What does Townsend have to do?

[Traveler]

What more can he do in Frederick:

242 AB 23 doubles 13 HR 50 RBI .322 AVG and an OPS of 954 with 1 error, please explain

[Can_of_corn]

What more can he do in Frederick:

242 AB 23 doubles 13 HR 50 RBI .322 AVG and an OPS of 954 with 1 error, please explain

Improve his BB/K rate and stay healthy.

[The Maestro]

What more can he do in Frederick:

242 AB 23 doubles 13 HR 50 RBI .322 AVG and an OPS of 954 with 1 error, please explain

Stay healthy?

[JDubs]

What more can he do in Frederick:

242 AB 23 doubles 13 HR 50 RBI .322 AVG and an OPS of 954 with 1 error, please explain

Just to clarify, is the question, "What does Townsend have to do to get to AA?"

[eb45]

The answer is the same as it's been all year. Although now it appears he's starting to actually do it.

[LookinUp]

Probably just be patient for another couple of days.

[Traveler]

I have been following this board for a couple of years now and there is interest if a 250 hitter gets hot for a week. No one in the organization has numbers close to this and there is no interest in what he is doing and he has done it for two years. I agree with the healthy part, but he can be healthy or unhealthy in any league.

[DrOrioles90210]

I have been following this board for a couple of years now and there is interest if a 250 hitter gets hot for a week. No one in the organization has numbers close to this and there is no interest in what he is doing and he has done it for two years. I agree with the healthy part, but he can be healthy or unhealthy in any league.

Why do you feel there is no interest? There are three to four threads about him in the first page and a half of the minors forum.

[Hank Scorpio]

I'd like to see better strike zone command from him. He's getting on base enough, but mostly via an inflated BABIP.

I like Townsend, I think he'll be a good one eventually.

[Flosman]

I'd like to see better strike zone command from him. He's getting on base enough, but mostly via an inflated BABIP.

I like Townsend, I think he'll be a good one eventually.

I guess the question is do we think he is a young VLad? He just has to be hitting balls out of the zone with numbers he has posted. Honestly he must be hitting some of them hard. However the reality is Vlad did not strikeout much and Townsend does. So maybe he can be VLAD LITE but I think the general view is he probably struggles against better pitcher that learn throwing strikes is not required.

[eb45]

Vlad walked at a much, much higher rate in the minors than Townsend has. Like roughly four times higher.

[Flosman]

Vlad walked at a much, much higher rate in the minors than Townsend has. Like roughly four times higher.

That was kind of my point, there are very few guys that make it hitting balls. With as hard has he hits and has few walks has he takes he has to be swinging at balls and hitting them. That is trouble usually the higher you go. He would have to be an extreme outliner looking at his numbers.

[SrMeowMeow]

I guess the question is do we think he is a young VLad? He just has to be hitting balls out of the zone with numbers he has posted. Honestly he must be hitting some of them hard. However the reality is Vlad did not strikeout much and Townsend does. So maybe he can be VLAD LITE but I think the general view is he probably struggles against better pitcher that learn throwing strikes is not required.

Vlad's career BABIP is .316. He could hit anything - his contact rate is great, especially on pitches out of the zone. But that doesn't really affect BABIP. It's more driven by batted ball profile and speed. And Townsend is not a speedy guy or a line-drive guy (correct me if I'm wrong). I'd guess he'll, like most baseball players in the live-ball era, have a BABIP in the .280-.300 range even if he hits his peak projections.

[Traveler]

I still get confused with all the comparisons, BABIP, w/k ratio, but I understand, you can hit or you can't, why not move him up to see how he does.

[Hank Scorpio]

I still get confused with all the comparisons, BABIP, w/k ratio, but I understand, you can hit or you can't, why not move him up to see how he does.

If he's getting on base by swinging at balls out of the zone, he'll be exposed as he climbs the ladder because nobody will throw him strikes.

You've gotta be able to layoff when it's not a strike.