Machado with seven errors already?

[Ohfan67]

So you don't think hitting .257/.361/.406 as a 19-year old in AA is impressive?

I'd suggest you re-think your position, Roy. There are 360 players in the Eastern League. 350 of those are at least 22 years old. There are six 21-year olds, three 20-year olds, and one 19-year old, Manny Machado. He's the youngest guy in the league, by a wide margin.

There is exactly one shortstop in the Eastern League with an OPS higher than Machado's .767 -- 24-year old Ryan Goins. The median OPS in the league is about .700 -- and much lower than that for shortstops.

So, Machado is the second-best hitting shortstop in the 12-team Eastern league, and and a well-above average hitter for the league as a whole, despite being 2+ years younger than 97% of the players in that league.

Maybe you don't consider that impressive, but I do.

Thanks Frobby. I didn't realize offense was so low in the Eastern League.

[Stotle]

So you don't think hitting .257/.361/.406 as a 19-year old in AA is impressive?

I'd suggest you re-think your position, Roy. There are 360 players in the Eastern League. 350 of those are at least 22 years old. There are six 21-year olds, three 20-year olds, and one 19-year old, Manny Machado. He's the youngest guy in the league, by a wide margin.

There is exactly one shortstop in the Eastern League with an OPS higher than Machado's .767 -- 24-year old Ryan Goins. The median OPS in the league is about .700 -- and much lower than that for shortstops.

So, Machado is the second-best hitting shortstop in the 12-team Eastern league, and and a well-above average hitter for the league as a whole, despite being 2+ years younger than 97% of the players in that league.

Maybe you don't consider that impressive, but I do.

I agree with you -- very much so. Which is why I was surprised to see you slag Harper's line of .256/.329/.395 as an 18 year old in the Eastern League.

[Lucky Jim]

Clearly, this is Machado about nothing.

[Stotle]

Clearly, this is Machado about nothing.

I'm out of neg rep -- can someone hit him for me? Thx

[survivedc]

Clearly, this is Machado about nothing.

This one got me going...in a good way

[Frobby]

I agree with you -- very much so. Which is why I was surprised to see you slag Harper's line of .256/.329/.395 as an 18 year old in the Eastern League.

I think you misinterpreted what I was saying about Harper. I was never saying that what he did in the minors wasn't extremely impressive. I was simply saying his line did not suggest that he was going to come up to the majors and be so dominant right away that his first game was a "must see" in the same sense that Strasburg's first game was a "must see."

Having made that statement, I did see Harper's double in his debut game, and highlights of his games since then, and I fully understand what the excitement is about. The kid is a stud. I never doubted it, but watching him play you really can see the talent that is there, and he really was exciting from the moment he stepped on the field.

I don't think many scouts or analysts put Machado in the same class as Harper. That is no embarrassment. Harper was on the cover of SI at the age of 16 and is basically considered the best hitting prospect of the last decade or more. I don't expect Machado to be as good a hitter as Harper, or even close. But he could still be an excellent-hitting, solid fielding shortstop, the kind of guy who makes multiple all-star teams. That will suffice.

[Br10n]

His numbers are now .269/.379/.812. Not bad at all.

[Stotle]

I think you misinterpreted what I was saying about Harper. I was never saying that what he did in the minors wasn't extremely impressive. I was simply saying his line did not suggest that he was going to come up to the majors and be so dominant right away that his first game was a "must see" in the same sense that Strasburg's first game was a "must see."

Having made that statement, I did see Harper's double in his debut game, and highlights of his games since then, and I fully understand what the excitement is about. The kid is a stud. I never doubted it, but watching him play you really can see the talent that is there, and he really was exciting from the moment he stepped on the field.

I don't think many scouts or analysts put Machado in the same class as Harper. That is no embarrassment. Harper was on the cover of SI at the age of 16 and is basically considered the best hitting prospect of the last decade or more. I don't expect Machado to be as good a hitter as Harper, or even close. But he could still be an excellent-hitting, solid fielding shortstop, the kind of guy who makes multiple all-star teams. That will suffice.

I was just teasing you a bit. Agreed that Machado is not in Harper's class as a prospect (which is why it's frustrating sometimes to read sources like Baseball America drop lines like "Machado might be the better future player between the two" or "Machado is the rare true five-tool prospect" -- it sets unfair expectations for Manny).

I agree Machado should be a very good MLB player.

[bobmc]

I was just teasing you a bit. Agreed that Machado is not in Harper's class as a prospect (which is why it's frustrating sometimes to read sources like Baseball America drop lines like "Machado might be the better future player between the two" or "Machado is the rare true five-tool prospect" -- it sets unfair expectations for Manny).

I agree Machado should be a very good MLB player.

Dare I say, "the next Cal Ripken"? He's got the hands, the glove, the arm, the nice bat, the GIDP - er - four tools.

[Ohfan67]

I am still curious to hear from folks who have seen him play some games this year. I have been surprised at how little Machado chat there has been this season.

[Gurgi]

I am still curious to hear from folks who have seen him play some games this year. I have been surprised at how little Machado chat there has been this season.

Because we are winning on the major league level we are not yearning for the prospects as much. Which is a good sign.

[Ohfan67]

Because we are winning on the major league level we are not yearning for the prospects as much. Which is a good sign.

Totally disagree. If that were true then there wouldn't be a dozen Dylan Bundy threads that were many pages long. Excitement for Dylan might be stealing the thunder from Machado a bit, but I think it may be more that Machado is not putting up exciting numbers. They may be solid numbers for a 19 year old prospect, but they are not exciting. Anyway, I wish there was more discussion by people who are seeing Machado and Schoop in person.

[NCRaven]

His numbers are now .269/.379/.812. Not bad at all.

Last ten games: .321/.457/.921; again, not bad at all. Only disappointment - 0 HR, but the .457 OBP (.378 on the year) is awesome for a player his age at this level of competition.

[Traveler]

I have been to every home game this year and Machado is as advertized, very good defender and not overmatched at the plate. Schoop is a very good defender, much better than I thought last year, but he is overmatched at the plate.

[xian4]

Brian Roberts was impressed at Bowie last night

"Manny made a great play and got that ball to me quick," Roberts said. "I've turned enough double plays to know he wasn't going to be close enough to get to me. It's fun to watch these guys play. Manny made two plays tonight that probably 28 out of 30 major league shortstops don't make. J.J. being one of the ones that would make them, of course."

He is also batting .306 for May