The LEGEND of Luis Robert ESPN feature article

[Superstar Lamar]

I get the same feeling about him as I did when Frank Thomas first came up.  It's entirely subject obviously but this just feels like the real thing.

In an interesting parallel Frank played 60 MLB games in his rookie season

[caulfield12]

What’s crazy is that Bo and Frank played together at Auburn one year (how much fun would that have been to watch?), .722 ops in 1993 with Sox but somehow finished at .851 his final year with Angels the next season. Overall only a 784 ops and 112 ops+.  Perhaps most famous for strikeouts and speed getting to first and around the bases in general

The plays that I remember most are the homer in the All Star game in Anaheim, climbing the wall almost horizontally to the ground on one play like Superman...and he had one of the strongest throwing arms in the history of the game, just some unreal highlights from near the wall to any base on the field.

Bo was raw power.  Robert is graceful athleticism and instinctive agility out there.

Edited August 4, 2020 by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

1 hour ago, harkness99 said:

bo jackson? lol bo jackson wasn't that great a baseball player...That's not a good comparison (I hope)

 

Bo Jackson was a much much better football player.

It isn't as much Bo Jackson the finished player that I am thinking of, but Bo Jackson the tool box.

Bo had insane speed.  The legends of his home to first and his 40 yard times are crazy.  4.13 40 yard, and home to first rumored in something like 3.8.

Bo hit the ball further than just about anyone in his time, in a era when just about everyone else was juicing, and still not hitting them nearly as far.  His raw power was off the charts.  The ASG homer is historic.

Bo Jackson's arm was crazy.  The clip of his gunning someone down at home from the DEEP OF, is still floating around out there.

Mix all of those together, and the similarities from there also include that Luis never got get quality baseball training until the last few years, so he came in RAW, with flashes of those tools just leaving jaws dropped.

 

For me THAT is where the Bo Jackson comp comes from.

 

[southsider2k5]

 

[Tnetennba]

 

[caulfield12]

17 minutes ago, SouthWallace said:

 

Trout-esque.

[southsider2k5]

 

[gusguyman]

I've been avoiding this post for a while because I don't want to jump to conclusions, but here we go:

Baseball needs Luis Robert.

Maybe not him in particular, there are a couple other options out there, but baseball needs a new best player that craves that spotlight. I love Trout, but outside the lines he does not seem to embrace publicity. That is fair, it is his choice and I probably would make the same one in his shoes, but I don't think it is unfair to say it is a problem for the sport.

Baseball needs something more right now. It needs a Willie Mays. It needs a Rickey Henderson. Luis Robert has the charisma and skill set to be a star that can transcend just fans of the sport. He has that insane confidence that you'd call cocky if not for the fact that he keeps proving it to be justified. 

Its only 10 games, who knows how his career goes. Gordon Beckham had a great rookie campaign, injuries are always a concern, etc. And there are other young studs with the right combination of swagger and skill out there, so it doesn't have to be Robert in particular.

But if Robert does become a top 10 - top 1 player in baseball, it is going to be so good for the sport. Especially with the cast of characters behind him (Tim, Eloy, Yoan), these next few years have the potential to produce a White Sox team that even ESPN won't ever forget.

[southsider2k5]

 

[gusguyman]

I've been really impressed with Robert's defensive batting abilities the last few games. From an eye test stand point, it has looked like he has been a bit exposed lately, definitely looking like a rookie in some at bats and not seeing the ball super well.

Despite that, he is 4-11 with 4 BBs in the last 3 games.

No XBHs but even with his aggression and whiff tendency, his hit tool is legit.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

https://www.mlb.com/news/cuban-luis-robert-top-international-prospect-c216971522

I know we all downplayed the quote from the anonymous international scout 3 years ago but what if he was right ?

[Kalapse]

Robert's MLB/AL ranks among rookies:

WAR: 1.0 (1st/1st)
OWAR: 6.0 (1st/1st) (just ahead of Kyle Lewis)
DWAR: 2.1 (1st/1st) (by almost double)
AVG: .364 (4th/2nd) (Kyle Lewis ahead in AL)
OBP: .429 (3rd/1st)
SLG: .568 (5th/2nd) (Kyle Lewis again)
wOBA: .431 (5th/2nd) (Kyle Lewis)
wRC+: 188 (4th/2nd) (Kyle Lewis)
SB: 4 (1st/1st)
HR: 2 (2nd/2nd) (Kyle Lewis has 3)

Robert's .500 BABIP is obviously unsustainable (though he'll likely always have a high BABIP) but Kyle Lewis is at .577 and doesn't have nearly the speed.

NOTE: some of the NL rookies ahead of Robert and Lewis have only played 6 or 7 games while they've played 11 and 12 respectively, qualification is all fucked up this year.

[caulfield12]

2 hours ago, Kalapse said:

Robert's MLB/AL ranks among rookies:

WAR: 1.0 (1st/1st)
OWAR: 6.0 (1st/1st) (just ahead of Kyle Lewis)
DWAR: 2.1 (1st/1st) (by almost double)
AVG: .364 (4th/2nd) (Kyle Lewis ahead in AL)
OBP: .429 (3rd/1st)
SLG: .568 (5th/2nd) (Kyle Lewis again)
wOBA: .431 (5th/2nd) (Kyle Lewis)
wRC+: 188 (4th/2nd) (Kyle Lewis)
SB: 4 (1st/1st)
HR: 2 (2nd/2nd) (Kyle Lewis has 3)

Robert's .500 BABIP is obviously unsustainable (though he'll likely always have a high BABIP) but Kyle Lewis is at .577 and doesn't have nearly the speed.

NOTE: some of the NL rookies ahead of Robert and Lewis have only played 6 or 7 games while they've played 11 and 12 respectively, qualification is all fucked up this year.

Lewis made a really nice extended home run robbing catch at the wall yesterday as well.

[caulfield12]

Sounds like a quote that could be equally applied to Tatis, Jr.  White Sox in just five years are responsible for the two best young players in baseball.   You can certainly add Bellinger and Acuna to that grouping, of course.  

Edited August 5, 2020 by caulfield12

[fathom]

48 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Sounds like a quote that could be equally applied to Tatis, Jr.  White Sox in just five years are responsible for the two best young players in baseball.   You can certainly add Bellinger and Acuna to that grouping, of course.  

Make it stop

[caulfield12]

19 minutes ago, fathom said:

Make it stop

Waiting for GreenSox to add a comment, ?

[southsider2k5]

2 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Sounds like a quote that could be equally applied to Tatis, Jr.  White Sox in just five years are responsible for the two best young players in baseball.   You can certainly add Bellinger and Acuna to that grouping, of course.  

Why does someone about Robert have to turn into something about Tatis and others?  Try enjoying what is right in front of you.  

[Harold's Leg Lift]

Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick Men-Dick

[caulfield12]

8 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Why does someone about Robert have to turn into something about Tatis and others?  Try enjoying what is right in front of you.  

1	Luis Robert	White Sox	12	53	2	8	6	4	9.4%	28.3%	.188	.484	.354	.415	.542	.415	177	0.6	5.4	2.1	1.0
2	Fernando Tatis Jr.	Padres	13	60	4	11	13	4	15.0%	35.0%	.353	.423	.294	.400	.647	.440	189	1.0	7.3	0.6	1.0
3	Carlos Correa	Astros	11	47	2	5	6	0	12.8%	21.3%	.250	.500	.400	.489	.650	.482	225	-0.4	6.4	1.2	0.9
4	Trent Grisham	Padres	13	58	4	11	7	3	15.5%	24.1%	.333	.300	.271	.386	.604	.419	175	0.8	5.9	1.0	0.9
5	Yoan Moncada	White Sox	11	52	2	6	5	0	11.5%	25.0%	.196	.419	.326	.404	.522	.402	168	0.5	4.6	0.4	0.7
6	Kyle Lewis	Mariners	13	57	3	9	10	1	8.8%	33.3%	.192	.567	.385	.439	.577	.440	196	0.5	6.9	-1.6	0.7
7	Ramon Laureano	Athletics	12	51	3	9	10	1	11.8%	25.5%	.268	.333	.293	.392	.561	.402	169	0.7	4.7	0.5	0.7
8	J.P. Crawford	Mariners	13	57	0	12	4	3	17.5%	12.3%	.109	.333	.283	.421	.391	.368	146	-0.1	3.0	1.8	0.7
9	Brandon Lowe	Rays	12	48	2	7	9	0	8.3%	27.1%	.302	.393	.302	.375	.605	.415	178	0.8	5.1	-0.2	0.6
10	Ian Happ	Cubs	12	40	3	6	6	1	15.0%	25.0%	.353	.333	.294	.400	.647	.441	187	0.5	4.6	-0.5	0.6
11	Eloy Jimenez	White Sox	10	41	3	5	8	0	7.3%	24.4%	.297	.320	.297	.341	.595	.392	161	0.3	3.2	-0.4	0.5

 

We can all rejoice that ELOY is not tracking any longer as LAST in MLB defensively...I guess?

Edited August 6, 2020 by caulfield12

[gusguyman]

4 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

1	Luis Robert	White Sox	12	53	2	8	6	4	9.4%	28.3%	.188	.484	.354	.415	.542	.415	177	0.6	5.4	2.1	1.0
2	Fernando Tatis Jr.	Padres	13	60	4	11	13	4	15.0%	35.0%	.353	.423	.294	.400	.647	.440	189	1.0	7.3	0.6	1.0
3	Carlos Correa	Astros	11	47	2	5	6	0	12.8%	21.3%	.250	.500	.400	.489	.650	.482	225	-0.4	6.4	1.2	0.9
4	Trent Grisham	Padres	13	58	4	11	7	3	15.5%	24.1%	.333	.300	.271	.386	.604	.419	175	0.8	5.9	1.0	0.9
5	Yoan Moncada	White Sox	11	52	2	6	5	0	11.5%	25.0%	.196	.419	.326	.404	.522	.402	168	0.5	4.6	0.4	0.7
6	Kyle Lewis	Mariners	13	57	3	9	10	1	8.8%	33.3%	.192	.567	.385	.439	.577	.440	196	0.5	6.9	-1.6	0.7
7	Ramon Laureano	Athletics	12	51	3	9	10	1	11.8%	25.5%	.268	.333	.293	.392	.561	.402	169	0.7	4.7	0.5	0.7
8	J.P. Crawford	Mariners	13	57	0	12	4	3	17.5%	12.3%	.109	.333	.283	.421	.391	.368	146	-0.1	3.0	1.8	0.7
9	Brandon Lowe	Rays	12	48	2	7	9	0	8.3%	27.1%	.302	.393	.302	.375	.605	.415	178	0.8	5.1	-0.2	0.6
10	Ian Happ	Cubs	12	40	3	6	6	1	15.0%	25.0%	.353	.333	.294	.400	.647	.441	187	0.5	4.6	-0.5	0.6
11	Eloy Jimenez	White Sox	10	41	3	5	8	0	7.3%	24.4%	.297	.320	.297	.341	.595	.392	161	0.3	3.2	-0.4	0.5

 

We can all rejoice that ELOY is not tracking any longer as LAST in MLB defensively...I guess?

AGAIN - 3 young White Sox in the top 11 of this leader board and THAT is your takeaway? Snark about Eloy's defense???

[caulfield12]

16 minutes ago, gusguyman said:

AGAIN - 3 young White Sox in the top 11 of this leader board and THAT is your takeaway? Snark about Eloy's defense???

I think every single White Sox fan just wants him to stay healthy and realize his potential as a hitter.

Whether he’s actually improved or not, it’s safe to say we should at least have a sense of humor as many times as he puts himself in awkward positions out there.   Every game thread is filled with expressions of concern, right alongside the hope he isn’r relegated to full time DH so early in his career, and the ramifications for Vaughn and Abreu.

People here have been snarky about Madrigal for 2+ years and yet I don’t recall attacking them forvtheir comments.

If you want to defend his defensive game and project how he’s working to protect himself from injury out there, have at it.

Edited August 6, 2020 by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

21 minutes ago, gusguyman said:

AGAIN - 3 young White Sox in the top 11 of this leader board and THAT is your takeaway? Snark about Eloy's defense???

Exactly. 

[ptatc]

On 8/1/2020 at 9:48 PM, lostfan said:

This is easily the best White Sox prospect I've ever seen and it's not even close. All this man has done is get overhyped and then EXCEED the hype. A couple days ago I was thinking "he swings too hard at sliders because he wants to blast everything across the Dan Ryan" but at the time he was hitting .348 with a OPS of .897 and it felt kinda silly to think that.

Frank Thomas is in the picture. While not a comparable defensive player, He was a much better hitter early on.

[caulfield12]

38 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Exactly. 

So why are we allowing so much snark about Madrigal’s limitations, when he answered all those questions in his first full minor league season?

With Eloy, we already have had how many defensive “incidents” in the past 15 months?   We also know he has one of the weaker throwing arms from the position.

That doesn’t mean he can’t be the next JD Martinez, but it has to be at least SOMEWHAT of a concern to White Sox fans.

People gave up on Madrigal after his first eight at-bats, in games the White Sox actually WON. 

[gusguyman]

8 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

So why are we allowing so much snark about Madrigal’s limitations, when he answered all those questions in his first full minor league season?

With Eloy, we already have had how many defensive “incidents” in the past 15 months?   We also know he has one of the weaker throwing arms from the position.

That doesn’t mean he can’t be the next JD Martinez, but it has to be at least SOMEWHAT of a concern to White Sox fans.

People gave up on Madrigal after his first eight at-bats, in games the White Sox actually WON. 

I have no problem with snark or jokes in general, but usually they come either because:
1) We are in game thread and just saw a player screw up so we joke about it or
2) The post/stats/etc we are responding to have direct relevance to the snark

I think the problem here is there is just a massive dissonance between what your posts are responding to (hype quote on robert, table showing 3 WS in top 11 of WAR) , and the content of your comments. I'm not going to post a clip of a LuBomb with a comment of "This dude is gonna strike out 300 times." It doesn't land as a joke, it just comes off as sour, or purposely looking for negative things to get worked up about. Just my 2c.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯