I really like Robert, but batting practice results have really taken spring fluff to a new level.

I really like Robert, but batting practice results have really taken spring fluff to a new level.

You have to remember a lot of people haven’t seen this guy play in person before. The fact that the batting practice results are living up to the hype is only a good thing.

You have to remember a lot of people haven’t seen this guy play in person before. The fact that the batting practice results are living up to the hype is only a good thing.

So we know he can hit 75 MPH fastballs right down the middle.

 

It's batting practice. And depending how these guys have spent their winters, some will be ahead of others even in BP at this point. I don't want to take away from him as a prospect, and don't want to sound skeptical, because I am not. But this is batting practice. When Dylan Covey gets lit up, he is called batting practice. Where's Allen Iverson when you need him?

So we know he can hit 75 MPH fastballs right down the middle.

 

It's batting practice. And depending how these guys have spent their winters, some will be ahead of others even in BP at this point. I don't want to take away from him as a prospect, and don't want to sound skeptical, because I am not. But this is batting practice. When Dylan Covey gets lit up, he is called batting practice. Where's Allen Iverson when you need him?

 

I think there is optimism because EL said Robert is the most impressive player he saw at the camp so far.

 

These are much better reports than him being out of shape or merely average.

Though it may not translate to anything, sure is nice after Robert being somewhat of a mystery to follow after signing that he didn't show up weighing 260 lbs and first impression of him being less athletic and slower than they thought.

 

That legitimately could have happened

 

Just going to reply to myself.

 

 

So we know he can hit 75 MPH fastballs right down the middle.

 

It's batting practice. And depending how these guys have spent their winters, some will be ahead of others even in BP at this point. I don't want to take away from him as a prospect, and don't want to sound skeptical, because I am not. But this is batting practice. When Dylan Covey gets lit up, he is called batting practice. Where's Allen Iverson when you need him?

How do you know what was being thrown to him if you weren't there for the BP session?

The fact that scouts say he will stick in Center field is the only thing I care about.. That is HUGE if he can

The fact that scouts say he will stick in Center field is the only thing I care about.. That is HUGE if he can

 

Not sure how they can say that this early. Avi Garcia was a "5-tool center fielder" at one point too.

 

How do you know what was being thrown to him if you weren't there for the BP session?

You're right. He was hitting bombs all over the field vs. nasty stuff.

 

 

Not sure how they can say that this early. Avi Garcia was a "5-tool center fielder" at one point too.

 

It kinda makes me question the scouting on this guy if all of a sudden he's gone from a corner type with average speed to a CF with above average or even borderline great speed. Like, are the stopwatches in Cuba subject to time dilation? You'd think the one thing they could pin down would be his running ability. He's what, 19, so it's not like he's developed a ton from a 14 year old kid since the time of those reports last year.

 

Maybe he was injured and is now 100%? That's the only thing I can think of that would result in such a scouting report change on his speed.

It kinda makes me question the scouting on this guy if all of a sudden he's gone from a corner type with average speed to a CF with above average or even borderline great speed. Like, are the stopwatches in Cuba subject to time dilation? You'd think the one thing they could pin down would be his running ability. He's what, 19, so it's not like he's developed a ton from a 14 year old kid since the time of those reports last year.

 

Maybe he was injured and is now 100%? That's the only thing I can think of that would result in such a scouting report change on his speed.

When was he ever a corner guy with average speed? I remember him having a ceiling of a speedy, power-hitting CF from the time we began pursuing him. Never heard anything about his speed being anything less than well above average

When was he ever a corner guy with average speed? I remember him having a ceiling of a speedy, power-hitting CF from the time we began pursuing him. Never heard anything about his speed being anything less than well above average

I think there was a concern about his size once he develops more physically.

 

But honestly, he’s already ripped, and he is still FAST.

 

He doesn’t strike me as the type of guy who is going to become so bulky that he slows down a lot.

IIRC there were questions about his speed because it was above average to plus when he was in Cuba and they thought if he filled out he might slow down to average speed. But once he got out of Cuba and got better training and I'm assuming much better nutrition/supplementation, he had times that were plus-plus or even 80 based on some times. So it looks like what happened is scouts thought he might slow down when he filled out, but instead he put on muscle and got faster.

IIRC there were questions about his speed because it was above average to plus when he was in Cuba and they thought if he filled out he might slow down to average speed. But once he got out of Cuba and got better training and I'm assuming much better nutrition/supplementation, he had times that were plus-plus or even 80 based on some times. So it looks like what happened is scouts thought he might slow down when he filled out, but instead he put on muscle and got faster.

 

one of the absolute dumbest tropes in baseball scouting. There isn't a single scout in any other pro sport that thinks guys will slow down as they add muscle. That's just something out of like 1960 thinking. As if they are just training biceps! Come on.

Edited January 17, 20188 yr by chitownsportsfan

one of the absolute dumbest tropes in baseball scouting. There isn't a single scout in any other pro sport that thinks guys will slow down as they add muscle. That's just something out of like 1960 thinking. As if they are just training biceps! Come on.

I kinda feel like we're having this exact same discussion about Leury and I feel like he added some muscle and slowed down a bit.

I kinda feel like we're having this exact same discussion about Leury and I feel like he added some muscle and slowed down a bit.

I think it depends on a person’s frame and muscle type.

Too many people having the same opinion?

 

DICK ALLEN TO THE RESCUE!

I said I like the player. I just don't take scouting reports from BP seriously. But keep up with your agenda.

 

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...686003-132.html

Edited January 18, 20188 yr by Dick Allen

Didn’t Kevin Meitan just gain weight and now people think he’s a future 1b?

I think figuring out how guys will fill out and what adding muscle will do to them is a uniquely baseball problem. In other sports (mostly thinking football and basketball), to play the sports at a high level you really have to fit a pretty narrow mold for body type, and so its easier to project because everyone is pretty similar. In baseball, because so much of it is skill based and not physical traits, and because guys are signed earlier than in other sports, there is a wider range of outcomes of what can happen.

 

So in some cases guys fill out and slow down, while in other they fill out and speed up. With Robert it makes sense he sped up because he probably didn't have proper training or nutrition in Cuba, so his natural speed was stunted, whereas other guys who are more acclimated to the training might already be near their max speed, so adding more muscle will only slow them down.

Josh Nelson

12:10 Saw your tweet from the White Sox hitters camp. Who impresses you the most from that group?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:11 It was Robert and it wasn't close. Hit balls out to all fields during BP, more raw pop than anyone else taking BP on that field including Burger and Sheets

 

From Longenhagen's and McDaniel's chat today.

 

 

Is Moncada not there?

<!--quoteo(post=3590952:date=Jan 17, 2018 -> 08:27 PM:name=Jimmy3Putt)-->

<!--quotec-->Is Moncada not there?

He and Eloy are both also there. I don't know if he saw them as much though. He says "on that field" so they might have been on a different field.

 

Edit: It was a different field from Jimenez at least

 

Separate fields. https://t.co/V1Y7xnT3qD

— Eric Longenhagen (@longenhagen) January 17, 2018

 

Edited January 18, 20188 yr by GenericUserName

Is Moncada not there?

 

While Moncada is supposed to have some pop, I don't think he has ever rated the super high power projections that some of our other guys have. It is good power plus top level speed that is high calling card. Moncada sounds more like a 30/30 guy versus a 40 homer guy to me.

He and Eloy are both also there. I don't know if he saw them as much though. He says "on that field" so they might have been on a different field.

 

 

I have a hard time believing that Robert impressed more than Moncada and Eloy, but if true !

 

AND they think he'll stick in center????

This just keeps getting better.

one of the absolute dumbest tropes in baseball scouting. There isn't a single scout in any other pro sport that thinks guys will slow down as they add muscle. That's just something out of like 1960 thinking. As if they are just training biceps! Come on.

Sure there is when you talk about kids this age. In college many WR become TE and TE move to OL, LB to DL and so on.

 

This doesn't happened once they've matured but from the age of 16-21 it's a constant change.

While Moncada is supposed to have some pop, I don't think he has ever rated the super high power projections that some of our other guys have. It is good power plus top level speed that is high calling card. Moncada sounds more like a 30/30 guy versus a 40 homer guy to me.

That would be consistent with the myriad “He’s Robinson Cano with speed” comparisons that have been made about Moncada.