Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
I would have liked to see Witt have a very successful debut and come out of the gate with a .300/.350/.500 line or something like that.
Hard to say what they have him working on down there. He also is transitioning to wood bats full time.
The K rate is fine/solid (around 20 percent) so it isn’t like he’s being overwhelmed.
I understand pitchers sometimes can have misleading stats due to them focusing on certain pitches. Can the same thing apply to hitters? [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
I understand pitchers sometimes can have misleading stats due to them focusing on certain pitches. Can the same thing apply to hitters?
Common theme is to make the players you’re developing more complete by challenging them to find success with things they don’t currently do well.
IE... you need to develop your third pitch to get outs... take away secondary out pitch entirely.
Or... you hit everything you can to the pull side, even pitches away with spin.
Or... you excel hitting early in counts but need to improve two-strike approach and pitch recognition. Work deeper. Etc.
I don’t know if the Royals are doing any of that stuff with Witt, but it’s common practice. [Reply]
So...with our best org pitchers, it seems most of them will either start at AA and maybe move to AAA next year. What in the world do you do about Pratto and Melendez? I realize walk/strikeout ratio plays in any ballpark...and that's what's so troubling about their performance. Is there ever a case where you avoid Wilmington and just let them get straightened out at Lex until you feel they can be pushed to NWA? They're both pretty young, still...so repeating Wilmington isn't a tragedy. I'm just curious if the ballpark's reputation has created a self-fulfilling prophecy with already-struggling players. I'm not a fan of kiddy-gloving prospects...but their 2019 performance and constant floundering has to be incredibly demoralizing to two guys that have mostly known success in their playing careers. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan:
So...with our best org pitchers, it seems most of them will either start at AA and maybe move to AAA next year. What in the world do you do about Pratto and Melendez? I realize walk/strikeout ratio plays in any ballpark...and that's what's so troubling about their performance. Is there ever a case where you avoid Wilmington and just let them get straightened out at Lex until you feel they can be pushed to NWA? They're both pretty young, still...so repeating Wilmington isn't a tragedy. I'm just curious if the ballpark's reputation has created a self-fulfilling prophecy with already-struggling players. I'm not a fan of kiddy-gloving prospects...but their 2019 performance and constant floundering has to be incredibly demoralizing to two guys that have mostly known success in their playing careers.
Success as a professional hitter is all about how you respond to fail and adjust to fix it. So from that perspective, it’s good for guys to have to fail and adjust.
Hosmer had to repeat Wilmington, and it helped him step forward. I think it’s better to get that struggle out of the way at High A... usually happens for most prospects at AA.
The Royals are going to have pitchers worth watching at 3-4 levels.
AAA - Lynch, Singer, Kowar
AA - Bubic, Bowlan, Carlos Hernandez
A+ - Haake, Heasely, del Rosario?
A - Marte, del Rosario? [Reply]
A 19 year old in rookie ball should be doing better, no?
Where is this power they are talking about for Bobby Witt Jr? 102 ABs, two doubles, zero home runs. Might be another great gem for Dayton. While I say that, Adley Rutchman hasn't been good either in his small sample size in MILB. [Reply]
Kansas City Royals second best offensive prospect...ummmm...Brewer Hicklen? A 23.6 year old in A ball. I don't know. Man, it's barren down there. We're going to need to flip some milb pitching for some offensive prospects worth a shit at some point. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
Success as a professional hitter is all about how you respond to fail and adjust to fix it. So from that perspective, it’s good for guys to have to fail and adjust.
Hosmer had to repeat Wilmington, and it helped him step forward. I think it’s better to get that struggle out of the way at High A... usually happens for most prospects at AA.
The Royals are going to have pitchers worth watching at 3-4 levels.
AAA - Lynch, Singer, Kowar
AA - Bubic, Bowlan, Carlos Hernandez
A+ - Haake, Heasely, del Rosario?
A - Marte, del Rosario?
Originally Posted by BWillie:
Kansas City Royals second best offensive prospect...ummmm...Brewer Hicklen? A 23.6 year old in A ball. I don't know. Man, it's barren down there. We're going to need to flip some milb pitching for some offensive prospects worth a shit at some point.
I think that I would NEVER flip pitching for hitting.
Originally Posted by BWillie:
Kansas City Royals second best offensive prospect...ummmm...Brewer Hicklen? A 23.6 year old in A ball. I don't know. Man, it's barren down there. We're going to need to flip some milb pitching for some offensive prospects worth a shit at some point.
1) Witt Jr
2) Khalil Lee (AA)
3) Kyle Isbel (A+)
All better prospects with the stick than Hicklen. Phillips has too much service time to be a prospect but also is a better young potential piece than Hicklen. Could also make cases for Nick Heath. [Reply]