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Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat
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Eric A Longenhagen
1:24
Yup, I still think he'ss be a league average starter
Drew
1:24
Is it normal to have this many talented young guys in the minors or is this an unusual crop. Devers/Vlad Jr/Acna/Bichette/Albies all are gonna be in the pros be 21 or younger it seems.
Eric A Longenhagen
1:25
The game is skewing younger in general right now.
Drew
1:25
You've mentioned you hink Hans Crouse is a reliever mostly likely. Delivery too volatile to hold up as a starter/lack of control/lack of third pitch?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:25
Delivery/athleticism for me. His stuff is vicious, though.
Jim
1:26
Which of these teenagers has impressed you the most: Akil Baddo, Wander Javier, Brandon Marsh, or Starling Heredia?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:26
All? Baddoo surprised me the most.
Babe Lincoln
1:27
Why would a too-big SS move to 3B v. 2B?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:30
If you have a range deficiency, you probably move to 3B. If the arm is lacking for SS, you probably move to 2B. So if we accept that size detracts from range then a SS prospect who is very big probably moves to 3B. I didn't find a correlation between size (weight or BMI) and defensive effectiveness at SS in my study but there are a lot of potential problems with the data and a selection bias (because I only looked at shortstop the bigger guys passed a pass/fail at SS at some point that allowed them to stay at SS)
Drew
1:31
Broadly speaking, how often do pitchers develop that elusive changeup to make them a viable starter (thinking abuot guys like Nate Pearson or Cease)
Eric A Longenhagen
1:32
Less than you think. I don't think a change is necessary, just a third pitch. And the change is often improved with reps.
Jack
1:32
What is the ceiling for Lin (red sox infielder)? Brock holt replacement?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:32
Yeah, I think you're right on him. Probably Utility guy.
billsaints
1:32
My kid pitches. That comebacker to the head terrifies me. Is there any traction anywhere towards protective head gear at the lower levels. Would they affect mechanics once pitchers got used to them?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:34
Nope. I doubt they'd impact mechanics. Guys wear huge chains and do-nothing sleeves all the time and are fine. It'll take a serious injury to change the culture.
Babe Lincoln
1:34
Who improved his FV the most this year?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:34
Bo Bichette, I buried him last offseason.
John
1:35
is higher spin rate always better for curveballs and sliders?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:36
All else being equal? Yeah, probably. But Pitcher Allen might have a better spin rate than Pitcher Jesus, but Jesus' arm slot makes for a more effective breaking ball. Spin rate in a vacuum doesn't tell us enough.
Jim
1:39
How much does Phil Bickford's lost season affect his development?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:39
Speaking of guys who need a third pitch...
Phil
1:39
What specifically accounts for the gap that you referred to between what teams know about prospects and what analysts like yourself know about those same prospects?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:40
Trackman data I don't have access to beyond what I see over the shoulders of interns in press boxes and on backfields
sabrtooth
1:40
What percentage of chat/Twitter questions are people playing "gotcha" with you?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:40
2%
John
1:40
If Seager can make it work at SS, shouldn't Tatis be able to manage also?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:42
To say Seager is evidence that everyone his size and below can play SS seems incorrect. Seager is kind of a freak, not the norm. Like saying "Randy Johnson figuerd out how to throw enough strikes, why not Glasnow?"
LudeBurger
1:42
I've rarely seen a 65 for individual tools. Can you think of anyone with any?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:43
I avoid 65s because I think it's an unnecessary hedge between 60 and 70. I just wanna make a call at that point. But teams do use 65 and I don't fault other writers for using it, granularity isn't bad.
Jack
1:45
You mentioned briefly in your chat (last week I think) that you're down on Cole Tucker - mind explaining why?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:45
I just quickly Control+F'd Tucker in my last three chats and got nothing. Think you've got me mistaken with someone else?
Are you cheating on me with another prospect writer, Jack?
Anthony
1:46
What is the most important and/or difficult thing to evaluate with whether a catching prospect can remain behind the plate? Instincts, lateral quickness, general athleticism? Something else?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:46
The framing aspect.
Anthony
1:46
Besides Almeida, has anyone been really surprising out of the instructs gates?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:46
Among guys who had not been on my radar, Wyatt Strahan was up to 96 with a plus slider yesterday.
Acuna Matata
1:47
Can I be a true CF? or can I just play any OF position if need be?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:48
I'm going to start emphasizing the tilde to avoid the Lion King puns. You can all thank me later.
Bud
1:48
Advice on when to visit AFL? First week so you can catch instructional league games? What's up with fewer night games this year? Baseball is played at night and, you know, it's hot during the day. A yearly guide to the AFL would be an excellent article!
Eric A Longenhagen
1:49
No night games during the World Series, that's an AFL rule. I'll do a full on guide to baseball here before I inevitably move a few years from now.
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