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Thread: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

  1. #151
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    I'm not writing him off. I'm saying if he doesn't at least show flashes he stops being interesting as a prospect. Especially when you consider that Mes is playing well defensively AND hitting.
    There's no question Mesoraco looks like the more interesting C prospect right now. But Soto's had 2 fine years with the stick and 1 down year. Mesoraco never really "flashed" as a hitter -- he survived. Chances are Soto will flash again, but it may take time, especially given the challenge he's facing defensively.


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  3. #152
    Pitter Patter TRF's Avatar
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    Quote Originally Posted by lollipopcurve View Post
    There's no question Mesoraco looks like the more interesting C prospect right now. But Soto's had 2 fine years with the stick and 1 down year. Mesoraco never really "flashed" as a hitter -- he survived. Chances are Soto will flash again, but it may take time, especially given the challenge he's facing defensively.
    I disagree. Mes's peripherals suggested he was an .800 OPS player had he had anything resembling a normal babip. And that was in the FSL. 35 BB's in 312 AB's would equate to what 50+ in 450 AB's? Brandon Phillips should dream of such numbers. I'm not a big believer in LD%, especially at the lower levels (completely subjective data, often incorrect), but it was clear that the FSL beat up on Mes AND that he was a little unlucky.

    Normalize Soto for luck, and he was still a worse hitter than Mes last year.

    And I do think both players can rebound from that, but Soto really needs to hit. He didn't have two years where he hit. He had one meh season (2007) and one where he exploded up the list (2008) before falling off the FSL cliff (2009) Right now, 2008 is the aberration.
    Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.

  4. #153
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    Quote Originally Posted by TRF View Post
    I did, but it was an almost .200 point drop in his OPS. That's more than the FSL. That's him not adjusting to fix the weaknesses in his game. I like his power potential, but potential is a dirty word. He needs to hit.
    I think the FSL can actually cause a .200 point drop in OPS. It has happened to some real good hitters at times. Ryan Braun saw his OPS go from 1.041 in Low A to .784 in the FSL to .956 in AA (the latter two coming in the same season). We all know Ryan Braun can mash. He couldn't do it in the FSL. Home runs in every other league turn into warning track outs there.

    This season, I am less concerned about Soto's hitting for two reasons. Focusing on catching is a big deal. He had his hamate bone removed this offseason.

  5. #154
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    He didn't have two years where he hit. He had one meh season (2007) and one where he exploded up the list (2008) before falling off the FSL cliff (2009) Right now, 2008 is the aberration.
    Flat wrong. He hit over .300 with a .355 OBP and .454 SLG as an 18 year old in the GCL, a tough hitters league, in 2007. He most definitely hit that year. Last year was the only off year he has had with the bat, and, as Doug has pointed out, there may have been issues with his wrist.

  6. #155
    Two-Time Batting Champ Edd Roush's Avatar
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    [QUOTE=dougdirt;2065620]I think the FSL can actually cause a .200 point drop in OPS. It has happened to some real good hitters at times. Ryan Braun saw his OPS go from 1.041 in Low A to .784 in the FSL to .956 in AA (the latter two coming in the same season). We all know Ryan Braun can mash. He couldn't do it in the FSL. Home runs in every other league turn into warning track outs there.
    QUOTE]

    Really glad the Reds got out of the FSL if this is really the case. Really makes it hard to judge actual performance of your players. Maybe an even bigger problem would disappearing confidence from younger hitters.

  7. #156
    Pitter Patter TRF's Avatar
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    Quote Originally Posted by lollipopcurve View Post
    Flat wrong. He hit over .300 with a .355 OBP and .454 SLG as an 18 year old in the GCL, a tough hitters league, in 2007. He most definitely hit that year. Last year was the only off year he has had with the bat, and, as Doug has pointed out, there may have been issues with his wrist.
    I take GCL stats with a grain of salt. He was clearly a better hitter than his competition, because the GCL plays in the same parks as the FSL for the most part I believe and he was pretty much owned in the FSL.

    I give more credence to the hamate bone as to why his power dried up.

    He still needs to hit though.
    Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.

  8. #157
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    He still needs to hit though.
    Who doesn't?

  9. #158
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    I give more credence to the hamate bone as to why his power dried up.
    Your argument is disappearing.

  10. #159
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    Re: Neftali Soto - Catcher?

    Quote Originally Posted by lollipopcurve View Post
    Your argument is disappearing.
    Not really. If he doesn't hit, it's a quirky experiment trying to find a position for a player that didn't work. Like Jerry Gil.

    IF the hamate bone is the reason he isn't hitting, then ok. But if it's a case of a guy tearing up Low A and doing nothing after, Soto will find himself lost amidst thousands of other Low A stars that did nothing.

    Again, if the hamate bone is responsible for his hitting woes, he should see an uptick in his power late in the year. Not much of one maybe, but a little bit. That and he isn't in the FSL anymore.
    Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.


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