Trip Trip Triple for Nick Gonzales. Just missed a center field homer. Nick is now 4 for 8 including a triple and homer with a 1 and 2 count. Very small sample I know, but the rest of the team is hitting .136 with a 1 and 2 count.
What has Gonzo changed? He's hitting. Gonzales and Connor Joe are the two best hitters on the ML team not named O'Neil Cruz. He'll continue to hit as he has until he doesn't. If he swings at pitches in the zone, he'll likely improve. If opposing pitcher feed him mostly breaking pitches, he'll likely fail more often. Of course, those breaking pitches need to be in the zone and of high quality.
Have the Pirates had anyone else like this? Sure. Starling Marte. Marte is still an effective ML hitter.
Starling Marte posted a wOBA over .300 against breaking pitches as a Pirate.
Not even in the same ballpark as a comp for Nick Gonzales.
Pedro Alvarez would be a closer example of absolutely destroying fastballs while being almost completely helpless against breaking stuff, and yet Nick is still outside of his limits on both ends.
It's a fascinating player and situation. What are the limits to this in today's game?
I am pretty sure in most parks, today would have been a 2 homer day for Nick.
Fantastic recap here murph
Trip Trip Triple for Nick Gonzales. Just missed a center field homer. Nick is now 4 for 8 including a triple and homer with a 1 and 2 count. Very small sample I know, but the rest of the team is hitting .136 with a 1 and 2 count.
Another great piece, Murph!
What has Gonzo changed? He's hitting. Gonzales and Connor Joe are the two best hitters on the ML team not named O'Neil Cruz. He'll continue to hit as he has until he doesn't. If he swings at pitches in the zone, he'll likely improve. If opposing pitcher feed him mostly breaking pitches, he'll likely fail more often. Of course, those breaking pitches need to be in the zone and of high quality.
Have the Pirates had anyone else like this? Sure. Starling Marte. Marte is still an effective ML hitter.
Starling Marte posted a wOBA over .300 against breaking pitches as a Pirate.
Not even in the same ballpark as a comp for Nick Gonzales.
Pedro Alvarez would be a closer example of absolutely destroying fastballs while being almost completely helpless against breaking stuff, and yet Nick is still outside of his limits on both ends.
It's a fascinating player and situation. What are the limits to this in today's game?
Provide a link to the stat you cite.
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/starling-marte-516782?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/pedro-alvarez-476883?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb
isnt this teams philosphy just dont swing?
why not tell him to just dont swing at any breaking balls?