Moncada

[redseat]

Told ya he wasn't good against the slow stuff!

4-18 with 11 Ks so far off the off speed stuff...

He has all the talent in the world but right now he really needs to work on the hitting discipline.

Today's base runner blunder didn't help either

 

[redseat]

He does seem to have a good head on his shoulders:

"What I've learned, basically, is that you have to have patience and learn from every situation. It's been a tough week, but its all a part of the process and what I have to do to be in the big leagues."

 

[navamind]

Should anyone really be surprised? He's only 21 years old and didn't play any professional baseball a couple of years ago (2014). He only played 45 games in AA. He's still very raw. I'm not worried about Moncada. But given how much he was striking out in AA, I'm not surprised at all he's struggled. He should definitely be in AAA to start the 2017 season.

Not nearly the same thing as the Benintendi promotion. He had played 63 games in AA and was facing college competition a year ago. Benintendi's a far more polished product, and the far superior strikeout rates/approach demonstrate that IMO.

 

[redseat]

Should anyone really be surprised? He's only 21 years old and didn't play any professional baseball a couple of years ago (2014). He only played 45 games in AA. He's still very raw. I'm not worried about Moncada. But given how much he was striking out in AA, I'm not surprised at all he's struggled. He should definitely be in AAA to start the 2017 season.

Not nearly the same thing as the Benintendi promotion. He had played 63 games in AA and was facing college competition a year ago. Benintendi's a far more polished product, and the far superior strikeout rates/approach demonstrate that IMO.

It is just that he is so hyped and this so far is what we get. I mean the dude can play the field and hit a fastball, no question about that but the two games I saw him play in Portland he looked terrible off the slow stuff, which I don't think he got a hit off of. Yes Benintendi is a much better "current" player right now and seems to be more polished. I think they just rushed him up (Moncada)

 

[navamind]

It is just that he is so hyped and this so far is what we get. I mean the dude can play the field and hit a fastball, no question about that but the two games I saw him play in Portland he looked terrible off the slow stuff, which I don't think he got a hit off of. Yes Benintendi is a much better "current" player right now and seems to be more polished. I think they just rushed him up (Moncada)

As I said, he's still pretty raw. There's more hype around Moncada because he's regarded as having a higher ceiling than Benintendi.

I agree they probably should have just waited until next year to call him up. Honestly though, the difference between AA and AAA for hitters isn't that big. AAA is a much bigger test for pitchers. I would like to see Moncada cut down on his K's in the minors first, but honestly I don't think AAA will play a very significant step in his development. Hitters have a much easier transition to the majors than pitchers.

This isn't the first time an elite prospect struggled in his initial MLB trial. A-Rod, Trout (outside of his little hot streak in August 2011)... of course, that's not to say that Moncada will be that good.

 

[cerealboi]

What I don't get is -- he never saw good curveballs in AA? Why is this all of a sudden a surprise?

 

[navamind]

The Red Sox probably figured Moncada could provide a spark at 3B. It's not like Moncada would have had to play at an All-Star level to present an upgrade over Shaw/Hill. Shaw's batted .211/.276/.380 over his last 322 PA. Hill has a 47 OPS+ in 114 PA with the Sox. Still, that first month and a half from Shaw was more than the Sox could have hoped for from Panda. Shaw's glove has been pretty decent as well. I still think he could be a nice role player for the Sox, I just don't see Shaw being anything more than a stopgap at 3B.

 

[redseat]

What I don't get is -- he never saw good curveballs in AA? Why is this all of a sudden a surprise?

and he couldn't handle those either