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Spring Training notes thread


southsider2k5

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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Feb 21, 2017 -> 05:21 PM)
When we were contending / attempting to contend a year ago, i thought he had no business on the roster. Given our current construction and the fact that I at least think he has tools (doesn't mean that he will maximize those tools), I am in the camp that I'd rather give him at bats vs. someone like Bourjos. Odds are the switch never flips but Garcia works his tail off and has a lot of natural tools. It is too bad he is so god awful defensively as that is really what makes him so hard to salvage (and I don't see those metrics changing...which means for him to be very productive, he'll have to crush it).

 

Maybe they can teach him first base.

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QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Feb 21, 2017 -> 06:33 PM)
Then you must have also read that he wants to finish spring training at 248.

 

As one of Avi's strongest supporters I am pretty sure I had a post suggesting he lose some weight so I'm glad the Sox and him came to the same conclusion.

Doesn't he have a history of coming in lighter? Sure hasn't made much of a difference before...still the same bad swing, and being lighter won't help him take better routes to fly balls...

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QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Feb 22, 2017 -> 03:33 PM)
Doesn't he have a history of coming in lighter? Sure hasn't made much of a difference before...still the same bad swing, and being lighter won't help him take better routes to fly balls...

 

Right. Avi's always in great shape. Jesus Montero came into camp about 50lbs lighter in 2015 and '16 with the Mariners. It didn't help him hit curveballs and he eventually got cut.

 

Usually for these guys on the margins it's not about working hard or showing up in shape it's about not having enough baseball skill. Avi is no different.

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Avi's weight isn't much of a deal to me. Unless he shows he is a long term piece, it really doesn't matter.

 

If he does show he should be kept, it does become an issue because he can't keep the weight off, and getting older and having his metabolism slow could mean massive weight gain as he approaches 30. That would probably make him a DH only, although he probably is a DH only anyway.

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I absolutely love that the other day Renteria canceled the intrasquad games to do more drills on fundamentals. That was after watching them do drills the day before. Maybe he saw how bad they looked? In any case, it drives me crazy when guys make fundamental errors. Physical errors will happen (errors of commission) but I drilled my kids on not having mental errors (or errors of omission).

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QUOTE (BamaDoc @ Feb 22, 2017 -> 03:38 PM)
I absolutely love that the other day Renteria canceled the intrasquad games to do more drills on fundamentals. That was after watching them do drills the day before. Maybe he saw how bad they looked? In any case, it drives me crazy when guys make fundamental errors. Physical errors will happen (errors of commission) but I drilled my kids on not having mental errors (or errors of omission).

 

The team never really looked prepared coming out of Spring Training under Robin (last year, I think they put more focus on fundamentals to try to change that though).

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QUOTE (BamaDoc @ Feb 22, 2017 -> 04:38 PM)
I absolutely love that the other day Renteria canceled the intrasquad games to do more drills on fundamentals. That was after watching them do drills the day before. Maybe he saw how bad they looked? In any case, it drives me crazy when guys make fundamental errors.

 

That is pretty refreshing to hear. And if they do it them unsatisfactorily...do them again...and again after that.

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QUOTE (BamaDoc @ Feb 22, 2017 -> 03:39 PM)
With regards to fundamentals I will quote a fairly successful Alabama football coach:

 

"We don't practice until we get it right. We practice until we can't get it wrong"

Ooh I like that.

 

That Lane Kiffin was full of great quotes!

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QUOTE (BamaDoc @ Feb 22, 2017 -> 06:39 PM)
With regards to fundamentals I will quote a fairly successful Alabama football coach:

 

"We don't practice until we get it right. We practice until we can't get it wrong"

 

That's great, except this is MLB , not CFB. Saban can teach his 5 star DT how to sink his pads and do a rip move, more power to him.

 

if Renteria thinks teaching Moncada to bunt is a good use of his time, well, he's wrong.

 

That said, RV blabbed non stop about how each year the team was going to do the little things and how they were stressing fundamentals and each year the team was a poor fundamental team: not taking the extra base, missing the cut off man, inability to get the bunt down, etc.

 

So I'll believe it when I see it. And yea, don't ask guys like Moncada to spend time bunting. I'd much rather him him working on his double play pivot.

Edited by chitownsportsfan
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QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Feb 22, 2017 -> 12:33 PM)
Doesn't he have a history of coming in lighter? Sure hasn't made much of a difference before...still the same bad swing, and being lighter won't help him take better routes to fly balls...

No idea of his history on his weight. I ain't his personal trainer. He might be a bit faster in the OF , have a quicker jump and also a quicker 1st step on SB attempts. Also his swing could be looser . Not saying it'll make any difference but you never know. He is fast once he gets moving. It's the 1st step or 2 that's slow with him .

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QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Feb 22, 2017 -> 04:52 PM)
That's great, except this is MLB , not CFB. Saban can teach his 5 star DT how to sink his pads and do a rip move, more power to him.

 

if Renteria thinks teaching Moncada to bunt is a good use of his time, well, he's wrong.

 

That said, RV blabbed non stop about how each year the team was going to do the little things and how they were stressing fundamentals and each year the team was a poor fundamental team: not taking the extra base, missing the cut off man, inability to get the bunt down, etc.

 

So I'll believe it when I see it. And yea, don't ask guys like Moncada to spend time bunting. I'd much rather him him working on his double play pivot.

You are speaking as if bunting is a fundamental and working on footwork to turn a DP isn't . They both are fundamentals .

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