Look at Ray Ray Run

I would trust that a guy with an 80 hit tool will find a bat path to maximize that contact skill. I have no concerns about Madrigal.

I honestly wonder if Bailey gets himself some national attention if he keeps this up. I'm not sure how much people buy DSL production but he's been about as good as a 17 year old kid could possibly be and he's HUGE. Athletic big body with good tools it seems. Could this be Marco Paddys first top tier unknown find?

Correlation is not causation, so while the things you listed may not correlate as youd think it does not mean that it doesnt cause certain players to have higher babips. For example, speed on it's own may not correlate but speed combined with higher exit velocities and higher line drive rates may be a cause higher babips. Individually the correlation may not exist because the majority of speed guys may not hit the ball with authority and the majority of guys who do make hard contact consistently might be power guys who dont have the speed to maximize their outputs. Typically if you combined speed, with quality contact and all field approach you get a higher BABIP.

Yes, palka has a proven track record of being bad.

They didnt maximize Ken Giles - just to name another. They have a lot of success stories based on throwing pitches that work. Offensively I'm not as sold as you are. They just had a shit ton of talent and drafted well at the top. Did they maximize Reeds development and then stall it with something? Who knows... I'm just not sure how we can credit them with maximizing potential when Reed was a top 30 prospect who got worse and busted. Why didn't they maximize him? You give them way too much credit imo. They're good at what they do but they don't have endless answers for all kinds of players. They've let go of guys who have improved after they left just as theyve brought in guys who have gotten better.

Career norms in relation to what? Offense? He's changed quite a bit about his offensive game and while he's not this good, it's likely hes better than what he had shown in Detroit. An average bat with his defense and game calling is a top level catcher who should be catching 110 days a year. Why would he just be giolitos catcher if his skill is analysis and execution?

Catchers take about twice as long to develop and reach offensive potential due to the amount of time they have to dedicate to everything else.

Catching is 80% defense 20% offense. I find it ironic that the biggest Giolito guy in this board is an anti-McCann believer.

You argued he was a MLB caliber player which he wasnt unless you think palka was. Irregardless your tangent was out of character and really bizarre... I never said any of the things you claimed I did regarding Reed. I merely was pointing out an example of the Astros making a mistake. I dont know why reed has struggled. It's weird for sure. Hes gotten worse in a league in which hitting has improved.

Where did I say any of this? I literally said he'd likely suck. Point to where I said he'd be JD Martinez. You made a point that Houston wouldn't let go of a guy who could turn it around under this modern regime, and I pointed to an exact instance with this regime when they did exactly that. You cited spring training ab's which is hilarious as if they didn't see JD everyday outside of games. Manager was the scapegoat for them not recognizing Martinez changed. He won't likely suck because Houston released him more so than any other team... that is my entire point. JD Martinez was a negative WAR player over 240 MLB games before his revolution so let's not say he'd been a major leaguer for "years" as he'd actually been as bad as Daniel Palka at that point in his career.

bmags, I know you love the Astros but they're going to make mistakes like every other organization - even if it's less of them. They are dealing with people and it's a very inexact science... If they knew what they had in Reed two years ago they would have traded him for a nice piece when he had value. People are volatile and unpredictable. Reed has struggled significantly in the minors this year which is odd and hard to explain... confidence? injury? scouting report? Who knows, but I don't think Houston is incapable of making mistakes and it certainly is easy to blame the manager for not giving spring at bats... but you literally take BP every single day and have plenty of split squads in spring.

I mean, they literally released a guy who went on to be the best hitter or 2nd best hitter in baseball with this current regime.

To be fair sheets wRC+ the past 100 abs is around 185 so he's been much better than average if this is true progress and not just a hot streak

I think Madrigal probably moves back up

31.3 feet per second is fucking absurd. That's faster than Buxton.

Why? Huff has never been the prospect collins is or was. Could he become one or better? Sure, anything is possible but he certainly isnt one yet. Just because you watched a guy in a futures game today you think he is more valuable? Ok. Have a good one.

Way to move those goal posts. Nothing more entertaining than just hating on everything white sox on this board I guess.

Bottom line, collins outperformed your unknown in a similar amount of games, at the same age and level.. that is a fact. Why you think this kid would be better or progress better nobody knows.

Hes a 21 year old catcher who entered the year as Texas #24 ranked prospect. He had a great start to A ball where he was repeating a level and has regressed significantly in A+ with an OPS barely over 700 in 50 games. As a 21 year old collins had an 885 ops at A+. People sure love the unknown.

Why is that annoying? Who cares about the outcome of one baseball game?

Probably Collins.

Funny to b**** about collins and then praise a guy with 97k's in 292 at bats as a catcher in a and a+.

I'm beginning to think that no matter how hard you throw or good your stuff is, madrigal is never gonna be overmatched in his baseball life.

He definitely loves the spot light and trying to make a name. I kind of like that. Of all games to steal home straight this is one.

Well he didnt start in the sox system so...