Around Baseball 2023

[Terminator]

Yankees having a meltdown.

[G-Snarls]

Yankees having a meltdown.

 

Now tied for last place

[Stangstag]

Reds are calling up CES

[Spanky__99]

Reds are calling up CES

 

Buccos calling up Priester and Endy Rodriguez good times!

 

ETA: Peguero too.

Edited July 17, 2023 by Spanky99

[43211234]

I didn't realize how bizarre Josh Donaldson's season has been.

 

10.0 BB%

26.7 K%

.292 ISO

 

Over 120 PA

 

You might think he's having a pretty good season. But he has a 0.076(!!!) BABIP. Yet he has a barrel rate pushing 20%.

 

Just crazy stuff. Overall it makes for a 75 wRC+

[Stangstag]

Yanks, Rays, Orioles all lost yesterday.

 

Good day for the Jays

[Laika]

I didn't realize how bizarre Josh Donaldson's season has been.

 

10.0 BB%

26.7 K%

.292 ISO

 

Over 120 PA

 

You might think he's having a pretty good season. But he has a 0.076(!!!) BABIP. Yet he has a barrel rate pushing 20%.

 

Just crazy stuff. Overall it makes for a 75 wRC+

 

7.9% LD rate is so low. Everything he hit in 2023 was either straight up or straight down, haha. Not sustainable at all but hilarious.

 

36 GB

34 FB

6 LD

3 IFFB

 

hahahaha tough to watch

[max silver]

7.9% LD rate is so low. Everything he hit in 2023 was either straight up or straight down, haha. Not sustainable at all but hilarious.

 

36 GB

34 FB

6 LD

3 IFFB

 

hahahaha tough to watch

 

Donaldson is like the MLB version of April Orelvis Martinez this season.

[Brownie19]

Buccos calling up Priester and Endy Rodriguez good times!

 

ETA: Peguero too.

 

Endy Rodriguez has been awful at AAA this year. He came into the season with as much helium as anyone in baseball IMO. Pirates have been very aggressive with their call ups, as Nick Gonzales wasn't really hitting in AAA either.

 

Davis

Rodriguez

Gonzales

Cruz

Reynolds

Suwinski

Hayes

Keller

 

That's a nice little core the Pirates are building. I'm always rooting for the Pirates to be good. Looks like it's just about time to take my boys to Pittsburgh to catch a game or 2 in that beautiful stadium.

Edited July 18, 2023 by Brownie19

[Terminator]

Yanks, Rays, Orioles all lost yesterday.

 

Good day for the Jays

 

That Yankees loss was extra special.

[Laika]

Endy Rodriguez has been awful at AAA this year. He came into the season with as much helium as anyone in baseball IMO. Pirates have been very aggressive with their call ups, as Nick Gonzales wasn't really hitting in AAA either.

 

Davis

Rodriguez

Gonzales

Cruz

Reynolds

Suwinski

Hayes

Keller

 

That's a nice little core the Pirates are building. I'm always rooting for the Pirates to be good. Looks like it's just about time to take my boys to Pittsburgh to catch a game or 2 in that beautiful stadium.

 

They are set up well for a window of contention. Keller controllable through 2025 and Bednar through 2026... everyone else of significance is controllable through 2028 at least. About $35M coming off the books this offseason to re-load on short term free agent veterans.

[Brownie19]

They are set up well for a window of contention. Keller controllable through 2025 and Bednar through 2026... everyone else of significance is controllable through 2028 at least. About $35M coming off the books this offseason to re-load on short term free agent veterans.

 

And I forgot to include Termarr Johnson and of course Paul Skenes who may both arrive in the next 2-3 years.

[Brownie19]

Cody Bellinger is having a f***ing great bounce back year. That's good for baseball. Cubs should get a haul for him.

[L54]

Cody Bellinger is having a f***ing great bounce back year. That's good for baseball. Cubs should get a haul for him.

 

Out WAR'ing KK

[L54]

Bellinger should actually be the Jays #1 target at the deadline

[Orgfiller]

Good for Bellinger I guess, but talk to me when his xwOBA is within even 20 points of his actual. Lower avg EV, max EV, barrel rate, hard hit rate than Daulton Varsho. Similar LD, GB, FB rates, slightly below but still high IFFB rate. I think his whole offensive performance is a mirage except for maybe his K rate getting back to career norms. The power is gone, regress his BABIP and he comes out looking pretty mediocre.

 

His statcast page is that of a less toolsy Kiermaier lol.

[Terminator]

 

Yeah the K-Rate improvement makes him a serviceable starting player again but his xWOBA is .312.

[Jimcanuck]

The data suggests Bellinger has changed his approach. From a swing for the fences at all times to a more contact oriented approach, and being selective on the pitches he turns on. That would explain the lower K% for example. His max EV this year is the highest since 2020, its not a "lost power" thing.

 

Also, the numbers took a dive in May and June when he had an injury.

[Terminator]

The data suggests Bellinger has changed his approach. From a swing for the fences at all times to a more contact oriented approach, and being selective on the pitches he turns on. That would explain the lower K% for example. His max EV this year is the highest since 2020, its not a "lost power" thing.

 

The data suggests that you pulled this entire post out of your ass.

 

His MAX EV is just .8 mph better than it was during the last two years when he was hitting like John McDonald. Career exit velo is the worst of his career by far.

 

And if he's being more selective why is his walk rate lower?

[Jimcanuck]

The data suggests that you pulled this entire post out of your ass.

 

His MAX EV is just .8 mph better than it was during the last two years when he was hitting like John McDonald. Career exit velo is the worst of his career by far.

 

And if he's being more selective why is his walk rate lower?

 

'selective on the pitches he turns on' i.e., turning on pitches he can launch. Nothing to do with walk rate.

[BTS]

"xwOBA doesn't matter for my guy" never ends well. One of two things are going to happen: Bellinger is going to start hitting the ball hard for the first time since 2020, or he's going to be a low-end starter who carves out a career as a weak-hitting defensive CF.

[Terminator]

'selective on the pitches he turns on' i.e., turning on pitches he can launch. Nothing to do with walk rate.

 

Mr. Wait for His Pitch has a career low barrel rate too.

[Jimcanuck]

Mr. Wait for His Pitch has a career low barrel rate too.

 

Yes, that's the data point that's most concerning.

 

Anyway will see how the rest of the season plays out. The talent is there, whether he regains his lost form as he gets further from the injuries is the question. He wouldn't be the first to have a career resurgence.

[Terminator]

Yes, that's the data point that's most concerning.

 

Anyway will see how the rest of the season plays out. The talent is there, whether he regains his lost form as he gets further from the injuries is the question. He wouldn't be the first to have a career resurgence.

 

I think your points about the injuries could be a factor and are a good point but it's hard to tell. He had a hot April, seemed to struggle surrounding an IL stint and is now hot again. How much the injury played a factor I'm not sure.

[BTS]

His average exit velo is hilarious: lower than Myles Straw, Aledmys Diaz, and Michael Taylor. Tied with Keirmaier, Tony Kemp, CJ Abrams, and Brice Turang.

[Terminator]

His average exit velo is hilarious: lower than Myles Straw, Aledmys Diaz, and Michael Taylor. Tied with Keirmaier, Tony Kemp, CJ Abrams, and Brice Turang.

 

Yeah I think Wrigley is really helping him. He's got a Gallo-like launch angle with putrid EVs and Wrigley is pumping up his homers anyway. He's got 12 but everywhere else in baseball he's got lower, even at Yankee stadium his xHR is 10

[Jimcanuck]

His average exit velo is hilarious: lower than Myles Straw, Aledmys Diaz, and Michael Taylor. Tied with Keirmaier, Tony Kemp, CJ Abrams, and Brice Turang.

 

Cherry picking

[MikeM3]

Bellinger has become a dead pull hitter like a prime Didi Gregorius or something that's why he is outperforming.

 

It's better to hit a cheap pull fly ball then barrel to oppo, its just a fine line to walk. Like I'd rather have this Bellinger than prime Castellanos hitting 5 barrel outs a week to dead CF at Comerica.

[Laika]

Bellinger has become a dead pull hitter like a prime Didi Gregorius or something that's why he is outperforming.

 

It's better to hit a cheap pull fly ball then barrel to oppo, its just a fine line to walk. Like I'd rather have this Bellinger than prime Castellanos hittiny 5 barrel outs a week to dead CF at Comerica.

 

Not compared to prior versions of Cody Bellinger

 

actually has the highest CF% of his career and the lowest Pull% since his rookie season (per the FG batted ball s***. statcast looks a bit different)

[Jimcanuck]

Bellinger HR distances:

 

Pull side - 410, 376, 411, 422, 384, 395, 392, 392, 414, 420

 

Oppo - 372, 371

 

Not wall scrapers. Like I said, he might be using a contact oriented approach, but when he gets a pitch he can hammer, he's turning on them. This would lower the average EV without impacting the HR totals too much.

 

The sweet spot % is 2nd highest in his career.