What if Yermin Mercedes keeps hitting?

[VAfan]

What an amazing night for Yermin Mercedes. He eclipsed an Abreu grand slam, and two electric perfect innings from Michael Kopech. 5 for 5 - four singles and a double, 4 RBIs, at least a couple hits with two strikes, off lefties and righties. You have to feel great for the guy, who once toiled in the Pecos League!!

So what is Tony LaRussa going to do with him? 

It's entirely possible Yermin will outhit both Vaughn and Collins, who were penciled in ahead of him at DH. Is it possible he could outhit Yasmani Grandal and take some of Grandal's DH ABs away? Someone posted his AAA numbers against Luis Robert from 2019. Yermin was toe-to-toe with Robert. 

I mean, it's crazy to think Yermin might jump into the majors and hit like a madman, isn't it? 

But what if he does? 

If he does, I think TLR has to play him.  Vaughn can still play LF, as he did tonight. But Collins would look more like the primary backup catcher. If he starts hitting, he might also play some against righties. 

But if Yermin keeps hitting, he has to keep playing, doesn't he? Plus, the energy he brings to the team is electric.  The kid's a natural. An instant fan favorite. Reminds me of what "Baby Shark" did for the Nationals in 2019. He loosened up that team and helped them to play their best. The Sox are already plenty loose, but without Eloy, Mercedes brings his own enthusiasm. 

I just think it's a great story, and it's only just beginning. 

Edited April 3, 2021 by VAfan

[RagahRagah]

If he stays on this path, Collins has no use on this team, I'd think. He might not anyway.

[caulfield12]

Fernando Tatis is on a pace to make 243 errors, hit .125 and get thrown out on every stolen base attempt.

Let’s give this at least a month.

The funny thing is I rushed out to add Yermin last night to my fantasy team because Austin Nola is hurt and I sadly discovered after the fact that he’s not considered a catcher even, but a utility player, despite his roster listing.

What he accomplished last night is just as rare as a White Sox World Series title.

Despite his minor league OPS number of 856, he would get his own Disney movie, like Jim Morris of the Rays.

It took Yermin three years alone to get out of Dominican rookie ball, and he didn’t start playing at 15-16, he was already 18.  Then he had three years of Indy ball.

I do think Yermin is much more likely to hit than Collins.  I believe he can put up around an 800-825 ops, which is far better than guys like Yonder Alonso, Encarnacion and LaRoche.  It’s a testament to his self-belief that he persevered all this time despite the doubters littered along the way that questioned his body type and his catching ability.

It’s a great story...and exactly what this team needs in light of the Jimenez injury.  Let’s just enjoy it while it lasts.  And it just shows there’s always a place in baseball for guys with bodies like Tony Gwynn, Pete incaviglia or John Kruk as long as they can hit the ball, one of the hardest acts in sports.  To hit a round ball with a cylindrical object.

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=183483

Edited April 3, 2021 by caulfield12

[joejoesox]

so they're calling him The Muffin Man, and Muffin top on reddit

it's only fair that he from this moment forward be known as Yermuffin Mercedes

Edited April 3, 2021 by joesaiditstrue

[South Side Hit Men]

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/video/la-russa-mercedes-recap-sox-win

Had a huge smile watching his post game statements.

Hamilton and Lamb need to go, bring up Mendick, sign Yolmer or bring in someone who can cover more than one reserve position.

I’d go with this rotation for several weeks to see who should get more playing time and how these rookies can hit with semi regular playing time, and how they fit defensively:

• Abreu 1B 85% DH 5%.
• Anderson SS 90%.
• Collins C 20%; DH 20%.
• Eaton LF 75%.
• Engel RF 70%; CF 10%.
• Garcia RF 30%.
• Grandal C 70%; 1B 5% DH 5%.
• Madrigal 2B 80%.
• Mendick 2B 20%; SS 10%.
• Mercedes DH 40%; C 10%.
• Moncada 3B 90%.
• Robert CF 90%.
• Vaughn DH 30%; 1B 10%; 3B 10%; LF 25%.

Vaughn should at least attempt to play a position for a few months, for himself and the teams needs (ST and LT). Shift his 10% 3B away from him if that experiment with him is over. Abreu looks like he may be able to play strong at least 1-2 years beyond his current deal.

Edited April 3, 2021 by South Side Hit Men

[joejoesox]

Let's assume for the hell of it that Yermin continues to rake (let's say OBP of 345-350)

Does this get Hahn to field calls for Zack Collins? I'd imagine he still has decent trade value.  It's nice to have a surplus at certain positions (C, BP)

Edited April 3, 2021 by joesaiditstrue

[Timmy U]

If Yermin gets 350 DH at bats, you need Collins.  Otherwise the pitcher would be hitting a lot.  I like Yermin.  I like Zack.  I like Grandal.  TLR will find ways to use all of them.

[runtheballdown]

3 hours ago, VAfan said:

What an amazing night for Yermin Mercedes. He eclipsed an Abreu grand slam, and two electric perfect innings from Michael Kopech. 5 for 5 - four singles and a double, 4 RBIs, at least a couple hits with two strikes, off lefties and righties. You have to feel great for the guy, who once toiled in the Pecos League!!

So what is Tony LaRussa going to do with him? 

It's entirely possible Yermin will outhit both Vaughn and Collins, who were penciled in ahead of him at DH. Is it possible he could outhit Yasmani Grandal and take some of Grandal's DH ABs away? Someone posted his AAA numbers against Luis Robert from 2019. Yermin was toe-to-toe with Robert. 

I mean, it's crazy to think Yermin might jump into the majors and hit like a madman, isn't it? 

But what if he does? 

If he does, I think TLR has to play him.  Vaughn can still play LF, as he did tonight. But Collins would look more like the primary backup catcher. If he starts hitting, he might also play some against righties. 

But if Yermin keeps hitting, he has to keep playing, doesn't he? Plus, the energy he brings to the team is electric.  The kid's a natural. An instant fan favorite. Reminds me of what "Baby Shark" did for the Nationals in 2019. He loosened up that team and helped them to play their best. The Sox are already plenty loose, but without Eloy, Mercedes brings his own enthusiasm. 

I just think it's a great story, and it's only just beginning. 

After all these years of Hahn spending hundreds of millions of dollars on failed DHs that a 28 year old rookie who has been just hitting every year and just waiting for Hahn to open his eyes comes up and continues his hitting exploits. Pretty ironic.

[caulfield12]

37 minutes ago, joesaiditstrue said:

Let's assume for the hell of it that Yermin continues to rake (let's say OBP of 345-350)

Does this get Hahn to field calls for Zack Collins? I'd imagine he still has decent trade value.  It's nice to have a surplus at certain positions (C, BP)

Collins has marginal trade value until he proves he can catch or hit consistently in the big leagues. 

Also, Vaughn nor Mercedes will likely ever start at 3B for the Chicago White Sox.  Taking ground balls is one thing, game conditions, handling bunts/barehand plays, quick reactions that rely on instincts, it's so much more demanding than LF or 1B. 

[runtheballdown]

32 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

If Yermin gets 350 DH at bats, you need Collins.  Otherwise the pitcher would be hitting a lot.  I like Yermin.  I like Zack.  I like Grandal.  TLR will find ways to use all of them.

Agteed

[runtheballdown]

Just now, caulfield12 said:

Collins has marginal trade value until he proves he can catch or hit consistently in the big leagues. 

Also, Vaughn nor Mercedes will likely ever start at 3B for the Chicago White Sox.  Taking ground balls is one thing, game conditions, handling bunts/barehand plays, quick reactions that rely on instincts, it's so much more demanding than LF or 1B. 

Why do people keep bringing up someone playing 3rd base? One of the best players in baseball plays there there for the Sox now. 

[caulfield12]

1 minute ago, runtheballdown said:

After all these years of Hahn spending hundreds of millions of dollars on failed DHs that a 28 year old rookie who has been just hitting every year and just waiting for Hahn to open his eyes comes up and continues his hitting exploits. Pretty ironic.

Sometimes hitters are late bloomers, Carlos Martinez's son is one that immediately comes to mind... waiting for years and years for an opportunity. 

[caulfield12]

Just now, runtheballdown said:

Why do people keep bringing up someone playing 3rd base? One of the best players in baseball plays there there for the Sox now. 

They were attempting to play up not only being a 1B/DH, which goes against every scouting report, like ever. 

[Dominikk85]

38 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

If Yermin gets 350 DH at bats, you need Collins.  Otherwise the pitcher would be hitting a lot.  I like Yermin.  I like Zack.  I like Grandal.  TLR will find ways to use all of them.

I understand the argument but how often does a catcher have to be taken out of a game due to injury reasons? 2 times a year, maybe 3? I wouldn't care about losing the DH for a couple innings of 2 or 3 games a year if that much, that risk imo doesn't warrant carrying a third catcher. 

[joejoesox]

8 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Sometimes hitters are late bloomers, Carlos Martinez's son is one that immediately comes to mind... waiting for years and years for an opportunity. 

late bloomers?  Yermin has always hit in the minors

[runtheballdown]

9 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Sometimes hitters are late bloomers, Carlos Martinez's son is one that immediately comes to mind... waiting for years and years for an opportunity. 

Mercedes is really not a late bloomer. He’s been hitting for years. He just doesn’t have Luis roberts body type and to a guy like Hahn that works against Mercedes. Hahn has wasted more money on DHs and received brutal production from his DH signings than any other team in the history of baseball. That’s why when it appeared that he was being slighted by JR by JR hiring TLR I was fine with the hiring. Hahn hadn’t done much to deserve to be the lone voice in hiring a manager. 

[caulfield12]

4 minutes ago, joesaiditstrue said:

late bloomers?  Yermin has always hit in the minors

In terms of translating that into a real MLB opportunity for extended playing time.  Maybe with the early 2000's Oakland A's... where they went off raw numbers and didn't primarily reply on scouting reports.  Let's not forget RR gave Yermin only one at bat in September last year. He also didn't look past conventional scouting wisdom. 

[caulfield12]

Just now, runtheballdown said:

Mercedes is really not a late bloomer. He’s been hitting for years. He just doesn’t have Luis roberts body type and to a guy like Hahn that works against Mercedes. Hahn has wasted more money on DHs and received brutal production from his DH signings than any other team in the history of baseball. That’s why when it appeared that he was being slighted by JR by JR hiring TLR I was fine with the hiring. Hahn hadn’t done much to deserve to be the lone voice in hiring a manager. 

This I can actually agree with. A high or elite post-secondary education doesn't equate to understanding every single aspect of the game.  Just look at Ozzie Guillen. 

[runtheballdown]

2 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

In terms of translating that into a real MLB opportunity for extended playing time.  Maybe with the early 2000's Oakland A's... where they went off raw numbers and didn't primarily reply on scouting reports.  Let's not forget RR gave Yermin only one at bat in September last year. He also didn't look past conventional scouting wisdom. 

Playing EE and mazurka every game last year shows RR is a complete idiot. Not a partial idiot but a complete idiot.

[ptatc]

He may want to retire. After a game like that, it will all be downhill from here. 😁

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

26 minutes ago, runtheballdown said:

Playing EE and mazurka every game last year shows RR is a complete idiot. Not a partial idiot but a complete idiot.

All this discussion about Mercedes and never once did anyone bring up how bad of a catcher he was. I say "was" because I think he can play catcher now just maybe not full time.  He also had no pedigree . No high draft choice. When everyone looks at you as a DH only that makes the path to the big leagues much much harder. Of course if you only have one good skill hitting is the one that can get you to the bigs most most guys do not come up as DH only players.

 I've had discussions with our wonderful Future Sox writers on him about why he was never a top 30 prospect in the Sox system  even though I knew the answer why. I just wanted to put it in their heads that he deserved some consideration. I just got reasons that I'd mildly argue with. "he didn't show much power til AAA and they had a juiced ball, he is a terrible catcher, he is older than everyone at that level, he can't hit a curve ". Those are all the reasons I got from follow Soxtalk member over and over.

Now one day does not a career make so I'm happy he came through in a big way in his 1st real chance.

[VAfan]

I think Tony LaRussa can recognize a hitter when he sees one.  On that basis, I think Mercedes is going to continue to receive playing time. What he does with it will be up to him. 

But it's crazy for the response to Mercedes doing well would be for some Sox fans to just want to dump Zack Collins, who hit the best of any Sox player in spring training. He has a role on this team as a lefty catcher with a good eye for the strike zone and some power. He's a better catcher than Mercedes, whose best role is DH. 

Let's enjoy Yermin for the bubbling ball of enthusiasm he is. I personally wouldn't hesistate to use him as cleanup hitter, moving Moncada back to the 2 hole, with Grandal 5th and Vaughn in left field hitting 6th. And when he's not starting, he'd be my #1 pinch hitter. 

The question will be what to do when Eloy returns.  It's going to be a 3-way battle between Mercedes, Vaughn, and Collins for playing time. Collins can always get backup catcher ABs, but if Jimenez is back, only one of Vaughn and Mercedes can start on any given day.  

[Squirmin' for Yermin]

2 hours ago, joesaiditstrue said:

so they're calling him The Muffin Man, and Muffin top on reddit

it's only fair that he from this moment forward be known as Yermuffin Mercedes

As the one true Yermin fan.  I approve this message

[pcq]

Tonight would be a good time to start Zack at catcher and Paschal Lamb at 3B. Vermin will now face adjustments ala Robert so he will have challenges. I like the resources they have now on the roster. All the more so when Engel returns. Vaughn looked pretty adroit on the one play I saw in the corner. 

Edited April 3, 2021 by pcq

[Balta1701]

2 minutes ago, pcq said:

Tonight would be a good time to start Zack at catcher and Pascal Lamb at 3B. Vermin will now face adjustments ala Robert so he will have challenges. I like the resources they have now on the roster. All the more so when Engel returns. Vaughn looked pretty adroit on the one play I saw in the corner. 

Pascal?