Robert's batting approach

[Greydawgfan1]

It seems like Robert seems to be getting a little better at the plate and had more walks and barrels with real unlucky results. Maybe he can continue to develop his batters eye. Batting higher up in the lineup also seems to help. 

[Dick Allen]

Did Frank Thomas make the thread title?

[ChiSox59]

I think Robert's approach at the plate has looked horrible through 5 games.  I also only really recall him barreling up 2 balls (double in LA and a line out to RF yesterday), and the rest of his hits of been him legging out squibbers a couple grounders that found the OF grass.  He still pulls off everything and really struggles laying off off-speed pitches low and away.  He has taken a few nice pitcher's pitches - I will give him that, but not impressed with what I have seen from him at the plate so far.  

For this team to come anywhere close to its ceiling, Robert needs to look much much better at the plate.  

[Jerksticks]

46 minutes ago, Greydawgfan1 said:

It seems like Robert seems to be getting a little better at the plate and had more walks and barrels with real unlucky results. Maybe he can continue to develop his batters eye. Batting higher up in the lineup also seems to help. 

Man there is just no way I want Robert getting the 2nd most ABs on the team right now. 

[Bob Sacamano]

31 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I think Robert's approach at the plate has looked horrible through 5 games.  I also only really recall him barreling up 2 balls (double in LA and a line out to RF yesterday), and the rest of his hits of been him legging out squibbers a couple grounders that found the OF grass.  He still pulls off everything and really struggles laying off off-speed pitches low and away.  He has taken a few nice pitcher's pitches - I will give him that, but not impressed with what I have seen from him at the plate so far.  

For this team to come anywhere close to its ceiling, Robert needs to look much much better at the plate.  

I was going to say "what batting approach?"

Edited April 6, 2021 by manbearpuig

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, Greydawgfan1 said:

It seems like Robert seems to be getting a little better at the plate and had more walks and barrels with real unlucky results. Maybe he can continue to develop his batters eye. Batting higher up in the lineup also seems to help. 

Did this get misplaced from the positivity thread?  Because those who have watched nearly every at-bat are going to have to “slightly” disagree with you...

[EloyJenkins]

2nd allows him to see some more fastballs, especially with Abreu behind him. He MUST hit said fastballs well to get a better rhythm going. I am torn though, because Yoan is the better #2 option when he is right (last night hopefully starts righting him)

[Greydawgfan1]

13 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Did this get misplaced from the positivity thread?  Because those who have watched nearly every at-bat are going to have to “slightly” disagree with you...

Nah this got  put on the thread of people with eyes. Had a barrel last night at 105+ but was unlucky where he hit it, and a walk. If you guys don’t see improvement that’s a you issue

[Greydawgfan1]

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

I think Robert's approach at the plate has looked horrible through 5 games.  I also only really recall him barreling up 2 balls (double in LA and a line out to RF yesterday), and the rest of his hits of been him legging out squibbers a couple grounders that found the OF grass.  He still pulls off everything and really struggles laying off off-speed pitches low and away.  He has taken a few nice pitcher's pitches - I will give him that, but not impressed with what I have seen from him at the plate so far.  

For this team to come anywhere close to its ceiling, Robert needs to look much much better at the plate.  

Glad he needs to impress the negative Nancy’s on here. Hits are hits through 5 games he has 5 hits, two walks and a an rbi. That puts him at the top players of our team so far.

[ChiSox59]

Just now, Greydawgfan1 said:

Nah this got  put on the thread of people with eyes. Had a barrel last night at 105+ but was unlucky where he hit it, and a walk. If you guys don’t see improvement that’s a you issue

Dude, we all want Robert to be a monster.  He has the ability to be one of the very best players in the game for a very long time.  But he's looked terrible at the plate in this admittedly very small sample size.  1 or 2 barrels in 20 AB isn't exactly impressive.  He literally has no approach at the plate.  Its just go up there and hack at 3 pitches and pray to make contact. He's taken 2 walks, both of which were impressive, but that's about the most impressive thing we've seen at the plate from him through 22 PA.  

I think (hope) he'll make the necessary adjustments and turn into a really good hitter.  Hopefully this season.  But to say he's had an improved approach so far in 2020 exhibits that you've either watched very few of his ABs this year, or simply don't understand what you're watching.  

[ChiSox59]

1 minute ago, Greydawgfan1 said:

Glad he needs to impress the negative Nancy’s on here. Hits are hits through 5 games he has 5 hits, two walks and a an rbi. That puts him at the top players of our team so far.

I am far from a negative nancy.  I am one of the more positive posters on this board.  I am also not blind.  

[Bob Sacamano]

4 minutes ago, Greydawgfan1 said:

Glad he needs to impress the negative Nancy’s on here. Hits are hits through 5 games he has 5 hits, two walks and a an rbi. That puts him at the top players of our team so far.

Not a very high bar at the moment.

[mqr]

5 minutes ago, Greydawgfan1 said:

Glad he needs to impress the negative Nancy’s on here. Hits are hits through 5 games he has 5 hits, two walks and a an rbi. That puts him at the top players of our team so far.

I think the real take away is that he has been able to have a moderate level of production while having a pretty terrible approach. 

[caulfield12]

7 minutes ago, mqr said:

I think the real take away is that he has been able to have a moderate level of production while having a pretty terrible approach. 

Another question is whether he can barrel up those 97+ fastballs when’s he is looking for them?

93-94 mph is one thing...but it’s going to be about getting ahead in counts, attacking hittable pitches early, and identifying balls off the plate (especially sliders low and away) and laying off of them.

It’s not atypical of young Latin American hitters...hell, most young hitters struggle here, it’s the difference between superstar and occasional All-Star.

 

This team doesn’t go anywhere with Moncada and Robert as moderate, sub 800 ops hitters...especially Moncada.  

Edited April 6, 2021 by caulfield12

[chitownsportsfan]

6 minutes ago, mqr said:

I think the real take away is that he has been able to have a moderate level of production while having a pretty terrible approach. 

As I was reminded in the game thread I think it's easy to pencil in that all our youth got 600+ PA last year when in reality it was closer to 200 for most of them.  He's still like in his 1st real season.  

Maybe Jose can talk to him a bit about laying off junk outside. It's something Jose has been able to work around and overcome for the most part.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

37 minutes ago, Greydawgfan1 said:

Glad he needs to impress the negative Nancy’s on here. Hits are hits through 5 games he has 5 hits, two walks and a an rbi. That puts him at the top players of our team so far.

There was also another out he made at something like 114 MPH where the expected batting average on that velocity is .970

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

34 minutes ago, mqr said:

I think the real take away is that he has been able to have a moderate level of production while having a pretty terrible approach. 

Sometimes you see him get down 0-2 and just give the AB away by swinging at some slider not close to the zone. I think to myself Ok you are down 0-2, everybody knows this pitcher will go down and away again because that's how you got to 0-2. The pitcher would be foolish to challenge you yet he will still swing. Down 0-2 if you are going to K on 3 pitches then I'd rather see you take a pitch right down the middle because some pitcher decided to surprise you rather than a swing at a slider a foot outside which is what he's going to get 90% of the time in that situation.

This is when I start to think the game is still too fast for him. I'd rather he takes more 1st pitches and establish that he will do that.  Once that happens he's more likely to see 1st pitch fastballs and then he can start looking for it. If he's in swing mode from pitch 1 he's working against how teams strategize to pitch him. Make them change their strategy  so you can see more pitches in the zone.

 

[lostfan]

Robert's scouting report probably says something to the effect of "fastball 6 inches off the corner, sinker, or slider, because he will swing at anything even remotely close to the zone and either strike out or harmlessly pop up"

It's still far too early to actually be worried about him because he's shown off-the-charts ability, but he clearly hasn't adjusted to the league yet and he is not able to simply dominate with his physical ability anymore like he could in the minors.

[Dominikk85]

Robert tried to be a bit more patient but that wasn't necessarily a good thing. He saw a few more pitches but it meant that he would take meatballs or take late swings on fastballs when the ball was almost by him and he thought "oh shit, strike - I need to swing". 

Yeah ideally Robert gets more patient but not at the expense of taking an extra long look and thus be late on the FB. 

He needs to be on time with the fastball even if it means Occasionally being fooled by a well tunneled breaking ball. 

[caulfield12]

24 minutes ago, lostfan said:

Robert's scouting report probably says something to the effect of "fastball 6 inches off the corner, sinker, or slider, because he will swing at anything even remotely close to the zone and either strike out or harmlessly pop up"

It's still far too early to actually be worried about him because he's shown off-the-charts ability, but he clearly hasn't adjusted to the league yet and he is not able to simply dominate with his physical ability anymore like he could in the minors.

Sounds like Brian Anderson’s scouting report...thankfully, Robert seems to have a lot more dedication to the game and to his teammates.

[lostfan]

9 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Sounds like Brian Anderson’s scouting report...thankfully, Robert seems to have a lot more dedication to the game and to his teammates.

Much as Anderson was a bust he was far from the worst thing they trotted out there. He was better than, say, Encarnacion, or Palka, or LaRoche

[bmags]

19 hours ago, mqr said:

I think the real take away is that he has been able to have a moderate level of production while having a pretty terrible approach. 

I agree with this! And I'm still hopeful because I have @fathom 's post on Tim Anderson engrained in my brain when he would just write "he's just guessing" after every TA at bat.

[Bob Sacamano]

20 hours ago, mqr said:

I think the real take away is that he has been able to have a moderate level of production while having a pretty terrible approach. 

This.

[ChiSox59]

Encouraging game from Luis last night after the first 2 Ks.  Hope to see it again tonight! 

[MiddleCoastBias]

Feel like there are some people in here from a few days ago that owe the OP an apology. Last 3 days Robert has looked good and has seen more pitches per AB. Small sample, but so was the initial sample that had posters calling out the OP for being wrong.