Mangum's Power

[ZombieKissinger]

Someone mentioned that Jake Mangum hit a homerun in his first game this year, but he currently has 3 HRs in 67 at bats as compared to 0 HRs in 182 at bats in 2019. Will be interesting to see how it plays out this year, but looks like he may have added some significant power to his game. Has also struck out 20 times this year, which is a ton for 67 at bats, as compared to 26 in 2019. Hope the power stays and the strikeouts improve

 

[skydawg1]

2 doubles and a triple tonight. 3 for 5, 2 RBI's and 1 K. Keep it up Jake!

 

[preacher_dawg]

Hopefully, I can go see him play when he's called up to AAA Syracuse.

 

[johnson86-1]

So Mangum is now batting .340 in 53 ABs in Double A. A small sample size and that is with a .395 BABIP, so he's definitely catching some breaks, but still seems good.

What does it realistically take for him to get moved up to AAA? If he keeps hitting >.300 in Double A with his current power and defense, , will that get him moved up? I know that depends a lot on on what players in front of him are doing, but just curious what his stats need to look like to typically get the chance to move up.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

So Mangum is now batting .340 in 53 ABs in Double A. A small sample size and that is with a .395 BABIP, so he's definitely catching some breaks, but still seems good.

What does it realistically take for him to get moved up to AAA? If he keeps hitting >.300 in Double A with his current power and defense, , will that get him moved up? I know that depends a lot on on what players in front of him are doing, but just curious what his stats need to look like to typically get the chance to move up.

There essentially has to be a need at the position he naturally plays or they want to look at him at other positions. Many times, players are “parked” in Triple A because they are close to ready and an opportunity may avail itself due to a trade of a player on the big club or a trade that may involve the “player to be named later” or an injury. Sometimes it involves an injury or trade at the Triple A level. But for sure, Double A is where they cut their teeth.

 

[msstate7]

He's struggling now...
1.2% bb rate
.609 ops
.266 wOBA
62 wrc+
.297 babip so not bad luck

 

[DAWG61]

Jesus Billy Beane speak 17ing English

 

[msstate7]

Jesus Billy Beane speak 17ing English

He's not hitting. He's not walking. He's really struggling.

 

[She Mate Me]

He's not hitting. He's not walking. He's really struggling.

Really, really want to see Jake make it in the Show, but at 25 it feels like his time to figure it out is getting shorter and shorter. It feels really important that he has a decent season in AA this year.

Ultimately I think the guy ends up as a top notch coach.

 

[DAWG61]

Anything beyond avg, slug, obp, is just Korean fangirl club. You've got enough information right there. You aren't fitting him for a jock when he's facing a 6'5 lefty with a 15 mph breeze from the northwest at noon in Albuquerque.

 

[msstate7]

Anything beyond avg, slug, obp, is just Korean fangirl club. You've got enough information right there. You aren't fitting him for a jock when he's facing a 6'5 lefty with a 15 mph breeze from the northwest at noon in Albuquerque.

.609 ops = .244 obp + .365 slugging
.235 avg

 

[Drebin]

Really, really want to see Jake make it in the Show, but at 25 it feels like his time to figure it out is getting shorter and shorter. It feels really important that he has a decent season in AA this year.

You can't say things like this. It's JAKE MANGUM you're talking about here.

 

[Drebin]

Anything beyond avg, slug, obp, is just Korean fangirl club. You've got enough information right there. You aren't fitting him for a jock when he's facing a 6'5 lefty with a 15 mph breeze from the northwest at noon in Albuquerque.

OPS is OBP plus SLG. It (and OPS+) are by far the most useful measure of a player because it demonstrates how productive they are without getting hung up on an artificially high (or low) batting average.

Batting average has become a borderline useless statistic by itself.

 

[She Mate Me]

You can't say things like this. It's JAKE MANGUM you're talking about here.

I'm sorry, I slipped.

Seriously though, 20 hits, 20 K's and 1 walk in 85 ABs. Rough times in River City...

 

[oxfordrebel22]

I think his newfound power is stemming from the fact that Ole Miss puts so many pitchers in the pros that he’s just seeing them more often.

(I’m proud of this one, because it’s going to really challenge some of you, emotionally)

 

[dorndawg]

Someone mentioned that Jake Mangum hit a homerun in his first game this year, but he currently has 3 HRs in 67 at bats as compared to 0 HRs in 182 at bats in 2019. Will be interesting to see how it plays out this year, but looks like he may have added some significant power to his game. Has also struck out 20 times this year, which is a ton for 67 at bats, as compared to 26 in 2019. Hope the power stays and the strikeouts improve

Mangum is gonna make The Show just to dunk on Drebin*

 

[Go Budaw]

Really, really want to see Jake make it in the Show, but at 25 it feels like his time to figure it out is getting shorter and shorter. It feels really important that he has a decent season in AA this year.

Ultimately I think the guy ends up as a top notch coach.

It’s always cyclical with the minors with any player. New player comes up, he has to adjust, then the pitchers adjust to his adjustments, then he adjusts to the pitchers adjustments, and on and on it goes. He was never going to still be hitting .385 with 10 HR’s at the end of the AA season, like he was on pace for a week or two ago. He’s also probably not going to be hitting sub-.200 like he’s been the past few weeks. We’ll see where he’s at when the season is over.

 

[msstate7]

It’s always cyclical with the minors with any player. New player comes up, he has to adjust, then the pitchers adjust to his adjustments, then he adjusts to the pitchers adjustments, and on and on it goes. He was never going to still be hitting .385 with 10 HR’s at the end of the AA season, like he was on pace for a week or two ago. He’s also probably not going to be hitting sub-.200 like he’s been the past few weeks. We’ll see where he’s at when the season is over.

The only problem with this theory is he hasn't hit at any level, yet

 

[Go Budaw]

I'm sorry, I slipped.

Seriously though, 20 hits, 20 K's and 1 walk in 85 ABs. Rough times in River City...

Just following his season, it seemed that in Brooklyn before he got promoted, he had started to improve his BB %. Then he got the call-up, started out red hot in Binghampton, then maybe let some of those old free swinging habits start to set in again. Like I said in the other post, his turn to adjust now that pitchers have more scouting on his tendencies.

 

[DAWG61]

So you bring up a ten day old thread to highlight his recent struggles? Rumble Ponies are 11-27. Nobody is hitting well for them apparently.

 

[Drebin]

The only problem with this theory is he hasn't hit at any level, yet

This is true but folks are putting too much stock into a three week hot streak..

He didn't get promoted to AA because he was overperforming in A. He got promoted to AA because the parent club was ransacked with injuries and gutted AAA so they needed warm bodies to fill out the roster. They'll probably stick with Jake for a while in AA because of his age. But he's got to hit - like right now - if he wants to play beyond AA. Time is not on his side.

 

[msstate7]

So you bring up a ten day old thread to highlight his recent struggles? Rumble Ponies are 11-27. Nobody is hitting well for them apparently.

No one cares about milb wins and losses. It's all about individual performance.

 

[DAWG61]

No one cares about milb wins and losses. It's all about individual performance.

Really dude. If his batting mates all suck it affects him. Affects what pitches he sees and effects how many shifts he's having to hit into.

 

[msstate7]

Really dude. If his batting mates all suck it affects him. Affects what pitches he sees and effects how many shifts he's having to hit into.

You think milb teams are pitching around Mangum?

 

[Drebin]

You think milb teams are pitching around Mangum?

I particularly enjoyed the assertion that how other players are performing affects how teams shift against him.

 

[msstate7]

I particularly enjoyed the assertion that how other players are performing affects how teams shift against him.

I get it... we all love Mangum. He may be the most popular baseball player we've had since will Clark/palmiero (I was too young to really remember those guys). I just don't see an mlb player.

Ethan small is looking strong at AA. I have concerns about his velocity (unless it's ticked up) and bb rate, but these are what prospect numbers generally look like...

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/ethan-small/sa3011621/stats?position=P

 

[DAWG61]

I particularly enjoyed the assertion that how other players are performing affects how teams shift against him.

Oh good to know the defense he faces every time he hits stays in the same alignment regardless of base runners. You should apply for the Pirates managerial position soon to be available.

 

[Drebin]

Oh good to know the defense he faces every time he hits stays in the same alignment regardless of base runners. You should apply for the Pirates managerial position soon to be available.

You said that how others are hitting in the lineup impacts how teams shift against him. Far and away one of the dumbest things ever said here. Much different than what you're trying to assert now.

 

[DAWG61]

Your deductive reasoning skills are amazing

 

[Drebin]

So, you didn't say this?

Really dude. If his batting mates all suck it affects him. Affects what pitches he sees and effects how many shifts he's having to hit into.

 

[Drebin]

I get it... we all love Mangum. He may be the most popular baseball player we've had since will Clark/palmiero (I was too young to really remember those guys). I just don't see an mlb player.

Ethan small is looking strong at AA. I have concerns about his velocity (unless it's ticked up) and bb rate, but these are what prospect numbers generally look like...

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/ethan-small/sa3011621/stats?position=P

I've been following Ethan a little bit. What we're seeing from him is exactly what you'd see from a guy with major league upside at that age in AA. I'm less worried about his velo because he's a lefty and his off speed stuff combined with his exceptional command really plays. But he's not Jamie Moyer - he's a low 90s to 94-94 kinda pitcher.

Here's the latest scouting report I'd seen on him:



Of the trio of left-handed pitching prospects in the Brewers’ Top 10, Small might not have the highest ceiling but he probably has the highest floor. After undergoing Tommy John surgery that wiped out his entire 2017 at Mississippi State, Small returned as a redshirt sophomore in 2018 and emerged as one of the most accomplished pitchers in college baseball, leading the Bulldogs to a College World Series appearance in '19 and winning Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year honors after finishing first and second among NCAA Division I hurlers with 176 strikeouts and 14.8 K/9, respectively. Hoping to reverse their history with touted college pitchers drafted in the first round (see: Eric Arnett, Taylor Jungmann, Jed Bradley), the Brewers took Small with their 2019 first-round pick and signed him for $1.8 million, below slot value for the No. 28 overall pick ($2.49 million). Early returns were promising. Small posted a 0.86 ERA and 36 strikeouts versus four walks over 21 innings that summer, mostly at low-A. He pitched at the team’s Alternate Training site in 2020 and was back in big league camp in ’21.
Small’s fastball does not produce particularly big velocity since surgery (89-92 mph at the start of his pro career), but it plays up thanks to Small’s command, his deceptive and varied delivery with crossfire action, the extension from his 6-foot-3 frame, and his knack for going right after hitters, leading to surprising whiff rates and weak contact in the strike zone. Small sells his above-average changeup in the mid-70s with fastball arm speed, turning it over well to imparting late fading action on the pitch. Small also throws a curveball.
None of those offerings stand out a’la Antoine Kelly’s fastball or Aaron Ashby’s slider, but Small’s polish and ability to fill up the strike zone should help him move quickly toward being an effective middle-of-the-rotation starter in the Majors.

 

[DAWG61]

Yup I said that, brb going to the store for beer & chips

 

[msstate7]

Very nice. Glad they think this high bb rate is flukish.

 

[Drebin]

Mangum is gonna make The Show just to dunk on Drebin*

I hope he does. Unfortunately, I fear it will end up like it does when you try to dunk on me.

 

[Big Sheep81]

Not often you get to see "affect" and "effect" used in the same sentence........only one is used correctly by the way

 

[dorndawg]

I hope he does. Unfortunately, I fear it will end up like it does when you try to dunk on me.

We all know how that usually goes:

For the record, your analysis on Mangum is spot on.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

I would bet the organization explained to him he had to hit with power more. That will cause some struggles for a guy who put the barrel on the ball all those years. The struggles might not matter as long as the power goes up, at least for awhile. I remember when Mike Kelley came back to campus after being drafted by the cubs. He was taking BP with his pinky wrapped around the knob. They wanted power from an outfielder. I would think it is worse now.

 

[Willowdawg]

I would bet the organization explained to him he had to hit with power more. That will cause some struggles for a guy who put the barrel on the ball all those years. The struggles might not matter as long as the power goes up, at least for awhile. I remember when Mike Kelley came back to campus after being drafted by the cubs. He was taking BP with his pinky wrapped around the knob. They wanted power from an outfielder. I would think it is worse now.

If that's the case and he continues to struggle, he better take it upon himself to just hitting singles and doubles again. They might not want him but somebody else will if he could have an average over 300 doing that. I know it's around 20 years ago but Paul Phillips from west lauderdale gave me hitting lessons while with the Royal organization at the time and he said if he could just hit singles every time and his average be 300 or morehe would make a lot of money for a long time bc I asked him about his hrs. And I think the power would eventually come it always does. I think he made the show but it would be just for a few weeks or a month and it only happened a fèw times bc he was not elite in any phase of the game. He was just someone you could count on to play a decent defense and maybe get a few hits and a Homer while a starter was getting better from an injury

 

[Drebin]

If that's the case and he continues to struggle, he better take it upon himself to just hitting singles and doubles again. They might not want him but somebody else will if he could have an average over 300 doing that. I know it's around 20 years ago but Paul Phillips from west lauderdale gave me hitting lessons while with the Royal organization at the time and he said if he could just hit singles every time and his average be 300 or morehe would make a lot of money for a long time bc I asked him about his hrs. And I think the power would eventually come it always does. I think he made the show but it would be just for a few weeks or a month and it only happened a fèw times bc he was not elite in any phase of the game. He was just someone you could count on to play a decent defense and maybe get a few hits and a Homer while a starter was getting better from an injury

This is a different game today than it was 20 years ago. Organizations don't value batting average as much as they value on-base percentage and slugging percentage. There are tons of guys hitting in the .260-.270 range in MLB who could easily hit 300. They're sacrificing contact for power. This is why strikeouts are way up in baseball. This is why teams are focused on launch angles and lift, where 20 years ago, they were more focused on hitting the ball on the ground.

 

[DamnitDog]

I read this post as Magnum's Power and thought it was about rubbers (sarcasm)