Menechino is movable

[BigHurt3515]

On 5/22/2022 at 3:34 PM, reiks12 said:

Menechino as a hitting coach of the Marlins:

2018: #1 in GB% 

2017: #1 in GB%

2016: #1 in GB%

2015: #1 in GB%

2014:: #1 in GB%

2013: #1 in GB%

 

 

If this is true, how was he even hired in the first place? The game has been going towards launch angle and elevating the ball for awhile now, why bring in someone who seems to be teaching the opposite?

[joejoesox]

7 hours ago, BigHurt3515 said:

If this is true, how was he even hired in the first place? The game has been going towards launch angle and elevating the ball for awhile now, why bring in someone who seems to be teaching the opposite?

it's almost like this team has been run for the last 10-12 years to tread water but never fully do what it takes to get to that next step.

so many questionable decisions made by the top execs/owner that in a vacuum look like head scratchers but when you look at them all combined it's just looks .... bad? I guess is the least cynical way to describe it.

mostly started after Ozzie was replaced, hiring Ventura should've brought much more criticism from the fans and sports media than it got, then replacing him with Renteria, while not as bad was still horrible. Then TLR over other much more desirable guys who were reported to be available. Then look at how the minor leagues have been run, Chris Getz? People aren't making a big enough deal about some of these moves imo

[reiks12]

7 hours ago, BigHurt3515 said:

If this is true, how was he even hired in the first place? The game has been going towards launch angle and elevating the ball for awhile now, why bring in someone who seems to be teaching the opposite?

Probably because he was cheap, or Jerry had a good talk with him.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

19 hours ago, reiks12 said:

Looking over progression of players:

LUIS ROBERT

Consistent numbers in Barrel%, HardHit% from 2020 to 2022. The difference is his launch angle has decreased since his rookie campaign, from 16.7 in 2020, to 13.7 in 2021, and finally 6.1 in 2022.

His GB% has increased by 15% since 2021, its now at 52.30%.

Robert is swinging out of the zone more this season than his other years (43%-48%). When swinging out of the zone, Robert connects at a 63.20% clip, up from 47% in 2020 and 56.20%. This would explain his K% going way down. In 2020 and 2021 he would swing through pitches out of the zone, however now hes connecting resulting in balls in the dirt. 

We compare Robert to Mike Trout, but he would have a long way to go. Trout's LA fluctuates from the 13s to the low 20s. His GB% is in the mid 20s. Trout chases outside the zone half as many times as Robert. 

They need to work with Robert on laying off pitches out of the zone and by increasing his LA on pitches in the zone. If they can do that Robert is going to mash for xbhs. 

Andrew Vaughn

LA decreased from 9.7 in 2021 to 5.5 today.

GB% increased from 43% to 47%

Like Robert, Vaughn has seen an increase in his O-Contact%, an increase of 7%.

Lower K%

Increase of HardHit%

Having a good year, but if he can increase his LA hes going to blow out a lot of pitchers. 

Jose Abreu

His GB% has been increasing every single season, its now up to 50%, 4% higher than last year.

His LA has decreased by 2 this season, sitting at 8.5

Abreu has increased his contact% compared to previous seasons while also striking out less

He swings at balls out of the zone 5% less than other seasons

His HardHit% is at 57%, much higher than previous seasons

Abreu is not getting any lift on the balls hes hitting, if he did he would have a year like in 2020. 

Yasmani Grandal

Decreased his LA to 12.5, down by 2 points from last season.

His GB% has increased by 4% since last year, and 8% the year before that.

Lowered his K% significantly, while simultaneously increasing his Swing% (10%!)

Swings at balls out of the zone more by 4%, and a 15% increase from 2020.

Hes hitting the ball less hard than last year, a decrease of 9%!

His BB% has decreased from 23% to 12%

Wow, so Grandal is swinging at pitches out of the zone more, decreasing his walks. When he does make contact its weak and in the dirt half the time. Grandal needs to go back to being selective and wait for his pitch. Thats all he has to do.

Tim Anderson

TA is having a remarkable season

He dropped his K% by half (22% to 11%). He is hitting the ball harder than ever (43%). 

His LA is 5, a small increase from last season

GB% sitting at 51%, in line with career

Chasing way more than previous seasons, 48% (up 7% from 2021), but hes also connecting 10% more on those swings.

 

I am wondering if TA is setting the tone for this offense, its like everyone is trying to hit like he is. The team needs to understand that TA is his own player, and to not try and emulate him. Honestly that is what this offense looks like they are doing. They need to play to their individual strengths which is hitting the shit out of the ball.

The team is seeing a decrease in LA and increase in GB%. They are striking out less this season while swinging at pitches out of the zone more. Menechino's strategy is this: Don't do too much with your swings, just make good contact. Unfortunately this is playing against the strengths of many A-Tier talented players on our club. Robert, Abreu, Vaughn, Eloy, and Grandal need to play to their strengths. They are not Tim Anderson, nor should they be. 

Moncada and Eloy havent played much this season, but so far their GB% are much higher than in previous years. Eloy's LA this season was 3 and his GB% was 66%..... so when he returns he better turn that around. Moncada is just much weaker, his HardHit% is way down back to Covid levels. 

Can you anaylze Adolfo's numbers with Charlotte this year ? He seems to be another guy that the Menechino philosophy helps. I noticed how much he went to RF in the hot spring he had.

After a slow start back in Charlotte his BA is now .300 which is unusual for him given his lifetime .251 mark. 3 HRs but 9 doubles so 12 of his 30 hits are extra bases which is pretty good but his GO/AO is a lot higher which in his case isn't a bad thing .

Maybe the sample size is too small since it looks like he still K's a ton and I haven't been able to watch him play to see if he is actually not pulling the ball as much and hitting it the other way. I guess past and current spray charts help with that and not sure how readily available those things are for minor leagues.

 

[southsider2k5]

 

[southsider2k5]

 

[southsider2k5]

 

[reiks12]

2 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Can you anaylze Adolfo's numbers with Charlotte this year ? He seems to be another guy that the Menechino philosophy helps. I noticed how much he went to RF in the hot spring he had.

After a slow start back in Charlotte his BA is now .300 which is unusual for him given his lifetime .251 mark. 3 HRs but 9 doubles so 12 of his 30 hits are extra bases which is pretty good but his GO/AO is a lot higher which in his case isn't a bad thing .

Maybe the sample size is too small since it looks like he still K's a ton and I haven't been able to watch him play to see if he is actually not pulling the ball as much and hitting it the other way. I guess past and current spray charts help with that and not sure how readily available those things are for minor leagues.

Sure, some stats arent available like swing data but this is what I see:

His GB to FB rate has nearly doubled since last year from 1.3 to 2.2 (5% increase in GB, 10% decrease in FB, 5% increase in LD)

He is going oppo, more, 5% more than last year

His BB% is down a bit while his K% has gone up 5%

I would guess he is swinging more at pitches outside the zone to go the other way, unsure. His numbers above show a similar pattern to our MLB guys though.

 

[reiks12]

White Sox stats at home since Menechino got hired. 

[reiks12]

Unable to post our away splits because i apparently reached the size limit.. but here is a link:

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/splits-leaderboards?splitArr=197,8&splitArrPitch=&position=B&autoPt=false&splitTeams=false&statType=team&statgroup=2&startDate=2020-01-01&endDate=2022-11-01&players=&filter=&groupBy=season&wxTemperature=&wxPressure=&wxAirDensity=&wxElevation=&wxWindSpeed=&sort=0,1

Decrease in just about every offensive category. The good news though? He was able to shave off 5% worth of Ks in that time. Whoopee!

[Tnetennba]

 

[southsider2k5]

5 minutes ago, Tnetennba said:

 

INtersting tidbit about Yas.  Hopefully that comes to fruition.

[maloney.adam]

33 minutes ago, Tnetennba said:

 

Before reading this, I was skeptical and thought it would be more and more excuses but after reading it now I have a different opinion about it. He is right, it’s all about approach. It seems like they are chasing too many balls out of the zone or the fringe and most of those are being hit on the ground because they come off the end of the bat. They need to be more patient and wait for the pitcher to make a mistake which requires laying off the fringe pitches.

[reiks12]

48 minutes ago, Tnetennba said:

 

What I get from this is the whole team's mental is broken and Menechino has no idea what to do about it. He is saying the right things, but whatever they are doing is not working and the results are getting worse and worse. Some teams have answers, its clear we do not. Failures of this magnitude fall on coaching and sorry Frank but you dont have any answers. 

Edited May 26, 2022 by reiks12

[southsider2k5]

 

[SoxBlanco]

6 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

 

Impressive by McGuire. Wasn’t the one time he didn’t get the job done when he struck out and everyone thought TLR should have pinch hit Grandal for him?

[greg775]

3 hours ago, maloney.adam said:

Before reading this, I was skeptical and thought it would be more and more excuses but after reading it now I have a different opinion about it. He is right, it’s all about approach. It seems like they are chasing too many balls out of the zone or the fringe and most of those are being hit on the ground because they come off the end of the bat. They need to be more patient and wait for the pitcher to make a mistake which requires laying off the fringe pitches.

It's so tricky. In watching games, I've seen so many Sox hitters let cookies go by. Last night I forget which hitter was up, but somebody on the game thread wrote "swing the damn bat!" 

[PorkChopExpress]

2 minutes ago, greg775 said:

It's so tricky. In watching games, I've seen so many Sox hitters let cookies go by. Last night I forget which hitter was up, but somebody on the game thread wrote "swing the damn bat!" 

It seems like the opposing pitcher always knows our guys' strategy that day.  If they're swinging early, the pitches always seem to be out of the zone and our guys are swinging at trash, but if they're being patient, the pitcher is throwing middle/middle strikes and getting ahead 0/2, 1/2 on everybody. 

[greg775]

7 hours ago, PorkChopExpress said:

It seems like the opposing pitcher always knows our guys' strategy that day.  If they're swinging early, the pitches always seem to be out of the zone and our guys are swinging at trash, but if they're being patient, the pitcher is throwing middle/middle strikes and getting ahead 0/2, 1/2 on everybody. 

I agree pork chop. What a great name. I haven't had pork chops in a long time. They are DELICIOUS cept when not cooked long enuf. Give me medium well or well done for my breaded chop.

[maxjusttyped]

If you're looking for a reason to feel optimistic about Grandal, Moncada, Eloy, Pollock etc coming around
 

 

*shrugs* in an overwhelming number of situations, players will go back to performing to their projections/back of the baseball card etc. history says that is what's most likely to happen, even if it doesn't feel particularly likely in the moment.

[Jack Parkman]

 

 

Edited May 27, 2022 by Jack Parkman

[Snopek]

1 hour ago, Jack Parkman said:

 

 

Happy Friday!

[southsider2k5]

 

[southsider2k5]

 

[oldsox]

Wonder what Menechino said to Moncada after watching him swing at the wild pitch Sunday.