He could also learn how to get good jumps in the OF
GDT 9/8/23: Braves vs Pirates - Riley rests again
- Thread starter Slippyjms
- Start date
He could also learn how to get good jumps in the OF
Even Bonds had one weakness. Nobody is perfect.
Just amazing Acuna can be safely compared to Bonds (pre-roids).
Since all the Mookie for MVP talk got started (Aug 28th) Acuna has hit 373/418/824 - 1242 OPS. 7 HR and 4 SB in those 11 games. Walked more than he's struck out. He's on a mission.
Acuna’s speed certainly appears to be declining, and with it his OF defense. It’s odd to think about the MLB SB leader as a lumbering RFer, but that’s close to what he is. The SBs are mostly a result a bulk attempts, and his base running provides very little overall value. All that running is extra injury risk with little to no added offensive value…meaningless counting stats.
The sooner Acuna embraces the role of a 50 HR slugger, the sooner he will step into the upper echelon of stars all time.
The sooner Acuna embraces the role of a 50 HR slugger, the sooner he will step into the upper echelon of stars all time.
Yet he's doing something this season that's never been done before and will likely net him the MVP award
cajunrevenge
Well-known member
Elder about to end the year with a lower ERA than Strider.
Elder being a mid rotation starter is a pleasant surprise.
CyYoung31
Shift Leader
I don’t think his speed is necessarily declining, he just doesn’t run on most ground balls (which is fine if it’s routine, his health is more important than the chance of getting on base one particular time).
Strike3urout
Active member
The question is what he did to cut his K rate in half at his not-so-young-anymore age. Is it just a mental adjustment? Or is he, to break out the old chliche, focusing on „hitting the ball hard instead of trying to hit it far“ more this season, and it‘s costing him some lift in his swing?
I like this current version of Acuna a lot. And he‘s actually been a bit unlucky-he „should“ be slugging closer to .650. Which pretty much would have locked up the MVP already.
He’s stealing so many bases because of the new rules increasing stolen bases league wide. This is closer to a 30-30 or 40-40 season than whatever they are calling his feat.
And the MVP award doesn’t mean those steals are valuable. The smart guys have proven this decades ago. Casual fans may still think they are valuable, but anyone with any knowledge about offensive value understand how meaningless they are.
He cut his K rate because he’s a generational talent that doesn’t fit the mold of what usually happens during player progression. The all time greats tend to be that way.
zbhargrove
Well-known member
Interesting article on FanGraphs about Acuna and potentially helping the guys behind him see more fastballs because of his stealing potential. Seems like mixed results, but maybe has really helped Olson.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/does-ronald-acuna-jr-help-his-teammates-see-more-fastballs/
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/does-ronald-acuna-jr-help-his-teammates-see-more-fastballs/
Nobody is arguing what front offices think is valuable or not. The only opinions that really matters are the writers. Acuna has a narative that's going to get him the MVP votes. Just like Miggy vs Trout in 2012.