The difference is...there have been plenty of times that Viciedo simply would not let a pitcher walk him. Being willing to let a pitcher walk him would be an improvement.

 

Absolutely. This is the biggest step forward I've seen in his development thus far and real cause for optimism.

The difference is...there have been plenty of times that Viciedo simply would not let a pitcher walk him. Being willing to let a pitcher walk him would be an improvement.

 

Well, yeah, seeing how the very best hitters get on base about 33% of the time when they don't walk and 100% of the time when they do. Letting a pitcher walk you is always a good thing.

Maybe it's not all that complicated.

 

Opposing pitchers would rather walk him and face Keppinger instead.

Maybe it's not all that complicated.

 

Opposing pitchers would rather walk him and face Keppinger instead.

 

 

Or Konerko...or in tonight's case Dunn. There's no protecting anyone in this line-up that gets hot.

Viciedo did walk 45 times in 500 PAs at Charlotte in 2011. Not a ton, but a somewhat respectable amount--enough to give him an OBP of .364 for the year. I am hoping that if and when he gets settled in at the major league level he'll show the same amount of patience. Viciedo has always reminded me of Carlos Lee, who showed similar growth (13 BB his 1st year, 38 his 2nd and 3rd, then a career high 75 his 4th.)

Viciedo did walk 45 times in 500 PAs at Charlotte in 2011. Not a ton, but a somewhat respectable amount--enough to give him an OBP of .364 for the year. I am hoping that if and when he gets settled in at the major league level he'll show the same amount of patience. Viciedo has always reminded me of Carlos Lee, who showed similar growth (13 BB his 1st year, 38 his 2nd and 3rd, then a career high 75 his 4th.)

If he starts taking 50 walks a year, he's going to be an absolute monster. He covers everything in the strike zone so well with so much power that if he can force pitchers to throw in the zone, he'll win.