Brent Morel becoming Crede-esque

[ILMOU]

UZR thinks that Youkilis has been slightly below average so far this year and I think most red sox viewers seem to agree, they miss having Beltre out there defensively...but I think their biggest concern is actually keeping Youkilis healthy. They can't exactly move him back to 1b now, and they still have Ortiz at DH for this season.

 

Very good point. BoSox are easily best team in AL on paper, IMO, but there's a few key guys, Youk and Beckett among them, who stand a good chance of not being there for them at 100% come playoff time, and that could be their Achilles.

 

I've always been in the camp of wanting to give our plan A for 3B coming into this season enough of a chance to show whether he can or can't perform at this level. His history in the minors , as most of us know, was to struggle, often mightily, after being promoted to the next level, before really figuring it out and delivering a consistent, professional, if not spectacular performance.

 

I also think Omar will be better if he plays less.

 

I love a strong defensive infield behind a deep pitching staff, which is what we may have brewing if Thornton isn't ruined.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Stan Bahnsen

[southsider2k5]

Brent does look the other way a lot, and that's great, especially as he's still making the MLB adjustment. You won't hit for as much power with that type of approach all the time, but it's much easier to rack up some hits and gain some confidence. You get that extra fraction of a second to see the ball and decide swing or not, etc. Over the years, I've noticed that whenever Paulie breaks out of a slump, he tends to be looking the other way for a few games. He'll get some hits staying inside the ball, then get aggressive again and hit it with more authority (sometimes with authority the other way).

 

With the glove he has, and the pitching staff we have, any power is a bonus. As long as he can put .250 on the board with the occasional pop, we are set at 3B for a decade.

[Jordan4life_2007]

With the glove he has, and the pitching staff we have, any power is a bonus. As long as he can put .250 on the board with the occasional pop, we are set at 3B for a decade.

 

Those are some pretty tame offensive expectations. And personally, I'm not looking forward to 10 years of Brent Morel manning 3B. But he's clearly the best option for now.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Jordan4life

[southsider2k5]

Those are some pretty tame offensive expectations. And personally, I'm not looking forward to 10 years of Brent Morel manning 3B. But he's clearly the best option for now.

 

If he develops into the potential defensive 3B he is on an arc to be on, I don't care about his offense. On a team centered around pitching, his D, along with Alexei's, is huge.

[winninguglyin83]

did morel fail to walk in minors, too?

[Jordan4life_2007]

If he develops into the potential defensive 3B he is on an arc to be on, I don't care about his offense. On a team centered around pitching, his D, along with Alexei's, is huge.

 

An offensive blackhole at an offensive position such as 3B won't suffice in the AL. Regardless of his defense. .250 should be his floor. Not his ceiling. And a single walk in 130 PAs is just unacceptable. Is that a fluke? Is he going to be a player incapable of working walks at an acceptable rate? That's a big issue. I know he's a rook. It's only been a couple months. I just don't buy into the thinking that as long as he's a standout defender that his offense is moot. Even Crede was a 20 HR threat (topped out at 30 before the back went dead) with all of his offensive deficiencies.

[Jordan4life_2007]

did morel fail to walk in minors, too?

 

87 BB in 1316 PAs in the minors. So it was an issue even there. Just not this bad.

[Heads22]

The book on Morel has always been an adjustment period. ALWAYS started slow. Hopefully with some increased playing time, and, you know, leaving him alone, he'll get comfy.

[ptatc]

The book on Morel has always been an adjustment period. ALWAYS started slow. Hopefully with some increased playing time, and, you know, leaving him alone, he'll get comfy.

 

There is no learning at the MLB level. You must be a star right away or you'll never be any good.

[greg775]

There is no learning at the MLB level. You must be a star right away or you'll never be any good.

 

Great post. He's 24 years old. I think he's a reasonable prospect. That glove is sooo good.

[Milkman delivers]

If he develops into the potential defensive 3B he is on an arc to be on, I don't care about his offense. On a team centered around pitching, his D, along with Alexei's, is huge.

 

Hehehehe

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

FYI, for all your haters, or those who didn't believe me when I insisted Morel had a history of an adjustment period to each league.....

 

Morel is batting .329 since May 1st.

[T R U]

FYI, for all your haters, or those who didn't believe me when I insisted Morel had a history of an adjustment period to each league.....

 

Morel is batting .329 since May 1st.

 

yeah but how many walks does he have since May 1st... check and mate sir

[qwerty]

Hopefully the power follows shortly. His slugging doesn't cut it for any position other than pitcher. Once morel can get past juan pierre's career slugging mark... or starts taking walks at a respectable rate i will start getting a tad more excited. I'm not even greedy asking for both to click at once... but until then he is worthless offensively.

 

For whatever it is worth, i have less faith in him growing into some solid power than i do him learning how to take a walk. I can't see him even sniffing crede's numbers, and if he does, it will likely be years down the road.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Hopefully the power follows shortly. His slugging doesn't cut it for any position other than pitcher. Once morel can get past juan pierre's career slugging mark... or starts taking walks at a respectable rate i will start getting a tad more excited. I'm not even greedy asking for both to click at once... but until then he is worthless offensively.

 

For whatever it is worth, i have less faith in him growing into some solid power than i do him learning how to take a walk. I can't see him even sniffing crede's numbers, and if he does, it will likely be years down the road.

 

 

My reputation is shot. If I say this I'm just being negative. But this is exactly how I feel.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Hopefully the power follows shortly. His slugging doesn't cut it for any position other than pitcher. Once morel can get past juan pierre's career slugging mark... or starts taking walks at a respectable rate i will start getting a tad more excited. I'm not even greedy asking for both to click at once... but until then he is worthless offensively.

 

For whatever it is worth, i have less faith in him growing into some solid power than i do him learning how to take a walk. I can't see him even sniffing crede's numbers, and if he does, it will likely be years down the road.

I'll take a .329 avg. Hits mean rbi's and runs scored and to win you need to outscore the other team. He executed a perfect hit and run a few days ago. Right now he is very valuable to the club with just getting hits and his defense. Kind of old fashioned I know to appreciate the little things not just slugging and OPS but Morel is a damn good ball player and I like those. If he keeps this up his WAR should be OK.

[Balta1701]

I'll take a .329 avg. Hits mean rbi's and runs scored and to win you need to outscore the other team. He executed a perfect hit and run a few days ago. Right now he is very valuable to the club with just getting hits and his defense. Kind of old fashioned I know to appreciate the little things not just slugging and OPS but Morel is a damn good ball player and I like those. If he keeps this up his WAR should be OK.

The "Perfect hit and run executed a few days ago" was last night, on the first pitch he saw from King Felix. He may have done another last week, but it wasn't as perfect as the one last night.

[southsider2k5]

Hopefully the power follows shortly. His slugging doesn't cut it for any position other than pitcher. Once morel can get past juan pierre's career slugging mark... or starts taking walks at a respectable rate i will start getting a tad more excited. I'm not even greedy asking for both to click at once... but until then he is worthless offensively.

 

For whatever it is worth, i have less faith in him growing into some solid power than i do him learning how to take a walk. I can't see him even sniffing crede's numbers, and if he does, it will likely be years down the road.

 

I don't think he will get into the 30 range, but I can see him being a 35 double, 15 homer guy. That is fine for the 7/8 slots in the line up with his defense.

[iamshack]

I don't think he will get into the 30 range, but I can see him being a 35 double, 15 homer guy. That is fine for the 7/8 slots in the line up with his defense.

But do we have enough offense at other positions to make up for a corner infielder hitting 7th or 8th? You had better have some above-average power up the middle if you're going to have a corner infielder with a sub .750 OPS.

[southsider2k5]

But do we have enough offense at other positions to make up for a corner infielder hitting 7th or 8th? You had better have some above-average power up the middle if you're going to have a corner infielder with a sub .750 OPS.

 

With PK, TCQ, and AD you should be fine with the middle of the order. Especially if you get anything from Rios, and some of the projected power development from Gordo, plus Alexei's numbers.

[iamshack]

With PK, TCQ, and AD you should be fine with the middle of the order. Especially if you get anything from Rios, and some of the projected power development from Gordo, plus Alexei's numbers.

I was talking about the middle of the field...catcher/middle infield/center field....

 

As of right now, we are pretty light there with the exception of Alexei, and he isn't exactly Ernie Banks.

 

Assuming we know what Morel is, at least this season, we'll need to have Gordon and whomever plays CF to continue to hit for some power.

[southsider2k5]

I was talking about the middle of the field...catcher/middle infield/center field....

 

As of right now, we are pretty light there with the exception of Alexei, and he isn't exactly Ernie Banks.

 

Assuming we know what Morel is, at least this season, we'll need to have Gordon and whomever plays CF to continue to hit for some power.

 

Eh, I don't hold that you have to get power out of certain positions. If we have bats in the middle of the line up, and a nice complementary cast, I have no problems with not getting power out of somewhere like 3B if we are getting 75/80 type defense

[Balta1701]

Eh, I don't hold that you have to get power out of certain positions. If we have bats in the middle of the line up, and a nice complementary cast, I have no problems with not getting power out of somewhere like 3B if we are getting 75/80 type defense

I'd also add that 3b is a position that has clearly changed since the end of the steroid era. Back in 2001, the Average OPS of 3b throughout baseball was .774 and only 6 teams had a below .700 OPS from their 3b spot.

 

In most of the next few years, the 3b OPS hovered around .750 for the league.

 

This year, the average league-wide OPS from 3b is .677 so far, and 15 teams have a 3b OPS below .700.

[iamshack]

Eh, I don't hold that you have to get power out of certain positions. If we have bats in the middle of the line up, and a nice complementary cast, I have no problems with not getting power out of somewhere like 3B if we are getting 75/80 type defense

Well I don't necessarily subscribe fully to position scarcity, but you have to realize that nearly every team is going to be getting power out of their 1b/DH/corner outfield positions. So we aren't really going to be doing anything anyone else isn't already doing by having a productive middle of the order.

 

That being said, this seems to be a down time for 3b presently. Not a lot of run-producing 3b's in baseball right now outside of Longoria/Wright (who is injured)/Arod/Zimmerman (who is injured)/Beltre/Youkilis...it certainly isn't necessarily the offensive position it has been in the recent past.

[ILMOU]

I'd also add that 3b is a position that has clearly changed since the end of the steroid era. Back in 2001, the Average OPS of 3b throughout baseball was .774 and only 6 teams had a below .700 OPS from their 3b spot.

 

In most of the next few years, the 3b OPS hovered around .750 for the league.

 

This year, the average league-wide OPS from 3b is .677 so far, and 15 teams have a 3b OPS below .700.

 

Good info, and not really all that surprising with what we're seeing generally.

 

Based on his minor league career, I believe that he'll show a bit more pop than he has, but nothing crazy. Probably quite a few more doubles and not so many more HR's. His best chance to become a plus offensive player, IMO, is with a +300BA and at least a little more patience, perhaps producing a 350OBP and becoming a candidate for the 2 hole down the road.

 

Don't know what to expect from Gordon anymore, but at one time I envisioned enough power to make Morel's power, or lack thereof, insignificant.