7/11 MONDAY MINORS FINAL: Allard aces! Wentz still unscored on

[sturg33]

Davidson has the power stroke working

[Southcack77]

I hope we let him get some innings under his belt and keep him in Danville the rest of the season. There's no sense to promote a pitcher battling back from injury at the lower levels of the minor this late in the minor league season. The goal should be health. Even if he were to go to Rome and pitch well, he's still going to start next season there.

The same should apply to Fried as well, IMO.

I'd move both Allard and Fried up personally. They are both placed pretty conservatively right now, I think.

[smootness]

I'd move both Allard and Fried up personally. They are both placed pretty conservatively right now, I think.

I agree. I don't really see why pitching in Danville or Rome is better when coming back from injury than Rome or Carolina. What does it really matter? I would like to keep challenging them and to try to kickstart their progression.

[zbhargrove]

Davidson has the power stroke working

If he finds the big time power he was hyped for in HS, that would be yuge

[Southcack77]

Albies 2-3. Just smashed a RBI double

I wonder what Albies would have to do to reverse the ranking with Swanson. Obviously, Albies is torching AA at a much younger age than Swanson. At what point does that become significant?

[jimsnores]

Albies 2-3. Just smashed a RBI double

Back over .400 in AA. Love to see the success, but part of me wonders what he would be doing if he had stayed up in AAA. I am thinking he'd still be hot and headed toward.300. Even in limited AA at bats, a kid his age (and size) hitting .400 with a little power at this point in a AA season is really, really impressive.

[smootness]

I wonder what Albies would have to do to reverse the ranking with Swanson. Obviously, Albies is torching AA at a much younger age than Swanson. At what point does that become significant?

It matters, but scouting reports matter as well. I personally believe Swanson is a better defender at SS and will continue to be a better defender at SS than Albies. And I think people also believe that Swanson has a higher floor and more ability for power than Albies.

Personally, I don't really care which one ends up being better. I love both of them, and Albies is about as natural as I've ever seen at just barreling up a baseball.

[Southcack77]

It matters, but scouting reports matter as well. I personally believe Swanson is a better defender at SS and will continue to be a better defender at SS than Albies. And I think people also believe that Swanson has a higher floor and more ability for power than Albies.

Personally, I don't really care which one ends up being better. I love both of them, and Albies is about as natural as I've ever seen at just barreling up a baseball.

I struggle with the weight they give to position.

Would I rather have Altuve at 2b or Stephen Drew at SS? That seems like an easy choice. Maybe it's not a fair comparison for either player, but it might be.

[smootness]

I struggle with the weight they give to position.

Would I rather have Altuve at 2b or Stephen Drew at SS? That seems like an easy choice. Maybe it's not a fair comparison for either player, but it might be.

I wasn't giving extra weight to position. I was just saying that I think Swanson is a better defender than Albies.

But you also picked the biggest extremes possible. Would you rather have someone hitting like Jeter at SS or 2B, given the choice? Doesn't matter that much, but I'll take him at SS if he can still play it well defensively.

[Southcack77]

I wasn't giving extra weight to position. I was just saying that I think Swanson is a better defender than Albies.

But you also picked the biggest extremes possible. Would you rather have someone hitting like Jeter at SS or 2B, given the choice? Doesn't matter that much, but I'll take him at SS if he can still play it well defensively.

I was shooting for something like .280 and 10 hrs with pretty good defense at SS (basically a slightly above average SS) as opposed to an all star playing decent defense at 2b.

That's sort of the hypo I am building. Maybe Stephen Drew wasn't the right number profile. Did that off the top of my head and was thinking more about his best years.

Not saying this is how it ends up.

[smootness]

I was shooting for something like .280 and 10 hrs with pretty good defense at SS (basically a slightly above average SS) as opposed to an all star playing decent defense at 2b.

That's sort of the hypo I am building. Maybe Stephen Drew wasn't the right number profile. Did that off the top of my head and was thinking more about his best years.

Not saying this is how it ends up.

Well, no. I'll take the All-Star no matter where he lines up. Position matters, but it doesn't matter that much.

And you picked Altuve, who is not just 'an All-Star' at 2B...he's arguably the best player in baseball so far this year. Guys who hit like him are super valuable at any position, including 1B or DH.

[CrimsonCowboy]

A summary of tonight's M-Braves/Mobile game tonight in the Port City:

It was not a great showing by the M-Braves. Four errors, two wild pitches, and a passed ball. Can't imagine the Mississippi coaches were thrilled by tonight's showing.

Rob Whalen: He was just off tonight. A big problem he had was not finishing off hitters after two strikes. He also seemed to let his frustration get to him. He especially showed it after giving up a home run in the first inning. Also hit a batter and walked a batter with the bases loaded.

Ozzie Albies: My first chance to see him. And I was impressed. He is a spark plug. His double down the RF line was a smash and he flies around the bases. After the double, he tagged up on a fly to center, then scored as the throw got passed the third baseman for Mobile. He immediately took off after the ball got away and slid in ahead of the tag at home. Just great baserunning. Reminded me a bit of Inciarte a few weeks ago against the Mets. Made me go Wow!

Levi Hyams: Had himself a good game. Doubled twice, including going the other way on the second one.

Williams Astudillo: Good game for him at the plate. Ground rule double and later homered to left.

Dansby Swanson: Did not play tonight. Did see him in the dugout. I'm sure given a break after this past weekend playing in the Futures Game and the long flight from San Diego to Mobile.

[Enscheff]

I wonder what Albies would have to do to reverse the ranking with Swanson. Obviously, Albies is torching AA at a much younger age than Swanson. At what point does that become significant?

Albies will definitely cool off at some point, and I think Swanson is going to steadily improve all year.

They are definitely 1A and 1B, and I wouldn't argue with anyone that put Albies as the A slightly ahead of Swanson.

[chop2chip]

I agree. I don't really see why pitching in Danville or Rome is better when coming back from injury than Rome or Carolina. What does it really matter? I would like to keep challenging them and to try to kickstart their progression.

IMO, the worst thing you can do coming back from injury is to overthrow / over do it. In a lesser league, success is more assure and the temptation isn't as strong to over do it and I think that's more important than getting a couple extra weeks at a higher level.

[smootness]

IMO, the worst thing you can do coming back from injury is to overthrow / over do it. In a lesser league, success is more assure and the temptation isn't as strong to over do it and I think that's more important than getting a couple extra weeks at a higher level.

Maybe. I just don't think it matters much, if any.

[Southcack77]

Well, no. I'll take the All-Star no matter where he lines up. Position matters, but it doesn't matter that much.

And you picked Altuve, who is not just 'an All-Star' at 2B...he's arguably the best player in baseball so far this year. Guys who hit like him are super valuable at any position, including 1B or DH.

That's fair. Maybe Altuve average stats in first three seasons was more what I was picturing. All star, not MVP.

Still I made a pretty easy hypo in effort to suggest Albies may well be a better hitter than Swanson. Probably not fair.