Joey Rickard is the real deal

[Filmstudy]

You do understand that Rickard walked about 12% of the time in the minors, right? And that Curtis Goodwin walked in 8.7% of minor league PAs. Rayford 8.2%. Sheets 8.8%. Rickard will probably have the highest major league walk rate of that group, and probably by a substantial margin.

Also, MLB's 2014-2015 walk rate is lower than any season since 1968. There were more walks in Rayford's and Sheets' and Goodwin's eras than today. So far in '16 we've seen a blip, with more walks through about 1/10th of the season, but we'll see if that holds, probably not.

I specifically mentioned the relative walk rate by era and the fact Goodwin was more of an outlier, so yes, I understand it.

My concern is that Rickard appears to have trouble with ML velocity that is impairing his strike zone judgment. He's getting by with extending at bats with contact outside the strike zone rather than turning those opportunities into walks. Will he draw more walks at the ML level? He damn well better. Will he be able to draw enough more, cut Ks and keep a high BABIP that he can stay valuable at this level? Those are the real questions.

[webbrick2010]

You think his low walk rate is correlated to hitting in front of the majors best hitter?

[weams]

You think his low walk rate is correlated to hitting in front of the majors best hitter?

No. I think he does not walk much because he does not have a threat of sustained power.

[capyy]

I haven't looked at stats to support this, but I thought there are two things going on with his walk rate:

1) Earlier in the season he was taking pitches just outside the zone and getting calls against him, is he swinging at those now to foul off and keep the at bat alive?

2) I think he sees more strikes than the players behind him, they don't want to give him a free pass with Manny coming up. They'll take their chances with contact, knowing he likely isn't hitting a homerun.

Also, didn't he walk a good amount in spring training? 8 walks in 63 at bats while averaging .400. I know that's not quite major league level pitching, but some of it was.

[waroriole]

You think his low walk rate is correlated to hitting in front of the majors best hitter?

Good point. They're going to challenge a Rule 5 rookie over this year's MVP.

[OFFNY]

o

Joey Rickard is listed among A.L. outfielders on the All-Star ballot:

https://securea.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2016/ballot.jsp?tcid=ASG16_mlb_homepagemediawall

ORIGINAL SOURCE: Roch Kubatko

https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/724289550869225472

[BohKnowsBmore]

Video of Rickard's HR, with interesting music over it rather than the call of the game for some reason:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=15416262

[Diehard_O's_Fan]

I don't want to hear anyone say anymore that Joey doesn't have any power. He crushed that ball last night.

[Redskins Rick]

I don't want to hear anyone say anymore that Joey doesn't have any power. He crushed that ball last night.

Joey Rickard - 2016 HR = 2

Altanta Braves - 2016 Total Team Home Runs = 4

[Diehard_O's_Fan]

Jim Palmer said last night after the game that if you can hit a mlb fastball you will have success in the majors. He seemed very high on Joey and I am too.

[DrungoHazewood]

I don't want to hear anyone say anymore that Joey doesn't have any power. He crushed that ball last night.

Something (injury?) was going on with Rickard in 2014 and early 2015 when his power just totally disappeared. Before and since his ISO has mostly been in the .100-150 range, which isn't Chris Davis or Jonathan Schoop levels but not recent Nick Markakis or Matt Angle or something.

[Redskins Rick]

Jim Palmer said last night after the game that if you can hit a mlb fastball you will have success in the majors. He seemed very high on Joey and I am too.

True, it takes skill to hit a major league fastball.

I've seen prospects skilled at doing this, fail, because pitchers figured out they couldn't hit a breaking ball, if their life depended on it.

[OFFNY]

o

[video=youtube;IG4AjV-q1oU]

[OFFNY]

o

* Because of service time rules, the following has become more of a rarity in the last few decades:

Joey Rickard is the 1st MLB player to debut on Opening Day and start the first 20 games of the season since Jason Heyward did it for the Braves in 2010.

https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/725751224897798144

The last Oriole to do this was the late Marv Breeding, in 1960.

https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/725751543308361728

[BohKnowsBmore]

o

* Because of service time rules, the following has become more of a rarity in the last few decades:

Joey Rickard is the 1st MLB player to debut on Opening Day and start the first 20 games of the season since Jason Heyward did it for the Braves in 2010.

https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/725751224897798144

The last Oriole to do this was the late Marv Breeding, in 1960.

https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/725751543308361728

That's really interesting!

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