Sigh. Must be so difficult being that much smarter than everyone else. Sorry.
A couple question though, and please indulge me, because I clearly don't understand things as well as you do.
So, first one is that, since Collins was basically a very good hitter in college, hitting .300 or so his entire career, hit .260 his first year with WS, was bad last year (in his first full season of pro-ball -- how dare he!), how does that make him a .240 hitter?
As for examples of guys that made big adjustments after the ripe old age of 23, well I would say that most (even all players) make adjustments, but I guess that is because I don't understand simple math, or that EVERYBODY IS ALREADY REALLY GOOD, so why would they need to make adjustments? Sorry, I am a dufus.
My second question is: Are you contesting that a guy is what he is at 23 and that no material changes can be made after that?
Can't really think of them off the top of my head, but I seem to recall hearing about mechanical changes making a difference all the time. Arm slot, release point, position in the batters box ( remember when Anthony Rizzo couldn't hit lefties at all then made this small mechanical change?) trying to adjust launch angle (about 50 guys last season) adding a leg kick (Jose Bautista went from a DFA guy to a perennial All Star) messing with their stance (Cal Ripken Jr.?) or always making small adjustments from the time he was drafted (Aaron Judge -- moving in the box, shifting his weight back and lessening his leg kick). How about that, I did think of a couple off the top of my head. But who knows, maybe I just don't like, follow or play baseball enough.
I do like your 2+2=4. I get that, maybe I am better at math than I thought. I don't, however, understand what the statement you are making in that paragraph is trying to say, at all. I would say the difference between a good hitter and a great hitter may be their ability to make adjustments. They all have the physical skills (to different degrees) but the ability to adjust to what their competition is doing is what makes guys great. I distinctly recall Manny Ramirez adjusting AB to AB and pitch to pitch and making pitchers for not adjusting their approach to him.
Final question: If Collins has a 4 WAR season, hits .280 in 1000 PA but the Sox don't win the pennant, can I still remind you? I guess not, it doesn't meet your arbitrary criteria for a player making an adjustment that all players make that you don't believe in but say some are better at than others. That sentence confused me. Must be because you contradicted yourself.
But, I will officially "cool it". Thanks for the tip.