Mangum's Power

[jethreauxdawg]

It seems crazy that teams would turn their nose up at a guy hitting .300, but league averages agree with you. I would think getting someone on base before the home run would be beneficial, but I guess the odds of scoring a run with all guys swinging for the fence is better than a guy getting a base hit and following that up with a HR. Also, better odds than manufacturing a run without an HR. I’m sure we’ll see even bigger numbers now that the league is trying to address pitchers doctoring the ball.

 

[Willowdawg]

This is a different game today than it was 20 years ago. Organizations don't value batting average as much as they value on-base percentage and slugging percentage. There are tons of guys hitting in the .260-.270 range in MLB who could easily hit 300. They're sacrificing contact for power. This is why strikeouts are way up in baseball. This is why teams are focused on launch angles and lift, where 20 years ago, they were more focused on hitting the ball on thground.

That's why i included the part that it was 20 years ago and even then he was only called up to the show while someone was hurt bc he could give you good defense and get a few hits and maybe a homer or two. That'll probably be mangums ceiling. But watching the vandy game last night the fast guy could have tagged up from 1st to 2nd on those long fly balls to left. You c
Could easily see the OF was gonna catch it. I mentioned that to say that there is all types of ways to play baseball. And Arizona could have won by trying to bunt in extra innings as well. There's so many ways to play the game of baseball and on a big stage like this you have to utilize them. Even the pros should know that. I love a team that can do little things and get that one run or two and it creates confidence and hitting will follow.

 

[Go Budaw]

It seems crazy that teams would turn their nose up at a guy hitting .300, but league averages agree with you. I would think getting someone on base before the home run would be beneficial, but I guess the odds of scoring a run with all guys swinging for the fence is better than a guy getting a base hit and following that up with a HR. Also, better odds than manufacturing a run without an HR. I’m sure we’ll see even bigger numbers now that the league is trying to address pitchers doctoring the ball.

He would do absolutely fine hitting .300 if he also had an OBP of .335~.340 or so. That’s typical of guys hitting in the .300 range currently within MLB. It’s not just swinging for the fences that is the name of the game, it’s just getting on base. Jake will never be a guy to hit more than 10 HR or so over a 162 game MLB schedule. That simply isn’t his path. He needs to figure out how to get more walks and be more selective at the plate….that’s it. He’s gifted enough to hit any pitch anywhere in the zone for a single or double, but he can’t rely on that at the MLB level. Pitchers are too good and they’ll paint around the zone and eat him up.

 

[Drebin]

It seems crazy that teams would turn their nose up at a guy hitting .300, but league averages agree with you. I would think getting someone on base before the home run would be beneficial, but I guess the odds of scoring a run with all guys swinging for the fence is better than a guy getting a base hit and following that up with a HR. Also, better odds than manufacturing a run without an HR. I’m sure we’ll see even bigger numbers now that the league is trying to address pitchers doctoring the ball.

I was watching a roundtable interview with several MLB stars and the consensus among all of them was that they could hit .300 if they wanted to, but to do so they would have to sacrifice power numbers (HR, SLG). In the old days, you had slap hitters and high OBP guys whose job was to get on base, and then you had two or three power guys in the middle to get them in. Now everyone is trying to leave the yard, up and down the lineup.

And Budaw's point below about a MLB team being happy with him if he could hit .300 with a .340/350 OBP...Sure, teams would take that, but Mangum will never have an OBP that high because he doesn't walk It isn't a part of his game and never has been. If he's not learned to take a walk by now, it isn't going to happen. And he's not a consistent .300 hitter in pro ball at any level - he just isn't.