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Post by Matt Huegel on Apr 8, 2017 15:14:39 GMT -5
Thanks all! Really appreciate the kind words. It was a great run, glad you guys enjoyed my work.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Mar 23, 2016 9:29:54 GMT -5
Thanks so much, Chris. Really appreciate the kind words.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jun 26, 2014 18:40:17 GMT -5
JJ Cooper @jjcoop36 · 17m Keep searching for a scout who has seen Red Sox LHP Trey Ball good this year. It's a tough quest. No luck yet. JJ Cooper @jjcoop36 · 13m Scouts aren't liking the delivery or the stuff with Trey Ball. Showing nothing plus, worries about his delivery and arm action Harry Pavlidis ?@harrypav 13m @jjcoop36 is the violent head jerk still there? I saw that at the UA showcase and was frightened. JJ Cooper @jjcoop36 . @harrypav Yes at times. Arm often trying to catch up to the body in his delivery. Not encouraging so far obviously, but I want to see if he can take steps forward next year before making judgements.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jun 26, 2014 17:00:10 GMT -5
Cundall gives a detailed description of Owens deception, stating that "hitters tend not to be able to pick the ball up until very late." And then, IMHO, he reveals that he simply doesn't understand the concept of deception: "it allows him to get away with ... only average-to-slightly-better velocity." No, I'm sorry, Ian. Deception does not allow you to "get away" with average velocity. It adds effective velocity. To the hitter, it's as real as an extra 3, 4, whatever MPH. He then goes on to rank the fastball as average. Would he rank it as just average if he were sitting at 93-95 and touching 96 (or 94-96 and touching 97)? I certainly don't think so. It's like scouting a young Charles Barkley and emphasizing that he's just 6'6" (and actually more like 6'4"), while at the same time giving a detailed description of the other skills that allow him to "get away" with playing power forward while yielding inches to everyone else at the position ... and then grading his rebounding as a bit better than average, because he's just too short. I've been talking about how scouts simply don't see enough guys with big-time deception in order to include it as a real, persistent, permanent factor in their performance projection, and I think this is a cardinal example. I buy every specific thing he says about him, and then I think he reaches a conclusion that simply doesn't follow from the sum of the specifics, because it's based on his raw velocity instead of his effective velocity. I don't understand the distinction you're making here. Just because he didn't phrase it using the term "effective velocity"? That sentence could have easily read "it allows him to get away with ... only average-to-slightly-better velocity by adding effective velocity." He specifically says, "but due to a combination of deception and improved command [the fastball] could play solid-average to plus."
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jun 8, 2014 11:31:47 GMT -5
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Post by Matt Huegel on Mar 23, 2014 22:28:29 GMT -5
I talked to Mookie while down there, and he said he has not seen any time anywhere but second this spring, and was not aware of any plans in the immediate future to do so. Not to say the club isn't possibly still thinking about it, but doesn't seem to be a focus now. With Coyle looking solid at third and spending most of his time there so far this spring, the logjam in Portland's middle infield seems to be alleviated, so that's a least one reason they don't need to push it right now with Mookie.
Maybe the FO thinks the overall transition to Double-A will be plenty for Mookie to handle alone at this point without throwing in another variable, or maybe they actually just don't see SS as a fit for him.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Feb 13, 2014 15:28:51 GMT -5
More on this topic in the SP.com podcast tomorrow morning...
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Post by Matt Huegel on Feb 3, 2014 18:48:24 GMT -5
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Post by Matt Huegel on Feb 1, 2014 11:14:43 GMT -5
No, I don't believe they ever tried Lavarnway at first before. I do remember, when he was coming up and many were pointing to that as an option when/if he moved off catcher, Chris Mellen saying a couple times that he didn't think the skill set would transfer very well to first.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jan 23, 2014 21:31:05 GMT -5
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jan 19, 2014 10:54:35 GMT -5
Earlier in this thread, someone suggested Vazquez may not be able to sustain his high BB rate at the MLB level if his bat is not dangerous. I am trying to thing of players that had high walk rate in the minors. Nava maintained his high walk rate into the majors. Shaw saw a big drop in BA in AA, but maintained a high BB rate. Che-Hsuan Lin is the best recent example of this. Could take balls with the best of them, but just couldn't make hard enough contact to make any major leaguer fear throwing him strikes.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jan 7, 2014 11:14:39 GMT -5
It's meant for players that the team feels have a good chance to play on the major league team this season. They don't seem to think that's a possibility for Mookie, which makes sense. Just like Barnes wasn't there last year despite the fact that he was ticketed to begin the year in Portland.
Edit: Also, those are the "known participants" from a source of Speier's, so there could always be changes.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jan 2, 2014 23:06:46 GMT -5
I wonder why Chris Carpenter isn't listed on the 2014 projected rosters. Is there a reason for that? He's still property of the Red Sox right? No, they released him to allow to pitch in Japan.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Dec 12, 2013 14:18:42 GMT -5
Yeah, my bad. You're right. The reserve lists are an odd rule. Seem to be pretty much insignificant outside of Rule 5 draft time.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Dec 12, 2013 10:33:13 GMT -5
Maybe a SS for Salem, considering we have Vinicio penciled in there now after an awful year at Greenville. He needs to be kept on the Triple-A reserve list all year in order to keep him. They would just offer him back if he's not at least going to be get some time in Triple-A.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Oct 28, 2013 15:56:23 GMT -5
Not really a correction, but curious who is asking the questions in the top 40 staff series? Not sure if you still care, but it was Hatfield who was behind aggregating those and deciding on the questions, fwiw.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jun 17, 2013 13:41:29 GMT -5
Just want to reiterate how appreciative we are of all donations, and how important they are to the site being able to continue to run smoothly and keep expanding. The donation drive is a absolutely key to the site keeping financially viable, and the more we take in, the more coverage we can provide. Every little donation really helps, and I think it really shows a lot about this community that you guys are willing to pay for the product we provide without any kind of obligation.
Thanks again!! And please consider donating what you can if you haven't already. We really appreciate it!
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jun 17, 2013 12:58:19 GMT -5
Drew is 11th in OPS right now out of the 20 MLB shortstops that qualify, and that's including his slow start where he was basically still in spring training mode. I wouldn't be so quick to call him nearly worthless. We forget so soon all the shortstops the Red Sox went through since Nomar. It's a good problem to have.
Though I might think about something at the deadline if Iglesias keeps it up, I need to see more out of Iglesias' bat before I'm ready to forget his performance at the plate over the last three-plus years in minors.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jun 7, 2013 15:39:13 GMT -5
Yaz is a decent prospect. He's not going to sign for way below slot.
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Post by Matt Huegel on Jun 6, 2013 21:45:02 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure all of Reynolds' observations are based entirely on the highlights they show right after the selection is made.
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Post by Matt Huegel on May 15, 2013 10:40:37 GMT -5
Looks like Webster should be Sunday for Pawtucket, unless I'm missing something.
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Post by Matt Huegel on May 13, 2013 9:48:13 GMT -5
Well played,FTHW. I immediately pictured that scout as Vince Vaughn too.
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Post by Matt Huegel on May 11, 2013 17:27:23 GMT -5
This kid is interesting in that he seems to be extremely small, especially for a catcher. But this impression is just from seeing him on MLB during a spring training game. From all accounts he is a good athlete and has head on straight. Just what is his height and build. It certainly is not what is posted. I am not saying that he is not a prospect if he is in fact very small. Yogi was very much on the short side. Just curious. Thanks in advance. He's really not that small in person, height-wise at least. He's listed at 6-foot-1 and he's probably about that. The question is more in his lower half and overall build, as he's not the thickest/sturdiest (like Vazquez for example, who is shorter and stockier), but we'll have to see how he continues to fill out. I wouldn't say he's overly thin though, just he has more the build of say a third baseman right now than a catcher.
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Post by Matt Huegel on May 11, 2013 10:00:48 GMT -5
Balcom-Miller made his first appearance of the season yesterday, an inning with Salem.
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Post by Matt Huegel on May 9, 2013 14:42:28 GMT -5
I dunno, but it's funny as hell and needs to catch on here. ... When he breaks into the bigs and becomes a starter, people will start actually calling him Tiger Death House, and they won't have the foggiest idea as to why. Love this quote from that poll. We can still make it happen people!
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