Dariel Alvarez is warming up

[weams]

I can still wait until September.

We all can. We all can.

[wildcard]

I can still wait until September.

So can I.

[sportsfan8703]

Oh yea, Alvarez is a fresh-faced kid, ready to take on the world. Snider is a grizzled old has-been who needs to move on.

Alvarez was born in November 1988.

Snider was born in February 1988.

One guy is an athlete. The other is a baseball player.

[DrungoHazewood]

One guy is an athlete. The other is a baseball player.

Which is which?

[El Gordo]

Which is which?

When you look at Snider athlete is not the first thing to come to mind, maybe lunch box.

[wildcard]

Alvarez starts on the AAA International League All-Star team tonight at 7 pm. He will start in RF and bat 5th.

Clevenger and Bowden are also on the AS team. Drake was selected for the team but I think he is on the DL. Interesting that today is Bowden's opt out day.

[Can_of_corn]

Alvarez starts on the AAA International League All-Star team tonight at 7 pm. He will start in RF and bat 5th.

Clevenger and Bowden are also on the AS team. Drake was selected for the team but I think he is on the DL. Interesting that today is Bowden's opt out day.

Much in the way of prospects on the teams? Or are they mostly major league depth?

[olehippi]

Both Alvaraez and Urrutia have been hot at Norfolk. I think we see one of them - probably Alvarez - before September.

Alvarez -- .284 BA -- 13 HRs -- 47 RBIs

Urrutia -- .284 BA -- 5 HRs -- 37 RBIs

[wildcard]

Both Alvaraez and Urrutia have been hot at Norfolk. I think we see one of them - probably Alvarez - before September.

Alvarez -- .284 BA -- 13 HRs -- 47 RBIs

Urrutia -- .284 BA -- 5 HRs -- 37 RBIs

Urrutia hasn't shown the power that a LF/DH needs to have in the majors.

[DrungoHazewood]

Urrutia hasn't shown the power that a LF/DH needs to have in the majors.

And Alvarez hasn't shown the on-base skills necessary to be a LF/DH in the majors. A corner OF in the OPS averages a .730 something OPS, it's unlikely that either Alvarez or Urrutia would provide that. The bar is set higher at DH, with the average sitting at .775, which neither of these guys is doing in AAA.

[Fiver]

Alvarez batting 5th in the AAA all star game on MLBN tonight.

[wildcard]

And Alvarez hasn't shown the on-base skills necessary to be a LF/DH in the majors. A corner OF in the OPS averages a .730 something OPS, it's unlikely that either Alvarez or Urrutia would provide that. The bar is set higher at DH, with the average sitting at .775, which neither of these guys is doing in AAA.

Alvarez will be a right fielder. Not a left fielder or a DH. He has a ways to go to prove he is done at AAA. Still a work in progress in my book.

[Can_of_corn]

Was the first pitch a strike?

I know the second two he swung at were not close to the zone.

[MurphDogg]

And Alvarez hasn't shown the on-base skills necessary to be a LF/DH in the majors. A corner OF in the OPS averages a .730 something OPS, it's unlikely that either Alvarez or Urrutia would provide that. The bar is set higher at DH, with the average sitting at .775, which neither of these guys is doing in AAA.

Not to split hairs, but .775 jumped out at me as being a little high for the average DH. Indeed AL DH's this year have averaged a .765 OPS so far this season which is up from .743 last season and .725 in 2012. My instinct is that in the post-steroid era DH's shouldn't outperform corner outfielders, especially right fielders by all that much, though perhaps that is an incorrect instinct.

Also, there is a difference between average and acceptable levels of production. This is not Lake Wobegon, everyone can't be above average.

[DrungoHazewood]

Not to split hairs, but .775 jumped out at me as being a little high for the average DH. Indeed AL DH's this year have averaged a .765 OPS so far this season which is up from .743 last season and .725 in 2012. My instinct is that in the post-steroid era DH's shouldn't outperform corner outfielders, especially right fielders by all that much, though perhaps that is an incorrect instinct.

DHs should outperform everyone else, because there is no defensive component to their production. The entire reason there is a defensive spectrum where SS's get out-hit by RFers who get outhit by first basemen is the defensive requirement/difficulty of each position. Of course in reality with personalities and egos and other bench/platoon strategies you get some teams who are willing to punt the position to a mix of guys who really can't hit that well.

Also, there is a difference between average and acceptable levels of production. This is not Lake Wobegon, everyone can't be above average.

No, this is sports fandom, where people will call into low-power AM stations to complain about complacency and cheapness and laziness when anyone performs at or below league average. Unless you're in Kansas City, where you vote those players onto the All Star team.