Taylor (not Blake) Ward is hot!

[Chuck]

Since the All-Star break, he's hit .318 with 10 RBI and a .400 on base percentage. Before the break, he was hitting just .224 with a pathetic .541 OPS.

Baby steps! 

If you've never seen it, here's our interview that @Dave Saltzer did with our #1 pick last year. 

 

Taylor Ward 07-30-2015 from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

[Blarg]

Unlike Thaiss,  Ward will be a catcher and a Damn good one defensively. Maybe his sudden surge is getting used to the competition at this level coupled with being more relaxed about his defense. Whatever the cause let's hope he keeps it up and is part of the '18 season. 

[Troll Daddy]

23 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Unlike Thaiss,  Ward will be a catcher and a Damn good one defensively. Maybe his sudden surge is getting used to the competition at this level coupled with being more relaxed about his defense. Whatever the cause let's hope he keeps it up and is part of the '18 season. 

I was under the impression the Angels have him currently working out as a catcher. Do you see LF in his future?

Glad to see Taylor hitting the ball well. 

[Angelsfan1984]

Why is it so hard to find a solid defensive catcher that can hit at least .275  I'm not asking for Buster Posey, I'm asking for "not Mathis". Hopefully Bandy can be a solid contributor and Ward can come up and hold down the fort in a few years.

[Troll Daddy]

The catcher position is were most WS's are won and lost. If Trout was a catcher his value would go through the roof ... if you can even imagine that . 

[eaterfan]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

Unlike Thaiss,  Ward will be a catcher and a Damn good one defensively. Maybe his sudden surge is getting used to the competition at this level coupled with being more relaxed about his defense. Whatever the cause let's hope he keeps it up and is part of the '18 season. 

Baseball America wrote an article on his surge a week or so ago. His problem earlier in the season was he was getting jammed and hiring too many weak grounders. He opened up his stance and backed off the plate. He's no longer getting jammed. 

How much of this is due to the adjustments and how much is just random variation over a small sample will play out the rest of the season.

[The God of Runs]

26 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

The catcher position is were most WS's are won and lost. If Trout was a catcher his value would go through the roof ... if you can even imagine that . 

Scioscia would bench him the next day after going 4 for 4 2HR and 5 RBIs for Carlos Perez

[Troll Daddy]

2 minutes ago, The God of Runs said:

Scioscia would bench him the next day after going 4 for 4 2HR and 5 RBIs for Carlos Perez

You might be right ... but any fan following Perez knows a fluke when they see it.

[Taylor]

51 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Why is it so hard to find a solid defensive catcher that can hit at least .275  I'm not asking for Buster Posey, I'm asking for "not Mathis". Hopefully Bandy can be a solid contributor and Ward can come up and hold down the fort in a few years.

Maybe we could bring Ivan Rodriguez out of retirement.

[AngelsLakersFan]

8 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

Baseball America wrote an article on his surge a week or so ago. His problem earlier in the season was he was getting jammed and hiring too many weak grounders. He opened up his stance and backed off the plate. He's no longer getting jammed. 

How much of this is due to the adjustments and how much is just random variation over a small sample will play out the rest of the season.

High A is where legit prospects are born. He needs to do enough to earn a promotion to AA some time next year.

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Why is it so hard to find a solid defensive catcher that can hit at least .275  I'm not asking for Buster Posey, I'm asking for "not Mathis". Hopefully Bandy can be a solid contributor and Ward can come up and hold down the fort in a few years.

The position itself is so difficult that there are not that many volunteers to take on the job. More kids want to pitch, play the infield, even play outfield instead of putting on the gear and doing more work than anyone else during the game. So you are starting out with fewer athletes picking that position to specialize in which obviously mean fewer chances to find a player that can hold their own offensively as well. 

[eaterfan]

2 minutes ago, Blarg said:

The position itself is so difficult that there are not that many volunteers to take on the job. More kids want to pitch, play the infield, even play outfield instead of putting on the gear and doing more work than anyone else during the game. So you are starting out with fewer athletes picking that position to specialize in which obviously mean fewer chances to find a player that can hold their own offensively as well. 

Not only that, but being a catcher generally shortens a career. Teams are encouraged to protect their assets and move them out of the position. Players are incentived to move off the position because playing longer means more money. 

[Troll Daddy]

2 minutes ago, Blarg said:

The position itself is so difficult that there are not that many volunteers to take on the job. More kids want to pitch, play the infield, even play outfield instead of putting on the gear and doing more work than anyone else during the game. So you are starting out with fewer athletes picking that position to specialize in which obviously mean fewer chances to find a player that can hold their own offensively as well. 

Correct ... Mike Piazza may have never made the ML's if he wasn't pushed into the catchers position by Lasorda and friends. 

[Angel Oracle]

Pudge Rodriguez was ridiculous in how long he played behind the plate and without too many injuries. 

[Dave Saltzer]

5 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

Since the All-Star break, he's hit .318 with 10 RBI and a .400 on base percentage. Before the break, he was hitting just .224 with a pathetic .541 OPS.

Baby steps! 

If you've never seen it, here's our interview that @Dave Saltzer did with our #1 pick last year. 

 

Taylor Ward 07-30-2015 from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

I am planning on getting out there in either late July or mid August to do a follow up interview with him. I have seen the improvement and hope it stays that way for the rest of the season. 

[Pujols4MVP]

7 hours ago, eaterfan said:

Not only that, but being a catcher generally shortens a career. Teams are encouraged to protect their assets and move them out of the position. Players are incentived to move off the position because playing longer means more money. 

Some sports they just don't stay in shape as well as they could & the amount of injury's you see in Baseball sorta reflects that.

We don't see guys throwing 300ip like the old days. 

As they got paid more & more thru history they threw less innings & started using pitch count limits. Even with these so called pitch limits & 5 man rotations they are as injury prone as before.

[Second Base]

I've heard the same thing from like three people now, apparently Ward made some kid of adjustment with his stance or where he steps or something.  It took a while to feel comfortable with it, but he has it down now, and thus we're seeing him surge. 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

20 hours ago, Troll Daddy said:

I was under the impression the Angels have him currently working out as a catcher. Do you see LF in his future?

Glad to see Taylor hitting the ball well. 

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2016_07_14_swmafx_burafx_1&t=g_box&did=milb&sid=t420

Matt was playing first base yesterday. I was under the impression the plan all along has been to move him from behind the plate.

[eaterfan]

10 hours ago, ScottyA_MWAH said:

I've heard the same thing from like three people now, apparently Ward made some kid of adjustment with his stance or where he steps or something.  It took a while to feel comfortable with it, but he has it down now, and thus we're seeing him surge. 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/game-report-taylor-ward/#s3R6l1C4Lphqiy9V.97

 

There's the link if you want to read for yourself. It's free.

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, eaterfan said:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/game-report-taylor-ward/#s3R6l1C4Lphqiy9V.97

 

There's the link if you want to read for yourself. It's free.

Thanks!

[ksangel]

This is very encouraging and along with how Thaiss and Jones are hitting, bodes well for the Angels if they reach the majors in 2019.