Minnesota Twins vs. Texas Rangers 8/30-9/1

[donaldson79]

I think Davis had himself to blame a lot more than the organization. Even he admits he put too much pressure on himself.

And I wish him well. At least whenever he's not playing against us.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Like quite a few here I first got to watch CD at Frisco and he quickly became one of our favorites as TEX was going through that period post-Teixeira of trying out half a dozen pretenders at 1b. We knew it couldn't happen fast enough for CD to take over. Maybe CD began feeling that pressure then ... even before he got to AAA.

Even then I don't ever remember seeing a batter with a longer swing than Davis. Watching him now on nightly highlights it seems like it is even longer ... and looks like he is swinging at 60mph. Don't think even Hamilton's swing is as long ... and definitely not as slow as Chris'.

I wonder why pitchers even pitch to him any more ... perhaps CD subconsciously keeps his K-rate high enough to entice pitchers to try and K him ... and he tricks them into throwing a strike. He ought to be as susceptible to that low and away pitch that kills Hamilton (and Murphy) ... but unlike when he was with TEX ... his eye has developed to the point that if he can get to it ... he's not pulling the ball pitched there any more.

If you are interested ... here's his HR plots ... indexed by true distance. Note the speed off the bat of his longest.

ESPN Home Run Tracker :: Player and Field Detail

That's quite a chart! Seems one almost needs a PhD in baseball to fully digest all of its implications! Does look to me, however, as if it supports your point about not trying to pull pitches away, since he's hit a lot of HRs to LF and CF. That also seems to me to kind of contradict his purported remarks about taking Cano's advice to emphasize power at the expense of trying to make contact.

 

[Swangin]

Like quite a few here I first got to watch CD at Frisco and he quickly became one of our favorites as TEX was going through that period post-Teixeira of trying out half a dozen pretenders at 1b. We knew it couldn't happen fast enough for CD to take over. Maybe CD began feeling that pressure then ... even before he got to AAA.

Even then I don't ever remember seeing a batter with a longer swing than Davis. Watching him now on nightly highlights it seems like it is even longer ... and looks like he is swinging at 60mph. Don't think even Hamilton's swing is as long ... and definitely not as slow as Chris'.

I wonder why pitchers even pitch to him any more ... perhaps CD subconsciously keeps his K-rate high enough to entice pitchers to try and K him ... and he tricks them into throwing a strike. He ought to be as susceptible to that low and away pitch that kills Hamilton (and Murphy) ... but unlike when he was with TEX ... his eye has developed to the point that if he can get to it ... he's not pulling the ball pitched there any more.

If you are interested ... here's his HR plots ... indexed by true distance. Note the speed off the bat of his longest.

ESPN Home Run Tracker :: Player and Field Detail

He really struggles with the balls in on his hands, but I've seen him hit more balls out of the park that in years past wouldn't of even made contact with. Middle out/Up out, he really drives that pitch to LC.

 

[lainey12]

Parker against Price today. Price will have to be really tough today which he has been lately as Parker has been pitching really well. Big series for those two teams. Go Rays.

This, Go Rays!

and of course, most importantly...
GO RANGERS!

 

[pegasusredleg]

yes he does, I do my best not to notice

Yuck.

I thought you were going to shock us and say he was going commando.

 

[pegasusredleg]

I'm actually questioning if I should start Parker against the rays hmmm

He will be available to pitch against us on Wednesday. It should be against Darvish.

 

[lainey12]

Heard harvey has been pitching with forearm tightness since high school

If true, seems to point to a mechanical issue.

If that's true, he'll go down anyway. Another reason not to question his decision, not to have the surgery.
There was a clip on MLB that showed a teammate putting his arm around Harvey, who looked pretty down.
Sad. I really felt for him.
I wish he would go ahead with the surgery. I suppose there may be reasons for not having the surgery that we don't know. You'd have to think he's getting the absolute best advice from experts, so...

 

[lainey12]

I thought you were going to shock us and say he was going commando.

and..... here comes my lunch

 

[WastinSomeTime]

This, Go Rays!

and of course, most importantly...
GO RANGERS!

Without a doubt most importantly.

 

[lainey12]

Without a doubt most importantly.

 

[WTXRangerFan]

That's quite a chart! Seems one almost needs a PhD in baseball to fully digest all of its implications! Does look to me, however, as if it supports your point about not trying to pull pitches away, since he's hit a lot of HRs to LF and CF. That also seems to me to kind of contradict his purported remarks about taking Cano's advice to emphasize power at the expense of trying to make contact.

Great chart shows Davis' bat speed consistently 100+. oak a's Moss told espn after his mulit homer game Vs. Detroit that he is hitting better after opening up his stance, "it really helps him see the ball better." Some on this board would disagree.

 

[Windingmywatch]

That's quite a chart! Seems one almost needs a PhD in baseball to fully digest all of its implications! Does look to me, however, as if it supports your point about not trying to pull pitches away, since he's hit a lot of HRs to LF and CF. That also seems to me to kind of contradict his purported remarks about taking Cano's advice to emphasize power at the expense of trying to make contact.

True. But we ought to consider Cano's scatter pattern too ...

ESPN Home Run Tracker :: Player and Field Detail

Clearly Cano's power pattern does not equal pulling the ball either.

And then on a far smaller scale the antithesis is Kinsler ...

ESPN Home Run Tracker :: Player and Field Detail

 

[Hambombs]

I think Davis had himself to blame a lot more than the organization. Even he admits he put too much pressure on himself.

He already said he wouldn't have been able to do it in Texas. Those were his own words. It was a mental block for him. He could have gone anywhere else and found success as long as it was outside of the state of Texas.

Man that really stinks

 

[TDs3nOut]

Great chart shows Davis' bat speed consistently 100+. oak a's Moss told espn after his mulit homer game Vs. Detroit that he is hitting better after opening up his stance, "it really helps him see the ball better." Some on this board would disagree.

Not trying to nit pick, but I think that the chart reports speed of the ball off the bat, not bat speed. The two aren't necessarily the same, are they? I would think that they are related, but I was never much of a physics student.

 

[WTXRangerFan]

True. But we ought to consider Cano's scatter pattern too ...

ESPN Home Run Tracker :: Player and Field Detail

Clearly Cano's power pattern does not equal pulling the ball either.

And then on a far smaller scale the antithesis is Kinsler ...

ESPN Home Run Tracker :: Player and Field Detail

Kinsler has power, too. Brainpower. his best HR hit in the mid edge of LF.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Great chart shows Davis' bat speed consistently 100+. oak a's Moss told espn after his mulit homer game Vs. Detroit that he is hitting better after opening up his stance, "it really helps him see the ball better." Some on this board would disagree.

I think ball "speed off the bat" is different than bat speed. Have to think about the physics of angular velocity and ball compression/rebound.

Am just thinking about a pro golfer who it does not appear to be swinging hard/fast either but the acceleration in the last 2" that you don't pick up with your eye that you miss. The new read of speed off the bat that commentators have available now isn't bat speed. Somehow measuring angular speed and acceleration is not within current technology to read.

 

[WTXRangerFan]

TX leads all AL Divisions with .586 according to MLB standings. Great job Rangers.
BOS .585
DET .582

 

[TDs3nOut]

True. But we ought to consider Cano's scatter pattern too ...

ESPN Home Run Tracker :: Player and Field Detail

Clearly Cano's power pattern does not equal pulling the ball either.

And then on a far smaller scale the antithesis is Kinsler ...

ESPN Home Run Tracker :: Player and Field Detail

In light of the comments during the game last night, it is interesting that both Davis and Cano display such a pronounced ability to hit the ball with power to all fields. I would be interested to hear first hand what Davis has to say about his conversation with Cano.

 

[TDs3nOut]

TX leads all AL Divisions with .586 according to MLB standings. Great job Rangers.
BOS .585
DET .582

+1 Keep it going, fellas!

 

[donaldson79]

There's an article on Yahoo today regarding the Mets making a run to get Elvis Andrus for next season. I found this article to be of little substance. It's all about how good EA would fit there, and what a great lead-off hitter he'd be, etc. Yet, it says nothing about who they've got which "might" make this an attractive situation for the Rangers. It's only logic is, well then the Rangers can move Profar to SS.