Baseball Essential: Jonathan Scoop Could Redefine the Second Base Position.

[weams]

http://www.baseballessential.com/news/2015/08/12/jonathan-schoop-redefine-second-base-position/

Last year, because he was so susceptible to chasing pitches down and away, Schoop swung and missed at nearly 40 percent of changeups, curveballs, and sliders he saw. He batted just .156 on curveballs and popped up over 15 percent of sliders. This year, it?s been a different story. Schoop is batting just .091 on curveballs, but he?s seen far fewer. He is batting .276 against sliders, and has absolutely crushed fastballs to the tune of a .371 batting average and .714 slugging percentage. Whether this surge from Schoop, who has put up a line of .329/.345/.519 with three home runs and 12 RBI in the second half of the season, can be sustained remains to be seen.

Jonathan Schoop is still very young, and I am by no means ready to christen him the best second baseman in baseball due only to a limited number of games in 2015. It is clear, however, that he has matured as a hitter this season, and the All-Star potential that many saw in him as a prospect is there. Baseball is still waiting for the first second baseman to really break the long-held rules that govern who plays second base. Schoop is still very early into his career, but by the time he is done playing the game of baseball, he could very well have played a large role in opening up the second base position for a new set of bigger, stronger players.

[BradyBunch]

Cano?????

[Can_of_corn]

http://www.baseballessential.com/news/2015/08/12/jonathan-schoop-redefine-second-base-position/

No idea who these people are but it is always nice to see one's personal views supported.

[Can_of_corn]

Cano?????

Did you read the piece?????

[BradyBunch]

Did you read the piece?????

Yes, butend of the day Camp changed the position. Just as Cal changed short. ARod was a better and bigger SS then Cal but Cal made it possible for ARod. First player who breaks the mold should get credit. Not player 2nd generation.

[BradyBunch]

Yes, butend of the day Camp changed the position. Just as Cal changed short. ARod was a better and bigger SS then Cal but Cal made it possible for ARod. First player who breaks the mold should get credit. Not player 2nd generation.

Cano. Damn taptalk.

[Can_of_corn]

Yes, butend of the day Camp changed the position. Just as Cal changed short. ARod was a better and bigger SS then Cal but Cal made it possible for ARod. First player who breaks the mold should get credit. Not player 2nd generation.

Arod isn't bigger then Cal. Cal was 6'4" *200*, Arod was 6'3" *225*.

Do you really think Arod had 25 pounds on Cal at any comparable age point?

Cano might be a bit larger then his predecessors but he doesn't play that way on defense.

Schoop, as a number of us (including Chris Davis) have said, is like a middle linebacker out there.

I don't every recall seeing someone that plays second like he does.

[hoosiers]

Interesting to see the divergence of opinion on Schoop from article earlier this/last week.

Agree with central point of article that Schoop retains a high upside. Looks like he could really use some improvement in handling curveballs and Schoop will likely have to adjust as he gets fewer fastballs.

I have high expectations on how Schoop will develop over the next few years.

[Frobby]

I love Schoop but I think his defense is a bit overrated around here. He's got a rocket arm, he is totally intimidating on DP's, and he is a great tagger. That said, his range is very average. BB-ref has him at +0.4 rWAR, fangraphs has him at -0.9 UZR. I consider him above average, but not the Gold Glover some suggest he is. Other 2B cover more ground.

That said, I'm not complaining. As an overall package, he's very good.

[Es4M11]

I think Schoop is a high quality defender, maybe not quite gold glove level, but certainly plus. His range may only be average, I thought it was better last year, but I expect it to improve a little as he puts the injury further in the rear view. Schoop's reliable glove, rocket arm, and ability to turn the DP make him a valuable asset on defense at 2B. He is hitting better than I thought he would, and sooner than I thought, too. The power was never in question.

Who has the better arm, Machado or Schoop? I asked this question before in the hopes that someone who knows more than I do would give me their opinion, and I got no answer. Would anyone care to take a crack now?

[Jonesy10]

I love Schoop but I think his defense is a bit overrated around here. He's got a rocket arm, he is totally intimidating on DP's, and he is a great tagger. That said, his range is very average. BB-ref has him at +0.4 rWAR, fangraphs has him at -0.9 UZR. I consider him above average, but not the Gold Glover some suggest he is. Other 2B cover more ground.

That said, I'm not complaining. As an overall package, he's very good.

His defensive numbers were much better last season though so maybe he will improve the rest of the way.

[TINSTAAPP]

I do think he'll have to sacrifice his power and cut down on his swing to be a more consistent hitter for average. He swings way too aggressively and wildly at times especially on pitches out of the zone when he's down in the count. He has so much power he can still be a consistent 18-20 HR hitter while hitting for a decent average (.270/.280).

[Aristotelian]

I love Schoop but I think his defense is a bit overrated around here. He's got a rocket arm, he is totally intimidating on DP's, and he is a great tagger. That said, his range is very average. BB-ref has him at +0.4 rWAR, fangraphs has him at -0.9 UZR. I consider him above average, but not the Gold Glover some suggest he is. Other 2B cover more ground.

That said, I'm not complaining. As an overall package, he's very good.

I agree with this mostly, but I would note that his arm creates range. He might not get to more balls than the average 2B, but there are times when a lot of 2Bs get to a ball to their right and they aren't strong enough to make the throw. Schoop turns those balls into outs.

http://m.mlb.com/video/v51127983/balmin-schoop-makes-long-throw-from-deep-in-hole/

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v36813191/alcs-gm4-schoop-fields-deflected-liner-gets-the-out/

[TonySoprano]

Arod isn't bigger then Cal. Cal was 6'4" *200*, Arod was 6'3" *225*.

Do you really think Arod had 25 pounds on Cal at any comparable age point?

Cano might be a bit larger then his predecessors but he doesn't play that way on defense.

Schoop, as a number of us (including Chris Davis) have said, is like a middle linebacker out there.

I don't every recall seeing someone that plays second like he does.

For the sake of argument, let's say the two weighed the same when both played SS. Are you going to say that Cal being all of 1" taller doesn't change his main argument that Cal broke the mold for shortstops?

Cano is 1" shorter than Schoop and 15 lbs lighter, but that's not a big difference between the two. Chase Utley is not exactly a small guy either and the oldest of the three.

Utley 6' 1" 190

Cano 6' 210

Schoop 6' 1" 225

[Frobby]

I agree with this mostly, but I would note that his arm creates range. He might not get to more balls than the average 2B, but there are times when a lot of 2Bs get to a ball to their right and they aren't strong enough to make the throw. Schoop turns those balls into outs.

http://m.mlb.com/video/v51127983/balmin-schoop-makes-long-throw-from-deep-in-hole/

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v36813191/alcs-gm4-schoop-fields-deflected-liner-gets-the-out/

Indisputable. Only Cano rivals him for arm strength, and he's accurate, too.