Stefan Gartrell, Break Out year in AA?

[chisoxfan09]

I think of all the Barons he is ready to jump to AAA and then possibly a Sep call up. He has been very solid the past 2 years with an average of 12-15 homers (This year he can reach 20) and possibly 100 RBI´s. HIs average has hovered between 260-280 all year and his career average seems to come in at about 260. Not bad at all. JP how is his defense in RF? Is he a possible replacement for Dye in 2011 or do we try him in LF if CQ does notheel properly. He seems to have a pretty decent OBP (330-360) and I think has a quiet demeanor. Thoughts

[JPN366]

I think of all the Barons he is ready to jump to AAA and then possibly a Sep call up. He has been very solid the past 2 years with an average of 12-15 homers (This year he can reach 20) and possibly 100 RBI´s. HIs average has hovered between 260-280 all year and his career average seems to come in at about 260. Not bad at all. JP how is his defense in RF? Is he a possible replacement for Dye in 2011 or do we try him in LF if CQ does notheel properly. He seems to have a pretty decent OBP (330-360) and I think has a quiet demeanor. Thoughts

 

He's definitely an under the radar talent who could be good in the majors. He's on pace this year for 25 HR and 100 RBI. He always sees a lot of pitches every at bat. He is actually very good defensively in RF, and he can play LF. He's for sure a typical corner outfielder, no CF. He always gives 100% and takes things seriously. He's got tremendous opposite field power, power to center and to left. He can tattoo homers, or hit ones that just keep carrying. Good all around ballplayer and has great character.

[Marty34]

Gartrell's too old and doesn't play a premium defensive position to be considered a solution to any of the Sox's problems. At best he might be a corner OF'er who can mash lefties. Basically a 200 AB guy.

[chisoxfan09]

Gartrell's too old and doesn't play a premium defensive position to be considered a solution to any of the Sox's problems. At best he might be a corner OF'er who can mash lefties. Basically a 200 AB guy.

 

Marty he is only 25 this year so if he makes the bigs by 26 I consider that a late bloomer. There are a few cases. Ryan Howard comes to mind. Hopfully he will continue to rake and get a chance in AAA and maybe a Sep callup. It is not out of the ards as this is kinda a rebuilding year.

[DaTank]

Gartrell's too old and doesn't play a premium defensive position to be considered a solution to any of the Sox's problems. At best he might be a corner OF'er who can mash lefties. Basically a 200 AB guy.

 

He's too old? Come on now, he's 25.

[Marty34]

He's too old? Come on now, he's 25.

 

He's 25 AND IN DOUBLE A!! That's the very definition of too old. All things being equal, you need corner OF'ers in the AL, particularly at the Cell, who crush the baseball. Gartrell isn't one of those guys.

[GoodAsGould]

Marty he is only 25 this year so if he makes the bigs by 26 I consider that a late bloomer. There are a few cases. Ryan Howard comes to mind. Hopfully he will continue to rake and get a chance in AAA and maybe a Sep callup. It is not out of the ards as this is kinda a rebuilding year.

 

Ryan Howard would have been in the majors a year or 2 earlier on any other team, the Phillies had Thome blocking him. I like Gartrell, but I don't expect much to be much more than a platoon player on the big league level.

[maggsmaggs]

Marty he is only 25 this year so if he makes the bigs by 26 I consider that a late bloomer. There are a few cases. Ryan Howard comes to mind. Hopfully he will continue to rake and get a chance in AAA and maybe a Sep callup. It is not out of the ards as this is kinda a rebuilding year.

Howard was 24 in AA when he hits 37 HRs in 374 at-bats and 25 in AAA when he hit 16 HRs in 210 at-bats with a .371 BA and 1.157 OPS. Howard was mashing at those levels and was hardly a late bloomer, more like a slow developed player. Gartrell isn't close to the same player Howard was in the minors. I agree with the notion that he could be a good bench player since he hits lefties so well. So while he isn't a starting caliber-type player (I think), a 4th OF isn't a bad player, especially if he mashes lefties for a ML team.

Edited June 20, 2009 by maggsmaggs

[OilCan]

He's 25 AND IN DOUBLE A!! That's the very definition of too old. All things being equal, you need corner OF'ers in the AL, particularly at the Cell, who crush the baseball. Gartrell isn't one of those guys.

 

 

Actually Marty, being 28 and in AA is the def. of old.

Read: David Cook. The guy should be in AAA or in the ML, but that is a different story.

 

Stefan hasn't struggled that much, if at all, since he's been drafted. Remember he was drafted @ 22 years old, and so the Sox can afford to take their time and develop this kind of a prospect. He's where he needs to be.

 

If/When he goes to AAA this year, then he's still right on schedule. Personally, even if he reaches the ML @ 27, that's still OK.

[Marty34]

If/When he goes to AAA this year, then he's still right on schedule. Personally, even if he reaches the ML @ 27, that's still OK.

 

Right on schedule for what? A lefty masher 200 AB guy perhaps, but not a viable replacement for Dye on a championship caliber team.

[JPN366]

I just don't understand the negative attitude towards productive minor leaguers.

[OilCan]

Right on schedule to get to the big leagues.

 

And no one is/has ever called him a viable replacement for Jermaine Dye.

If he continues to mash, who knows?

Check out his progress @ http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/G/S...-Gartrell.shtml

 

With the exception of 2008, he has progressed a new level every year.

 

I'm not saying that I've ever seen him in person. I've kept up with him based on stats alone, and the input on everyone from this and WSI.

If you have seen him in person and can evaluate him on age alone, that's fine.

But we would all be wise to listen and read someone's evaluation such as JPN...he has probably seen him in person.

 

 

Edited June 20, 2009 by OilCan

[JPN366]

Let's keep in mind that Stefan's only in his 3rd full year in the minors. And most of that time in AA, including a week at the end of his first pro season in 2006.

Edited June 20, 2009 by JPN366

[JPN366]

Right on schedule to get to the big leagues.

 

And no one is/has ever called him a viable replacement for Jermaine Dye.

If he continues to mash, who knows?

Check out his progress @ http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/G/S...-Gartrell.shtml

 

With the exception of 2008, he has progressed a new level every year.

 

I'm not saying that I've ever seen him in person. I've kept up with him based on stats alone, and the input on everyone from this and WSI.

If you have seen him in person and can evaluate him on age alone, that's fine.

But we would all be wise to listen and read someone's evaluation such as JPN...he has probably seen him in person.

 

Stefan's a tremendous athlete and has a lot of upside.

[OilCan]

Let's keep in mind that Stefan's only in his 3rd full year in the minors. And most of that time in AA, including a week at the end of his first pro season in 2006.

 

I can't hope but compare his stats with Magglio Ordonez when he was in the Sox org. Although Magglio was 2 years younger when he hit AA compared to Stefan when he hit AA, remember that Magglio was a UFA at an early age @ 18. But the numbers are pretty similar. Check out The Baseball Cube when you get a chance...

[JPN366]

I can't hope but compare his stats with Magglio Ordonez when he was in the Sox org. Although Magglio was 2 years younger when he hit AA compared to Stefan when he hit AA, remember that Magglio was a UFA at an early age @ 18. But the numbers are pretty similar. Check out The Baseball Cube when you get a chance...

 

I know his stats, I see him everyday.

[JPN366]

Being overly skeptical about prospects is what leads to the attitude that they're all just trade chips for mediocre veterans.

[fathom]

Being overly skeptical about prospects is what leads to the attitude that they're all just trade chips for mediocre veterans.

 

I think this site is very, very optimistic when it comes to prospects, even though the Sox have a TERRIBLE history of developing their own. I think some of the backlash toward Gartrell is from people who don't get the David Cook love. One thing people need to remember is not every prospect is supposed to be a superstar. Maybe Gartrell can come up and be a 4th outfielder. Same goes for Shelby, who's been destroying LHP this season. Getz is an example of a guy that was way too overhyped, as people were expecting a .400 OBP and 40 steals it seems like. He's a decent little player, but probably will never be near All-star caliber. That's fine though.

[JPN366]

I think this site is very, very optimistic when it comes to prospects, even though the Sox have a TERRIBLE history of developing their own. I think some of the backlash toward Gartrell is from people who don't get the David Cook love. One thing people need to remember is not every prospect is supposed to be a superstar. Maybe Gartrell can come up and be a 4th outfielder. Same goes for Shelby, who's been destroying LHP this season. Getz is an example of a guy that was way too overhyped, as people were expecting a .400 OBP and 40 steals it seems like. He's a decent little player, but probably will never be near All-star caliber. That's fine though.

 

Well, I like David Cook as you probably know. But with him, I just want him to get a chance because I think he could be good. I've watched him a lot, so that's why I like him and that's why I think he's good. With Getz, I think he's underachieving. He's a baseball rat and all business on the field. I think he's capable of being a .300 hitter, but if nobody's a threat behind him in the lineup, then he's not going to do much. He's also a better fit in the 2 hole. I never thought he could steal 40 bags. He's more of a contact hitter with decent speed.

[SoxAce]

Well Getz has limited tools (which I've said many times here) and wasn't high on him at all like some people cause of his AAA numbers in a bandbox. But with that said, a guy like Getz is what you need for the future. I believe he'll be one of those guys who walks as much as he strikesout, be a good contact hitter, hit for alittle pop now and then and hover around the .750 ops line. I wouldn't mind at all seeing him man 2B for a long time and Slayer over to SS and perhaps Alexei to CF/or traded. You gotta have that 2B and SS communication on the field. I called him the poor man's Pedroia for a reason.

[fathom]

Well Getz has limited tools (which I've said many times here) and wasn't high on him at all like some people cause of his AAA numbers in a bandbox. But with that said, a guy like Getz is what you need for the future. I believe he'll be one of those guys who walks as much as he strikesout, be a good contact hitter, hit for alittle pop now and then and hover around the .750 ops line. I wouldn't mind at all seeing him man 2B for a long time and Slayer over to SS and perhaps Alexei to CF/or traded. You gotta have that 2B and SS communication on the field. I called him the poor man's Pedroia for a reason.

 

I still believe that if you want an above average team, Getz is your #9 hitter. In the AL, that's not really a bad thing.

[SoxAce]

I still believe that if you want an above average team, Getz is your #9 hitter. In the AL, that's not really a bad thing.

 

And I agree with you. At the beginning of the season, I only saw Getz has the 1 year stop gap to Beckham actually and eventual utility man or trade bait. The kid has grown on me I got to admit. He's a strict solid #8 or outstanding #9 or a very good #2 hitter (which I like more cause of the disipline at the plate and the avoid k's) IMO.

[OilCan]

Fathom I agree. Having a Christopher Getz on your team is necessary, period. And he should be the #8 or 9, IMHO.

Question.......does anyone know if Getz has an arm to handle 3b? I know that he won't have the batting power like an a-typical 3b, but just wondering.....and sorry if we're going off-topic since this thread is about Stefan.

[fathom]

Fathom I agree. Having a Christopher Getz on your team is necessary, period. And he should be the #8 or 9, IMHO.

Question.......does anyone know if Getz has an arm to handle 3b? I know that he won't have the batting power like an a-typical 3b, but just wondering.....and sorry if we're going off-topic since this thread is about Stefan.

 

I would say absolutely not. His throws on the double plays have shown very little arm strength.

[scenario]

I think this site is very, very optimistic when it comes to prospects, even though the Sox have a TERRIBLE history of developing their own. I think some of the backlash toward Gartrell is from people who don't get the David Cook love. One thing people need to remember is not every prospect is supposed to be a superstar. Maybe Gartrell can come up and be a 4th outfielder. Same goes for Shelby, who's been destroying LHP this season. Getz is an example of a guy that was way too overhyped, as people were expecting a .400 OBP and 40 steals it seems like. He's a decent little player, but probably will never be near All-star caliber. That's fine though.

 

Very optimistic? Since when? Maybe in the last couple of months. But IMO, a little optimism is warranted given the sharp turnaround the organization has made in the last couple of years and to help balance the general overwhelming pessimism most fans have had about Sox prospects.

 

Regarding Getz... way too over-hyped?? Are you even being close to serious? I remember starting a thread on SoxTalk last year titled "Why not Getz?" to discuss him as a viable alternative for 2B this year when everybody else on the planet except him was being talked about by fans. It was apparent from that discussion that most people knew nothing about him and clearly did not think he was a legit candidate for the job. Look back at the spring training threads this year... most people thought of Getz as their candidate of least choice for the job (after Lillibridge and Nix). And I don't think anybody dreamed much less expected him to have a .400 OBP etc.

Edited June 20, 2009 by scenario