Nice article on player development in MiLB.

[7Mo]

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2178631/after-a-lost-season-some-minor-league-systems-have-vaulted-ahead-of-others

The Orioles have enjoyed a staggering 42.1% season-over-season gain in their hitters' walk rate across those four minor-league levels in the data we collected through July 8. Overall across the four levels, their walk rate is now at 10.6% of all plate appearances, up from 9.1% in 2019. That's an improvement of 17.3%.

[Frobby]

Great.   Let me know when they develop a successful major league pitcher.   

[7Mo]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Great.   Let me know when they develop a successful major league pitcher.   

Sorry to post something positive. I should have realized where I was. 

[Aristotelian]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Great.   Let me know when they develop a successful major league pitcher.   

That would be nice and I get you're frustrated with the pitching but walk/rate OBP has also been a perennial source of frustration. I think it is terrific news that the organization could be turning a corner here. 

[Ohfan67]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Great.   Let me know when they develop a successful major league pitcher.   

That's a jack*** post that actively discourages people from posting interesting articles. The article is full of Matt Blood quotes...exactly the kind of stuff you post/link on a regular basis. Don't be a snarky pr*ck and discourage this and other people from sharing information. 

[Just Regular]

I noticed the by-line of Travis Sawchik, author of Big Data Baseball and co-author of The MVP Machine...I do regard him somewhat as a trusted arbiter of taste watching the 30 orgs development practices, at least more than any MASN employee.    

Anyway, maybe Matt Blood just gave him an expansive interview, but I do like the source here.

Keegan Akin's been pitching like Keegan Akin's been pitching, but for him to be the second half Opening Night guy a rough watch.   I might be more on Team show us what you've got 30 pitches at a time than go figure it out at Norfolk.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Ohfan67 said:

That's a jack*** post that actively discourages people from posting interesting articles. The article is full of Matt Blood quotes...exactly the kind of stuff you post/link on a regular basis. Don't be a snarky pr*ck and discourage this and other people from sharing information. 

Nothing in my post was intended to discourage people from reading the article, or intended to be disrespectful to 7Mo, who I think is a very good poster.  I’m glad he posted the article.   This was just me expressing some frustration about our continuing inability to develop major league pitching.   Sorry if I distracted anyone from reading or reacting to the article.  I hope 7Mo wasn’t offended.  

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, 7Mo said:

Sorry to post something positive. I should have realized where I was. 

I apologize.   My remark wasn’t aimed at you, or the article.   But I’m ready to start seeing some results at the major league level.   I’m very frustrated at what’s going on with our younger pitchers when they reach the majors, and I chose to vent about it here.  I probably should have done it elsewhere.   Sorry about that.  

[Frobby]

OK, about the article: I’m very glad to see our player development guys, as well as our scouting staff, placing a lot of emphasis on plate discipline.   The Os have sucked at that for almost as long as I can remember.    Even many of our most prominent young players, like Mountcastle and Hays, would be so much better if they made the pitchers throw strikes and only swung at hitter’s pitches early in the count.   So maybe there’s hope that in 5 years, we’ll actually be a team that makes the other team’s pitchers come to them.   

[Aristotelian]

I wonder how much is making an effort to acquire high OBP guys versus getting better at fixing Mountcastle/Adam Jones types.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

I wonder how much is making an effort to acquire high OBP guys versus getting better at fixing Mountcastle/Adam Jones types.

Like Stewart and Sisco?

[Frobby]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Like Stewart and Sisco?

Can’t win ‘em all.    

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Can’t win ‘em all.    

My way of saying it isn't as easy as just targeting guys.

I'd target talent first, it's harder to teach.

[7Mo]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

I apologize.   My remark wasn’t aimed at you, or the article.   But I’m ready to start seeing some results at the major league level.   I’m very frustrated at what’s going on with our younger pitchers when they reach the majors, and I chose to vent about it here.  I probably should have done it elsewhere.   Sorry about that.  

I appreciate that. Thanks.

I read some comments earlier today suggesting the guys nearest the majors were likely most affected by the pandemic. I feel good about Zimmerman. Hopefully Kremer, Akin and Lowther can get back to a productive path in the next year.

[Aristotelian]

3 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

My way of saying it isn't as easy as just targeting guys.

I'd target talent first, it's harder to teach.

High OBP and walk rate is a talent. At least Billy Beane seems to think so. Ideally it is both/and but seemed like DD went in the extreme opposite direction to the point it seemed like he thought OBP was overrated and he just didn't care.