and Pennington who were traded.
What might be most remarkable is that despite the potential for the 2014 class, the 2015 class looks worse to me overall yet already has 2 players that have reached the majors (Benintendi & Taylor) whereas the 2014 class is still waiting on its first. Patience is a virtue I suppose.
|
|
|
|
Post by Chris Hatfield on May 22, 2017 15:27:04 GMT -5
ramireja, we'd prefer not to have a giant, catch-all thread like that. That's literally what the forum itself is supposed to be!
It's fine to start a thread discussing, say, that 2014 draft class, so I changed the thread title and that discussion can live in here. If you have other things you want to discuss, please feel free to start other threads!
|
|
|
|
Post by jmei on May 24, 2017 12:04:32 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by iakovos11 on May 24, 2017 18:24:54 GMT -5
Yeah, that's an outstanding piece with some really interesting tidbits about the coaching and development. Beeks seems to be impressed for sure. |
|
|
|
Post by hugtheplate on May 28, 2017 4:03:42 GMT -5
I like the thinking behind starting this thread.
Yes, if we remember that draft, hoping for the best but seeing the results 2015 and 16, perhaps not what we had hoped....
But whoa! Hey what's happening?
Travis in the majors, Chavis hammering, Ockimey living up to soxprospects upgraded expectations, Beeks breeding contempt from opposing teams, Shepherd a tad away from making the team out of Spring training, and suddenly we have lots to talk about!
Yes, nice to see the 2017 progression of those 2014 picks and prospects!
|
|
|
|
Post by Oregon Norm on May 28, 2017 7:05:41 GMT -5
The fangraphs piece highlights the way the team is incorporating data when coaching pitchers. The fact that the spin rate is a function of release point - reflected in where the pitch ends up at the plate - gives us real insight into the way technology is impacting the game. Armed with that knowledge, a guy can completely change the way he thinks about his stuff and how to use it.
JimEd mentioned it yesterday in regards to Johnson. He pounded the zone so relentlessly and in such a precise way, there had to be information behind that. This gives us a clue.
|
|
|
|
Post by redsox04071318champs on May 28, 2017 7:37:23 GMT -5
I really like what we're seeing out of Chavis. He was the Sox #1 pick in 2014. I think his bat is for real and he has a shot of being a productive player in the majors.
It seems to me last year his struggles were totally due to the injuries that he tried to play through, and not a lack of skill.
The question with Chavis is where he winds up defensively as 3b is questionable. Perhaps corner outfielder? Maybe he's the guy who winds up replacing JBJ? With Betts (hopefully locked up long-term by then?!) moving to CF and Benintendi shifting to RF, with Chavis in LF?
Of course, it's also not hard to imagine Dombrowski trading him as "surplus" for whatever ails us at the time. So I guess we'll see reports of Swihart and Chavis as pieces of a deal for whatever we need at the moment?
I'm also impressed by Ockimey. He's 3 true outcomes, but I think if he can hit enough, he could be somebody who could be a DH down the road, a possible Hanley replacement if Hanley somehow makes it thru 2019. Of course that's if Ockimey remains in the organization.
|
|
|
|
Post by sarasoxer on May 28, 2017 8:13:39 GMT -5
The fangraphs piece highlights the way the team is incorporating data when coaching pitchers. The fact that the spin rate is a function of release point - reflected in where the pitch ends up at the plate - gives us real insight into the way technology is impacting the game. Armed with that knowledge, a guy can completely change the way he thinks about his stuff and how to use it. JimEd mentioned it yesterday in regards to Johnson. He pounded the zone so relentlessly and in such a precise way, there had to be information behind that. This gives us a clue. Johnson had outstanding command. I don't recall that level before....and he probably needs it. Great story. I hope it is not a 'one-off'. Spin rate seems the latest rage. I wondered if or how someone could increase that. Here we had Koji throwing 88 (and a two pitch pitcher) generating swings and misses with high spin while Kelly can throw 101 but get lots of contact. One assumption was that Kelly's rate was not optimum. I do note that Kelly has recently been striking out more batters. Perhaps some work is being done to increase his spin. In any case it appears that baseball may have its own version of "spin doctors". |
|
|
|
Post by ramireja on May 28, 2017 11:26:50 GMT -5
You know, this feels less stable perhaps, but at this moment the 2012 draft class is having a bit of resurgence. This class looked pretty awful a year ago, and here we are today with Marrero making contributions off our bench, Johnson throwing a complete game, Pat Light's trade return (Abad) doing okay, and Callahan/Buttrey/Maddox looking like potential BP pieces. It might not be a ton, but its got to be the highest point for that class in a while.
|
|
