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Post by jimed14 on Nov 14, 2018 10:20:58 GMT -5
The big knock on Mata is the 0.9% K-BB% he had this year. Let's hope he's just getting used to a bigger body.
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Post by James Dunne on Nov 14, 2018 10:37:03 GMT -5
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Post by borisman on Nov 14, 2018 11:30:53 GMT -5
"he body is mature for his age, but considering he’s still 17, it is reasonable to wonder if growth will force him to third."I do not see any indication of this in the video. Same thing was said of Xander all the way up until he was already in the majors. Also, in Alex Speiers write-up, it says: has shown a consistently strong feel for hitting with the potential for at least solid power and speed.He may not have the power potential that Xander had in the minors but I think he could easily have the same pop, though X-Man had his highest slugging pct this past season, if/when he makes the big boy club. |
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Post by Smittyw on Nov 14, 2018 12:11:34 GMT -5
I'll not be clicking on that...still too soon.
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radiohix
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'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
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Post by radiohix on Nov 14, 2018 12:47:25 GMT -5
I really like Antoni Flores but Danny Diaz power got me excited for a full year of ball. I feel like power is the one thing that develops slow at that age playing against older and quality pitching. But he has showed elite power in his short time in the system. If he can keep his average up he might be a fast mover in the organization. I think there's 2 things that give the edge to Flores over Diaz: First, the defensive positioning plays in favor of AF, he's a SS and he fields his position well with good instincts. On the other hand Diaz got big very quickly and it looks like his defense is sufering or why would they try him at 1st at that age? Rememeber, they started moving Dalbec and Chavis from 3rd to 1st only after they reached AA/AFL. That defensive downgrade puts too much pressure on DD's bat. Second, Flores has more tools/skills than Diaz at this stage: He makes more contact, has a better strike zone management and a less pf a pull happy approach. He most certainly will start the season in Greenville while I'm not sure Diaz makes the Lowell roster (he looks GCL bound to me at this point). Don't get me wrong, I love Diaz upside but I like Flores' more. |
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Post by unitspin on Nov 14, 2018 15:40:53 GMT -5
Watching Mata in the futures games and a couple games on the tube. If he could get his control from his prevoius two season I think your looking at a good 2 or 3 starter. I think his control issues stem from added velocity of his fastball which is touching mid to high 90s at 19 if he could increase on that I think your looking at two plus pitches. As for the Espinoza kid always got hit hard at every level, I was personally never a big fan so maybe I'm biased. Guess this season will be a big tell tale on Mata if he has success at the AA level at age 20 think your looking at your best pitching prospects in the club. Just my feel on him though well see.
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Post by unitspin on Nov 14, 2018 15:50:58 GMT -5
I like Flores as well but I believe he will stick at ss and diaz will be more of a 3b or 1b in the future. He just impressed me more with his power then what I saw from Flores. I was not comparing the two players was just saying Diaz power I think is the best tool of both players. If I had to bet on it id say Flores has a better shot with the way our lineup is currently built. But if diaz can develop his power could be something special. Ill be excited to see what these guys show us this next season.
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Post by jimed14 on Nov 14, 2018 15:51:03 GMT -5
Watching Mata in the futures games and a couple games on the tube. If he could get his control from his prevoius two season I think your looking at a good 2 or 3 starter. I think his control issues stem from added velocity of his fastball which is touching mid to high 90s at 19 if he could increase on that I think your looking at two plus pitches. As for the Espinoza kid always got hit hard at every level, I was personally never a big fan so maybe I'm biased. Guess this season will be a big tell tale on Mata if he has success at the AA level at age 20 think your looking at your best pitching prospects in the club. Just my feel on him though well see. Hate putting this in the Flores thread, but I'd have Mata repeat Salem to start the year. They need him to cut his walks over everything else and moving him up won't help that development. He'd still be one of the youngest guys in A+. |
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radiohix
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'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
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Post by radiohix on Nov 24, 2018 10:39:42 GMT -5
This is an old article from masslive.com and as you see it repeats the same attributes that I think make AF so special: Doesn't expand the zone with an all fields approach and I think that it will serve him very well in advancing quickly through the system.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Nov 24, 2018 11:06:33 GMT -5
<<<--- Time to do this.
Avatars that I remember having. Ted Williams for a long time. Ellsbury at Lowell thru Boston, Westmoreland at Lowell, Espinoza at Greenville, Kopech at Greenville, The Mookie Meter (Portland), Devers at Salem (pic from Greenville).
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radiohix
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'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
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Post by radiohix on Jun 24, 2019 18:04:37 GMT -5
So just to bump this thread, here's an update on who I think the most exciting prospect in the system.
Flores started his real states side pro season and it was as should be expected (remember Casas' April?)it was a little bumpy as his 29% K rate and .404 OPS through 8 games.
But, keep in mind that he's still working long at bats and has been impressive in the quality on the contact he's been making with no much to show for it (.211 BABIP).
He has put 19 balls in play, 7 of them were Line drives, 8 were flyballs and just 4 were hit on the ground with no popups, that's excatly the type of contact you want for projecting average and power for a prospect. The other impressive part of his early hitting is that he's also driving the ball to all fields: According to Fangraphs he's at 30% to LF and 40% to CF and 30% to RF so far.
Of course it's a tiny sample size but so far he's doing just fine as his hidden numbers and the scouting of some of our community members can attest and for an 18 year old kid playing his first nights games in front of crowds in a foreign country that's a very good news.
He's really really good you guys!
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Post by sittingstill on Jun 24, 2019 18:25:27 GMT -5
I need to put up some shots of him at the plate--kept finding myself on the wrong side. In general the camera loves him.  |
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Post by hammerhead on Jun 24, 2019 18:37:40 GMT -5
I need to put up some shots of him at the plate--kept finding myself on the wrong side. In general the camera loves him. Interesting you mention that. I have a funny picture of Antoni that I took at the Lowell game yesterday. It kind of gives you an insight into his joyful, personality. I just can't figure out how to post it. |
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Post by sittingstill on Jun 24, 2019 19:05:24 GMT -5
Generally speaking you need to upload the photo to a hosting service (e.g. Flickr, Smugmug) and link it from there. If it's a one-off photo I can drop it in an unlisted gallery for you and send you the link (you could email it to me at my screen name @gmail.com).
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Post by hammerhead on Jun 24, 2019 20:12:41 GMT -5
Generally speaking you need to upload the photo to a hosting service (e.g. Flickr, Smugmug) and link it from there. If it's a one-off photo I can drop it in an unlisted gallery for you and send you the link (you could email it to me at my screen name @gmail.com). Sent it. It's not the quality of yours, but I thought it was interesting |
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Post by sittingstill on Jun 25, 2019 11:10:10 GMT -5
OK, I was going to let hammerhead post the photo, but just in case I was supposed to:  (Those short-season-A dugouts are really spacious!) |
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Post by hammerhead on Jun 25, 2019 14:35:01 GMT -5
Thanks so much sittingstill. I was hoping you would post it, I suck at that stuff.
I thought it was funny because you have Antoni playing to the camera and Jonathan Diaz on the stairs and he's all business.
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radiohix
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'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
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Post by radiohix on Jun 30, 2019 20:31:43 GMT -5
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radiohix
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'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
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Post by radiohix on Jul 8, 2019 14:50:27 GMT -5
In 63 PA, Flores is walking at an elite clip of 12.7% while striking out 20.6%. In his last 10 games he has 6 walks vs only 4 Ks!
He's also hitting Line drives at 27.5% of his batted balls.
I know the overall numbers have been pretty weak so far but the strike zone management (the most important aspect of development IMHO) are pretty impressive for an 18 years old kid having his first taste of US baseball.
The hits will come and in bunches.
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Post by ramireja on Jul 8, 2019 14:59:39 GMT -5
Love it, thanks Radiohix. I haven't been paying too close of attention and I know the triple slash line leave something to be desired. That said, sounds like he's been unlucky in this early start to season so I appreciate the update here.
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Post by hammerhead on Jul 8, 2019 16:03:15 GMT -5
In 63 PA, Flores is walking at an elite clip of 12.7% while striking out 20.6%. In his last 10 games he has 6 walks vs only 4 Ks! He's also hitting Line drives at 27.5% of his batted balls. I know the overall numbers have been pretty weak so far but the strike zone management (the most important aspect of development IMHO) are pretty impressive for an 18 years old kid having his first taste of US baseball. The hits will come and in bunches. This is what I saw live too. He was a pain in the neck at the plate and his approach was definitely above his age level. He's a far cry from an all field no bat SS. I know his numbers don't bare it out yet, but I'm convinced he'll hit and show some pop with a tweek or two. In a lot of respects Gilberto and Antoni are very similar players. |
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Post by James Dunne on Jul 16, 2019 9:35:15 GMT -5
Update: Flores has just a .255 BABIP despite a 26.5% line drive rate and 4.1% pop up rate (which means he's hit exactly one). And he still has a .337 OBP. A little more power will be important as he climbs the ladder, but I'm bullish on him having something like a .400 OBP by the end of the year. It's .447 in 10 July games, with more walks than strikeouts.
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radiohix
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'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
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Post by radiohix on Jul 16, 2019 9:52:14 GMT -5
His Walk rate is the highest in the NY-PENN League and his BB/K ratio is 3 rd.
He's 18 years-old folks! You're not supposed to dominate the strike zone like that at this age lmao!
He is amazing.
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Post by ramireja on Jul 16, 2019 13:36:57 GMT -5
If his slash line stays pretty modest by season's end (and perhaps it won't), he'll probably drop slightly in rankings across outlets that take a quick peek at his OPS or wRC+ and get the sense that he was overmatched. This is great to see...I had no idea his BB% ranked first in the league, and that BABIP/LD% discrepancy definitely suggests he's been unlucky.
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cdj
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Post by cdj on Jul 16, 2019 13:54:04 GMT -5
Kind of reminiscent of what Mookie did in Lowell iirc
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