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DaddyO 'shouted' that you can apologize for Zduriencik on the big names, but it's a lot harder to apologize for the state of the farm system after 7 long years. He's right.
The world and his brother agrees that the cupboard is more bare than Dae-ho Lee's will be, after he hits his carb crash. The News Tribune quotes DiPoto, even further, about the need for more contact:
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“(The Mariners have) very talented players with a lot of upside to tap into, but it’s only going to happen if we can somehow develop more contact. That’s going to be step No. 1 from a development aspect.”
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In other words, Zduriencik and company --- > helped themselves to "gifted" players with both hands. But these gifted hitters have never learned much. There is some good news here then, because we have always wondered whether you have to DRAFT for strike zone control. DiPoto's quote -- and in fact his entire system -- stand or fall with the assertion that Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause. There wouldn't be any point trying, if there weren't.
So, if you can teach OBP, here we are with a big stash of underachieving wunderkinds. Sooooo simple.
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At Hey Bill, a lot of people have been asking him if he ever played catch with the players :- ) and then some reader asked the most basic question possible. Emphasis mine:
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Have you found that there are areas of sabermetric research that are particularly helpful to educate the players themselves about?
Asked by: PB
Answered: 2/10/2016
I wouldn't say so, no, but the first three things I would focus on are: 1) Teach young players at a young age that chasing balls out of the strike zone will eventually catch up with them, 2) Teach base runners that "smart" is better than "aggressive", and (3) Make sure that pitchers understand this: that if you go too far, you lose a year. You can throw 100 pitches, you can throw 110, 120, 130. . .but one pitch too many, you're going to lose a year.
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That's fascinating. 40 years of the greatest sports research possible by one man, and he names this as the very first thing on his, um, tombstone. Get teenagers* to simply buy in to a tight zone.
Ain't that something?
....
In the TNT's list, it says that Tony Zych is the #2 prospect in the system, after Alex Jackson. You do realize that your best setup reliever is ranked #17 in the org IF he has been the bigs and fired 20 shutout innings at 97 MPH. This kind of thing happened to Carter Capps, Carson Smith, and 89 other guys. Now we've got a waiver claim* journeyman RP as the crown jewel of our system :- )
Dario Pizzano, Moe Dawg's kid, is turning heads. I bet you DiPoto talked up his OBP to the News Tribune.
Last thing. "If you love flowers, you gotta hate weeds." Or is it if you hate weeds ... ? If you're mad at Jack Z, you obviously gotta love Boog Powell. He's the big anti-Z move so far, right? Well, we've got to admit -
- Pizzano = .365 OBP at AA, age 24
- Powell = .385 OBP at AA/AAA, age 23, can play center field (supposedly)
Maybe the M's really are going to get a club-controls 3 WAR rookie out of Powell. This one would fly in with a bit more stealth than the Z boys did.
Or not,
Dr D
