I read some post on here that said Morel was gonna hit second.

Is this true?

Are u folks hopeful Morel is as good or better than Beckham?

If Morel could hit and Beckham could start emerging we might have the best hitting infield in the Central at least, maybe all of baseball.

I read some post on here that said Morel was gonna hit second.

Is this true?

Are u folks hopeful Morel is as good or better than Beckham?

If Morel could hit and Beckham could start emerging we might have the best hitting infield in the Central at least, maybe all of baseball.

 

Yes, Ventura was quoted saying he likes Morel hitting second, he seems to be able to hit to all fields, doesn't walk as much as I'd like.

 

From the looks of it Morel is shaping up to be everything we always wanted Beckham to be.

Yes, Ventura was quoted saying he likes Morel hitting second, he seems to be able to hit to all fields, doesn't walk as much as I'd like.

 

From the looks of it Morel is shaping up to be everything we always wanted Beckham to be.

 

I hope Robin sticks with Morel at second in the order if he gets off to a lousy start. I can picture the guy making contact on the hit and run quite effectively.

I hope Robin sticks with Morel at second

in the order

if he gets off to a lousy start.

I can picture the guy making contact on the

hit and run quite effectively.

Better.

Best hitting infield in the Central and all of baseball will undoubtedly be DET, as long as Cabrera and Fielder are both there.

 

Even Ryan Raburn was among the leaders in spring training homers, and he and Inge are more like utility guys with that team, at least the last couple of seasons.

Yes, Ventura was quoted saying he likes Morel hitting second, he seems to be able to hit to all fields, doesn't walk as much as I'd like.

From the looks of it Morel is shaping up to be everything we always wanted Beckham to be.

 

Hardly. Beckham had an OPS over .800 his rookie year. Where as Morel had a lower OPS than Dunn for most of last year. Unless he starts to be more selective (like we saw last September) it's hard for me to imagine him ever being better than a replacement level offensive player.

 

Don't let the empty batting average fool you, Morel is an awful offensive player.

Better.

 

I guess I should take it as a compliment people remember things I write and the style I sometimes write in (the poetic haiku format). But I digress.

Morel with the glove is a sight to behold.

Hardly. Beckham had an OPS over .800 his rookie year. Where as Morel had a lower OPS than Dunn for most of last year. Unless he starts to be more selective (like we saw last September) it's hard for me to imagine him ever being better than a replacement level offensive player.

 

Don't let the empty batting average fool you, Morel is an awful offensive player.

That is a very, very premature declaration.

 

But welcome to SoxTalk!

That is a very, very premature declaration.

 

But welcome to SoxTalk!

Well, technically, he IS an awful offensive player now. He may get better in the future, but his minor league numbers + ML track record so far offers little to be optimistic about. Hopefully I'm wrong, though.

 

I appreciate it, though. Go Sox.

5% BB rate last season; 180th out of the 203 players with at least 400 PA. AJ (4.6%) and Rios (4.7%) were somehow worse.

I think Dunn in the three hole has a lot to do with moving AJ out of the two spot.

 

Hopefully Morel, unlike Beckham, can take advantage of the opportunity.

Well, technically, he IS an awful offensive player now. He may get better in the future, but his minor league numbers + ML track record so far offers little to be optimistic about. Hopefully I'm wrong, though.

 

I appreciate it, though. Go Sox.

 

 

If he hits for power like he did the last 6 weeks, then you can live with that 5-10% walk rate, that's essentially what we had in Joe Crede for most of his career.

 

You take a 700+ 725-750ish OPS out of 3B in a heartbeat in current times, especially with Brent's defense (potentially, needs to clean up some of the errors from last year).

 

It's the 575-625 seasons that we spread across the board (Beckham, Dunn, Rios, Morel) that killed us.

Yes, Ventura was quoted saying he likes Morel hitting second, he seems to be able to hit to all fields, doesn't walk as much as I'd like.

 

From the looks of it Morel is shaping up to be everything we always wanted Beckham to be.

 

OUtside of bunting, I have always felt that Brent would make a great two hitter.

OUtside of bunting, I have always felt that Brent would make a great two hitter.

He does what you want a #2 hitter to do. He puts the ball in play. He can take pitches/take a walk if the pitcher is going to give it to him, but otherwise he'll put the ball in play.

 

He needs to make more solid contact than he made last year...don't care about the HR numbers, just put a little more authority on the ball when he hits it, and that'll make him a nice, reliable #2 hitter.

He does what you want a #2 hitter to do. He puts the ball in play. He can take pitches/take a walk if the pitcher is going to give it to him, but otherwise he'll put the ball in play.

 

He needs to make more solid contact than he made last year...don't care about the HR numbers, just put a little more authority on the ball when he hits it, and that'll make him a nice, reliable #2 hitter.

I don't understand the appeal of someone who "puts the ball in play." If he still makes an out 75ish percent of the time, what does it matter if he doesn't strike out? Wouldn't you ideally want someone who provides value in the #2 spot?

 

I'm confused.

If he hits for power like he did the last 6 weeks, then you can live with that 5-10% walk rate, that's essentially what we had in Joe Crede for most of his career.

 

You take a 700+ 725-750ish OPS out of 3B in a heartbeat in current times, especially with Brent's defense (potentially, needs to clean up some of the errors from last year).

 

It's the 575-625 seasons that we spread across the board (Beckham, Dunn, Rios, Morel) that killed us.

Depends how much value he provides with the glove. Last year Morel posted 1.0 UZR/150, which is as meh as it gets. But like everyone else on the board, I feel his ceiling with the glove is much higher. Assuming he reaches a +10 range over 150, and hits for a bit more power, then we're looking at someone capable being the Sox 3B of the future. If not, we're looking at a player that's simply replacement level.

Edited April 5, 201214 yr by maxjusttyped

I don't understand the appeal of someone who "puts the ball in play." If he still makes an out 75ish percent of the time, what does it matter if he doesn't strike out? Wouldn't you ideally want someone who provides value in the #2 spot?

 

I'm confused.

 

Strikeouts have no chance at moving a runner along

I don't understand the appeal of someone who "puts the ball in play." If he still makes an out 75ish percent of the time, what does it matter if he doesn't strike out? Wouldn't you ideally want someone who provides value in the #2 spot?

 

I'm confused.

IF he's putting up a punchless .240 average that's one thing, but he shouldn't be doing that. If he's "putting the ball in play" and not striking out, a normal BABIP should push him towards being a .300 hitter, or something close to it. But the real nice thing about not striking out is that it moves runners along. If he's got anyone on base and he strikes out, that has zero chance of being productive, while if he grounds the ball to one side, that can be a productive out that can move a guy to 2nd or 3rd.

 

You don't accept below-tolerable production from that slot obviously, but if you can get average production and the guy has good bat control where the ball gets put in play, then that makes the defense have to respond to things and should help set the table more.

The #2 hitter is supposed to make contact and move the runners along. Morel can do that I think and I know AJP can. You don't want someone who strikes out a lot. I have a feeling we will see Morel and AJ alternate