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Brandon Marsh has an attractive persona and an innate capability to sq. up baseballs. He additionally has untapped potential. Rated as the highest prospect within the Los Angeles Angels system previous to final season, the bearded, 24-year-old outfielder is constructing on a 2021 rookie marketing campaign that noticed him put up an 86 wRC+ over 70 video games. Logging common enjoying time in a dynamic L.A. lineup — this inside an MLB-wide atmosphere that’s evoking recollections of 1968’s “Yr of the Pitcher” — Marsh is at the moment slashing .253/.318/.453 with 4 residence runs and a 127 wRC+.
His offensive profile is extra table-setter than bopper. Describing himself as a “gap-to-gap, doubles man,” Marsh defined that whereas he’ll run right into a ball on occasion, residence runs are accidents. Line drives are his aim, which is exactly what the Angels need from him — and have wished since taking him within the second spherical of the 2016 draft out of a Buford, Georgia highschool.
“They’ve preached for me to maintain my arms above the ball, and never be getting beneath and scooping it,” defined Marsh, who’s listed at 6-foot-4, 215 kilos. “That kind of deal. I’m not a robust, robust man. I’m tall, however the barrel tends to lag generally, so I actually need to remain via, and on prime of the ball.”
Marsh went on to say that he views himself as a scrappy participant whose function is to grind and get on base in entrance of “plenty of particular gamers.” And whereas it’s true that he’s not in the identical class as teammates resembling Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, or Anthony Rendon, he nonetheless struck an excessively-humble tone when assessing his personal expertise degree.
“God blessed me with with some talents, however I positively have to work my tail off,” mentioned Marsh. “I wasn’t something particular popping out of highschool, and I’m nonetheless not particular. It nonetheless hasn’t come collectively for me. I believe it’s beginning to type into a reasonably cool product, although. I simply must maintain my head down and keep the course.”
What he gained’t do is maintain his head down in a hangdog method. A lot as I’d not too long ago requested Alek Manoah if he considers pitching fun, I requested Marsh if he considers hitting enjoyable.
“Oh, yeah,” responded the personable outfielder. “It’s a grind, for certain, however if you happen to don’t like it… I imply, if you happen to’re not having enjoyable, laughing, smiling — however nonetheless working exhausting — it’s too many swings. It’s an excessive amount of baseball. So, you need to take pleasure in it. It’s a 162-game season, minimal, and if you happen to’re not having enjoyable for 162 video games, it’s going be brutal for you. You’ve positively bought to have some enjoyable.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Birdie Tebbetts went 4 for 42 towards Thornton Lee.
Robin Yount went 1 for 17 towards Sid Monge.
Steve Garvey went 1 for 16 towards Doug Bird.
John Lowenstein went 1 for 14 towards Mark Fidrych.
Trevor Crowe went 1 for 12 towards Rick Porcello.
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Jake Marisnick was a 21-year-old prospect within the Miami Marlins group after I first interviewed him for FanGraphs again in 2012. He’s now enjoying for the Pittsburgh Pirates, his seventh group since being drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays out of a Riverside, California highschool in 2009. An excellent defensive outfielder, he has 441 profession big-league hits, together with 61 residence runs.
I discussed our decade-old interview to Marisnick, and requested if he may have imagined his profession path going because it has.
“I don’t know,” responded the now 31-year-old. “That’s query. After I take a look at the place I’m at now, it’s been sort of a whirlwind. It’s been far and wide, career-wise.”
There have been highlights. Notable amongst them are his 2019 season, when he appeared in 5 World Sequence video games with the Houston Astros. As for his having by no means fairly lived as much as his potential — he was highly-regarded as a farmhand — Marisnick isn’t dwelling prior to now. He’s wanting towards the longer term.
“As a baseball participant, you’re by no means actually glad,” mentioned Marisnick, whom I noticed make a number of good defensive performs — together with a highlight-reel catch — on a current go to to PNC Park. “You exit and put the work in, and also you at all times attempt to be higher than what you’re. I nonetheless view myself as having the identical potential I did after I was youthful. There’s at all times room for progress. That’s sort of the beast that retains me going.”
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A quiz:
Mike Schmidt’s 4,004 complete bases are essentially the most in Philadelphia Phillies franchise historical past. Which former Phillie ranks second in that class?
The reply could be discovered under.
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NEWS NOTES
Dusty Baker bought his 2,000th managerial win earlier this week and is at the moment 2,004-1,745 for his profession. Now on the helm in Houston, Baker bought his first win in 1993 with the San Francisco Giants.
Everett AquaSox [High-A Seattle Mariners] broadcaster Pat Dillon known as his 2,000th recreation earlier this week. Dillon has been the radio voice of the Northwest League staff since 1998.
Josh Reddick has signed with the Australian League’s Perth Warmth. Cancelled final 12 months because of the pandemic, the 2022-2023 ABL season is slated to start in November.
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The reply to the quiz is Jimmy Rollins, with 3,655 complete bases. Ed Delahanty ranks third, with 3,233.
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Watching the St. Louis Cardinals take batting follow a handful of years in the past, I noticed each Michael Wacha and Adam Wainwright propelling balls over the left discipline fence. Whereas they weren’t precisely hitting moonshots, the reminiscence — for no matter cause — has caught with me. I discussed it to Wacha on Thursday, then requested whether or not he or his former teammate is the higher hitter.
“That’s an easy one,” replied Wacha, who signed with the Boston Pink Sox as a free agent this previous offseason. “Wainwright is a significantly better hitter than I’m. He’s bought a Silver Slugger to his title. I’ve bought an .089 batting common in my profession.”
Wacha was barely off on his batting mark — it’s truly .092 — however he was right in his general evaluation. Together with the 2017 Silver Slugger, Wainwright boasts a .193 common, and he’s gone deep 10 occasions. Wacha doesn’t have a big-league residence run, however once more, he’s greater than able to clearing a fence throughout batting follow. How do the 2 examine when it comes to BP energy?
“I can perhaps sustain with him from time to time, however that’s about it,” mentioned Wacha. “He’s taller than I’m, larger than I’m. I’m stronger, however his swing is a bit more compact than mine, which tasks a little bit bit additional trajectory on the ball. He’s bought some pop.”
Is it protected to say that Wainwright misses hitting greater than his erstwhile rotation-mate does?
“That’s in all probability a good evaluation,” mentioned Wacha. “For certain.”
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The SofBbank Hawks gained their 5,000th recreation in franchise historical past earlier this week. The Fukuoka-based membership has an all-time report of 5,001-4,347-368.
Chunichi Dragons left-hander Yudai Ohno retired the primary 29 batters he confronted earlier than dropping an ideal recreation on a Tenth-inning double in Friday’s 1-0 win over the Hanshin Tigers.
Masahiro Tanaka went eight robust innings and bought the win when the Rakuten Golden Eagles beat the Nippon Ham Fighters 3-1 on Tuesday. The 33-year-old right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.46 ERA on the season.
Raidel Martínez has allowed one run over 12 innings in as many aid appearances with the Chunichi Dragons. The 25-year-old right-hander from Pinar del Rio, Cuba has surrended simply 4 hits, and walked only one, with 16 strikeouts.
Ronnie Williams has a 1.71 ERA over 21 innings for the KBO’s Kia Tigers. A 2014 second-round choose by the St. Louis Cardinals, the 26-year-old right-hander spent final season within the San Francisco Giants system.
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Darrin Jackson confronted plenty of pitchers throughout a enjoying profession that spanned the 1985-1999 seasons. I requested the outfielder-turned-Chicago-White-Sox broadcaster which ones stands out as having been underrated.
“Darryl Kile is a man who, throughout his period, was one of many extra dominant pitchers,” mentioned Jackson. “He was a put-you-on-the-seat-of-your-pants curveball sort of man who wasn’t essentially thought-about Corridor of Fame materials, however there’s no query that he was considered one of nastiest, most tough pitchers, to face — particularly for right-handed batters. He had the curveball, and he additionally had a fastball with good operating life. And he had some tenacity. He was not any person that you simply wished to look out at and attempt to visually intimidate. He was going to do the intimidating.”
Kile, who died tragically in 2002 at age 33, had two All-Star seasons with the Houston Astros, and one other with the St. Louis Cardinals. Jackson went 2-for-14 towards him, with three strikeouts.
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FARM NOTES
One of the best report within the minor leagues belongs to the Dayton Dragons. The Midwest League membership — the Excessive-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds — are 18-7.
Shane Sasaki has 20 stolen bases in as many makes an attempt with the Low-A Charleston RiverDogs. Drafted 99th general by the Tampa Bay Rays out of a Honolulu highschool in 2019, the 21-year-old outfielder is slashing .267/.337/.295 in 95 plate appearances.
Darick Hall has 10 residence runs and is slashing .292/.370/.655 in 127 plate appearances with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting first baseman was first featured right here at FanGraphs in 2018.
Max Meyer has allowed 18 hits, and has 39 strikeouts, in 31-and-a-third innings with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Drafted third general in 2020 by the Miami Marlins out of the College of Minnesota, the 23-year-old right-hander has a 1.72 ERA and a couple of.05 FIP.
Rodney Theophile has allowed 20 hits and three earned runs in 26 innings with the Low-A Fredericksburg Nationals. The 22-year-old Nicaraguan-born right-hander within the Washington system has issued 5 walks and logged 40 strikeouts.
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Kole Cottam is without doubt one of the more-intriguing under-the-radar prospects within the Pink Sox system. Boston’s fourth-round choose within the 2018 draft, the 24-year-old catcher is slashing .302/.380/.429 with a 133 wRC in 71 plate appearances with the Double-A Portland Sea Canines. Furthermore, he’s doing so with a defense-first strategy.
“Developmentally, it’s about placing protection first,” Cottam mentioned on the onset of the minor-league season. “It’s all in regards to the pitcher. I’ve been working exhausting on every part since I bought to professional ball, however I’m actually specializing in my protection this 12 months. I’ll let the hitting come. I do know it will likely be there.”
Cottam considers framing to be considered one of his strengths, and like many catchers, he’s purchased right into a one-knee stance. He credit Pink Sox catching coach Jason Varitek, and Sea Canines supervisor Chad Epperson — a former catching coordinator — for a lot of his enchancment behind the dish. And whereas protection is “on the forefront of [his] growth,” he’s totally conscious that good-hitting catchers are extraordinarily beneficial.
“I take delight in each,” defined Cottam, who slashed .326/.399.553 in three seasons on the College of Kentucky, and .278/.371/.500 with a 133 wRC+ final 12 months between Excessive-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. “I’m primarily targeted on protection proper now, however once more, I believe the hitting goes to be there.”
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
The Triple-A Worcester Pink Sox hosted a Deaf and Onerous of Listening to Consciousness Evening on April 29. Geoff Pontes wrote about it at Baseball America.
Viva El Birdo’s J.P. Hill explored Tommy Edman’s improved stroll price.
Austin Bechtold dug into Cole Tucker’s early-season struggles at Bucs Dugout.
Royals Overview’s Bradford Lee looked back at former Kansas Metropolis supervisor Tony Muser.
At CBS Sports activities, R.J. Anderson wrote about how the 2003 Detroit Tigers — one of many worst MLB groups ever — are a lesson for rebuilding groups.
At SABR’s Baseball Card Weblog, Tim Jenkins looked back on the first gamers to have DH listed as their main place.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Zac Gallen has made 54 big-league begins. In 25 of them he has allowed two or fewer earned runs and gotten both a loss or a no-decision. On 9 different events he’s allowed three earned runs with out getting a win. Over his profession, Gallen is 11-18 with a 131 ERA+.
The Pink Sox have performed six extra-inning video games this season. They’ve misplaced all of them, one on the street and 5 at residence.
Jackie Bradley Jr. is slashing .371/.421/.543 in 38 plate appearances at Fenway Park this season. He’s slashing .083/.154/.124 in 53 plate appearances on the street.
Shelley Duncan performed for the Cleveland Indians in 2010, 2011, and 2012. He had 11 residence runs and 29 runs scored in every of these three seasons.
Miguel Cabrera stroked his 600th profession double yesterday and now has 3,009 hits. Al Kaline had 3,007 hits, together with 498 doubles.
Frank Thomas had 10,075 plate appearances and a couple of,468 hits.
Bobby Abreu had 10,081 plate appearances and a couple of,470 hits.
On right this moment’s date in 1911, the Boston Rustlers beat the New York Giants 5-4. The staff that turned the Boston Braves the next 12 months then misplaced 14 consecutive video games, all of them at residence.
On right this moment’s date in 2012, Josh Hamilton went 5-for-5 with a double and 4 residence runs because the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-3. Hamilton drove in eight, with all 4 of his homers coming with a person on.
Gamers born on right this moment’s date embody Lloyd Allen, whom the California Angels took twelfth general within the 1968 draft. A right-hander who went to pitch for 3 groups over seven big-league seasons, Allen completed 8-25 with 22 saves and a 4.69 ERA. He had 194 strikeouts and issued 196 walks.
Additionally born on right this moment’s date was Chester Cornelius “Red” Hoff, who pitched for the New York Yankees from 1911-1913, and for the St. Louis Browns in 1915. A local of Ossining, New York, Hoff was 107 years, 4 months, 9 days previous when he died in 1998.
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