LaStella called up to the Atlanta

Definitely a good chance he's an improvement, even if it's just small. I just don't see the level of love he receives. Thethe hasn't even compared him to Cano yet
 
I see no reason TLS can't put up a ~700 OPS at the MLB level. I just don't think it is wise for folks to expect a .380 OBP out of him. He simply doesn't have the power to scare MLB pitchers into being careful and walking him that much.

He could very well be a .275/.350/.350 hitter at the MLB level (especially if he is benched a bit against the tougher LHed starters) with below average defense at 2B. That is a very useful and meaningful upgrade for a team that's posted a .500 OPS at 2B with average (at best) defense.

However, I think if TLS is given 6 weeks of playing time he will post a line closer to .240/.290/.290 (sub .600 OPS) and force Wren to go shopping at the trade deadline. That 6 week trial will start soon so Wren has time to start 2B shopping in mid-July.
 
nsacpi said:
I don't think La Stella is going to be an All-Star. I'm expecting an OPS in the .700 to .750 range, with below average defense. Given the extremely low production we've gotten from second, he's likely to help the team quite a bit. He isn't replacing someone like Cano or Utley.
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I'd rather not assume his defense is poor or below average (I've only seen him a couple of times), and I'd like to have a better (?) yardstick than dWAR, DRS or UZR.

What are the components of defense for a 2B, how do you weight them, and what percentage of a 2Bs value is tied to defense?
 
Enscheff said:
I think TLS gets a look soon, but I'm afraid all those walks will vanish once MLB pitchers realize he can't hurt them with anything other than singles. After all, if a guy isn't a power threat, why not just challenge him and make him earn his way to 1B with a single rather than give him 1B with a walk?
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He's a gap hitter as well. He hit plenty of doubles in the AFL and Spring Training, both of which he faced high level pitching. I believe his lack of gap power in AAA has been an aberration.
 
Garmel said:
He's a gap hitter as well. He hit plenty of doubles in the AFL and Spring Training, both of which he faced high level pitching. I believe his lack of gap power in AAA has been an aberration.
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I don't know how La Stella will do, but I'm not going to judge his chances on 3/4 speed baseball, which is what the AFL and Spring Training are.
 
If Pastornicky does get sent down, he can point at two plays at second on Tuesday that he should have made. ESPN's Boone (a former infielder) was critical of the effort on both plays, which he correctly pointed out would have been routine for Pedroia.
 
I can understand why some are gushing about La Stella's bat, but I predict there will be plenty of grousing about his glove within the next month or so (provided he sticks -- I hope he is given a proper shot.) He just isn't very refined defensively.
 
Tapate50 said:
The guy from Scientology? That is the definition of being multi-talented huh?
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