Why failure is important for prospects

[witesoxfan]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs...comment-4821345

 

This is a great read from Kiley McDaniel again and it really drives home a few points. I think this is a very good thing to read especially when we consider guys like Matt Davidson and Erik Johnson.

[Chisoxfn]

Great article. I thought this quote stood out and was very interesting. In theory, the Sox often do this and I guess we'll see how Davidson / Johnson handle it but we also will see how long-term Hawkins is able to grow from his aggressive assignment 2 years ago (he rebounded decently last year but still has areas to fix).

 

Bill James has a similar theory–that if you push younger players to face off against advanced competition early in their careers, they learn to make adjustments early on and become stronger players in their end state as a result. He applies this specifically to Cuban players, because in Cuban baseball there is apparently less formal separation between the various teams and leagues.

[ptatc]

IMHO This is one of the most important aspects of the minor leagues and "learning to be a professional ballplayer."

 

People to often complain about rushing good players. Most often it helps them in the long run. Beckham should have spent more time in the minors. I really think it would have helped him learn to adjust out of the MLB spotlight.

[Rowand44]

Great article. I thought this quote stood out and was very interesting. In theory, the Sox often do this and I guess we'll see how Davidson / Johnson handle it but we also will see how long-term Hawkins is able to grow from his aggressive assignment 2 years ago (he rebounded decently last year but still has areas to fix).

I've always felt this way and always will.

[bmags]

IMHO This is one of the most important aspects of the minor leagues and "learning to be a professional ballplayer."

 

People to often complain about rushing good players. Most often it helps them in the long run. Beckham should have spent more time in the minors. I really think it would have helped him learn to adjust out of the MLB spotlight.

 

I frankly just disagree that this is a universal rule. Look at Tennis, some are Pete Sampras, who move ahead early and get killed for a few years before dominating. Others do much better always dominating until full maturity and then moving pro. For some, confidence can be really precarious at ages 17-20 where they had been ahead for so many years. When they fail before they are pro, it can really destroy some personalities who may have done better on a different track.

[thxfrthmmrs]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs...comment-4821345

 

This is a great read from Kiley McDaniel again and it really drives home a few points. I think this is a very good thing to read especially when we consider guys like Matt Davidson and Erik Johnson.

 

For Davidson maybe, but for Johnson I think it's different. There's a difference between getting lit up when you put out your best stuff and you get knocked around because you lost your stuff. With a pitcher, if you lost your stuff you might never get it back.

[southsider2k5]

For Davidson maybe, but for Johnson I think it's different. There's a difference between getting lit up when you put out your best stuff and you get knocked around because you lost your stuff. With a pitcher, if you lost your stuff you might never get it back.

 

If that was really the case, he was never going to succeed as a major league pitcher, because it would have happened to him very soon.

[harfman77]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs...comment-4821345

 

This is a great read from Kiley McDaniel again and it really drives home a few points. I think this is a very good thing to read especially when we consider guys like Matt Davidson and Erik Johnson.

 

I think it is very valid when players jump to new levels and play stiffer competition, like Hawkins last season. I think the failures of two guys repeating the same level are less valuable.

[dasox24]

I frankly just disagree that this is a universal rule. Look at Tennis, some are Pete Sampras, who move ahead early and get killed for a few years before dominating. Others do much better always dominating until full maturity and then moving pro. For some, confidence can be really precarious at ages 17-20 where they had been ahead for so many years. When they fail before they are pro, it can really destroy some personalities who may have done better on a different track.

Completely agree. Everybody handles things differently. Some guys will be better off being pushed ahead early, and others need a slower development time. Unfortunately, I'm not sure there is a good way to determine which kind of person each player is.

[Dick Allen]

There have been pitchers who lost it suddenly and refound it. Halladay, Black Jack McDowell are a couple. So Johnson, there is still a chance. With Davidson, most players fail that badly because they just can't do it. His contact rate is atrocious. Many on this board have already written off Baez of the Cubs because of his contact rate as a 21 year old. Davidson was 23, in his second year of AAA, and he was worse at the AAA level. If you can't hit the ball in the minors, you aren't going to be able to hit the ball against better pitchers.