Jo Adell, at Driveline

[BTH]

4 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

Most teams websites seem to list all the personnel within the FO, but the Angels strangely don't.

I am just going to take a guess that it is an Arte thing.  Only so much budget to fill out the FO personnel, thus, less titles.  Although that said, it does seem like Arte expanded the budget for Minasian, as it seemed like there were more FO hirings than what I saw with Eppler.

I went through all 30 teams, and the Angels were the only team not to list their front office personnel. It is strange, and it probablt is an Arte thing.

Dipoto and Eppler each had two AGM’s.

[Revad]

28 minutes ago, Docwaukee said:

Swing looks short and quick.  Straight to the ball.  No hitch.  No leg kick.  Toe tap.  Looked like a bit of a flatter bat plane than usual?  Ball getting deeper.  

Yep.  I got all that from five swings.  They fixed him!!

IT'S OPTIMISM SEASON!!

It's my favorite time of the year.

He could turn out to be a Stud. We may have screwed up the beginning of his development but wow, the potential.

[Inside Pitch]

16 minutes ago, Trendon said:

In theory, that idea is good. But would Minasian actually stay if a PBO was hired above him?

Just in recent memory, Cherington left the Red Sox when they hired Dombrowski above him.

Cherington had a much more impressive resume, seriously look at his job titles, areas of responsibility.  Whether or not he stays or views it as a demotion .. no clue, don't know the man.  But he might welcome the help and its better to be a GM of a major market team than not be.  It depends who the PBO is too.  I wouldn't want to be a GM under Dombrowski, but Stearns or Epstein?  Very different styles.

[Docwaukee]

32 minutes ago, Trendon said:

For all I know, maybe he just showed up there for one hitting session.

yeah.  he had a groupon.  

[Inside Pitch]

On 1/3/2023 at 11:43 PM, Blarg said:

Did it even cross your mind for a split second how improbable your statement is? 

Jo Adell knows his career hinges on the outcome of the 2023 season. If he doesn't show some growth in his baseball skills he may never see a major league field again. 

Driveline is in Washington, he lives in Kentucky. Do you really think for a moment he is going to spend the money to book a flight to Washington to have one hitting session and say, thanks guys, I'm good. Then hop a flight back home and call it a productive off season? 

Driveline now has locations in WA and AZ, I believe the AZ facility is where most of the hitters go.  Adell's social media had him working out in AZ starting in mid December.

The one thing that nobody will ever be able to question is his work ethic.  My guess is he's online enough to know what's being said about him, how he's viewed.  I don't question his motivation.

[Inside Pitch]

4 minutes ago, Docwaukee said:

yeah.  he had a groupon.  

This won't get the love it deserves.

[Revad]

I’m sure Adell is busting his butt.  No question.

[Revad]

Fuck how hard can you hit a ball, but you have to hit pitches.

[Docwaukee]

On 1/4/2023 at 12:11 AM, Inside Pitch said:

Driveline now has locations in WA and AZ, I believe the AZ facility is where most of the hitters go.  Adell's social media had him working out in AZ starting in mid December.

The one thing that nobody will ever be able to question is his work ethic.  My guess is he's online enough to know what's being said about him, how he's viewed.  I don't question his motivation.

I bet you he totally appreciates couch jockeys like me analyzing his swing and thinking I know what he should do to improve his success.  

[BTH]

21 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

The one thing that nobody will ever be able to question is his work ethic.  My guess is he's online enough to know what's being said about him, how he's viewed.  I don't question his motivation.

He’d have to be pretty offline to not know what’s being said about him.

I’m kinda surprised he doesn’t post videos of him shagging balls in the outfield or stuff like that, since that’s what most fans on social media say he should be doing. Maybe the fact that he doesn’t do that shows that he doesn’t let them get in his head.

[Stradling]

Just now, Trendon said:

He’d have to be pretty offline to not know what’s being said about him.

I’m kinda surprised he doesn’t post videos of him shagging balls in the outfield or stuff like that, since that’s what most fans on social media say he should be doing. Maybe the fact that he doesn’t do that shows that he doesn’t let them get in his head.

Maybe he has come to the realization that fans are assholes and 99% of them won’t have close to the professional success he’s had. 

[Inside Pitch]

7 minutes ago, Trendon said:

He’d have to be pretty offline to not know what’s being said about him.

I’m kinda surprised he doesn’t post videos of him shagging balls in the outfield or stuff like that, since that’s what most fans on social media say he should be doing. Maybe the fact that he doesn’t do that shows that he doesn’t let them get in his head.

I was referring to baseball sites more so than fans. I doubt MLB players give much thought to what little league heroes think of their performance... But its got to sting a bit to be viewed as a former prospect potential bust by actual baseball sites.

[Inside Pitch]

25 minutes ago, Docwaukee said:

I bet you he totally appreciates couch jockeys like me analyzing his swing and thinking I know what he should do to improve his success.  

I think you're safe... If he does read fan sites, I'm guessing he finds our genius quite funny.

[Revad]

50 minutes ago, Docwaukee said:

I bet you he totally appreciates couch jockeys like me analyzing his swing and thinking I know what he should do to improve his success.  

We and the entire environment put a lot of pressure on him.  He’s trying to succeed, any suggestion otherwise is bull.  Although I’m thinking he’s going to be average at least, we’re sort of out of time for him.  Unless this year gets him LF.  I’d promise it to him if he kicks ass in AAA, which he will. I’d play the odds.

[Second Base]

Jo Adell has never lacked exit velocity, so this video says nothing, other than the fact that he's reaching outside the organization for help. 

He's definitely filling out though. He's always been athletic, but his upper body is much thicker than before. He's on that Luis Rengifo workout program. 

[Tank]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Maybe he has come to the realization that fans are assholes and 99% of them won’t have close to the professional success he’s had. 

i heard that in between hitting sessions, he's working on developing an app for INO so people can order through it.

[Tank]

honest question: does driveline work on fielding with players?

[Docwaukee]

44 minutes ago, Revad said:

We and the entire environment put a lot of pressure on him.  He’s trying to succeed, any suggestion otherwise is bull.  Although I’m thinking he’s going to be average at least, we’re sort of out of time for him.  Unless this year gets him LF.  I’d promise it to him if he kicks ass in AAA, which he will. I’d play the odds.

As of right now he's in line for a decent chunk of major league at bats this year still.  What are the odds that Ward, Trout and Renfroe top about 550 PA each.  The average OF spot will have around 660 PA per year.  So that's 330 PA going somewhere.  Sure, Moniak, as of right now, gets to spell guys for days off etc.  And they might throw some others out there, but not invariably there will be DL trips or even poor performance.  Hell, only 30 OFers logged more than 500 pa.  And only two teams had 3 (BAL, NYM).  Reduce that number to 450 PA and there were still only 38.  Still only two teams with 3 guys.  400?  Add one more team in TOR.  

You have to go down to like 275 PA to even get 90 players.  My guess is that the top 3 guys average about 1300 PA league wide.  That's more available PA than any one person averages per team.  

Out of pure necessity, they're probably gonna need him.  Or someone else so I really hope he figures things out ASAP.  

 

[Docwaukee]

2 minutes ago, Tank said:

honest question: does driveline work on fielding with players?

yeah.  they shoot baseballs at your head at 110 mph and see how quick you can duck.  

honestly though.  I don't know.  

[Tank]

5 minutes ago, Docwaukee said:

yeah.  they shoot baseballs at your head at 110 mph and see how quick you can duck.  

honestly though.  I don't know.  

 

[Second Base]

Alfredo Griffin used to work with Kole Calhoun before games, simply hitting balls off the fence and into the corner with a fungo so Kole could get used to the different angles. I'd be surprised if they haven't been doing the same with Jo, though that's only part of the problem. It's his routes. He's played CF his whole life, but the kid has had a very difficult time adjusting to the way the ball moves in the corners. There's just no instinct, no experience. 

[ukyah]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

Alfredo Griffin used to work with Kole Calhoun before games, simply hitting balls off the fence and into the corner with a fungo so Kole could get used to the different angles. I'd be surprised if they haven't been doing the same with Jo, though that's only part of the problem. It's his routes. He's played CF his whole life, but the kid has had a very difficult time adjusting to the way the ball moves in the corners. There's just no instinct, no experience. 

he plays outfield like a relief pitcher that got stuck out there in extra innings and i'm not joking. he could not have looked or played worse defensively, so far.

it's mind bottling.

[T.G.]

This is fake news.

Adell is actually at Drive Time buying a new sports car.

[wopphil]

5 hours ago, ukyah said:

he plays outfield like a relief pitcher that got stuck out there in extra innings and i'm not joking. he could not have looked or played worse defensively, so far.

it's mind bottling.

I think this is accurate. He looks so incredibly lost in the outfield that I don’t see how he ever becomes even an average defender. 

[Dtwncbad]

5 hours ago, ukyah said:

 

it's mind bottling.