Moncada

[tray]

ss2k said: "we need to be doing less of is applying American standards of what looks like caring to non-American players.  Our cultural norms are not what is normal in Cuba, the Dominican, or any other not Anglicized cultures. "

We live in a country where it is impossible to talk about race and racism but this observation is astute and worthy of recognition. That said, perhaps Ozzie should be re-considered to be the next Manager of this team.  KW and Hahn should bury the hatchet with this guy. I note that Ozzie has stated that he speaks with Moncada and discusses things with him including his motivation. Tony was a good Manager and he speaks Spanish, but I don't think the Spanish speaking players are relating to him in the same way they might with Ozzie.  Desperate times call for desperate measures but I doubt that the corporate hierarchy in the Sox org. would be  able to do something like replacing TLR with Ozzie at least for the last 50 games.

 

[ChiSox59]

On 8/12/2022 at 9:48 AM, southsider2k5 said:

Stone also thinks Tony LaRussa is doing a great job with this team.

I don’t think he actually believes that. Do you? He makes comments in air and Twitter all the time questioning Tony’s in game decision making, as well as lineup construction earlier in season. 

[Greg Hibbard]

2 hours ago, KrankinSox said:

 

 

The problem with this could still be sample size. His age 25 “season” was 52 games. His age 27 “season” is 68 games so far. His age 26 season was honestly just fine. He had 4 WAR that year. 

I still think a guy who hits the ball as hard as Moncada and has his talent doesnt just mysterious lose everything and fall off of a cliff in his mid to late 20s. Whatever is going on with him - it will change and he will turn a corner. It may not be what we thought he was in 2019, but a 3-4 WAR player is just fine.

Edited August 13, 2022 by Greg Hibbard

[southsider2k5]

7 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I don’t think he actually believes that. Do you? He makes comments in air and Twitter all the time questioning Tony’s in game decision making, as well as lineup construction earlier in season. 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/white-sox/ct-chicago-white-sox-steve-stone-tony-la-russa-20220805-fxng54j4trepbckrxnlrd7lhna-story.html

[fathom]

7 minutes ago, Greg Hibbard said:

The problem with this could still be sample size. His age 25 “season” was 52 games. His age 27 “season” is 68 games so far. His age 26 season was honestly just fine. He had 4 WAR that year. 

I still think a guy who hits the ball as hard as Moncada and has his talent doesnt just mysterious lose everything and fall off of a cliff in his mid to late 20s. Whatever is going on with him - it will change and he will turn a corner. It may not be what we thought he was in 2019, but a 3-4 WAR player is just fine.

I feel like I’m the only one who remembers how frustrating his warning track power was in 2021.

[Bossanoveralls]

Every time they throw a pitch to Yoan I holler "SHOOT DA PUCK!!!" and I don't know why.

[caulfield12]

10 minutes ago, Greg Hibbard said:

The problem with this could still be sample size. His age 25 “season” was 52 games. His age 27 “season” is 68 games so far. His age 26 season was honestly just fine. He had 4 WAR that year. 

I still think a guy who hits the ball as hard as Moncada and has his talent doesnt just mysterious lose everything and fall off of a cliff in his mid to late 20s. Whatever is going on with him - it will change and he will turn a corner. It may not be what we thought he was in 2019, but a 3-4 WAR player is just fine.

OPS is quite different from fWAR obviously…a 4.5ish would be the equivalent of an 875-925 corner infielder/outfielder/DH.

Even then, just look at how that held up for Heyward with the Cubs.  Eventually offensive shortcomings tend to overwhelm the positives of his game perception-wise.  At least when you’re making $20-30 million salaries,

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

14 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

OPS is quite different from fWAR obviously…a 4.5ish would be the equivalent of an 875-925 corner infielder/outfielder/DH.

Even then, just look at how that held up for Heyward with the Cubs.  Eventually offensive shortcomings tend to overwhelm the positives of his game perception-wise.  At least when you’re making $20-30 million salaries,

You never deserve the big bucks unless you can hit. There have been plenty of guys in MLB history who were fielding wizards whose careers were short because of weak bats. WAR inflates defense and walks inflate OPS and other offensive stats including WAR. Perfect example is Heyward. He was basically done being a very good player after his age 25 season.

These stats guys want to know if you are good offensively? Eliminate walks from the stats and then see how good they are. While the modern day statisticians say RBI's are over rated , they are actually under rated. The guys who drive in the runs are driving in the guys who walk. Walks are very helpful , singles even more helpful, but give me guys who can clear the bases with extra base hits.

I want a stat that tells me who is finding the gaps and the corners and hitting the ball over the fence compared to the others . Some stats that involves AB's only with number of hits and total bases from those hits. Throw in some hard hit percentages, exit velo and barrel rates to eliminate some of the luck involved with bloop doubles. Video studies too with how often those extra base hits reach the walls in the corners and gap. Those bring home more runners then a ball in the gap that turns into a double but the fielder cuts it off so a guy on 1st might not score unless it gets to the wall.

[GREEDY]

If our chances continue to diminish, I wouldn't hate to see Yoan at 2B for the final 30 or so games.  I know he struggled there and was instantly better at 3B, but I think his footwork looks much improved, elite for a 3B, and it never made a ton of sense to me on why he was so poor at second .

A three man 2B/3B platoon for 2023 would allow Yoan to skip lefties, and take his seemingly required 15 day breaks.  We also have a guy at AAA that might crush LHP. 

Not sure I can live with more defensive downgrades though.  Burger has to get closer to average and I guess Yoan would need to be average or better at 2B.  

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, GREEDY said:

If our chances continue to diminish, I wouldn't hate to see Yoan at 2B for the final 30 or so games.  I know he struggled there and was instantly better at 3B, but I think his footwork looks much improved, elite for a 3B, and it never made a ton of sense to me on why he was so poor at second .

A three man 2B/3B platoon for 2023 would allow Yoan to skip lefties, and take his seemingly required 15 day breaks.  We also have a guy at AAA that might crush LHP. 

Not sure I can live with more defensive downgrades though.  Burger has to get closer to average and I guess Yoan would need to be average or better at 2B.  

Except Moncada has surprisingly been better against LHP than RHP.

The only hope is that is being caused by the oblique to the right side for a lefty that's causing him the most discomfort still.

[GREEDY]

2 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Except Moncada has surprisingly been better against LHP than RHP.

 

Stretch!

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

5 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Except Moncada has surprisingly been better against LHP than RHP.

The only hope is that is being caused by the oblique to the right side for a lefty that's causing him the most discomfort still.

But if he gets right which is what we are all hoping , he should return to normal hitting RHP better. Either that oblique is still bothering him or its in his head and he's afraid to turn it loose.

[Chick Mercedes]

There will always be *reasons*  for the dysfunction with this guy

[black jack]

Moncada needs to find a way to keep his legs healthy.  For whatever reason, there's always something wrong and it's killing him at the plate especially in the power department.  He needs to change something in the offseason to build up his endurance.

If that's less power lifting and more yoga, whatever. 

[Harold's Leg Lift]

On 8/13/2022 at 11:20 AM, fathom said:

I feel like I’m the only one who remembers how frustrating his warning track power was in 2021.

Moncada to the Mets for Escobar and Vientos. Who says no?

[CentralChamps21]

On 8/14/2022 at 4:17 PM, black jack said:

Moncada needs to find a way to keep his legs healthy.  For whatever reason, there's always something wrong and it's killing him at the plate especially in the power department.  He needs to change something in the offseason to build up his endurance.

If that's less power lifting and more yoga, whatever. 

Even last night's game winning bloop single was a center cut fastball that should have been hit out. I'm pretty convinced with him that his issues are physical and not an issue with attitude, work ethic, etc.

[KipWellsFan]

41 minutes ago, CentralChamps21 said:

Even last night's game winning bloop single was a center cut fastball that should have been hit out. I'm pretty convinced with him that his issues are physical and not an issue with attitude, work ethic, etc.

Should have been hit out? That's pretty high expectations for anyone to meet. And Neris is pretty good.

According to Savant the pitch was more high and tight than the one he lined hard the night before.

All that being said I won't say Yo has really turned it around til he starts getting on base multiple times in bunches.