Mariners Baby!
- Thread starter CuntWaffle
- Start date
It's by far the hardest sport to scout. Every now and then I look at the first round draft picks. Very few turn out to be anything special. It's a game of failure in every way.
I do think there is some cliche in baseball scouting. A 1B has to hit 30 HR's and stuff along those lines. This has nothing to do with Haggerty, but someone that hits .300 with 10-15 HR is valuable, regardless of position. Obviously, a .300 hitter at catcher is more rare (and valuable) than a LF.
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Haggerty should play everyday on nearly everyday (like he's been doing) until proven otherwise.
Fishpo31
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I think that a lot (if not all) of the profile stuff has gone by the wayside, for the most-part. It used to be power on the corners (INF and OF), speed and defense in the middle. Now, everybody swings out of their ass, and if you can roll the pole, nogaf if you can't run, short-game, or defend.
Fishpo31
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Johnny Bench is the gold standard...there are guys as good defensively, but couldn't hit; there are guys as good offensively, that couldn't catch. Piazza was a horrible catcher, but a HOF hitter...Pudge could have been a great catcher if he worked at it, but HOF bat. I know it's nit-picky, but Piazza was a three-hole hitter looking for a position, and Pudge showed greatness with the hand cannon, but he was lazy, wouldn't block and was a shit game caller (Not my opinion, I heard it from multiple sources directly). Receiving and running the game is where they earn their keep.
In the past, they were taking catchers that could hit and moving them to protect the bat. Dale Murphy, Craig Biggio, Joe Mauer, off the top of my head. Now, they are taking middle/corner infielders and teaching them to catch (Will Smith, Austin Barnes, Posey, Realmuto, Nola...).
Good stuff, I love talking about this shit...
@Fishpo31, speaking of all-time greats, tell us your best Bob Kearney story. Aka "Sarge".
Fishpo31
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Sarge does not make my list of "all-time greats", LOL...from memory: no hit, shit game caller / receiver, plus-plus arm. The classic example of the statement that "The fastest way to the big leagues is behind the plate"...met him once or twice, seemed like a good guy. One of my scout buddies played with him in Seattle and Oakland, and told me "He's a great guy to have a beer with, but nobody wanted to throw to him". Today, with that skill set, they would probably turn him into a pitcher.
Fishpo, do the yips really exist or is every guy that has had those type of incidents a mentally weak pussy?
Fishpo31
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They are real, and they are NOT spectacular...they come out of nowhere, and either eventually leave, or not. There are two methods to deal with them, neither of which work...talk about it, or don't talk about it. Try to "work" on it, or be silent...If I had a cure, I'd be responding to this from a palatial estate or private island...
The worst one I've been a part of was about 15 years ago...I had a JUCO catcher that had a plus-plus arm, very good bat, receiver, everything you look for. Certainly D1, and a probable draft pick. He could not throw the ball back to the pitcher...Throw to the bases, he was great. We tried everything we knew, and it didn't work. I would show up at 7AM, and he'd have hopped the fence with a bucket, put a screen with target up on the mound, and spent a lot of time in CF recovering balls.
Mike Ivey (google him) was the first pick in the draft IIRC, in the late 60's, for the Padres. I was told that in extended spring training, after signing, he was catching a coach who was throwing live BP, behind an L-Screen. A couple of his throwbacks hit the screen, and the coach went off on him, in front of everyone, and it was over. Never recovered, played some 1B / DH in the big leagues, and never caught again.
IDK if mentally weak is correct, but it could be just not trusting yourself, which some may classify as being mentally weak...
In golf Bernard Langer has had the putting yips since his 20s. He still dominates the senior tour in his 60s. Usually makes the cut at the Masters
He's had numerous styles to combat it
He's had numerous styles to combat it
Either the yips are real, or I'm a mentally weak pussy, or both. I've encountered them I. Multiple sports and activities that I'm otherwise good at...all aspects of golf, pitching and throwing both baseballs and softballs, bowling...pretty much anything that involves hitting or projecting a ball.
When I played men's softball for a few years in my 20s I eventually switched from primarily 2nd base to short and third because I couldn't stop choking on the throw to first after a routine ground ball to 2nd.
Fishpo31
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Yep, a short, easy throw can be an incredible mindfuck…I struggled to throw to first on comebackers in my hurling days…my HS coach taught me to run them over and underhand while in motion, which is prevalent today. Made me remember Jon Lester not being able to pick to first, recently…
Fishpo31
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See Also: “Mackey Sasser disease”…https://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/6658/mackey-sasser-doesnt-deserve-disease
I guess I've had them with golf, but I've never golfed enough to be good or develop consistency. I've never understood not being able to throw a ball back to the pitcher, second to first, etc.
We had a weak first baseman for a season...a big guy that hit a lot of home runs so it was tolerated.
The routine plays with a lot of time to throw were the problem. I'd see him looking nervous before I threw the ball. It got in my head and I had a streak where I couldn't stop throwing it in the dirt on easy plays. I think I air mailed a couple too. It wasn't an issue if I had to hurry or had space to throw hard, just when i had too much time to look at and think about who was over there.
Fishpo31
Active poster
I think a lot of it has to do with the impression that "I have all the time in the world", and you relax, and stop being "Athletic". Not to go nerdy here, but the feet have such a large role in throwing accuracy. That's why you see the shuffle-shuffle with the infielders, to keep their feet moving and stay in rhythm, which keeps the body athletic. Also, everybody trains to throw full speed, and when you need to regulate it, the feet stop, and you sail/bury it.
As for golf, it is ingraining a consistent swing path and speed. The toughest shots for me are always around the green, where I can't take a full swing, or have to dial it back. Thank god for wedges...
ESPN: Seattle Mariners, Julio Rodriguez finalizing long-term extension that could max out at $470 million, sources confirm.https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...n-breakout-rookie-julio-rodriguez-sources-say
I suppose everyone has heard about this by now but here it is all rolled up. JFC. Risky business with a rookie but based on a quick browse I did in an earlier article, only about 210mil of it is guaranteed up front. The rest is performance incentives and options.
I suppose everyone has heard about this by now but here it is all rolled up. JFC. Risky business with a rookie but based on a quick browse I did in an earlier article, only about 210mil of it is guaranteed up front. The rest is performance incentives and options.