Will Machado hit for power?

[Dagger420]

He's got 3-5 years left of growth. As he fills up, I imagine he'll increase in power. The additional reps in the majors will probably help with this also.

3-5?

Most players are in their physical peak from 28-32. That's about 8 years away.

I think Adam Jones is a pretty good comparison to Machado looking at both players' age 20 stats. Similar tall/slender build and Jonesy was actually a SS at 20. I think Machado will certainly fill out and eventually be hitting the ball with power like Jones has started to. I think we have about 3-5 years before that though. I still think he keeps growing (mostly muscularly) for about 8 years though.

I just think Jones is a much more realistic comp than A-Rod, which people have tried to apply in the past.

[Dagger420]

Chris Davis is also stronger than an Ox.

He could start his swing at the halfway point and still probably get it out, haha.

[Austin]

Haha. You're so 5 pages ago.

All the cool kids change their posts per page settings. I'm only on page 3 over here.

[Grt 2BA FL Gator]

All the cool kids change their posts per page settings. I'm only on page 3 over here.

Just tried that out.. Not sure I like it yet. We'll see.

[SrMeowMeow]

For the record, Manny didn't particularly crush that triple. Just sort of flopped it in the gap.

[Frobby]

For the record, Manny didn't particularly crush that triple. Just sort of flopped it in the gap.

Whatever. It was hit hard enough to get beyond the outfielders.

[Lucky Jim]

This thread is hilarious. Kid crushes fastballs in AA, everyone's pumped to see him, now he's getting slammed for having slow bat speed by casual observers who aren't scouts (and even scouts said Jones only had a slider speed bat), and even the triple wasn't good enough because it wasn't on a fastball.

Did someone seriously say the triple doesn't count because it was on a fastball? You may be reading too much into this thread.

[Lucky Jim]

I'm just sayin'. I don't get it. He went opposite field on a breaking ball for a triple which, to me, is far more impressive than hitting a fastball down the pipe for a home run.

I'm just trying to figure out what you're saying.

You wrote:

now he's getting slammed for having slow bat speed by casual observers who aren't scouts (and even scouts said Jones only had a slider speed bat), and even the triple wasn't good enough because it wasn't on a fastball.

Now, FU (sly acronym there) definitely said his bat speed "wasn't impressive," but he's pretty much alone. I'm not sure anyone said the triple isn't good enough because it wasn't on a FB. In fact, I don't think anyone is really critical but FU, and he's pretty much clueless.

[Hallas]

For the record, Manny didn't particularly crush that triple. Just sort of flopped it in the gap.

Ball landed 360 feet away on a line. It was also a curve ball that he had to wait on, and it was an 0-2 pitch.

Regarding the OP, bat speed is a misleading thing. Having the proper technique to square the barrel as quickly as possible is usually what it means to have a "fast bat."

As a point of comparison, Cal had one of the fastest bat speeds of his time. Pujols' bat speed is around 88 MPH, and generally considered average. They are both about the same size. (Pujols maybe about 5 lbs heavier, at most.) Pujols however squares his bat faster than anyone, and his swing also maximizes the time spent in the hitting zone. That's why he could hit for high average, while Cal was just an average contact hitter.

[SrMeowMeow]

Yikes. Why are people so consistently INCAPABLE of distinguishing "here's my best opinion on what happened" from "I HAVE AN AGENDA AGAINST THIS PLAYER I HATE"?

I just watched the video again and he hit it a lot harder than I thought. The swing was a little awkward-looking to my untrained eye but he definitely hit it hard.

[Lucky Jim]

Yikes. Why are people so consistently INCAPABLE of distinguishing "here's my best opinion on what happened" from "I HAVE AN AGENDA AGAINST THIS PLAYER I HATE"?

I just watched the video again and he hit it a lot harder than I thought. The swing was a little awkward-looking to my untrained eye but he definitely hit it hard.

Do your research first!

[SrMeowMeow]

Do your research first!

It's just pathetic that we're at the point where the assumption is "agenda" or "trolling" instead of "opinion".

[Lucky Jim]

It's just pathetic that we're at the point where the assumption is "agenda" or "trolling" instead of "opinion".

The OH is having trouble dealing with the Os success. We're like the Lohan family.

[El Gordo]

Factors effecting power(distance): bat speed, bat weight, bat construction(COR of materials used)pitch speed, COR of ball, body mass of the batter. Official COR variance allows for as much as 50feet difference. between the top end and low end of the scale. An increase in body mass of 20 lbs might add 5-10 ft in average distance, all other factors being equal. Babe Ruth was a good 60 pounds lighter in his prime than Prince Fielder and had about the same bat speed of Pujols, although his bat was 10-18 ounces heavier, and he hit for far greater power than Prince or Albert. Bulking up isn't going to be that big a factor in whether or not Manny hits for power. If he plays a plus 3B and hits like Nick I'll be ecstatic.

[Brendan25]

For the record, Manny didn't particularly crush that triple. Just sort of flopped it in the gap.

Meh. I think you're wrong on this one. It was a curveball that he was out infront of. He poked his bat out, got the sweet spot on it, and drove it pretty deep to right-center.