Minor League Hitting Leaders
Posted on September 18th, 2011 by Jeff in Memphis Redbirds, Palm Beach Cardinals, Quad Cities River Bandits, Springfield CardinalsThis one is a little more cut and dry than the pitchers. Let’s go over the top 3 hitters at each club by wOBA. (100 PA required)
Memphis:
Tyler Greene: wOBA – .448
Andrew Brown: wOBA – .413
Matt Carpenter: wOBA – .413
Mark Hamilton: wOBA – .412 (Honorable Mention)
Springfield:
Charles Cutler: wOBA -.391
Jermaine Curtis: wOBA – .390
Alex Castellanos: wOBA – .388 (He is now property of the LA Dodgers)
Tommy Pham: wOBA – .383 (Honorable Mention)
Matt Adams: wOBA – .381 (Honorable Mention)
Palm Beach:
Greg Garcia: wOBA – .408
Starlin Rodriguez: wOBA – .392
Xaiver Scruggs: wOBA – .390
Zack Cox: wOBA – .389 (Honorable Mention)
Quad Cities:
Oscar Taveras: wOBA – .454
Kolten Wong: wOBA – .414
Jonathan Rodriguez: wOBA – .393
Entries (RSS)
I’ve really been impressed with Taveras’ bat this season, his defense is another story though. There have been periods where he looked like a man amongst boys while in the batters box. He really stays balanced and has a nice swing. And it might just be me, but I think he’s put on a little weight since the season started. He looks a little more muscular. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him flash a bit more power going forward. Hopefully he can stay healthy and continue to develop.
Another guy that seems to have made some strides this season is Nick Longmire. He’s had some ab’s where he just seemed to be flailling (sp?) at anything near the plate, but has appeared at other times to be be a very capable hitter.
I really wonder what the message is here, in Memphis having four guys with wOBAs over .400, none of whom have shown much in the majors. With Brown and Carpenter, one can chalk it up to small sample size (although I don’t think Brown has a chance anyway), but Hamilton and Greene have been there long enough that I don’t think that explanation is entirely sound. Is a .400+ wOBA at AAA really only enough to accord one AAAA status?
Hamilton has had enough of a shot to know he can’t do anything on the MLB level? I doubt it. Trust me I would be the happiest person in the world if Mark Hamilton NEVER played 1b for the Cardinals as it would mean that Pujols had resigned and wasn’t hurt. You can’t say that his limited time in the MLB shows that he has no chance.
I would agree. I hearken back to the rival Cubs’ justification for dealing Joe Carter to the Indians back in the mid 80′s by saying he hadn’t shown the power they expected from him after he was only given 50 or so ml at-bats. Granted, the real reason was they needed pitching during a pennant chase.
Likewise, the success of players such as Jay and Craig recently, give me enough reason to not be too hasty to label a player “AAAA” if they have shown the ability to hit at multiple minor league levels if they have never been given a “real” shot to prove they can’t do it at the major league level. I don’t know if it was here or at VEB that they broke down Greene’s at bats over the past couple of years to show that while he would appear to have been given a legitimate chance to show what he is truly capable of,the fact that he has never received more than a nominal number of starts in succession before being relegated to the bench for days.
Plus, I can never discount how intimidating LaRussa probably is for a young player, what with his lack of tolerance for mistakes, particularly with young players, or just a general lack of tolerance for “non-veteran-ness”.
That is a misconception. Its actually simple. LaRussa doesn’t like to use young guys in bench rolls. He prefer they get more abs in the minors and use guys who are used to playing occasionally. that is actually a hard adjustment for a player to make.
Now you can agree, or disagree with the that theory, but it has nothing to do with lack of tolerance. Tony on multiple occasions has shown he isn’t a afraid to use a rookie starter.
Take Shumaker for example. There were plenty of times that people knocked Tony for not giving skip a chance. Then he makes the team, plays, and all of sudden the same fans are knocking Tony for playing skip.
In Greene’s case, he unfortunatly shined at the wrong time. That is part of the game. Being in the right place at the right time.
Great points, Zuke.
Allen Craig is another good example. A guy who was always a starter and middle-of-the-order hitter is suddenly playing five positions and pinch-hitting. I really hope he gets a full-time position next year, either in right (if Berkman doesn’t come back) or first (if Albert leaves).
I think Craig is our RF in 2012 under either scenario. If Albert comes back, we won’t be able to afford Berkman (especially with the Carp deal). If Albert goes, the Cards sign Berkman to play 1B or Fielder in which case they also won’t have the money to bring back Berkman.
People are knocking Tony for playing Skip because they moved him to 2nd base and he isnt good as a starting 2nd baseman though his defense in CF merited some love for more playing time when he first came up.
As far as the “AAAA” label, I often blame the so called “prospect gurus” who tend to overlook guys becasue of age and not ability.
I still can’t beleive that the “hit tool” has become undervalued.
The reason why Jay, Craig and Freese were not taken more seriously was because they were college players and tended to be a few years older. In fact, Pujols was never regaurded as a top prospect. Here was a guy who played agreat third based and pepper lined drives, yet not a great prospect becasue he went to JR. College.
Part of Hamilton’s problem is his position. He is a good hitter, but I don’t know if he is a good enough hitter for his position.
I always got the impression that Pujols was overlooked, because teams were worried about him putting on weight, not because he was at a junior college.
He was a late pick, no name player from a no name college.
Therefore, he would never have been a top rated prospect.
He did have a weight problem when he was in high school.
Actually, by the time Pujols finished his first year in the minors, he was a very highly regarded prospect indeed. Nobody expected him yet to become PUJOLS!!, but he was already showing up on top-50 lists (e.g. Baseball Prospectus — I remember the mid-2001 comment “We liked Albert Pujols before the season started, but we didn’t expect a cocoon to open and reveal Mike Schmidt”). Hamilton and Greene … weren’t.
I know, small-sample-size disclaimers and all, but Hamilton, in particular, isn’t just a statistical disappointment in the bigs; to me, he also doesn’t _look_ like a major-league hitter. He looked overmatched when I saw him, like there was something that major-league pitchers were doing that AAA pitchers weren’t and he couldn’t figure out how to hit them. Add to this the fact that he’s already 27, and I will stoutly defend the AAAA label. Same to some extent with Greene.
AAAA may indeed be the proper label, but it isn’t always cause the kid can’t hit. It takes a while for a hitter to adjust to ML pitching. I don’t care how much AAA pitching a kid sees, until in the majors there can’t be appreciation for the difference.
Players like Hamilton don’t get a fair break because there isn’t a reason to do so. Why are you going to run Hamilton out to play often enough for him to adjust to ML pitching when you have AP available? Or, if AP is gone, Lance Berkman? By 2013 you could say the same thing about Matt Adams a younger and ostensibly more talented prospect.
um, mark hamilton is the FOURTH best hitter on the memphis club. he’s what? 26?
do you know any major league first basemen not named “loney” who are the fourth best hitter on their clubs?
With a lot of AAAA players you always have to wonder if it is the chicken or the egg. Have they been labeled as being not good enough because they did not get a chance or did they not get a chance because they were not good enough.
That right there is the question – and with some players there is disagreement within and organization about which is the case. I think that is why you see so many players blossom after switching teams.
I agree with you’re comments but I also feel that players need to be given opportunities. They shouldn’t be considered failures and marked AAAA without spending time in the bigs. I remember Jay being considered ok, good etc. Good for a forth outfielder. Im sure that didnt bother him. Due to injuries in the team, Jay got more opportunities and look where he is today. Starting CF and doing a good job at it. Players that have not come from a D1 school are looked upon ok players. Very hard for Baseball America to ever say outstanding things about them. I think a lot of kids have potential. I would love to see them get more opportunity . if the cards get eliminated from the wild card. Of course, we hope they don’t, but if they do then let the rookies play and sit the big leaguers.
And that is another good point.
With a team out of contention, it gives a team an opportunity to give younger players a chance.
Thanks for all the info about the Cards minor league teams. I saw the site address on Cards site I believe, about six weeks ago and have been checking it out regularly since.
Tyler Greene with a clutch pinch-hit double Friday night in his only A-B since Sept call-ups and has not played since. The genius that is Tony LaRussa.
True. But the cards and furcal have been playing well. Why rock the boat?
Opportunity Cost
The Cardinals need to figure out what they have in Greene eventually. If Tony doesn’t like putting “young” players in bench roles (as you contend but I think is specious), then this was his chance to see what Greene can do. They’re going to have to make a decision on him soon since he’s out of options.
And that is a good point. I should clarify that. He doesn’t like using them in that position if the have options left.
I do think Greene has an opportunity to be a bench player. Which is why Tony was trying him some in the OF.
He has got to bet better ast second and third though, which I think he is capable of.
It also depends on what is available.
I like Furcal, but I am not sure how much I would commit to him.