Where do we stand on JP?

Your opinion on JP

Poll ended at Fri May 05, 2023 6:54 am

Finally!
1
25%
Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice?
3
75%
 
Total votes: 4

Pharmabro
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by Pharmabro » Sun May 28, 2023 7:32 am

JP has looked a little different this year he has been barreling-up balls at a career high rate. He has always had the high floor with the pitch recognition and good defense. But now he has combined the eye walking at a career high14.4% rate. But the hard hitting is also way up.
walk rate 14.4%
Hard hit rate 40.3% (mlb average = 36%)

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-p ... itting-mlb

There is some good info on those player cards. On the broadcast they said JP had added muscle mass and given the hard hit rate boost it may be true.

.254 .364 .373 .737

I believe between the stats and the current batting line we should expect something closer to a .150+ ISO.

Right now JP has been worth a team leading 1.7 BWAR and a 110 OPS+.

I believe JP is growing confident and that confidence is being reinforced by his performance
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Donn Beach
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by Donn Beach » Sun May 28, 2023 8:00 am

That was the deal with him, great eye, just couldn't hit a baseball. So he is squaring them up now? That doesn't seem like a thing added muscle help with

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D-train
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by D-train » Sun May 28, 2023 12:02 pm

I have a dream that one day I can root for a baseball team that doesn't require celebrating that a guy has a .736 OPS.
dt

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Donn Beach
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by Donn Beach » Sun May 28, 2023 1:22 pm

GL_Storm wrote:
Sun Apr 30, 2023 8:01 am
We'll see how it goes over the course of the season. He could have a pop-up season or two. But one issue with him is that a lot of times when he gets hits it's because pitchers just throw him fastballs over and over again. Like tonight, he got 13 fastballs. So if he's going to level up his hitting ability, somewhere along the way he'll have to cope with pitchers taking him more seriously as a threat, especially if he starts showing semi-consistent power.

And I expect he'll be leading off tomorrow since Julio will likely have the day off.
He gets thrown fastballs because of his ability to layoff pitches. He has been one of the most selective hitters in baseball, this season he has actually increased it.
The other piece to this is that he’s taking even more advantage of his keen eye, which has always been his best skill. In the first quarter of 2023, he’s being more selective than ever. Always a player that kept his bat on his shoulder more than usual, toying with being too passive to succeed, this year he’s swinging about 3% less than he has over his career. The temptation of drawing a walk can be a Medusa, turning some into stone. But for J.P., it’s a perfect fit for his high contact rate. His ability to get the bat to the ball helps him protect the plate if he ends up at two strikes, so he can afford to let some strikes go by if he doesn’t like them. And that’s exactly where he’s made the change: He’s taking more balls, yes, but the real change is from swinging less at pitches in the zone. That extra patience is not only letting him get on base for free, as always, but it’s also letting him wait for his pitch, which may be helping drive his reduction in weak contact.
Kinda interesting article
https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2023/5/1 ... provements

Pharmabro
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by Pharmabro » Tue May 30, 2023 5:05 am

Donn Beach wrote:
Sun May 28, 2023 1:22 pm
GL_Storm wrote:
Sun Apr 30, 2023 8:01 am
We'll see how it goes over the course of the season. He could have a pop-up season or two. But one issue with him is that a lot of times when he gets hits it's because pitchers just throw him fastballs over and over again. Like tonight, he got 13 fastballs. So if he's going to level up his hitting ability, somewhere along the way he'll have to cope with pitchers taking him more seriously as a threat, especially if he starts showing semi-consistent power.

And I expect he'll be leading off tomorrow since Julio will likely have the day off.
He gets thrown fastballs because of his ability to layoff pitches. He has been one of the most selective hitters in baseball, this season he has actually increased it.
The other piece to this is that he’s taking even more advantage of his keen eye, which has always been his best skill. In the first quarter of 2023, he’s being more selective than ever. Always a player that kept his bat on his shoulder more than usual, toying with being too passive to succeed, this year he’s swinging about 3% less than he has over his career. The temptation of drawing a walk can be a Medusa, turning some into stone. But for J.P., it’s a perfect fit for his high contact rate. His ability to get the bat to the ball helps him protect the plate if he ends up at two strikes, so he can afford to let some strikes go by if he doesn’t like them. And that’s exactly where he’s made the change: He’s taking more balls, yes, but the real change is from swinging less at pitches in the zone. That extra patience is not only letting him get on base for free, as always, but it’s also letting him wait for his pitch, which may be helping drive his reduction in weak contact.
Kinda interesting article
https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2023/5/1 ... provements
Donn, that was a great article with some solid observations backed by the numbers. Thank you for for pointing it out. :idea:

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Sexymarinersfan
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by Sexymarinersfan » Tue May 30, 2023 1:28 pm

I posted this on another thread. But then I saw this one. And thought it belonged here as well.

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D-train
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by D-train » Tue May 30, 2023 2:43 pm

Seems ok right now but I am not really in the mood to celebrate a .725 OPS and saving our billionaire owners money given the fact we are in 4th and 6.5 games back.
dt

Captain 97
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by Captain 97 » Tue May 30, 2023 5:01 pm

D-train wrote:
Tue May 30, 2023 2:43 pm
Seems ok right now but I am not really in the mood to celebrate a .725 OPS and saving our billionaire owners money given the fact we are in 4th and 6.5 games back.
Yeah it's not great but There really aren't a ton of great shortstops in the league right now. None of the multi million dollar free agents are over .800. I am far less concerned with the fact that they didn't go after a SS than I am with the fact that they chose to go dumpster diving for DH and Outfield.

If we had the 7th highest OPS in baseball at every position, we would be sitting pretty.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx? ... &sort=10,d

Seattle or Bust
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by Seattle or Bust » Tue May 30, 2023 6:29 pm

JP is basically in the "he's fine" category that we all hoped he'd be in. Put up solid war at SS and don't be a liability w. the bat - great.

On a better team JP would probably still be hitting 9th.

But he's alright.

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D-train
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Re: Where do we stand on JP?

Post by D-train » Tue May 30, 2023 7:02 pm

Seattle or Bust wrote:
Tue May 30, 2023 6:29 pm
JP is basically in the "he's fine" category that we all hoped he'd be in. Put up solid war at SS and don't be a liability w. the bat - great.

On a better team JP would probably still be hitting 9th.

But he's alright.
Yep for now and last year on this date he was hitting .306 with a .849 OPS.....
dt

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