AL Central Discussion

[mr.hockey4242]

Their first baseman, Pasquantino, that’s out for the rest of the year is going to be a productive hitter. But they’re gonna stink for awhile.

Youre right, I totally forgot about him since hes been out. He definitely is a potential long term bat

 

[mr.hockey4242]

He's only 22 and I havent watched him like at all for defensive purposes or anything

But why the hell are the Guardians fans talking about Rocchio as some huge future piece. Hes like their offensive prototype of what has stalled their offense forever.

This guy wasnt even a .300 hitter in the minors and makes Arraez look like a power hitter. And Arraez wasnt even very valuable when he was hitting .320 with the Twins.

 

[WiggyRuss]

He's only 22 and I havent watched him like at all for defensive purposes or anything

But why the hell are the Guardians fans talking about Rocchio as some huge future piece. Hes like their offensive prototype of what has stalled their offense forever.

This guy wasnt even a .300 hitter in the minors and makes Arraez look like a power hitter. And Arraez wasnt even very valuable when he was hitting .320 with the Twins.

MLB.COM- 50th prospect: Signed for just $125,000 out of Venezuela as part of a banner 2017 international crop reeled in by Cleveland, Rocchio quickly earned the nickname "The Professor" for his high baseball IQ. Unable to come to the United States to play at the Guardians' alternate site or instructional league program during the pandemic shutdown in 2020, he nonetheless reached Triple-A at age 21 last season while hitting a career-best 18 homers. In a system overflowing with infield prospects, he stands out as the most talented offensive player among them.

A switch-hitter, Rocchio recognizes pitches well, barrels them easily and lashes line drives to all fields. He already had a quick bat and then gained muscle during his pandemic layoff, which has helped him develop average power (solid pop as a righty, more fringy as a lefty). He could be a .275 hitter who produces 15-20 homers annually when he's a finished product.

Keith LAw: 8th overall prospect: Rocchio made his major-league debut this year, but just briefly. Around his stints with the Guardians, he’s hit .294/.382/.419 as a 22-year-old in Triple A, posting his lowest strikeout rate since rookie ball at just 12.6 percent with less over-the-fence power than he showed last year (2 homers in 2023 after he hit 18 in 2022). He’s a true switch-hitter who could always run but had a terrible track record as a base stealer, with a 64 precent career success rate, which he’s boosted this year by going 18 for 21 on the bases (86 percent). Rocchio is an above-average shortstop with excellent hands and good instincts, which makes it all the more baffling that the Guardians, who’ve gotten nothing from shortstop this year, haven’t called him up and given him a shot at the job.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

The Twins OMG.

Running out the same lineup as Tuesday vs the lefty(worst lineup of all time). Still doing the platoons that dont work.

AND just recalled Balazovic AGAIN. He was demoted Saturday cause hes awful. Instead of making room on the 40 for Funderburk whose been elite in AAA. We are deciding to keep doing the retreads.

Funniest thing. Funderburk is a lefty, we currently only have 1(Thielbar). And Thielbar along with duran and Pagan are probably unavailable tonight.

So when Seager bats we are going to be throwing Floro, Winder, Sands or Balazovic hahahahahaha

Cant make it up

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Kody Funderburk stats this year

AA- 9 innings. 1 ER. 14 Ks. Promoted

AAA- 50 2/3. 33 hits. 21 walks. 74Ks. 2.66 ERA/1.06 WHIP.

Refuse to call him up because we dont want to make 40 man room. Move trash Ortega to 60 man dont need him anyways. Move Gordon to 40 man. Fucking DFA Gordon he has no future.

We need a lefty and refuse to call him up

 

[mr.hockey4242]

The Gavin Williams advanced metric regression is finally hitting.

Dont get me wrong, hes still a good pitcher with a very bright future. IMO best ceiling of the Guardians trio.

But his metrics been saying hes surviving for a bit now and last two starts have seen the turn.

One thing he does do well though is he is good with men on base. Buckles down. I saw him do that in Texas when hits/walks/errors had rangers with guys all over the bases early and barely scoring.

Last week vs Tigers he held them to 3 when it could have been 6. Today vs Dodgers they got him but could have had even more and an error killed Williams from potentially pitching out of a big jam

But as I tell Wiggy, a lot of the times the metrics catch up because that much traffic on the bases is tough to survive all the time.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The Gavin Williams advanced metric regression is finally hitting.

Dont get me wrong, hes still a good pitcher with a very bright future. IMO best ceiling of the Guardians trio.

But his metrics been saying hes surviving for a bit now and last two starts have seen the turn.

One thing he does do well though is he is good with men on base. Buckles down. I saw him do that in Texas when hits/walks/errors had rangers with guys all over the bases early and barely scoring.

Last week vs Tigers he held them to 3 when it could have been 6. Today vs Dodgers they got him but could have had even more and an error killed Williams from potentially pitching out of a big jam

But as I tell Wiggy, a lot of the times the metrics catch up because that much traffic on the bases is tough to survive all the time.

hes getting tired against and hes against a good team.

 

[WiggyRuss]

surprise surprise a real offense gets to Lopez.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

surprise surprise a real offense gets to Lopez.

uhhh Lopez just shut out Philly in their sandbox two starts ago.

Hes been rocked by your piece of shit offense, KC and Washington.

 

[fightinfunbags]

uhhh Lopez just shut out Philly in their sandbox two starts ago.

Hes been rocked by your piece of shit offense, KC and Washington.

Yeah. I don’t want to see AL Central pitching ever again haha. Both Guardians and Twins pitching shut down the Phillies taking 2 of 3 in each series and it was the pitching that drove the wins.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Difference between Great teams(Rangers). Average teams in a shitty division(Twins). Horrendous teams(Guardians)

Rangers poke two out hits all over the field and beat out infield singles to score runs. Their stud shortstop delivers when needed.

Twins get occaisional solo homers but dont advanced lead off doubles. Their Shortstop is clutch once a month

Guardians have an entire OF with less homers than Michael A Taylor and watch their future of Gimenez, Arias and Rocchio go K, K, feeble out with bases loaded 0 outs. Their shortstop rotates to the minors and bench game to game.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Difference between Great teams(Rangers). Average teams in a shitty division(Twins). Horrendous teams(Guardians)

Rangers poke two out hits all over the field and beat out infield singles to score runs. Their stud shortstop delivers when needed.

Twins get occaisional solo homers but dont advanced lead off doubles. Their Shortstop is clutch once a month

Guardians have an entire OF with less homers than Michael A Taylor and watch their future of Gimenez, Arias and Rocchio go K, K, feeble out with bases loaded 0 outs. Their shortstop rotates to the minors and bench game to game.

Pittsburgh
Philly
Detroit
STL
Seattle
Seattle
Oakland
KC

Since July 1 schedule.

I had 2 shoulder surgeries in high school throwing too many sliders and I could pitch to an elite ERA against that schedule. lol.

I will make the prediction- when Lopez starts in Game 2 of the first round playoff series he will not pitch to his expectations. Fools gold. He is what he has been his entire career- a solid mid-rotation starter. Its year 6. Not sure why anyone would expect this too change.

After the game his ERA will be about 3.6......which is about right.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The Gavin Williams advanced metric regression is finally hitting.

Dont get me wrong, hes still a good pitcher with a very bright future. IMO best ceiling of the Guardians trio.

But his metrics been saying hes surviving for a bit now and last two starts have seen the turn.

One thing he does do well though is he is good with men on base. Buckles down. I saw him do that in Texas when hits/walks/errors had rangers with guys all over the bases early and barely scoring.

Last week vs Tigers he held them to 3 when it could have been 6. Today vs Dodgers they got him but could have had even more and an error killed Williams from potentially pitching out of a big jam

But as I tell Wiggy, a lot of the times the metrics catch up because that much traffic on the bases is tough to survive all the time.

Ill guarantee you 6 years in Williams' career will blow away a guy like Lopez. Williams' basement is what Lopez has been in his career through 6 seasons.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Ill guarantee you 6 years in Williams' career will blow away a guy like Lopez. Williams' basement is what Lopez has been in his career through 6 seasons.

You just used the excuse the other way around for Williams that he faced a good lineup and to cut him slack

You are legit a fucking retarded individual. Like I am not being mean or calling names. You are fucking factually a goddamn mentally retarded person

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Rocco has got to get tossed on that strike 3 to Wallner.

Our young guys do not get the calls

Ball was 4 inches low and worst part is catch was setting up for a high fast ball so it didnt even hit the spot and wasnt framed. Inexcusable call and the manager has got to step in on that.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Yeah. I don’t want to see AL Central pitching ever again haha. Both Guardians and Twins pitching shut down the Phillies taking 2 of 3 in each series and it was the pitching that drove the wins.

lol...true...though Philly's lineup isnt quite as deep as last year. Harper is coming around but really struggled power wise after coming back ridiculously fast from surgery- the guy is a freak. Hoskins was a big loss, and obviously Turner has not been what they expected- though he has been better lately.

Stott really emerged as at least a solid guy. Bohm is a decent hitter- and sometimes power takes time- but I was very high on him out of the draft.....power is sometimes the last thing to develop for guys but at 27 now- not sure how much more he has in him.

As for Bibee and Williams- both were in college 2 years ago- both look to be rotation stalwarts for a while. Williams does it with a little more power- Bibee a little more with pitching know-how. Gonna be very good for a while.

 

[WiggyRuss]

You just used the excuse the other way around for Williams that he faced a good lineup and to cut him slack

You are legit a fucking retarded individual. Like I am not being mean or calling names. You are fucking factually a goddamn mentally retarded person

I am nt claiming Williams is one of the best pitchers in the AL- he was in college 2 years ago and has pitched the most innings in his career.

He will get there though- very strong rookie season- has the stuff and makeup to possibly be a top or near top of the rotation guy- basement is a solid starter.

If Williams is still at Lopez's level 5 years from now it will be a huge disappointment.

 

[fightinfunbags]

lol...true...though Philly's lineup isnt quite as deep as last year. Harper is coming around but really struggled power wise after coming back ridiculously fast from surgery- the guy is a freak. Hoskins was a big loss, and obviously Turner has not been what they expected- though he has been better lately.

Stott really emerged as at least a solid guy. Bohm is a decent hitter- and sometimes power takes time- but I was very high on him out of the draft.....power is sometimes the last thing to develop for guys but at 27 now- not sure how much more he has in him.

As for Bibee and Williams- both were in college 2 years ago- both look to be rotation stalwarts for a while. Williams does it with a little more power- Bibee a little more with pitching know-how. Gonna be very good for a while.

Phillies had the highest OPS in baseball in the month of August. Harper was hurt. Turner has underperformed. Castellanos was .307 at the All Star break and is now down to .280ish. Schwarber is feast or famine with 30+ HRs but .180. Realmuto has had a terrible year and in all places it’s been in CBP, a field he’s hit well his whole career. They’ve shown signs that their big money bats are heating up.

I have no idea how the Phillies lead the wildcard. In the end, it’s their pen and their starting pitching getting hot after a rough April and May. The offense has been carried by what people around here call the Daycare - Stott, Bohm, and Marsh. All those guys are young and controllable. For Bohm, he needs to add next year an approach where first pitch and 2-0/3-1 he’s looking to pull a ball. He and Stott both can hit to all fields and are great hitters with 2 strikes. If Bohm has power it’s gonna come pulling the ball and taking advantage of the short Lf porch in Citizens Bank Park.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Lewis is really fucking good.

The ball is flying like crazy tonight. I have not seen it like this at TF ever.

I have a hunch tho the twins will need a hit with men on base at some point. So far its 4 solo homers. 2 doubles with no outs and no one on. And a lead off single lol

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Phillies had the highest OPS in baseball in the month of August. Harper was hurt. Turner has underperformed. Castellanos was .307 at the All Star break and is now down to .280ish. Schwarber is feast or famine with 30+ HRs but .180. Realmuto has had a terrible year and in all places it’s been in CBP, a field he’s hit well his whole career. They’ve shown signs that their big money bats are heating up.

I have no idea how the Phillies lead the wildcard. In the end, it’s their pen and their starting pitching getting hot after a rough April and May. The offense has been carried by what people around here call the Daycare - Stott, Bohm, and Marsh. All those guys are young and controllable. For Bohm, he needs to add next year an approach where first pitch and 2-0/3-1 he’s looking to pull a ball. He and Stott both can hit to all fields and are great hitters with 2 strikes. If Bohm has power it’s gonna come pulling the ball and taking advantage of the short Lf porch in Citizens Bank Park.

This guy is insane. He just says shit lol.

Phillies lineup is way deeper than last year. And now they are getting hot.

Bohm is better. Stott is way better(actually a good player). They add Turner which makes up for Hoskins. Marsh they have for a full year and playing his best ball.