11 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

That's assuming he wasn't on something else before the Tetrahydrogestrinone. The "I'm going to go on the hard stuff" line he fed to Griffey according to that one book could darn well have meant he was on softer stuff before that, there are plenty of drugs like the Stanozolol that can help you build muscle and recover from injury without having your head expand 3 sizes, and it's not like we can assume he's an honorable person who wouldn't cheat on principle.

+1

 

It is impossible to believe he just started experimenting with the stuff in 1998.

 

20 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

That's assuming he wasn't on something else before the Tetrahydrogestrinone. The "I'm going to go on the hard stuff" line he fed to Griffey according to that one book could darn well have meant he was on softer stuff before that, there are plenty of drugs like the Stanozolol that can help you build muscle and recover from injury without having your head expand 3 sizes, and it's not like we can assume he's an honorable person who wouldn't cheat on principle.

They're all on something. You don't get forearms like a lot of these guys from holding a bat. Bonds was just better at it. 

Obligatory:

Edited July 9, 20187 yr by TaylorStSox

 

22 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

That's assuming he wasn't on something else before the Tetrahydrogestrinone. The "I'm going to go on the hard stuff" line he fed to Griffey according to that one book could darn well have meant he was on softer stuff before that, there are plenty of drugs like the Stanozolol that can help you build muscle and recover from injury without having your head expand 3 sizes, and it's not like we can assume he's an honorable person who wouldn't cheat on principle.

So what you are saying is that Moncada could be about as good as Barry Bonds on steroids at this point of his career?  I am good with that. 

 

10 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

 

But did he talk to anyone during the pitching change last night?!?!

14 minutes ago, soxfan49 said:

But did he talk to anyone during the pitching change last night?!?!

Lol, that was such a weird complaint on the game thread. I was at the game, he apologized profusely to Rodon during the first pitching change and Rodon gave him a few pats as if to say it's ok. My guess is he was just kicking himself for the misplay and wasn't in the mood to joke around with teammates. If anything, people should like that he cares about how he's playing. Luckily, the triple happened right after 

3 minutes ago, Jose Abreu said:

Lol, that was such a weird complaint on the game thread. I was at the game, he apologized profusely to Rodon during the first pitching change and Rodon gave him a few pats as if to say it's ok. My guess is he was just kicking himself for the misplay and wasn't in the mood to joke around with teammates. If anything, people should like that he cares about how he's playing. Luckily, the triple happened right after 

Yeah, and two guys on one side of the infield were talking to one another and the only other guy he could speak to was talking to the 1B umpire.

On 7/9/2018 at 6:26 PM, southsider2k5 said:

 

This is a great stat that really shows how not every guy is going to take the league by storm like Soto & Gleybor.  More often than not guys struggle like Moncada is...albeit a modest struggle, he is 3rd in WAR on the team and will catch Yolmer soon I am sure.  The fact that this is Moncada's first full year, I think we (myself included) don't give him enough slack for his ups and downs considering he is still learning to hit in MLB.

All that being said, his strikeout rate is my biggest concern because is it something he can correct?  Is it a vision issue?  Is it a coordination issue?  Does he just guess up there?  Those questions will take time to answer.  When he makes contact, he hits it hard more often than most.  The only guy on that list that is close to his K rate is Baez, both Ramirez and Altuve came up as contact guys that developed more power.

I still trust he will continue to get better and if he can just even bring that K rate down to low 30% and bring his walk rate up to 12-15% (which would nearly double current rate) he will be much more effective.  He probably is better suited for a 2-5 batting position than leadoff with his ability to drive in runs.

23 minutes ago, BFirebird said:

This is a great stat that really shows how not every guy is going to take the league by storm like Soto & Gleybor.  More often than not guys struggle like Moncada is...albeit a modest struggle, he is 3rd in WAR on the team and will catch Yolmer soon I am sure.  The fact that this is Moncada's first full year, I think we (myself included) don't give him enough slack for his ups and downs considering he is still learning to hit in MLB.

All that being said, his strikeout rate is my biggest concern because is it something he can correct?  Is it a vision issue?  Is it a coordination issue?  Does he just guess up there?  Those questions will take time to answer.  When he makes contact, he hits it hard more often than most.  The only guy on that list that is close to his K rate is Baez, both Ramirez and Altuve came up as contact guys that developed more power.

I still trust he will continue to get better and if he can just even bring that K rate down to low 30% and bring his walk rate up to 12-15% (which would nearly double current rate) he will be much more effective.  He probably is better suited for a 2-5 batting position than leadoff with his ability to drive in runs.

They're batting him lead off now (IMO) to get him as many PAs as possible. He likely will bat somewhere between 3 and 5 on a competitive team.

Turning around that 102MPH sinker for a triple yesterday was something.  

23 minutes ago, Dam8610 said:

They're batting him lead off now (IMO) to get him as many PAs as possible. He likely will bat somewhere between 3 and 5 on a competitive team.

Based on what???  If that is true, and it may be, why isn't Anderson batting 2nd to get him as many PA's as possible?

1 minute ago, SCCWS said:

Based on what???  If that is true, and it may be, why isn't Anderson batting 2nd to get him as many PA's as possible?

Because the manager is dumb as shit

52 minutes ago, SCCWS said:

Based on what???  If that is true, and it may be, why isn't Anderson batting 2nd to get him as many PA's as possible?

He absolutely should be.

5 hours ago, soxfan49 said:

Yeah, and two guys on one side of the infield were talking to one another and the only other guy he could speak to was talking to the 1B umpire.

Since you weren't there, they were all standing a few feet behind Minaya warming up. It wasn't like Yolmer and Timmy just stood in their positions during the pitching change. 

Two other quick comments from seeing them live:

-Timmy and Yolmer seem so happy to be out there

- no way are Yoan's legs healthy. Tons of stretching after movement and his lead off when he was on 2nd was very, very short.

1 hour ago, fathom said:

Since you weren't there, they were all standing a few feet behind Minaya warming up. It wasn't like Yolmer and Timmy just stood in their positions during the pitching change. 

I bet you hate Aaron Rodgers' body language, but no cares since he's good.

I bet you didn't care about Cutler's body language when they were successful, but now everyone cares since he ended up not being good.

And now since a 23 year old phenom who has had nothing but success in his baseball career isn't having success at the highest level, you're upset with his body language.

Stay hot.

1 hour ago, fathom said:

Two other quick comments from seeing them live:

-Timmy and Yolmer seem so happy to be out there

- no way are Yoan's legs healthy. Tons of stretching after movement and his lead off when he was on 2nd was very, very short.

Anderson is a completely different guy out there...great attitude IMO.  Every game I have been to this year he has had tons of energy and has been very happy to be out there.  I also agree with the fact he should be higher in the lineup, makes no sense batting 8th or 9th with this group.

Yoan also seemed to labor a bit during his triple (despite the fact he looked like he was gliding in real time).  I noticed it on the video replay board when it was easier to see, but I agree definitely not 100% with legs.

41 minutes ago, soxfan49 said:

I bet you hate Aaron Rodgers' body language, but no cares since he's good.

I bet you didn't care about Cutler's body language when they were successful, but now everyone cares since he ended up not being good.

And now since a 23 year old phenom who has had nothing but success in his baseball career isn't having success at the highest level, you're upset with his body language.

Stay hot.

Actually a buddy of mine who watched him in Charlotte last year was amazed at how awful his body language was there, and I posted about it and everyone said he was just bored.  

3 minutes ago, fathom said:

Actually a buddy of mine who watched him in Charlotte last year was amazed at how awful his body language was there, and I posted about it and everyone said he was just bored.  

Let me also add that everything the Sox say is he has a great work ethic. I'm not questioning that at all. More you just don't want to see him sulking or getting too down on himself.  The reason I pointed out the pitching change thing last night was it just looked awkward with him pacing back and forth while the others around him were chatting.

9 minutes ago, fathom said:

Let me also add that everything the Sox say is he has a great work ethic. I'm not questioning that at all. More you just don't want to see him sulking or getting too down on himself.  The reason I pointed out the pitching change thing last night was it just looked awkward with him pacing back and forth while the others around him were chatting.

But then if he smiled or was laughing with teammates, you'd be saying that he wasn't taking it seriously enough.

 

15 minutes ago, fathom said:

Actually a buddy of mine who watched him in Charlotte last year was amazed at how awful his body language was there, and I posted about it and everyone said he was just bored.  

Who cares about this topic if he's playing well? The only reason you're bringing it up is because his OPS is borderline .700 and he's making errors. Drop it

6 hours ago, soxfan49 said:

Because the manager is dumb as shit

Most likely that is Hahn's decision to have Moncada in the leadoff spot.  Why Anderson is not 2nd is strange but there must be some reason. 

37 minutes ago, SCCWS said:

Most likely that is Hahn's decision to have Moncada in the leadoff spot.  Why Anderson is not 2nd is strange but there must be some reason. 

If any GM is telling the field manager what to do and how to do it you've got a real problem. I don't think Hahn is telling Ricky "bat him lead off" myself and if by a small chance he is and Ricky is letting him do it, that's on him. No manager should be letting that happen. No GM can really know what's happening down on the field during a game. He's sitting up in his box like any fan in the stands. 

I've been arguing with people on a different sports board about Moncada. This is the way I see it:

Moncada has "Best position player in the game" potential. 

His potential is Who is better Trout or Moncada? 

His floor is Trevor Story. 

I don't know where he's ultimately going to fall on this spectrum, but if he hits his ceiling, I could see this as his career year

.310/.405/1.085

43HR 45 SB 38 2B 13 3B

130+RBI

And a GG

 

 

Edited July 13, 20187 yr by Jack Parkman

7 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

If any GM is telling the field manager what to do and how to do it you've got a real problem. I don't think Hahn is telling Ricky "bat him lead off" myself and if by a small chance he is and Ricky is letting him do it, that's on him. No manager should be letting that happen. No GM can really know what's happening down on the field during a game. He's sitting up in his box like any fan in the stands. 

For what it's worth, JB Shuck's wife was complaining online once about how the lineups are sent down from the front office rather than Ventura (at the time)