Arizona Fall League

[scenario]

Isn't Cole pretty comparable to AJP with a little more power and a little less contact?

 

My impression watching him is that he has a bit of an uppercut swing... which may make him prone to strikeouts... but he can hit the ball a long way if he connects. I saw him absolutely cream a couple of pitches. One barely foul that he hit all the way out of the ballpark. One towering shot for a homerun. I walked away with the impression that he definitely has better than average power.

Edited November 7, 2008 by scenario

[Wanne]

My impression watching him is that he has a bit of an uppercut swing... which may make him prone to strikeouts... but he can hit the ball a long way if he connects. I saw him absolutely cream a couple of pitches. One barely foul that he hit all the way out of the ballpark. One towering shot for a homerun. I walked away with the impression that he definitely has better than average power.

 

Yes he can. Watching his swing did you notice his top hand?...I'd never really seen that before on a hitter...he kind of exaggerated turning it over in his stance. But he really does get the bat through the zone pretty quick.

[scenario]

Yes he can. Watching his swing did you notice his top hand?...I'd never really seen that before on a hitter...he kind of exaggerated turning it over in his stance. But he really does get the bat through the zone pretty quick.

 

You're right. It was pretty exaggerated. Probably creates holes in his swing that may need to be closed up if he's going to hit at the pro level.

Edited November 7, 2008 by scenario

[scenario]

Story from MiLB.com about Beckham's big day today.

 

[BearSox]

Yes he can. Watching his swing did you notice his top hand?...I'd never really seen that before on a hitter...he kind of exaggerated turning it over in his stance. But he really does get the bat through the zone pretty quick.

 

That's a good thing that he exaggerates turning his top hand over. My guess is that he felt like he needed to work on getting his bat through the zone quicker and really wanted to get his top hand turned over quicker. A lot of people don't realize that swinging a baseball bat, or rather having good bat speed, is all in the wrist and forearms.

 

Also, having an uppercut swing is a good thing. As Ted Williams explained, the ball isn't coming in flat, it is coming in at a downward angle. So swinging with an uppercut would actually put your bat and the ball at the same level.

[NorthSideSox72]

I still don't think that a Guillen-managed Sox team will have a lefty hitter backup catcher behind AJ. Maybe, but, I doubt it. If not, at least Armstrong is upping his stcok. He could probably fetch a little something in trade (maybe to help a larger deal over the top), and if not, he'd be good insurance at AAA next year (especially with Lucy such a huge question mark).

 

[BearSox]

I still don't think that a Guillen-managed Sox team will have a lefty hitter backup catcher behind AJ. Maybe, but, I doubt it. If not, at least Armstrong is upping his stcok. He could probably fetch a little something in trade (maybe to help a larger deal over the top), and if not, he'd be good insurance at AAA next year (especially with Lucy such a huge question mark).

I hope he isn't the backup next year. While Cole has been playing good lately, he still needs more time. He should be the starting catcher for Charlotte. Also, the only way I ever see Armstrong becoming a starter in the league is if he gets some plate discipline. Right now, he rarely walks. Until he does that, he isn't going to be much more than a backup.

 

It sucks that Lucy got injured last year, he seemed to be finally finding his swing, and he could have easily been our backup for 09. Oh well, lets just hope he recovers fully.

[scenario]

That's a good thing that he exaggerates turning his top hand over. My guess is that he felt like he needed to work on getting his bat through the zone quicker and really wanted to get his top hand turned over quicker. A lot of people don't realize that swinging a baseball bat, or rather having good bat speed, is all in the wrist and forearms.

 

Also, having an uppercut swing is a good thing. As Ted Williams explained, the ball isn't coming in flat, it is coming in at a downward angle. So swinging with an uppercut would actually put your bat and the ball at the same level.

 

Not sure how holding your hands high and forward helps a guy get his bat through the zone faster. Seems like an approach that would make it very difficult to have a compact swing.

 

And you like upper-cut swings as a batting style eh? It would be interesting to see how many batting coaches in baseball today advocate that approach.

[BearSox]

Not sure how holding your hands high and forward helps a guy get his bat through the zone faster. Seems like an approach that would make it very difficult to have a compact swing.

 

And you like upper-cut swings as a batting style eh? It would be interesting to see how many batting coaches in baseball today advocate that approach.

Wait, what exactly is Cole doing with his top hand? From what I picked up in the post, it sounded like Cole was really turning his top hand over during his swing. Is he doing something different?

 

Also, I completely advocate upper-cut swings. I'm not saying go crazy with it, but a slight upper-cut could put your bat and the ball on the same level. The only batting coach anyone needs is Ted Williams.

[Wanne]

Wait, what exactly is Cole doing with his top hand? From what I picked up in the post, it sounded like Cole was really turning his top hand over during his swing. Is he doing something different?

 

Also, I completely advocate upper-cut swings. I'm not saying go crazy with it, but a slight upper-cut could put your bat and the ball on the same level. The only batting coach anyone needs is Ted Williams.

 

Not during his swing...in his stance. Kind of like this pic of old Q from maggsmaggs sig. He's got a very nice swing.

 

[RockRaines]

"I'm definitely a gap-power guy," he said. "I'm going to hit my home runs, but I'm not going to try to hit them. I'm just trying to lock down my swing. I think I'm doing a lot of good work out here to make sure that happens."

 

Quote from Beckham. What a great attitude, until Walk gets ahold of him.

[bigruss]

Regarding uppercuts, a good swing will have a slight uppercut, this comes from pro hitting coaches, and almost every major league swing has a slight upperswing if you look at the video, its not a dramatic upper cut, but just enough to get lift, and backspin on the ball, which allows the ball to travel farther, plus as mentioned earlier the trajectory of pitches is downward so you have a better chance to hit the ball if your on the same plane.

[witesoxfan]

Isn't Cole pretty comparable to AJP with a little more power and a little less contact?

 

so pretty much nothing like AJP

 

good power, doesn't make contact, good defensively, and I think he takes a few walks too. Probably Brian Schneider lite.

[southsideirish71]

Regarding uppercuts, a good swing will have a slight uppercut, this comes from pro hitting coaches, and almost every major league swing has a slight upperswing if you look at the video, its not a dramatic upper cut, but just enough to get lift, and backspin on the ball, which allows the ball to travel farther, plus as mentioned earlier the trajectory of pitches is downward so you have a better chance to hit the ball if your on the same plane.

 

There is a difference though between a level swing with a hands high finish that allows to square up the ball or to get lift. There is another when its an artifical upper cut that some of our hitters have been guility of.

[scenario]

There is a difference though between a level swing with a hands high finish that allows to square up the ball or to get lift. There is another when its an artifical upper cut that some of our hitters have been guility of.

 

 

^^^^^^^^^^

 

Thank you. That clarifies what I was trying to describe.

[ThunderBolt]

Don't look now but our potential platoon second basemen went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and five RBI for Obregon of the MPL on Friday Also,

 

Nix has homered in three of his last four games and is now batting .295/.362/.526 in 95 at-bats. I'm liking this move more and more.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Thunderbolt

[Wanne]

Not much today. High scoring game though, 16-15. Beckham had a so-so game. Hit the ball hard twice. One base hit. I really like how he takes the ball the other way. Tell ya one thing...he really turns a nice DP from second. They turned 2 or 3 really nice one's today started by Wallace. Danks had a bad game today...even though he had a base hit his last AB. Had a ball sail over his head in right late in the game (lost a line drive in the sun) and K'd a few times. Beckham got left on deck with two on in the 9th. I got a chance to have a brief chat with Danks after the game...he seemed pretty down on himself. I asked him to come over to sign a ball...just said "head up dude"...bounce back and looking forward to seeing him up soon. Playing RF at that time of day is absolutely brutal is what I said. He said he didn't even see it. Pretty humble, nice kid really and took the time to have a chat with me which was nice. Dude is big too.

 

I still wonder why Poreda doesn't pitch much.

 

Scenario...did you happen to see the crazy lady waving the flags and flappin' her gums the whole game? Seems she's out at every game I go to.

[scenario]

Scenario...did you happen to see the crazy lady waving the flags and flappin' her gums the whole game? Seems she's out at every game I go to.

 

LOL. Yeah... I talked to somebody who said she's a regular at all the games... calls herself "The Flag Lady".

 

Yells to the players and waves her flags all throughout the games.

 

Another good example of why truth is stranger than fiction.

 

Edited November 9, 2008 by scenario

[Wanne]

LOL. Yeah... I talked to somebody who said she's a regular at all the games... calls herself "The Flag Lady".

 

Yells to the players and waves her flags all throughout the games.

 

Another good example of why truth is stranger than fiction.

 

 

LOL...that's her!!! She doesn't even care who she's yellin' for. She'll yell.."base hit (hitter"....strike him out (pitcher) all in the same sequence. I think they ended up telling her to cool it with her flag waving next to the dugout.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Don't look now but our potential platoon second basemen went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and five RBI for Obregon of the MPL on Friday Also,

 

Nix has homered in three of his last four games and is now batting .295/.362/.526 in 95 at-bats. I'm liking this move more and more.

 

These are the type of signings where Kenny really shines. Highly regarded players at one point that have fallen on hard times. I can't wait until spring training. Nix is one guy we should all monitor very closely.

[Chisoxfn]

And how about how inaccurate he is on Poreda's velocity. I would be hugely surprised if he ever throws a fastball 90 mph.

 

And Beckham's swing has been broken down and compared to A-rods, now its choppy? I think he has been listening to too many "scouts" at the local fudruckers.

A lot of scouts have issues with Arod's swing to be honest. It's just a very unatural swing and it takes a lot of natural ability to make up for it. However, the one nice thing is it generates power to all fields and is considered a line drive swing to an extent. Beckham's swing isn't perfect but that and range were probably his biggest knocks coming out of the draft. The thing is he's taken wood bats well and really is quite talented. Easily the best draft pick the Sox have had in years.

[Chisoxfn]

Quote from Beckham. What a great attitude, until Walk gets ahold of him.

Walk is a good hitting coach. I'll continue to stand by that too.

[flavum]

Danks 3-3 today with a stolen base. He and Beckham are 1a and 1b as the Sox top prospects as far as I'm concerned.

[RockRaines]

Danks 3-3 today with a stolen base. He and Beckham are 1a and 1b as the Sox top prospects as far as I'm concerned.

I love Danks, both of them. I really hope he develops into what he can be. He appears to be a superior athlete and could really be a 5-tool player.

[bighurt4life]

Cole Armstrong was 3-5 with 2 2B today. He's really been swinging a great bat in the AFL. I for one consider the AFL to be a pretty good league in terms of talent. Teams send their top prospects to the AFL for the most part so it's good to see some of our guys really succeeding there. I would say the level of play is probably close to AA considering there are some younger guys with great tools there but there are also plenty of guys from AA AAA and even guys who have spent time in the majors there.