The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

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Johnconrad
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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by Johnconrad »

He's in his contract year. He's on the Von Hayes track to career oblivion

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TheoSqua
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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by TheoSqua »

I've always wondered - how much of a difference is there between an MVP caliber player and a AAAA player?

Basically anyone who makes it to the point where they get drafted is was pretty much the best player on every team that player has been on growing up. Everyone on the MLB roster was the superstar of everywhere until they started in the minors.

You look at some of the fringe-level innings eaters that get put on the back-end of the roster and a lot of these pitchers were the top prospects in baseball at one time.

I personally think the difference between elite baseball players and fringe-MLB prospects is razor thin. A mechanical funk, something small like plantar fasciitis, your eyes just getting a little worse as you age, your muscle memory getting a little twitchier, etc. is all it takes to go from knocking at the door of a Cy Young to struggling to keep your ERA under 5.00.

AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

TheoSqua wrote:I've always wondered - how much of a difference is there between an MVP caliber player and a AAAA player?

Basically anyone who makes it to the point where they get drafted is was pretty much the best player on every team that player has been on growing up. Everyone on the MLB roster was the superstar of everywhere until they started in the minors.

You look at some of the fringe-level innings eaters that get put on the back-end of the roster and a lot of these pitchers were the top prospects in baseball at one time.

I personally think the difference between elite baseball players and fringe-MLB prospects is razor thin. A mechanical funk, something small like plantar fasciitis, your eyes just getting a little worse as you age, your muscle memory getting a little twitchier, etc. is all it takes to go from knocking at the door of a Cy Young to struggling to keep your ERA under 5.00.
Agree with everything you said.

You look at a guy like marp. Not quite MVP caliber but he was top 5 in voting one year iirc and he's declined with age ever since but still produced at a high level. How many guys go into the minors with the same m.o. that he did? There's got to be hundreds every year. I remember an interview he gave talking about how he knew he had to be a better hitter or he wouldn't make it to the bits so he did something. And the rest is history

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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by TimChopsula »

TheoSqua wrote:I've always wondered - how much of a difference is there between an MVP caliber player and a AAAA player?

Basically anyone who makes it to the point where they get drafted is was pretty much the best player on every team that player has been on growing up. Everyone on the MLB roster was the superstar of everywhere until they started in the minors.

You look at some of the fringe-level innings eaters that get put on the back-end of the roster and a lot of these pitchers were the top prospects in baseball at one time.

I personally think the difference between elite baseball players and fringe-MLB prospects is razor thin. A mechanical funk, something small like plantar fasciitis, your eyes just getting a little worse as you age, your muscle memory getting a little twitchier, etc. is all it takes to go from knocking at the door of a Cy Young to struggling to keep your ERA under 5.00.
I think about this a lot.

To demonstrate the razor thin margin, look at it this way... The difference is basically 1 hit per week.

Let's say the average ballplayer gets 20 ABs per week (3.333 at bats per game, 6 games per week).

If you go 5 for 20, you're a .250 hitter.
If you go 6 for 20, you're a .300 hitter.

1 hit per week is the difference from "meh" to "good"

I know I'm oversimplifying by just looking at AVG, but still... 1 hit per week.

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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by Magnum »

TheTimeIsNow wrote:
Freed Roger wrote:30 is awfully young for a free-fall.

I know this doesn't explain all of 2016, or anything at all - but isn't he a notoriously slow starter and streaky hitter?


How's his defense been.
He has always been a slow starter, but never this bad. I wouldn't really call him a streaky hitter. When he was good, he was GOOD.
His defense has been fine. I don't know what the metrics say but he has been fine.
I have hated the Pirates ever since Clemente broke Gibson's leg. ;) But the rivalry has been nice over the past few years, especially since the only time I get to see the Cards play is in Pittsburgh. Although I do miss the days when I could get seats right behind the dugouts for $5 in games in August. ;)

Now after all that is said, I am a huge fan of McCutchen. Hopefully he gets it turned around. Although I think his defense has gotten worse over the past few years. On Tuesday Matt Adams (I know he is in a lot better shape), turned a ball that McCutchen cut off in the gap into a double. McCutchen's arm is very average at best.

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pioneer98
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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by pioneer98 »

TheoSqua wrote:I've always wondered - how much of a difference is there between an MVP caliber player and a AAAA player?

Basically anyone who makes it to the point where they get drafted is was pretty much the best player on every team that player has been on growing up. Everyone on the MLB roster was the superstar of everywhere until they started in the minors.

You look at some of the fringe-level innings eaters that get put on the back-end of the roster and a lot of these pitchers were the top prospects in baseball at one time.

I personally think the difference between elite baseball players and fringe-MLB prospects is razor thin. A mechanical funk, something small like plantar fasciitis, your eyes just getting a little worse as you age, your muscle memory getting a little twitchier, etc. is all it takes to go from knocking at the door of a Cy Young to struggling to keep your ERA under 5.00.
This is why performance can vary so much from year to year or even month to month. Look at Leake.

This is also why the best players tend to have more than 1 skill. If they go through a stretch where they aren't hitting well, they can still contribute with their speed or arm or defense or whatever.

Pitchers are more volatile partially due to higher injury risk but also because their arm is their entire game. Having a diverse skill set doesn't help them very much. It's also why velocity is so valuable. A 99MPH fastball slumps less often than "feel" pitches like a curveball.

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TheTimeIsNow
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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by TheTimeIsNow »

TheTimeIsNow wrote:McCutchen now slashing .206/.279/.370 for an OPS of .649.

In the last 28 days his numbers are .172/.238/.323 for an OPS of .561
McCutchen now up to .251/.328/.436 for an OPS of .764.

Since moving down to the 6 spot, he's slashing .400/.485/.673 for an OPS of 1.158 in 66 plate appearances.

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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by baseburglerlou »

TimJomsula wrote:
TheoSqua wrote:I've always wondered - how much of a difference is there between an MVP caliber player and a AAAA player?

Basically anyone who makes it to the point where they get drafted is was pretty much the best player on every team that player has been on growing up. Everyone on the MLB roster was the superstar of everywhere until they started in the minors.

You look at some of the fringe-level innings eaters that get put on the back-end of the roster and a lot of these pitchers were the top prospects in baseball at one time.

I personally think the difference between elite baseball players and fringe-MLB prospects is razor thin. A mechanical funk, something small like plantar fasciitis, your eyes just getting a little worse as you age, your muscle memory getting a little twitchier, etc. is all it takes to go from knocking at the door of a Cy Young to struggling to keep your ERA under 5.00.
I think about this a lot.

To demonstrate the razor thin margin, look at it this way... The difference is basically 1 hit per week.

Let's say the average ballplayer gets 20 ABs per week (3.333 at bats per game, 6 games per week).

If you go 5 for 20, you're a .250 hitter.
If you go 6 for 20, you're a .300 hitter.

1 hit per week is the difference from "meh" to "good"

I know I'm oversimplifying by just looking at AVG, but still... 1 hit per week.
"A ground ball with eyes"....Crash Davis is sending you an invoice for royalties. :D

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TheTimeIsNow
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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by TheTimeIsNow »

TheTimeIsNow wrote:
TheTimeIsNow wrote:McCutchen now slashing .206/.279/.370 for an OPS of .649.

In the last 28 days his numbers are .172/.238/.323 for an OPS of .561
McCutchen now up to .251/.328/.436 for an OPS of .764.

Since moving down to the 6 spot, he's slashing .400/.485/.673 for an OPS of 1.158 in 66 plate appearances.
McCutchen now up to .268/.343/.494 for an OPS of .837

Since moving down to the 6 spot, he's slashing .400/.475/.765 for an OPS of 1.239 in 99 plate appearances.

He now has a higher slugging percentage this season than in 2015 when he finished 5th in the MVP race and higher than his career average.

What a turn of events.

Johnconrad
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Re: The Curious Case of Andrew McCutchen

Post by Johnconrad »

TheTimeIsNow wrote:
TheTimeIsNow wrote:
TheTimeIsNow wrote:McCutchen now slashing .206/.279/.370 for an OPS of .649.

In the last 28 days his numbers are .172/.238/.323 for an OPS of .561
McCutchen now up to .251/.328/.436 for an OPS of .764.

Since moving down to the 6 spot, he's slashing .400/.485/.673 for an OPS of 1.158 in 66 plate appearances.
McCutchen now up to .268/.343/.494 for an OPS of .837

Since moving down to the 6 spot, he's slashing .400/.475/.765 for an OPS of 1.239 in 99 plate appearances.

He now has a higher slugging percentage this season than in 2015 when he finished 5th in the MVP race and higher than his career average.

What a turn of events.
Salary drive.

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