40 Comments

Eli Serrano is having a heck of a game for NC St., another draft eligible sophomore that I like after round 4. Made a a good catch in center, with a double and a homerun.

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I agree. He reminds me of Joey Loperfido with the Astros from Duke.

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If he keeps it up at the CWS, he'd move up to a 3rd round maybe even 2nd. He just looks to have the tools and they are starting to come together.

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Why does this team always have me scratching my head every day?

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I would imagine Liover Peguero is scratching his head as well...... especially after getting called up for 3 days. Did he even get in a game?

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Niko Goodrum…. But why

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author

My guess is someone "better" for Triple-A, than some of the guys that began in Double-A, and probably should've stayed there, at best.

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His MLB batting averages over the last 5 seasons

2020 .184

2021 .214

2022 .116

2023 -

2024 .103

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So . . . a cleanup hitter?

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Whatever the computer spits out. A clean up hitter, could be an 8 hitter the next game, then a lead-off hitter the next.

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author

Counter question.

Why not? lol

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Well for starters, when a guy gets released by one of the worst 4 teams in baseball, the expectations can't be really high.

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Ben is cooking up something…

It might not be edible, but it’s something

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That was quick.

Heller dfa’d. Niko Goodrum claimed off waivers.

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Goodrum? WTF?

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Well, he should hit a bit more than Alika. I don't know about defense, but Alika's glove is overrated anyway, imo. So I suppose if he effectively replaces Alika as the backup Triolo, it's OK. If Goodrum and Alika are ever on the ML team at the same time, that's Cherington-level awful.

The biggest danger is Shelton playing him in the OF.

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I’d like to see an infield of Goodrum, Triolo, Alika and the Tellez.

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Alika is hitting .210 this year. Niko hit above that once in the last 5 seasons and it was a .214.

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Jake Woodford.

Desperater and desperater.

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Skenes is pitching tomorrow?

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Jun 10·edited Jun 10Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Tsung-Che Cheng's 2024 walk rate is within a percentage point of what it was in A and A+.

Tsung-Che Cheng's 2024 pull rate is within a percentage point of what it was in A and A+.

Tsung-Che Cheng's 2024 fly ball rate rate is within two percentage points of what it was in A+.

Tsung-Che Cheng's 2024 ISO lower than what it was on the Complex and A+, and almost exactly what it was in A-ball.

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author

It's been a real streaky year for hitters, especially in Altoona. Such as Siani went on a burst, OPS up into mid .700's, and now back under .700 OPS.

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Jun 11Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Wonder how much that correlates to home/away?

Cheng is has just a .539 OPS at home against an .845 OPS on the road (with all 7 home runs).

He was also far more productive both overall and in power away last year even when calling Greensboro his home park!

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author

The power as a whole is surprising. He had some pop, considering his size, but it seemed more geared for gaps than over the fence. But also likely to play well in SAL

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Probably plays a part. Haven't had time to dive too deep into this, but BA put a two years splits for the minors. Altoona is mostly average across the board for batters in terms of wOBA. LHH SLIGHTLY better wOBA, but horrible for LHH homers.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-park-factors-for-2022-2023-including-left-right-splits/

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Tsung-Che Cheng's K rate is about 30% higher than it was in A-ball. That's where the hits went.

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Some news on veteran pitching fliers: Wily Peralta was released and Brent Honeywell suspended. I think there was a fracas or something in an Indy game.

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And Ben Heller is where, lol.

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I was optimistic about him. Crap.

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Jun 10·edited Jun 10

It was probably not the best situation to put him in yesterday. I jokingly commented yesterday that he should have put him in the sixth to give the Pirates more at bats to come back. You put a guy like that in where you can relieve him if he's floundering instead of making him your last hope. We have a GM who can't find live bodies and a manager who isn't sure if they are alive or not when he does.

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If you put an unproven guy in like that, you better have a back-up plan ready.

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Love a good fracas. Kinda surprised peralta didnt hang on with how our pitching depth looks right now

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With an FIP of 5.85 and collapsing BB and K rates, Peralta was depth for Altoona at best.

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Good to here on the contol/command of Chandler. Part of me wants the pirates to stay the course and develop him. The other part wants them to be a little aggressive and get him up to Indy soon used in shorter outings. Maybe be a late season call up to help the bullpen.

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He and ashcraft are both guys i think could be used as a creative bullpen filler if we are in the hunt down the stretch imo

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Jun 10Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Still loving this segment, as always

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Jun 10Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

This is the second Mateo they've had in the system who had great stuff, but no idea where it was going. The last one topped out at high A. Also, shout out to Javier Rivas, who got his BA above .200. I believe that at its nadir it was in the .120s. Still a very long shot, but improvement is always nice to see.

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author

I think Nola’s exact words in an email was ‘he has the control fitting of a Mateo’ lol

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Watching Rivas in the field makes it clear why they stick with him, like when he hit .090 in April.

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.458 in June. 1.000 slugging

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