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Alejandro Kirk slashed a strong .285/.372/.415 with 14 house runs and a 129 wRC+ final 12 months in his first full big-league season. Furthermore, the 24-year-old Toronto Blue Jays catcher drew 63 free passes whereas happening by means of the Okay simply 58 instances. His 10.7% strikeout charge was third finest within the junior circuit, behind solely Steven Kwan’s 9.4% and Luis Arraez’s 7.1%.
How comparable of a hitter is Kirk to Arraez? I requested that query to Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider previous to Thursday’s recreation in Dunedin.
“Once you discuss contact, not numerous swing-and-miss, yeah, they’re comparable,” replied Schneider. “There’s just a little extra harm potential with Kirky. However extra walks than strikeouts is hard to do at any stage, [especially] the large leagues. So, I feel when it’s simply strike zone command, on-base, and contact-ability, they’re fairly comparable.”
Arraez, now a member of the Miami Marlins, received the American League batting title with the Minnesota Twins whereas slashing .316/.375/.420 with eight house runs and a 131 wRC+. Following up on my preliminary query, I requested Schneider if Kirk has the potential to seize a title of his personal.
“Ohh man,” replied Schneider. “I don’t wish to pigeonhole anybody into something, however when you may have good command of the strike zone… for one, you may have an opportunity. Once you’re placing the ball in play, particularly with two strikes — I feel he hit near .290 with two strikes — that’s a very good factor. So, yeah man, the sky’s the restrict for Kirky.”
Schneider went on to say that different batting-title contenders may need the 5-foot-8, 245-pound catcher beat within the infield-hit class — this regardless of Kirk’s having had a surprisingly excessive quantity (14) of them final 12 months.
“It was over 10,” stated Schneider. “We had enjoyable with that within the dugout, however enjoying the odds it might not be that yearly.”
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Matt Strahm picked up some old-school pointers from a longtime Boston backstop final 12 months. Taking part in with the Pink Sox after two seasons in Kansas Metropolis and 4 extra in San Diego, the 31-year-old southpaw attained that information courtesy of the membership’s Sport Planning Coordinator/Catching Coach.
“Jason Varitek was an enormous assist to me with issues like studying how my stuff was efficient,” stated Strahm, whom the Philadelphia Phillies inked to a free-agent deal in December. “He’s a legend of this recreation, and he taught me quite a bit. It was largely easy issues I’d by no means checked out. An instance can be a man like Jesse Winker; I may by no means get my fastball by him above the zone. Varitek identified that he’s a left-handed thrower that hits left-handed, so he can get to that pitch quite a bit simpler.
“That had me what a hitter’s dominant hand is,” continued the West Fargo, North Dakota native. “If he’s right-handed with a dominant proper hand, a fastball up he can most likely get to. If he’s left-handed with a dominant left hand, identical factor. Conversely, Rafael Devers is basically good towards the breaking ball down, as a result of he will get to drop his proper hand —his dominant hand — on the pitch. And the place does he wrestle? Fastball up. This isn’t 100% — not all hitters are the identical — however Varitek was a switch-hitter, so he is aware of either side of the plate, and he was a catcher, so he understands pitching, Once more, he taught me quite a bit.”
Strahm had a 3.83 ERA and a 3.72 FIP in 50 appearances comprising 44-and-two-thirds innings in his lone Pink Sox season.
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Hank Aaron went 14 for 42 towards Jack Billingham.
John Boccabella went 6 for 13 towards Al Downing.
Lyman Bostock went 0 for 10 towards Tom House.
Tommie Aaron went 0 for 4 towards Ernie Broglio.
Lou Brock went 14 for 42 towards Jim Lonborg.
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Spencer Torkelson will head into the 2023 marketing campaign having accomplished more-challenging hitting drills over the offseason as he appears to rebound from a disappointing 2022. He’ll even be utilizing a special bat. As a substitute of a 34-inch maple, the Detroit Tigers first baseman will probably be swinging a 33-and-a-half maple. The swap was influenced by inquiries he made to elite hitters.
“To be trustworthy, final 12 months I might ask everybody on first base what measurement bat they use,” Torkelson instructed me following Friday’s recreation in Clearwater. “Mike Trout and Carlos Correa stated ’33-and-a-half,’ and I used to be like, ‘Properly, among the finest gamers in our recreation, [including] one of the best participant within the recreation, swing 33-and-a half, so let’s give it a attempt.’ I attempted it out and liked it. Now I’m swinging the identical mannequin, only a half inch shorter.”
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Alek Manoah had a very good reply when requested earlier this week about his private objectives and expectations for the upcoming season.
“Should you don’t go 34-0 with a zero ERA, you may have areas to work on and areas to enhance,” the Blue Jays right-hander instructed a small group of reporters. “For me, it’s simply persevering with to get higher every time on the market, persevering with to combine in all of my pitches, persevering with to have a load of confidence in all my pitches, persevering with to go on the market and compete.”
Manoah went 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA final 12 months. He’s 25-9 with a 2.60 ERA over his two big-league seasons.
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Mike Piazza manages Italy’s WBC group. Gianmarco Faraone is this system’s coordinator, and I took the chance to ask him about baseball within the European nation throughout December’s Winter Conferences.
“The game is extraordinarily widespread within the central north of the nation, and we’re engaged on bringing that via your complete nation,” stated Faraone, who was born in Italy and performed highschool baseball in Toronto earlier than shifting again to his homeland just a few years in the past. “There’s numerous historical past with how American troopers landed in Italy throughout WWII and unfold the sport of baseball.”
Faraone went on to clarify that Italy’s skilled league has 32 groups within the high division, with every having a roster of 20 gamers. Much like soccer, the groups all have developmental applications, which start at age 8. The gamers transfer up the ranks throughout the system, and as soon as they attain a sure age they are often offered to different groups (as is the case in European soccer). Requested about notable amateurs on Italy’s U-18 Baseball World Cup Nationwide Group, Faraone cited shortstop Edoardo Cornelli and pitcher Matteo Marelli. The highest participant in Italy’s skilled league is at present 28-year-old catcher Alberto Mineo, who has performed within the Blue Jays and Cubs organizations. Mineo is on the roster of Italy’s WBC group.
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A quiz:
The only-season file for saves by a right-handed pitcher is held by Francisco Rodriguez (62 in 2008). Who holds the single-season file for saves by a left-handed pitcher?
The reply might be discovered under.
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NEWS NOTES
Blaine Hardy has been named the brand new baseball coach at Central Lakes School, in Brainerd, Minnesota (of “Fargo” fame!). Hardy pitched in 233 video games for the Detroit Tigers from 2014-2019, and in a single recreation for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021.
Albie Pearson, who performed for the California/Los Angeles Angels, Washington Senators, and Baltimore Orioles in a profession that spanned the 1958-1966 seasons, died late final month at age 88. A left-handed-hitting outfielder who stood simply 5-foot-5, Pearson captured Rookie of the 12 months honors with the Senators in 1958, and was an All-Star with the Angels in 1963.
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The reply to the quiz is Randy Myers, with 53 saves in 1993.
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The Kansas Metropolis Royals took Gavin Cross and Cayden Wallace with their first two picks of final 12 months’s draft. I just lately requested Cross, a 22-year-old outfielder out of Virginia Tech, for a snapshot scouting report on the 21-year-old third baseman out of the College of Arkansas.
“Initially, he’s a terrific man,” Cross stated of Wallace. “So far as baseball, he’s a powerful nation man from [Little Rock] Arkansas who has actually good hand-eye coordination and hits the ball exhausting. He’s bought a terrific arm. I haven’t performed with him a ton, however he’s all the time level-headed and even-keeled. There’s a cause he bought drafted.”
Who has extra juice in his bat, the first-rounder or the second-rounder?
“I feel we’re fairly comparable,” stated Cross. whom the Royals drafted ninth total. “He may need had me in [instructional league]. After we had been there, he hit a house run at 112 or 113 [mph]. My max is round that bar, 110 or 111. I did hit extra house runs in [Low-A] Columbia, however pound for pound, hardest-hit ball, he most likely has me.”
Cross slashed .293/.423/.596 with seven house runs in 123 plate appearances with Columbia. Wallace slashed .294/.369/.468 with two house runs in 122 plate appearances.
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After I talked to Austin Hedges late final season, he told me that almost all of his then-Cleveland teammates had been simple to catch. One other former Guardian was one of many few exceptions.
“Bryan Shaw’s pitches transfer actually late in numerous instructions,” the veteran backstop stated of the 35-year-old reliever. “That makes him more difficult to catch as a result of the ball isn’t essentially doing the identical factor each time. He’s bought a chopping fastball and it’s going to chop in numerous methods. It should additionally vary between 90 and 97, and that may change the pitch traits.”
Hedges signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in December. Shaw was inked to a minor-league deal by the Chicago White Sox late final month.
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Sticking with quotes from final season’s pocket book, I requested Los Angeles Angels GM Perry Minasian about his philosophy on selling younger gamers to the large leagues, together with these with restricted expertise on the highest ranges of the minors.
“I assume the query can be, ‘What entails being prepared?’” replied Minasian. “We don’t have any set requirements for at-bats, innings, or something like that. It’s extra the person particular person and the place they’re at mentally, bodily, and emotionally. We break down the participant in all these aspects and determine the place they’re finest fitted to. I don’t imagine in black and white on the subject of at bats or innings.”
In accordance with Minasian, the Angels are amenable to double-jumping gamers to the large leagues.
“We’ve accomplished it,” the GM instructed me. “We promoted Chase Silseth from Double-A earlier this 12 months, so it’s actually not one thing that’s out of the query. There are numerous causes to expertise Triple-A, however once more, it goes right down to the person participant and the place he’s at developmentally. After all, there may be additionally the place you’re at as a membership.”
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A record-setting complete of 303 gamers made their MLB debuts final 12 months, with the Oakland A’s (19) accounting for probably the most, adopted by the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Guardians with 17 apiece. The gamers getting their first style of big-league motion included 46 former first-rounders, 11 non-drafted free brokers, and 70 worldwide free brokers. A dozen international locations had been represented, led by the US (223) and the Dominican Republic (33). California (49) and Florida (25) had been tops amongst U.S. states.
These details, and far more — together with bios and stats for all 303 gamers — might be present in James Bailey’s new ebook, Major League Debuts 2023. (Please assist your impartial native bookseller.)
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Twinkie City’s John Foley wrote about the connection between pitch tempo and protection.
MLB.com’s Jason Beck wrote about 24-year-old Detroit Tigers pitching prospect Brendan White and his “Oh my gosh” slider.
The Houston Chronicle’s Michael Shapiro introduced us to Justin Dirden, an under-the-radar 25-year-old Astros outfield prospect who has been a standout in spring coaching.
Purple Row’s Joelle Milholm wrote about ladies trailblazers in baseball and different sports activities.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Nolan Arenado heads into the 2023 season with 299 profession house runs. Kyle Schwarber has 199 house runs. Jackie Bradley Jr. has 199 doubles.
Zack Greinke had a 76 ERA+ in 2005, his second big-league season. The 39-year-old right-hander has had an ERA+ of 100 or higher each season since. His profession mark is 123.
Greinke has allowed probably the most hits (1,567) over the previous 10 season. Kyle Gibson has allowed probably the most runs (806).
All seven members of the 1936 New York Yankees who had 400 or extra plate appearances completed the season with at the least 100 runs scored or 100 RBIs. Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig reached triple digits in each classes, with Gehrig’s 167 runs and 152 RBIs representing the highest complete for every.
The Seattle Mariners signed Gaylord Perry on in the present day’s date in 1982. The 43-year-old right-hander proceeded to go 10-12 with a 4.40 ERA over 216-and-two-thirds innings in what was his penultimate big-league season.
The Nationwide League’s Indianapolis Hoosiers bought Pretzels Getzien from the Detroit Wolverines on in the present day’s date in 1889. The German-born right-hander had his finest season in 1886 when he and Wolverines teammate Lady Baldwin went a mixed 72-24 with 97 full video games.
Gamers born on in the present day’s date embody Mike Hessman, who homered 462 instances in knowledgeable profession that spanned the 1996-2015 seasons. Hessman — now a hitting coach within the Detroit Tigers group — hit 14 house runs in MLB, 14 in NPB, one within the Venezuelan Winter League, and 433 within the minors.
Additionally born on in the present day’s date was Skin Down Robinson — given title Walter Kenneth Robinson — who performed within the Negro Leagues from 1938-1943. An infielder from Fernandina Seashore, Florida, he noticed motion with the Cleveland Bears, Jacksonville Pink Caps, and New York Black Yankees.
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