Gavin Sheets - STUD

[ron883]

This guy has a gorgeous swing, the size, is a lefty, has been making beautiful contact and can hit the high fastball. Big Frank also said during postgame that he could be special. 

Sox may have found a low-key big time player in Gavin Sheets. There's a chance he will get flipped before the deadline or in the offseason. If not, the Sox may have found the lefty hitter this team needed.

[Jack Parkman]

Haven't you learned anything from Mercedes? 

I like what I've seen so far but I need to see more. 

[ron883]

19 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Haven't you learned anything from Mercedes? 

I like what I've seen so far but I need to see more. 

Cmon man. Sometimes you can just tell by a guy's swing. I don't need a large sample size. This guy isn't Yermin. Sheets just has IT. He is going to be one hell of a hitter, imo. 

[Dominikk85]

Sheets really never has been bad his whole milb career, but he never was really standing out either (always like a 110-120 wrc+) . The issue is that he is mostly a first baseman and from a 1b prospect you usually want to see a bit more. 

There certainly is some talent but there isn't really a tool that shines, you get slightly above average but not spectacular opb/plate discipline with maybe fringe average power. 

I do think he can be a. 340 obp guy with about 15-20 Homers but obviously at 1b that is not so spectacular. 

For now I take him as a Platoon Guy though, he can't be worse than leury and Vaughn against eighties and if he manages to put up a 750 ops against Rhp that would not be spectacular but an upgrade. 

Don't think he has a future with the Sox but hopefully he can have a hot stretch like yermin and become a nice trade chip at the deadline. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Dominikk85

[caulfield12]

47 minutes ago, Dominikk85 said:

Sheets really never has been bad his whole milb career, but he never was really standing out either (always like a 110-120 wrc+) . The issue is that he is mostly a first baseman and from a 1b prospect you usually want to see a bit more. 

There certainly is some talent but there isn't really a tool that shines, you get slightly above average but not spectacular opb/plate discipline with maybe fringe average power. 

I do think he can be a. 340 obp guy with about 15-20 Homers but obviously at 1b that is not so spectacular. 

For now I take him as a Platoon Guy though, he can't be worse than leury and Vaughn against eighties and if he manages to put up a 750 ops against Rhp that would not be spectacular but an upgrade. 

Don't think he has a future with the Sox but hopefully he can have a hot stretch like yermin and become a nice trade chip at the deadline. 

Unless Vaughn hits righties the same way he has been the last two games.

Of course, there’s generic righties vs. the frontline guys he would face in the playoffs.

It’s way too early to say he is what he is, not unlike Moncada as a RHB against lefties three seasons ago.

 

As far as Sheets goes, I think Ron (primarily) is just looking for any reason to push Abreu off 1B.

[Dominikk85]

2 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Unless Vaughn hits righties the same way he has been the last two games.

Of course, there’s generic righties vs. the frontline guys he would face in the playoffs.

It’s way too early to say he is what he is, not unlike Moncada as a RHB against lefties three seasons ago.

 

As far as Sheets goes, I think Ron (primarily) is just looking for any reason to push Abreu off 1B.

Yeah we can't say for sure what he is but I think his power is a little limited for 1b. He did hit decently and hit some Homers too but for an everyday first baseman you want 30+ Homer pop. 

In 2019 (took it because it was last full season) 11 first basemen hit 30+ Homers and 20 Homers would have placed a first baseman 19th.

That means if sheets is a 15-20 HR guy he is towards the bottom in power. 

He could add more power but he is 25 so that is not very likely. 

I just see him starting at first base in a good team, maybe he is a platoon DH/1b who occasionally plays left in a weak AL team. 

Obviously I would like to be wrong and there have been guys who added power at age 26/27 (especially if the issue was more launch angle than power) and it could happen but I think the odds are stacked against that with him. 

 

Regarding Vaughn I do think he will hit righties long term when he learns to hit the outside pitch better but I don't see it this year, it probably won't be a 400 ops, but maybe more Like 650 the rest of the way and then hopefully over 700 next season. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Dominikk85

[poppysox]

I certainly have found myself looking forward to the Sheets at-bats.

[wegner]

I am just glad that our 2017 Draft Picks have gone from Shits to Sheets!!!! at least the last 2 nights....and the guy drafted in the 1st round is raking in AAA too.

[MackowiakYakYak]

I think it’s possible he shows more pop than he did earlier in his career. A lot of the discussion around him at the time was whether he would change his swing to lift the ball more, and he finally made that change in the last year or two.

Still I wouldn’t project him to have all that power immediately and he might have to adjust his swing if pitchers find his weak spots, but it’s a good looking swing and he’s worth getting excited about.

I’d want to see how well he can hold down an outfield spot as well. He looks fit and like he has decent speed so maybe he can become a legit bat-first outfielder and put up a few 2 war seasons

[hogan873]

The HR was awesome, but what was really impressive was him taking two hits to left field during his first game.  He seems to have good plate discipline and shows confidence up there.  Hopefully he'll stick around at the MLB level for a while.

[bmags]

23 minutes ago, MackowiakYakYak said:

I think it’s possible he shows more pop than he did earlier in his career. A lot of the discussion around him at the time was whether he would change his swing to lift the ball more, and he finally made that change in the last year or two.

Still I wouldn’t project him to have all that power immediately and he might have to adjust his swing if pitchers find his weak spots, but it’s a good looking swing and he’s worth getting excited about.

I’d want to see how well he can hold down an outfield spot as well. He looks fit and like he has decent speed so maybe he can become a legit bat-first outfielder and put up a few 2 war seasons

Yea this. I basically wrote him off after his W-S stint where he hit like Madrigal despite being double his size, however, he’s found more power this year.

Its still his biggest weakness but damn his swing is sweet.

[caulfield12]

1 minute ago, bmags said:

Yea this. I basically wrote him off after his W-S stint where he hit like Madrigal despite being double his size, however, he’s found more power this year.

Its still his biggest weakness but damn his swing is sweet.

Someone compared him to Lyle Overbay.

15-20 homer guys at that position are relatively rare, names like Grace and Olerud and Kruk come ro mind, but they were all excellent pure hitters.  Or you better play Gold Glove level defense, more like a Brandon Belt. 

[Chicago White Sox]

6 hours ago, Dominikk85 said:

Sheets really never has been bad his whole milb career, but he never was really standing out either (always like a 110-120 wrc+) . The issue is that he is mostly a first baseman and from a 1b prospect you usually want to see a bit more. 

There certainly is some talent but there isn't really a tool that shines, you get slightly above average but not spectacular opb/plate discipline with maybe fringe average power. 

I do think he can be a. 340 obp guy with about 15-20 Homers but obviously at 1b that is not so spectacular. 

For now I take him as a Platoon Guy though, he can't be worse than leury and Vaughn against eighties and if he manages to put up a 750 ops against Rhp that would not be spectacular but an upgrade. 

Don't think he has a future with the Sox but hopefully he can have a hot stretch like yermin and become a nice trade chip at the deadline. 

He’s basically been a 120 wRC+ hitter since High A and that’s with poor platoon splits against LHP dragging his numbers down.  The issue with him was a lack of in game power, but that started improving at AA.  I still there’s a chance he can be a valuable platoon bat in the majors, especially if he can play a halfway decent RF.

[oldsox]

Lets hope he continues hitting.  That will drive his price up at the Deadline.  I hope he stays here.  Same with Burger.

[tray]

39 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

The HR was awesome, but what was really impressive was him taking two hits to left field during his first game.  He seems to have good plate discipline and shows confidence up there.  Hopefully he'll stick around at the MLB level for a while.

That was my take as well.   I could see a LH bat like Sheets platoon with Vaughn at DH. Collins has been better than expected but maybe the Sox want a better LH hitter than Collins to put in the line-up vs RH starters.

[ChiSox59]

5 minutes ago, tray said:

That was my take as well.   I could see a LH bat like Sheets platoon with Vaughn at DH. Collins has been better than expected but maybe the Sox want a better LH hitter than Collins to put in the line-up vs RH starters.

Vaughn is not going to be a platoon player.  

[tray]

If/when the decision comes down to whether Eloy or Vaughn is a platoon player, perhaps your answer will be different.

[Greg Hibbard]

7 hours ago, ron883 said:

Cmon man. Sometimes you can just tell by a guy's swing. I don't need a large sample size. This guy isn't Yermin. Sheets just has IT. He is going to be one hell of a hitter, imo. 

You know, you're right. You've been so damned right with every post about Abreu over the past 4 seasons that I definitely trust your eye on Gavin Sheets after a handful of at bats. SOLD. 

[Superstar Lamar]

I will be happy if his only contribution is giving the team some offense until Eloy returns

[ron883]

1 hour ago, oldsox said:

Lets hope he continues hitting.  That will drive his price up at the Deadline.  I hope he stays here.  Same with Burger.

Imo he is high on the list of Sox players to get traded this deadline. Maybe they like his bat more than we think, especially since he is a much needed lefty. Who knows. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by ron883

[ron883]

5 hours ago, Dominikk85 said:

Yeah we can't say for sure what he is but I think his power is a little limited for 1b. He did hit decently and hit some Homers too but for an everyday first baseman you want 30+ Homer pop. 

In 2019 (took it because it was last full season) 11 first basemen hit 30+ Homers and 20 Homers would have placed a first baseman 19th.

That means if sheets is a 15-20 HR guy he is towards the bottom in power. 

He could add more power but he is 25 so that is not very likely. 

I just see him starting at first base in a good team, maybe he is a platoon DH/1b who occasionally plays left in a weak AL team. 

Obviously I would like to be wrong and there have been guys who added power at age 26/27 (especially if the issue was more launch angle than power) and it could happen but I think the odds are stacked against that with him. 

 

Regarding Vaughn I do think he will hit righties long term when he learns to hit the outside pitch better but I don't see it this year, it probably won't be a 400 ops, but maybe more Like 650 the rest of the way and then hopefully over 700 next season. 

He's currently on pace for 81 homeruns in a 162 game season. It might be too early to judge his power. He made some swing adjustments recently. 

[ChiSox59]

53 minutes ago, tray said:

If/when the decision comes down to whether Eloy or Vaughn is a platoon player, perhaps your answer will be different.

Nah.  Vaughn is going to play everyday - the only question is where.  Likely in LF as he's a better LF than Eloy.  Maybe they put him RF, maybe he shifts to 1B after 2022. Probably gets some DH at bats as well if they feel the need to put Eloy in the field some. But he's going to be an everyday player.  

[southsider2k5]

1 hour ago, oldsox said:

Lets hope he continues hitting.  That will drive his price up at the Deadline.  I hope he stays here.  Same with Burger.

Le's face it, Sheets and Burger both make a whole of of sense on the trade market.  There is a real chance that some of the guys who are getting play right now, could well be on preview sessions for the traded deadline such as Burger, Sheets, Burdi, Burr, etc.

[ron883]

5 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Le's face it, Sheets and Burger both make a whole of of sense on the trade market.  There is a real chance that some of the guys who are getting play right now, could well be on preview sessions for the traded deadline such as Burger, Sheets, Burdi, Burr, etc.

Sheets is pricing himself out as a piece in an Eduardo Escobar trade. You don't give up 6 years of a guy who looks like a legit ML contributor for a half year of Escobar. It's a good problem to have. Maybe he is part of a bigger trade at this point. 

[Two-Gun Pete]

Hey look:

Irrational exuberance after a kid bum-slays for 2 games. I wonder when the juggernaut thread will come back.

 

All kidding aside, good for Sheets, and good for us. And I hope this continues. But let's pump the brakes before proclaiming this kid a "stud."