JJ Cooper
@jjcoop36
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Editor-In-Chief for Baseball America. Not paying to be verified. RTs and likes are not necessarily endorsements. Contact me at jjcooper (at) http://baseballamer
Durham, NC
Joined May 2009
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We've updated all 30 MLB Top 30 Prospects lists in the past two weeks so
@baseballamerica
subscribers will have the most up-to-date info possible for the trade deadline. We'll update them after the trade deadline to add draftees and reflect trades.
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Terrance Gore's career continues to fascinate me. He's been added to the Mets MLB roster.
9 years in the majors.
15 hits.
3 World Series rings
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Rays teams this year:
MLB: Best record in AL
AAA: Best record + Champs
AA: Lost by 1 in deciding game of championship.
HiA: Best Record + Champs
LoA: Best Record + Champs
Complex: Best Record + Champs
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It depressed me when I just realized that Mike Trout has one career postseason hit.
Andy Pettite has three.
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Elly De La Cruz has been a Red for 2 PAs and one hour.
He has the hardest hit ball by any Reds hitter this year (112 mph double).
He has the fastest sprint speed a Reds baserunner has recorded (30.4 ft/sec).
He also has the third fastest sprint speed for a Reds baserunner.
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At the time the ball was hitting the wall on J.T. Realmuto's HR Ronald Acuna had not yet moved.
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Jack Leiter this year.
41 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 16 BB, 71 SO, 0.22 ERA.
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With Beltre's retirement, Bartolo Colon is the last active player left who played in the majors in the 20th century.
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Hearing that Reds RHP Hunter Greene has touched 105 mph while working in the leadup to the MiLB season. At the MLB level, only two pitchers have been documented to have touched 105--Aroldis Chapman and Jordan Hicks.
(Argument can be made to add Nolan Ryan to that MLB list).
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Aroldis Chapman touched 101 mph today. It's the 15 straight season he's touched 101 or better in an MLB game. No one else has done it in more than 6 straight seasons. He's never had a significant arm injury during that 15 season stretch.
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It does appear that spending money to make your MLB team significantly better also helps increase fan interest in said team.
Unreal day today…and I know it’s still going. Personal highlight probably
@Mudcat55
starting “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Baseball is the best!
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The Staten Island Yankees announce they are ceasing operations and are suing the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball.
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First female manager in the minors. As we wrote recently at Baseball America, pro baseball went from having no female coaches to a significant number in less than five years.
Sources: Rachel Balkovec, who joined the Yankees organization as a minor-league hitting coach in 2019, will serve as the manager for the Low A Tampa Tarpons next season.
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Need a definition of the Streisand effect?
Here's a near perfect example.
By crudely censoring a rather anonymous highlight MLB ensures many, many more people will see the "Sell the team" signs.
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All-times Braves CF defensive rankings
3. Dale Murphy
2. Andruw Jones
1. Mark Melancon
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Short 🧵
As we all await further Juan Soto news, I think it may sometimes be over-looked just how the Dodgers ability to be world-class in scouting and player development pairs with their financial advantages as well.
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Jimmy Garappolo just signed a 5-year, $137m contract that is the richest in NFL history. Yu Darvish just signed a 6-yr, $126m with incentives that could push it to $150 and its somewhat of a bargain. And Darvish's deal is fully guaranteed. Play baseball.
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Elly De La Cruz has played 6 MLB games.
He has the 2 hardest-hit balls by any Reds player this year (a HR and a 2B).
He has 6 fastest sprint speeds recorded by any Reds player this year.
He has the hardest throw by any Reds infielder this year.
And he's hitting .381/.500/.667.
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At Baseball America, we've been a work from home company for the past 3 years but we're making it official as we're closing our vacant office. We have cool baseball stuff at the office we don't have room to keep (blow-up BA covers, old baseball books, a few bobbleheads/cards).
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The Royals were bought by the Glass family in 2000 for $96 million. In 19 years, the Royals won 44 percent of their games (with 2 playoff and WS appearances and 1 title). They averaged 1.76 million fans per year, no massive local TV deal. They sold for $1 billion in 2019.
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That was 10.83 home to third on the triple for Elly De La Cruz.
That's the fastest time home to first by anyone in the majors this year.
Corbin Carroll's 10.97 is second fastest.
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Royals infield has three shortstops playing 2B-SS-3B. Has a shot to be the best INF defense in the majors.
Nicky Lopez was worthy of the Gold Glove at shortstop last year. Maybe he will get it at 2nd in 2022. Exit velo of 106.7mph
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After watching a lot of winter ball and a lot of Asian baseball over the years, I can't help but think that we in the U.S. are the least fun fans in baseball.
Bring on individualized songs and dances for every player!
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Let's imagine a Braves fan who was born in 1986. If they became a fan in 1991 as a 5-year-old, this will be their 33rd season in which they've been a fan.
This is likely to be the 21st time in those 33 seasons they've watched their team win its division.
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Padres OF Robert Hassell egged on the Dodgers-heavy Futures game crowd to boo him. He seemed to enjoy it.
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Every color commentator in every sport can learn something from how Romo does it. He is actually more technical and gameplay focused than almost any other analyst but he does so in ways that make the play by play chess match understandable to all.
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1. Yep, I'm Tweeting about the AAA ball again.
In AAA right now, players are hitting HRs at 159 percent of the rate they hit them in 2018. Already, AAA hitters have hit 788 more HRs than AAA hit in all of 2018.
Here's what's amazing. At AA/HiA/LoA, HR rates are actually down.
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Once Mejia trade is done, Padres will have 10 players among our Top 100 Prospects including the No. 2 prospect in the game. This is a '12 Royals/'15 Cubs type of farm system at this point.
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The
@Nationals
Juan Soto is still the sixth youngest player on an NL Opening Day active roster.
He also has 99 HRs, 486 hits, 375 walks and 338 runs scored already.
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If he signs for this fans of every other team should revolt for your team failing to top this offer.
The White Sox offer to Machado is for $175 million, over seven years. In some ways, their approach is like Boston's w/ J.D. Martinez last winter -- the Red Sox offered $100 million and waited for two months. If CWS offer emerges as best, a big ? is: Would Machado/NYY re-engage?
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Cardinals 3B prospect Jordan Walker hit a groundout 116.3 mph tonight (according to Low A Palm Beach/Jupiter's Hawkeye system). Only 12 MLB players have hit a ball that hard in a game this season.
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Byron Buxton insanity. Ground ball at the infielder. Not even close.
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There we go. Elly De La Cruz just ripped off a 96.6 mph throw. That's the hardest throw by any MLB infielder this year.
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If the Orioles were in the AL Central, they would be 5.5 games out of first place.
In the AL East, they are 4 games out of fourth place.
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The Padres are doing what a team that has rebuilt and still has a good farm system should do. They have turned massive prospect depth into impact MLB players.
San Diego has held on to MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams and Robert Hassell while acquiring Clevinger, Nola and Snell.
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1. I try to mention this every 40-man roster deadline day, but this is a life-changing day for a lot of prospects. Added to the 40-man roster means
a) Spring training invite + MLB ST per diem.
b) Massively bumped up minor league pay.
c) Easier to make the majors.
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I am so confused.
1] when was Turner tested.
2) did the results not get conveyed until in-game?
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Here are the statistical leaders for the World Baseball Classic.
As a hitter Shohei Ohtani led the WBC in:
Runs scored, Hits and Walks
He hit .435/.606/.739
As a pitcher, Ohtani led the WBC in:
Wins and Innings Pitched
He went 2-0, 1.86
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I do wonder if having two teams who are a combined 42 games under .500 (currently) may have played a role.
Major League Baseball and Fox Sports posted a sharp ratings decline for the league’s second Field of Dreams game, held on August 11 in Dyersville, Iowa, further signaling the likely end of the event, at least for the time being.
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If Franco's deal is 11 years/$185 million that's not a crazy low amount.
Bryce Harper's first 11 years: $141 million (free agent deal was backloaded)
Manny Machado first 11 years: $174 million
Fernando Tatis Jr first 11 years, $157 million
Source: Baseball Reference
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I would say the Nationals got the second-biggest haul in this trade.
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I promise you, quote Tweeting the dumbest takes on the extremely scary incident in the Bills-Bengals game does no one any good.
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I've been studying MiLB pace of play and time of game for more than a decade.
I've never seen anything like what we saw last night. The beginning of enforcement of new rules cut nearly half an hour of game times.
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Triple-A Albuquerque drew 15,190 fans last night. That's more than the Pirates, Marlins and A's drew yesterday and only 5 fewer fans than the Rays attendance.
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Tonight Jackson Holliday is 5 for 5 with a single, two doubles, two triples, a stolen base, 5 RBIs and three runs scored.
Since he last made an out he is 9-for-9 with a walk, a single, three doubles, three triples and a home run.
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I feel certain there will be big leaguers in the future who will make it to the majors because of the decision to cover MiLB players housing. They would have had to quit for financial reasons under the old system.
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The Rays have gotten 7 innings from Glasnow (acquired for Archer), Anderson (acquired for Jesus Sanchez) and Fairbanks (acquired for Nick Solak). They are tied bc of a home run by Meadows (acquired for Archer). Rays pro scouting and analytics consistently do great work.
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The Orioles have the top farm system in baseball. No matter who all is in this trade, the gap is so big that they likely will still have the best farm system in baseball.
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The MLBPA (MLB players) have committed $1 million to help MiLB players during the COVID-19 shutdown.
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In a response to MLB's MiLB proposal, 105 US Representatives sent a letter today to Commissioner Rob Manfred and all 30 MLB teams.
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Votto just hit an infield pop up in his first AB of 2021.
This may be today's most shocking stat.
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My crazy idea...Future MiLB ballpark with housing built into/adjacent to the stadium. In-season, houses the players. Off-season, it's a Pensacola-style Air BNB type attraction for baseball fans to stay "at the park."
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I play this down the middle. I report on this, so I keep my opinions out of this. This is I believe a reasonable, unbiased explanation of the current impasse.
Players: Let's play, tells us when and where to show up.
Owners: No 2020 season unless you waive your legal rights.
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If you follow the minors, you hear a lot about MiLB player pay. But MiLB player housing is actually the issue that causes the most issues for MiLB players.
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Yep. We have been able to keep paying our staff of full-time (with benefits) writers/editors through the COVD-19 shutdown. We RELY on subscribers. No regrets. No apologies.
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The 2018 MLB draft is in the books. 1,214 players were picked. Luke Heimlich was not one of them.
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Never seen a fan base honor and wish well their departing free agents as impressively as the Royals fans are with Cain-Hosmer-Moose. Wistful, but appreciative.
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So Elly De La Cruz today
1st PA: Infield single
2nd PA: RBI single
3rd PA: BB, SB, scores on RBI single.
4th PA: BB, advances on ground out. Takes 3B on PB. Scores go-ahead run on ball hit right to SS with infield in.
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I do not say this to cast aspersions at A's fans. For an MLB team to draw fewer than 4,000 fans on back-to-back nights says more about the the efforts of the team to sell tickets/market than it does the fans.
Of the 13 AAA games yesterday, 11 drew more fans than the Oakland A's announced attendance of 3,407. Four more than doubled the A's attendance.
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I am trying to make sure everyone understands that the Yankees did trade away Top 10 Prospects in this deal. If you're argument is you don't like Duran/Smith and have info, let's discuss. If it's because you cite preseason rankings (ours included) that's outdated info.
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One thing I repeatedly hear from scouts and front office officials. They all are noticing which MLB clubs are furloughing people and which ones are paying their employees for the duration. They steadfastly believe it will be an advantage for adding top talent going forward.
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We had Jacob Melton ranked 19th on our BA500. He just went 64th, so safe to say we like this pick for the Astros.
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Seeing a lot of reaction that seems to indicate people think Seattle got hosed in this trade.
Acquiring a pitcher who you want to make 2 starts in a playoff series (and will be on the team next year too) should be costly. There are very few of them on the market right now.
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I have been fortunate to cross paths with several players from Curacao. I have yet to meet one of them who isnt multi-lingual, usually capable of speaking three or four languages, something I can only dream of. In other words, smart.
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The MLB Rule 5 draft has been postponed indefinitely because of the lockout, but there is a MiLB Rule 5 draft this week (Dec. 8, 2 p.m. ET). At Baseball America we're turning lemons into lemonade. Coming shortly...
OUR FIRST-EVER MiLB RULE 5 DRAFT PREVIEW!
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We see more home runs hit in a week in college baseball these days then we saw hit in 2013.
I'm not really joking.
Cags has HRs in 8 straight games. Kurtz hit 13 in 9 games.
2013 national champion UCLA hit 19 HR and allowed 19 HR as a team.
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This is baseball 2019. Nate Pearson throws a 99 mph fastball as an Edgertronic records it. Jake Scheiner takes that 99 the other way for a home run. And Scheiner's bat has a bat sensor. Lot of things you wouldn't see five years ago.
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I am not knocking the NBA, but please, please no one ever again try to explain to me how a salary cap ensures parity and that is why baseball needs a cap.
Cousins will sign a one-year, $5.3M deal with Warriors, league source tells ESPN.
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The Pioneer League has announced rules it will use for its first year as a Partner League. Instead of extra innings there will be a HR derby to settle ties. Each team can use a designated pinch hitter and a designated pinch runner.
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The New York Yankees will have minor league affiliates in Somerset and Hudson Valley in 2021 and beyond and will not be affiliated with Trenton and Staten Island, Baseball America has learned from multiple sources. ($)
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Jack Leiter has a no-hitter for Vanderbilt. Allows only a leadoff walk and then 27 up, 27 down. Total domination with a career high 16 Ks against South Carolina.
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When someone posts a video saying a new signing for the Dodgers is more important than the Jackie Robinson signing.... The point is to get your engagement.
It is OK to ignore and move on.
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With Buxton, Eloy and Vlad Jr. spending September somewhere other than the majors I am becoming convinced that the next CBA will have to figure out something other than service time as the key driver of pre-FA salaries and free agent eligibility.
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One-knee catching setups became popular in 2019/2020. As you can see from this chart, they have had a massive effect on MLB catchers' abilities to block pitches in the dirt.
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There is a report that MiLB season is cancelled citing agents multiple agents as the sources. I can find nothing of the sort. Three major agencies say they have not received any messaging saying MiLB season is cancelled. MLB and MiLB also both say no decision has been made.
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We cannot report on this stuff every day all year without generating money to fund reporting on this. We have been able to keep our editorial staff during a pandemic. We can do that because of subscribers. Thank you to our subscribers for allowing us to cover all of this.
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Big news. MLB has told its teams that they can hold instructional league workouts/games for its minor leaguers. Teams that do so will be required to pay their players at their normal in-season pay rate.
@jnorris427
has the news and the details ($).
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Hi Nick...
We pay our full-time staff to put together these lists. If we made these lists free we would go out of business quickly. How would you suggest we make the money to pay our staff to do this work?
(Thank you BA subscribers!)
@BaseballAmerica
Pipeline does this cool thing where you don't have to pay for their rankings
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Let's create a thread. Feel free to share what Minor League Baseball means to you.
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Btw, MLB's best make $10-15M more per year than the NFL's best. Longer careers, guaranteed contracts and they don't get CTE. Play baseball.
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I think a number of people seem to believe that for luxury tax purposes Ohtani will cost the Dodgers $2 million next year.
That's not the case. He will be a $46 million salary next year for luxury tax purposes.
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Usually when a player says something like this it's exaggerated. Merrfield is dead on. According to Statcast's tracking of Perez's balls in play, he would have hit 59 home runs if he was playing at the Mariners, Phillies or the White Sox's parks.
Whit Merrifield on Salvador Perez, who leads
@MLB
with 48 HR, moments ago on
@MLBNetworkRadio
: “We play in Kauffman Stadium. He doesn’t get to hit cheap home runs . . . If he’s playing anywhere else, he might be sitting at 55, 58 home runs right now.”
@Royals
@MLBNetwork
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The next time a middling team doesn't make any moves at the trade deadline, this Braves team is the reminder that all it takes at that point is the willingness to add payroll to improve a team. Soler+Rosario+Duvall+Pederson. May not cost them any prospect they regret trading.
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MLB statement. Games cancelled through April 13. Jackie Robinson Day (April 15) marking the 75th anniversary of Robinson's MLB debut would be part of the next wave of cancelations.
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The chase/waste zones are pitches more than one ball out of the strike zone. In MLB this year, hitters are hitting .091/.461/.116 against these pitches.
Reds 1B prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand is hitting .271/.434/.475 in these zones.
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Joey Votto HRs
2018: 12
2019: 15
2020: 11
July 24-July 30, 2021: 8
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This is one of those things I know many fans want to be true.
Hitters against a 98+ mph 4-seam fastball in the heart of the plate in 2023 (
#5
on the graphic below)
.261/.261/.348
Hitters against a 88-92 mph 4-seam fastball on the shadow zone in 2023
.267/.346/.464
@jjcoop36
Pitchers can’t locate consistently. If they could, they wouldn’t need to throw as hard.
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Akil Baddoo just beat the team that drafted him and left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft.
Tigers 4, Twins 3.
So far Baddoo has
Homered in his first MLB AB
Hit a grand slam in his second MLB game
Hit a walk-off RBI single in his third MLB game
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Raw sewage flowing through Oakland's clubhouse hasn't led MLB to force the As to move. Not a realistic threat.
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One random question....so who here has stuck around for the end of an extra inning game that has lasted 12+ innings as a fan? I'll raise my hand on that one.
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Nolan Gorman is the first hitter to reach the second deck here at Coors Field in RF. Also reached the bullpens beyond CF several times.
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