Adell concerns?

[Torridd]

I'm ecstatic that he was so successful last night, but I'm concerned with all his batted balls. Hopefully, I'm just looking a gift horse in the mouth but I wonder, if he continues with this trend, if he'll eventually be shifted against. Thoughts? Worried for nothing? Looking too far in the future?

[failos]

1 minute ago, Torridd said:

Hopefully, I'm just looking a gift horse in the mouth

Lol

[WicketMaiden]

22 minutes ago, Torridd said:

I'm ecstatic that he was so successful last night, but I'm concerned with all his batted balls. Hopefully, I'm just looking a gift horse in the mouth but I wonder, if he continues with this trend, if he'll eventually be shifted against. Thoughts? Worried for nothing? Looking too far in the future?

Personally, one of the most annoying things about modern baseball is hitters' inability to change their at-bats when facing an aggressive shift. With Adell's speed, a bunt or slap the other way followed by a steal of second would soon stop teams shifting as a matter of course. Why more players don't hit against the shift and just get on base is a mystery to me, it's like the other team is offering a free hit but most players just ignore it and try to hit it out of the park - that is not shrewd. That is not good team-play.

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

Hasn’t he shown the ability to Spread the ball around in AAA? I don’t know why that would stop now…hopefully it doesn’t. 

[Stradling]

Watch the at bats.  First double was a slow breaking ball that he covered and it was almost a hands hit.  The second double was on a low inside pitch that he just dropped his hands on and did exactly what you’d expect him to do with the pitch.  The single was just a center cut fastball.  If they start to pitch him hard and away and he continues to try to pull the ball then I’ll worry a bit. 

[Angelsjunky]

Nothing has changed from yesterday as far as a basic likelihood with Adell: He's going to be good, but it might take some time. How good and how much time depends upon to what degree he addresses his various issues.

That said, last night was very good news. He came up to play and showed that he wasn't intimidated. He drew a walk in his first plate appearance and wasn't trying to hit it out with every swing. It is only one game, but he looked completely different than he did last year.

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Angelsjunky

[T.G.]

Some of you worry about the strangest things...

[Taylor]

It's been one game. Five ABs. It's foolish to make any conclusions one way or the other.

[Stradling]

Just now, True Grich said:

Some of you worry about the strangest things...

In his defense he wasn’t worried, he was concerned and no I have no idea what the difference is.

[Stradling]

Just now, Taylor said:

It's been one game. Five ABs. It's foolish to make any conclusions one way or the other.

Fuck off, he is the greatest hitter I have ever seen since Mercedes Something Something.  

[arch stanton]

Remember that time back in’21 when I took some close pitches in my first at bat then got pitches to hit for the rest of the game? That was cool 

[Taylor]

1 minute ago, Hells Rainbow said:

In his defense he wasn’t worried, he was concerned and no I have no idea what the difference is.

I'm disquieted by all the synonyms for "worried."

[Taylor]

1 minute ago, arch stanton said:

Remember that time back in’21 when I took some close pitches in my first at bat then got pitches to hit for the rest of the game? That was cool 

Arch is Jo Adell in the future. Explains a lot.

[T.G.]

1 minute ago, Hells Rainbow said:

In his defense he wasn’t worried, he was concerned and no I have no idea what the difference is.

I had to read that sentence three times to try and understand what you were saying.

And.... I just can't communicate with a guy whose name should be Hell's Rainbow and not Hells Rainbow.

[Stradling]

3 minutes ago, True Grich said:

I had to read that sentence three times to try and understand what you were saying.

And.... I just can't communicate with a guy whose name should be Hell's Rainbow and not Hells Rainbow.

Sorry’s

[Angelsjunky]

I think it was @Inside Pitch who said, in game day, that if we erase 2020 from memory, we would have been super psyched about last night, saying, "This guy is going to be a star." 2020 clouds our perspective on his future and has made all of us maybe too granular in our analysis. He's still a very talented young player, who Fangraphs ranked as a 60 FV prospect last year, which makes him a top 10 or, at worst, top 20 prospect in all of baseball (in their current Board, there are only two guys, Franco at 80 and Rutschman at 70 rated higher than 60, and their are fourteen 60s, not including Adell).

Other 60 OF prospects: Marsh, Julio Rodriguez (SEA), Riley Greene (DET), Corbin Carroll (ARI), Brennen Davis (CHC).  That's it. 

Former 60 FV outfield prospects current in the majors:

Kyle Tucker (age 24): .275/.333/.521, 20 HR, 2.7 WAR. 

Tucker debuted in 2018 at age 21 and really struggled in 28 games (.141/.236/.203), but then started hitting in 2019 (.269/.319/.537 in 22 games) and was similar last year.

Eloy Jimenez (age 24): .133/.133/.133 in 4 games.

Jimenez debuted in 2019 at age 22 and was solid, hitting .267/.315/.513 and 31 HR, but poor defense, so 1.8 WAR in 122 games. He improved last year, hitting .296/.332/.559 with 1.6 WAR in 55 games but has been injured all year.

Andrew Vaughn (age 23): .258/.323/.453, 12 HR, 1.1 WAR in 92 games.

His rookie year and has been solid if unspectacular. Kind of a typical rookie season for a future star.

Victor Robles (age 24) : .198/.321/.283, 1 HR, -0.1 in 88 games.

Robles was actually a 65 FV prospect. He debuted in 2017 at age 20 and held his own for 13 games, played only 21 games in 2018, and then hit .255/.326/.419 with 17 HR and 2.5 in his first full season in 2019, but dropped off again last year. He's starting to look like a bust...not sure what's up with him.

Jarrod Kelenic (age 21): .131/.222/.228, -0.9 WAR in 40 games.

He's really struggles so far, but is only 21.

I'm sure there's more, but that gives an array of comparable players, and you can see that most of them do just fine. It is far too soon to tell with Kelenic, and Robles is the only true outlier. 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Angelsjunky

[Dtwncbad]

30 minutes ago, Taylor said:

I'm disquieted by all the synonyms for "worried."

What can I say to undisquiet you?

[Inside Pitch]

11 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

I think it was @Inside Pitch who said, in game day, that if we erase 2020 from memory, we would have been super psyched about last night, saying, "This guy is going to be a star." 2020 clouds our perspective on his future and has made all of us maybe too granular in our analysis. He's still a very talented young player, who Fangraphs ranked as a 60 FV prospect last year, which makes him a top 10 or, at worst, top 20 prospect in all of baseball (in their current Board, there are only two guys, Franco at 80 and Rutschman at 70 rated higher than 60, and their are fourteen 60s, not including Adell).

That was Doc. 

Also, he was given a 70 FV last year by FG, Vladdy was the lone 80.    He wasn't ready last year -- many of us said as much prior to his call up, hell.. prior to the season.  He's exactly the same player he was when everyone was slobbering over him.  The people that punted on him were having kneejerk reactions and haven't really been following the player or understand his make-up -- the same thing has happened with Chris Rodriguez, but he's never come close to having Adell's profile.

Sites love hype and love being right.  A guy gets hurt, they back off, a guy has a bad couple of months and they start focusing on the numbers instead of the player.  Adells tools are ridiculous.  Nobody has every questioned his intelligence or work ethic.  He will have his struggles, much like Marsh is having right now but he's a physical freak.   

Middle 2023 Jo Adell will probably be a lot of fun to watch.

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, WicketMaiden said:

Personally, one of the most annoying things about modern baseball is hitters' inability to change their at-bats when facing an aggressive shift. With Adell's speed, a bunt or slap the other way followed by a steal of second would soon stop teams shifting as a matter of course. Why more players don't hit against the shift and just get on base is a mystery to me, it's like the other team is offering a free hit but most players just ignore it and try to hit it out of the park - that is not shrewd. That is not good team-play.

It's also harder to shift on elite exit velo....  

In his final series in the minors Adell hit HRs to LF, CF, and RF...   

[stormngt]

4 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

That was Doc. 

Also, he was given a 70 FV last year by FG, Vladdy was the lone 80.    He wasn't ready last year -- many of us said as much prior to his call up, hell.. prior to the season.  He's exactly the same player he was when everyone was slobbering over him.  The people that punted on him were having kneejerk reactions and haven't really been following the player or understand his make-up -- the same thing has happened with Chris Rodriguez, but he's never come close to having Adell's profile.

Sites love hype and love being right.  A guy gets hurt, they back off, a guy has a bad couple of months and they start focusing on the numbers instead of the player.  Adells tools are ridiculous.  Nobody has every questioned his intelligence or work ethic.  He will have his struggles, much like Marsh is having right now but he's a physical freak.   

Middle 2023 Jo Adell will probably be a lot of fun to watch.

He was pretty fun to watch last night

[Mark PT]

1 hour ago, WicketMaiden said:

Personally, one of the most annoying things about modern baseball is hitters' inability to change their at-bats when facing an aggressive shift. With Adell's speed, a bunt or slap the other way followed by a steal of second would soon stop teams shifting as a matter of course. Why more players don't hit against the shift and just get on base is a mystery to me, it's like the other team is offering a free hit but most players just ignore it and try to hit it out of the park - that is not shrewd. That is not good team-play.

This is a great comment. It also frustrates me when a team shifts left on a right handed batter and then the pitcher continuallu pitches him outside. This is crazy that the batter has never mastered hitting toward right field.

[Mark PT]

2 hours ago, Torridd said:

I'm ecstatic that he was so successful last night, but I'm concerned with all his batted balls. Hopefully, I'm just looking a gift horse in the mouth but I wonder, if he continues with this trend, if he'll eventually be shifted against. Thoughts? Worried for nothing? Looking too far in the future?

No, you are correct to ask the question. This league is one of constant adjustments. Players that cant adjust fail.

[Second Base]

If you want to be technical, his first double is an out more often than not. He rolled over on it instead of going the other way and that's part of the reason why he didn't absolutely destroy AAA pitching. Adell takes a long time to adjust. 

But you know what, I'll take a luck-double any day of the week over a deserved ground out to the third baseman. 

You'll know Jo is going good when he's driving the ball 420 feet to right center. 

[tdawg87]

Adell needs to put the ball in play less.

[angelsnationtalk]

Just one game but had great results. 

His new shorter stance fits very well for him. Allows less movement but since he's so powerful it still allows him to mash. 
Didn't seem to be chasing those outside pitches yesterday either. It's one game. let's wait for judgement when the season ends. 

I just want to see him solidify his fielding. 

Was anyone else surprised he got his first career stolen base yesterday? I thought he for sure had one last year haha.