Tsutsugo - UPDATE: To Rays

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

You see a little different stuff in Japan. He could be a great fastball hitter who struggles with off-speed - which would be more beneficial in MLB and Nippon baseball. But if hes a bad fastball hitter who succeeds vs off speed then his k-rate would be very alarming. Tough to analyze these guys.

[chetkincaid]

32 minutes ago, steveno89 said:

The K% rate is alarming, and would only likely rise against MLB pitching. 

Would he be a better option than Kole Calhoun? I'm not sure

Plus Calhoun is good defensively. He can go get the ball. 

[ptatc]

9 minutes ago, chetkincaid said:

Plus Calhoun is good defensively. He can go get the ball. 

Defense should be a significant factor in who the y bring in for RF with Jimenez in LF. They can't have 2 awful defenders in the OF. This is why I don't care for a Castellanos signing.

[EloyJenkins]

this move would scream Kenny Williams trying to outthink himself. Hard pass unless it's DH only. 

[maloney.adam]

3 minutes ago, EloyJenkins said:

this move would scream Kenny Williams trying to outthink himself. Hard pass unless it's DH only. 

I agree, I would only sign him as a DH. He has that look and confidence as a hitter. 

Edited December 5, 2019 by maloney.adam

[steveno89]

1 minute ago, maloney.adam said:

I agree, I would only sign him as a DH. He has that look and confidence as a hitter. 

If he's cheap, I'm on board. Smaller market teams are the ones who should roll the dice on a player like this. 

[Hatchetman]

I assume the Sox have scouts in Japan that are well in tune with his capabilities and shortcomings (har har...)

[Eminor3rd]

1 hour ago, Chisox378 said:

Although he has a decent eye, Tsutsugo is 28 and declining and yet to hit against MLB pitching. ?

Not true — he’s performed well against MLB pitching in WBC and the two other exhibitions that have happened since. 

Now, it is absolutely true that he yet to see GOOD MLB pitching. But he’s held his own against average MLB pitching. 

[Dick Allen]

He's supposedly Kyle Schwarber in the field, so if they sign him and put him or Eloy in RF, God help Luis Robert.

[bmags]

3 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

He's supposedly Kyle Schwarber in the field, so if they sign him and put him or Eloy in RF, God help Luis Robert.

I don't particularly trust defensive assessments like that. I'm sure he's not great but the degree of bad matters a lot and sometimes people start to exaggerate with limited info.

[tray]

Every player contract has risks associated with it...much more with pitchers (especially high priced pitchers) than position players.

Maybe Zack Wheeler blows is arm out (again)  in year 1-3 of his contract , has surgery and then is recovering or rehabbing  for two years after that .

Remember the Mets living on pins and needles with Wheeler's shoulder fatigue and arm soreness  long after the TJ recovery?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/zack-wheeler-hits-il-with-shoulder-fatigue-at-worst-possible-time-for-his-trade-value/ar-AAEmFRz

Tsutsugoh would be a possible LH DH, especially if the Sox trade Collins, who has not shown he can hit major league pitching either.

So Castellanos plus this guy might work with the lefty/righty platooon strategy.

 

 

[Bob Sacamano]

2 minutes ago, tray said:

Every player contract has risks associated with it...much more with pitchers (especially high priced pitchers) than position players.

Maybe Zack Wheeler blows is arm out (again)  in year 1-3 of his contract , has surgery and then is recovering or rehabbing  for two years after that .

Remember the Mets living on pins and needles with Wheeler's shoulder fatigue and arm soreness  long after the TJ recovery?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/zack-wheeler-hits-il-with-shoulder-fatigue-at-worst-possible-time-for-his-trade-value/ar-AAEmFRz

Tsutsugoh would be a possible LH DH, especially if the Sox trade Collins, who has not shown he can hit major league pitching either.

So Castellanos plus this guy might work with the lefty/righty platooon strategy.

 

 

To be fair to Collins, it was a small sample size. And he did improve last year in the minors.

[TomPickle]

1 hour ago, bmags said:

Probably around the thames deal is a good benchmark.

If Tsutsugo is a DH and not an OF then I would honestly rather just sign Thames.

[bmags]

Just now, TomPickle said:

If Tsutsugo is a DH and not an OF then I would honestly rather just sign Thames.

You haven't seen the batflip vid I'm guessing.

[chetkincaid]

1 minute ago, bmags said:

You haven't seen the batflip vid I'm guessing.

I haven't. Where can I find it?

[chetkincaid]

1 hour ago, ptatc said:

Defense should be a significant factor in who the y bring in for RF with Jimenez in LF. They can't have 2 awful defenders in the OF. This is why I don't care for a Castellanos signing.

Yep. Help Robert and help the young pitching staff by signing someone who can go get the ball. If all goes well then we can hide Calhoun's bat in the lineup because everyone else will be mashing. I know it's not ideal, but it's better than having fun bad in the outfield.

[Eminor3rd]

I’ve seen a lot of this guy, both streamed and even two games in person. Overall, I’m on the fence as to whether or not he can be an impact addition. I think he’ll hit, but I can’t be confident he’ll hit more than a AAA slugger. Some things that the generic articles aren’t saying:

1. The guy is a really good teammate. Very popular in the clubhouse and legendarily level-headed.

2. He is a forward thinker. Has gone out on a limb and spoken out against destructive old-world baseball practices in Japan, such as the ritual overuse of amateur pitchers, among other things. Though there is a growing momentum to change these things, it’s still in its infancy and for a player to speak out as he has is really sticking his neck out against the administration that employs him, for no obvious material return. Just an interesting character note. 

3. The exit velos are elite for NPB and above average for MLB. The power is real. He is, also, a fastball hitter, which is kind of rare for Japan, and contributes to his relatively high K rate. Essentially, he is the closest thing to an “MLB-style” hitter, that grips and rips, that is in NPB right now, other than maybe Hotaka Yamakawa. 

4. The defense is not good, but it’s because of lack of range, not at all because of clumsiness. The arm is also probably slightly above average, although to be fair, that’s hard for me to tell. It’s just what I’ve read/heard. 

He would be a fun add and a good teammate, regardless. Performance could range from Daniel Palka to peak Billy Butler that can fake the OF. I assume it would be a low cost addition, but who knows. 

Edited December 5, 2019 by Eminor3rd

[Eminor3rd]

59 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

He's supposedly Kyle Schwarber in the field, so if they sign him and put him or Eloy in RF, God help Luis Robert.

This is the biggest concern I have as well. You can hide one mediocre OF, but when you start stacking them up...

[tray]

Many of the concerns about defense led me to my hope that the Sox will inquire about Benintendi.

"That's where The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal comes in. He threw out a lot of possibilities when talking about the Red Sox situation Tuesday morning, and one seemed mighty intriguing from a White Sox standpoint.

"A better path might be to move left-hander David Price, who is owed $96 million over the next three years, or righty Nathan Eovaldi, who is owed $51 million over the next three. Impossible, you say? Well, what if the Red Sox included cash in a trade and also attached left fielder Andrew Benintendi, who remains cost-effective as he enters his first year of arbitration?"

Now that is interesting. Yes, it involves paying and dedicating a roster spot to Price or Eovaldi, who despite their heroics in the 2018 World Series, aren't very dreamy adds for a White Sox team looking to ramp up to perennial contention. Those guys' contracts are albatrosses in Boston. They wouldn't get much better in Chicago, even though the White Sox are in no danger of bumping up to the luxury tax. But both Price and Eovaldi could be usable pitchers for the White Sox in 2020 and beyond, even if they aren't performing at a level their contracts say they should be.

The real appealing element of that suggestion, though, is the upside of Benintendi. He has three affordable, arbitration-eligible seasons remaining until he hits free agency, making him a long-term piece. He's also very good, with a .277/.354/.442 slash line to go along with 51 homers in his 471-game big league career. Like much of what happened last season in Boston, 2019 was nowhere near as good as 2018 for Benintendi, who posted career highs in hits, runs scored, doubles, stolen bases, walks and on-base percentage during the Red Sox march to a world championship. In 2019, he slashed .266/.343/.431 with 13 homers, 40 doubles, 68 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 138 games. He also struck out 34 more times in 10 fewer games.

Benintendi brings additional value as a left-handed hitter, something almost completely missing from the White Sox lineup. He is also a left fielder, a position the White Sox have filled with Jimenez. Neither player has ever played right field, and putting either there could be signing up for some unwanted defensive issues down the road. But Benintendi is a young, controllable, very good baseball player, and that seems like the kind of thing the White Sox, who have worked hard to achieve their much discussed financial flexibility, would be interested in."

 

[ChiSoxFanMike]

2 minutes ago, tray said:

Many of the concerns about defense led me to my hope that the Sox will inquire about Benintendi.

"That's where The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal comes in. He threw out a lot of possibilities when talking about the Red Sox situation Tuesday morning, and one seemed mighty intriguing from a White Sox standpoint.

"A better path might be to move left-hander David Price, who is owed $96 million over the next three years, or righty Nathan Eovaldi, who is owed $51 million over the next three. Impossible, you say? Well, what if the Red Sox included cash in a trade and also attached left fielder Andrew Benintendi, who remains cost-effective as he enters his first year of arbitration?"

Now that is interesting. Yes, it involves paying and dedicating a roster spot to Price or Eovaldi, who despite their heroics in the 2018 World Series, aren't very dreamy adds for a White Sox team looking to ramp up to perennial contention. Those guys' contracts are albatrosses in Boston. They wouldn't get much better in Chicago, even though the White Sox are in no danger of bumping up to the luxury tax. But both Price and Eovaldi could be usable pitchers for the White Sox in 2020 and beyond, even if they aren't performing at a level their contracts say they should be.

The real appealing element of that suggestion, though, is the upside of Benintendi. He has three affordable, arbitration-eligible seasons remaining until he hits free agency, making him a long-term piece. He's also very good, with a .277/.354/.442 slash line to go along with 51 homers in his 471-game big league career. Like much of what happened last season in Boston, 2019 was nowhere near as good as 2018 for Benintendi, who posted career highs in hits, runs scored, doubles, stolen bases, walks and on-base percentage during the Red Sox march to a world championship. In 2019, he slashed .266/.343/.431 with 13 homers, 40 doubles, 68 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 138 games. He also struck out 34 more times in 10 fewer games.

Benintendi brings additional value as a left-handed hitter, something almost completely missing from the White Sox lineup. He is also a left fielder, a position the White Sox have filled with Jimenez. Neither player has ever played right field, and putting either there could be signing up for some unwanted defensive issues down the road. But Benintendi is a young, controllable, very good baseball player, and that seems like the kind of thing the White Sox, who have worked hard to achieve their much discussed financial flexibility, would be interested in."

 

I'm really warming up to the idea of the Sox trading for either Sale or Price and getting Benintendi as a reward for taking on one of those big contracts. The Sox would then get a quality left handed starting pitcher as well as a promising young outfielder with several years of team control. It kills two birds with one stone. Sign me up for that.

[ChiSoxJon]

Hard pass, dudes from the NPB just about never pan out, there's a reason they didn't come here earlier

24 minutes ago, YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES! said:

I'm really warming up to the idea of the Sox trading for either Sale or Price and getting Benintendi as a reward for taking on one of those big contracts. The Sox would then get a quality left handed starting pitcher as well as a promising young outfielder with several years of team control. It kills two birds with one stone. Sign me up for that.

If that was an option that'd be tremendous, but it ain't

[Steve9347]

[steveno89]

8 minutes ago, Steve9347 said:

Could Tsutsugo potentially be a low cost answer to DH and platoon RF? Could kill two birds with one stone. 

I really think we need to acquire a real DH and RF option. Even adding an Edwin Encarnacion would be a huge upgrade over the crap at DH we have trotted out there. 

[Jack Parkman]

1 minute ago, steveno89 said:

Could Tsutsugo potentially be a low cost answer to DH and platoon RF? Could kill two birds with one stone. 

I really think we need to acquire a real DH and RF option. Even adding an Edwin Encarnacion would be a huge upgrade over the crap at DH we have trotted out there. 

I like the idea of trading Collins and signing Tsutsugo to DH. At least Tsutsugo can be hidden in LF on occasion. 

 

If you're taking a contract from Boston with Benintendi attached, it's gotta be Sale. When he's healthy he's still an ace. Idk how Kenny and Chris would feel about a reunion though. It would have to be $120M of Sale's contract and Benintendi for Collins, Rutherford and some lottery tickets. 

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

1 hour ago, Eminor3rd said:

I’ve seen a lot of this guy, both streamed and even two games in person. Overall, I’m on the fence as to whether or not he can be an impact addition. I think he’ll hit, but I can’t be confident he’ll hit more than a AAA slugger. Some things that the generic articles aren’t saying:

1. The guy is a really good teammate. Very popular in the clubhouse and legendarily level-headed.

2. He is a forward thinker. Has gone out on a limb and spoken out against destructive old-world baseball practices in Japan, such as the ritual overuse of amateur pitchers, among other things. Though there is a growing momentum to change these things, it’s still in its infancy and for a player to speak out as he has is really sticking his neck out against the administration that employs him, for no obvious material return. Just an interesting character note. 

3. The exit velos are elite for NPB and above average for MLB. The power is real. He is, also, a fastball hitter, which is kind of rare for Japan, and contributes to his relatively high K rate. Essentially, he is the closest thing to an “MLB-style” hitter, that grips and rips, that is in NPB right now, other than maybe Hotaka Yamakawa. 

4. The defense is not good, but it’s because of lack of range, not at all because of clumsiness. The arm is also probably slightly above average, although to be fair, that’s hard for me to tell. It’s just what I’ve read/heard. 

He would be a fun add and a good teammate, regardless. Performance could range from Daniel Palka to peak Billy Butler that can fake the OF. I assume it would be a low cost addition, but who knows. 

Thanks for this; I was curious about that. I wouldn't worry as much about his K-Rate if he's a + fastball hitter. Off-speed in Japan really isn't behind off-speed stuff in the states, but fastball velocity is (at least that's how it was before, you would know more about this today).