New Brandon Snyder thread.

[TheBandit]

I would much rather have seen Porcello just knock him out cold with one shot.

Just looking at Youk, I think he can take a punch.

[MisterCrash]

Just looking at Youk, I think he can take a punch.

You would think that to look at Forrest Griffin, but...

[TheBandit]

You would think that to look at Forrest Griffin, but...

Haha, yes! 100 times yes. Perfect rebuttle.

[allstar1579]

I can see what you are trying to see but there's not too much similar about them. Youk walked more than he struck out every year in the minors but his partial year he got called up. Snyder has shown more HR pop and similar 2B's. I guess if you just look at Snyder's last 2 years for average they were both .300+ hitters.

Youk's OPS was very high because he walked so much while maintaining a good batting average. Snyder strikes out nearly 100 times a year and generally has to hit his way on base giving him a lesser OPS. It also took Youk two years to figure out MLB when he was 27. I really hope he isn't like him, but a much better Youk. The one thing I do really like is how well Youk plays the field, and I would love if that comparison would be true but Snyder is still working towards that.

Yeah, it's not perfect, but then again, what comp is? I don't like them in general, but I see a pattern with him that reminds me of Kevin. Youk's going to strike out 100 times a year, he just walks more than Snyder does (although Brandon has been increasing his walk totals and might hit Youk-like numbers this season in K/BB). The only year Youk really had a crazy BB/K ratio was in 2003, and from working that year in the Eastern League I can promise you it wasn't because of his great eye, but more to do with the number of horrible pitchers in the league that year. If Brandon can get his walks from the 45 range up to the 65 range he'll be right there with him (and might strike out less).

The most similarity I see isn't in the numbers, but in their approach, the pitches and locations they swing at, and the type of hitters they are at this point. Youk at this age never looked like he'd be what he is now, I saw him all the time, and he looked like a good contact guy that would be a bench player in the majors, but he just kept improving every year, especially when he hit the bigs.

Point being, you don't have to be a 35 HR hitting guy to play the corners. You don't have to be some prototypical guy like some here are begging for. If you are a productive part of the team that helps the team win, then you should be there. Snyder hitting for good average with a ton of doubles and double digit home runs is good for me. There are guys like C. Jackson, Loney, Overbay, Will Clark etc. that have made a living out of not being a "prototypical 1B" and they are doing/did well for themselves.

[TheBandit]

I agree you don't need 35 HRs, but you do need power and ability to drive in runs. If you are not a middle of the order bat, you can't be a first baseman. Even the guys you mentioned can/could sit in the middle of the line-up and always be a threat to torture the other team with doubles and HR's while driving in runs.

If everything works out, Snyder probably will be batting 3rd/5th/6th in our order. He's not a clean-up guy, but I wouldn't expect him to be.

Just for the record, Snyder, being a high school guy, is finally at the age Youk started at. Let's just hope it doesn't take him another 5 years

[allstar1579]

I agree you don't need 35 HRs, but you do need power and ability to drive in runs. If you are not a middle of the order bat, you can't be a first baseman. Even the guys you mentioned can/could sit in the middle of the line-up and always be a threat to torture the other team with doubles and HR's while driving in runs.

If everything works out, Snyder probably will be batting 3rd/5th/6th in our order. He's not a clean-up guy, but I wouldn't expect him to be.

Just for the record, Snyder, being a high school guy, is finally at the age Youk started at. Let's just hope it doesn't take him another 5 years

I've always thought that first base is where you stick guys that hit great but can't field. While Snyder isn't the BEST defensive player either, he's not a total butcher like Dunn or anything. Snyder fits right into the the middle I think because like you said the ability to hit doubles and drive in runs. The ONLY stat that matters when it comes to looking for RBI is batting average, and he's got that in spades. I think teams are figuring out how to put offenses together without playing for the long ball. I mean look at the Red Sox, they've got a whole lineup full of guys that are going to hit more than 20 doubles and hit 10-25 HR, but no big 40 HR 120 RBI guys. They've done things that way too and won WS titles, but it's not the only way to win. The dodgers are another team like that, and I think you'll see more teams start to load up like that in the future.

Just more than one way to skin a cat you know? Snyder seems so far like he would fit right into one of those lineups, so I'm glad to have him.

[murrayfan420]

I've always thought that first base is where you stick guys that hit great but can't field. While Snyder isn't the BEST defensive player either, he's not a total butcher like Dunn or anything. Snyder fits right into the the middle I think because like you said the ability to hit doubles and drive in runs. The ONLY stat that matters when it comes to looking for RBI is batting average, and he's got that in spades. I think teams are figuring out how to put offenses together without playing for the long ball. I mean look at the Red Sox, they've got a whole lineup full of guys that are going to hit more than 20 doubles and hit 10-25 HR, but no big 40 HR 120 RBI guys. They've done things that way too and won WS titles, but it's not the only way to win. The dodgers are another team like that, and I think you'll see more teams start to load up like that in the future.

Just more than one way to skin a cat you know? Snyder seems so far like he would fit right into one of those lineups, so I'm glad to have him.

A team that in current form (Red Sux)is in a free fall and might miss out on the playoffs might not be the best example.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Any analysis of Snyder and his comps should take his injury into account. It definitely affected his swing. He played hurt in 2006 and was still recovering for much of 07. IMO Snyder's story starts with the HWL in the fall of 07. Match up the ages, levels, and league-corrected numbers for 08 and this season, and the comps become very interesting.

[Pheasants]

I don't want to say Snyder is either one, but Mattingly and Grace are two long-term major league first basemen not noted for HRs. One is considered great, the other not so much.

[GoldGlove21]

I don't want to say Snyder is either one, but Mattingly and Grace are two long-term major league first basemen not noted for HRs. One is considered great, the other not so much.

Grace was a very good baseball player. How about Steve Garvey or even a guy like Derrek Lee? I think Snyder may have 20+ Homerun and 40+ Doubles potential.

[MisterCrash]

Grace was a good 1B.

[cindyluvsbrady]

I loved talking to him at Fenway!!!:wedge:

[QBsILLEST1]

I don't want to say Snyder is either one, but Mattingly and Grace are two long-term major league first basemen not noted for HRs. One is considered great, the other not so much.

Both Grace and Mattingly were considered great. Mattingly was considered better, but both were great 1B. John Olerud is another, Will Clark is another. They are good hitters, just didnt hit 50 HR's.

What I dont get is that Snyder gets bashed like he has 10 HR power or somethign trying to be a 1B. The kid would have hit 20 HR's last season over a full schedule of 575 AB's games and this season was on pace to hit around 30 HR's over 570 AB's. he couldnt keep up the pace at Harbor Park where the park kills any long shots to right. The kid is gonna surprise us all with the power he shows when he comes up IMO....

[olehippi]

I haven't seen him play this year, but Snyder impressed me last year at the Keys games I attended. He looks like a hitter, has a very smooth stroke, and definitely attacks the ball in the zone. My optimistic comparison at the time was a RH version of Nick Markakis. I have absolutely no doubt he'll hit for average at the ML level, but I don't think he will deliver more than Markakis type power numbers.

The only thing that bothered me was that he looked very tentative, almost clumsy at times, around 1B. The good news is that he's apparently getting better defensively.

[Frobby]

Both Grace and Mattingly were considered great. Mattingly was considered better, but both were great 1B. John Olerud is another, Will Clark is another. They are good hitters, just didnt hit 50 HR's.

What I dont get is that Snyder gets bashed like he has 10 HR power or somethign trying to be a 1B. The kid would have hit 20 HR's last season over a full schedule of 575 AB's games and this season was on pace to hit around 30 HR's over 570 AB's. he couldnt keep up the pace at Harbor Park where the park kills any long shots to right. The kid is gonna surprise us all with the power he shows when he comes up IMO....

Take a look at Snyder's AAA home/road splits and you'll see that Harbor Park hasn't been a big problem for him.