Norfolk 2024

[Hank Scorpio]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

I've seen Stowers "lollygag" a lot this year. I wonder if he's just frustrated being stuck in AAA once again. No matter how everything is presented, these guys have to be upset that they are stuck in AAA when they could be playing in the MLB with other orgs. 

Of course the best way to get out of that is to perform, but that's easier said than done. Saying all that, Stowers has always been a streaky hitter. He's white hot or ice cold.

He would have had an RBI double last night if the ball didn't get "stuck" under the wall. Kjerstad would have easily scored. I didn't get to see the entire game, unfortunately. 

I did get to see Kjerstad with some really superb swing decisions. He looks pretty locked in. It's a shame about the myocarditis, still blows my mind that he's 25. 

[Just Regular]

Jackson Holliday has now cleared 200 Norfolk PA.     Looking at 2021-2024 to get all of Elias' guys, wRC+ they line up:

141 Holliday

140 Vavra

138 Adley

137 Gunnar

134 Kjerstad 

134 McKenna

130 Mayo

130 Westburg

129 Cowser

128 Ortiz    (with Muncy and Bohm he is in the lead group of NL 3B this year by wRC+)

122 Stowers

115 Norby

[Hank Scorpio]

Norby pinch hit for in the 3rd inning today.

Weird.

[LookinUp]

2 hours ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Norby pinch hit for in the 3rd inning today.

Weird.

 

 

[CaptainRedbeard]

He didn’t get any attention in Spring Training because Albert Suarez was the noteworthy out-of-nowhere old MiL contract, but keep an eye on Luis Gonzalez. He’s a soft-tossing lefty RP, but he has an elite top 1-5% spin fastball - around 2450 RPMs.

The fastball is only 91-92 MPH, but that spin rate caught my eye in Spring Training as is clearly why he was brought in as a 32 year old who hasn’t pitched in the minor leagues since 2021. He unfortunately doesn’t have the same ability for spin on the breaking balls, but that’s still a lot to work with.

Now, in 16.2 IP he’s got 25/3 K/BB and only 1 HR, good for a 3.78 ERA, 2.32 FIP, 3.38 xFIP. Very high fly ball % as you might expect for a fastball with that spin, so he might be the type that can get a lot of soft fly balls and run a better FIP than xFIP.

For what it’s worth, Steamer already projects him for 3.93 ERA / 4.19 FIP at the MLB level, and that will quickly adjust if his sample size of performance at this level in AAA increases.

Vespi is still on the 40-man and has an option, but he’s been struggling with walks in AAA and his FIP/xFIP are pretty awful despite the nice ERA. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Gonzalez leapfrog him if the need for a lefty RP arises, although the option and already being on the 40-man definitely work in Vespi’s favor if it’s a short-term thing.