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Who's Your Squirrel?

Edgy MD Oct 12 2019 10:22 PM

Consider the following two part-time players: [th][/th] [th]G[/th] [th]GS[/th] [th]PA[/th] [th]AB[/th] [th]R[/th] [th]H[/th] [th]2B[/th] [th]3B[/th] [th]HR[/th] [th]RBI[/th] [th]SB[/th] [th]CS[/th] [th]BB[/th] [th]SO[/th] [th]BA[/th] [th]OBP[/th] [th]SLG[/th] [th]OPS[/th] [th]TB[/th] [th]GDP[/th] [th]HBP[/th] [th]SH[/th] [th]SF[/th] [th]IBB[/th] [th]ROE[/th] [th]BAbip[/th] Player One 76 69 318 289 41 101 23 1 7 36 3 5 18 38 .349 .409 .509 .917 147 3 11 0 0 2 2 .385 Player Two 57 54 249 221 42 61 15 0 16 39 2 1 17 37 .276 .353 .561 .914 124 2 10 0 1 0 3 .266

Considering that you're not dopes, I'm going to guess most of you have all figured out that these aren't part-time players at all, but that both players are Jeff McNeil in 2019 — the first-half version and the second-half version. In a strange turn of events, in the midst of an all-star year in his first full season, and while pursuing a batting title, McNeil became a recognizably different player — going from the epitome of the contact guy, a guy who defended the plate like a hockey goalie, spraying his deflections all over the field, to a guy who sits on the low and inside pitch, looking to drop the barrel head and pull the ball for power.



If becoming the second guy meant sacrificing his prodigious plate coverage, he was seemingly willing to trade that for the increased power in his suddenly loopier swing.



Amazingly, the overall level of his effectiveness, at least as suggested by his OPS, was virtually the same, even as he got there completely differently, turning from Ichiro to Robin Ventura. He got a noticeably better walk rate in the second half to go with the increased strikeouts, but his eye-raising HbP number actually went up a tick. Counter to what your intuition might suggest, he stayed out of double plays in both halves, and his strikeout rate didn't go up that much, from .119 to .149. That difference is real, but not crippling. Not immediately, anyhow.



It's hardly outlandish to suggest that his changed profile was a product of him adjusting to the adjustments pitchers and defenses were making on him. And maybe the pendulum swings back next season toward the first-half player. Or maybe he even adjusts again and becomes still another type of hitter.



But the question to you today is ... if he can only be one of those players above going forward, which would you like it to be?



[FIMG=400]http://content.sny.tv/assets/images/4/3/8/306369438/cuts/750x422/cut.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=338]https://i0.wp.com/www.cbs17.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2019/09/095166ce9a7d458c8f55511cf2502dcf.jpg?resize=2560%2C1440&ssl=1[/FIMG]

The difference between first-half Jeff McNeil and second-half Jeff McNeil in a nutshell.

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 12 2019 11:13 PM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

There was an interview with him where he explained it, he had to adjust to how they were pitching him. What I like about McNeil is that he really is capable of being both guys. I guess sometimes late in the season I wish he was the first guy.

whippoorwill Oct 13 2019 05:23 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

Hitter instead of slugger

Edgy MD Oct 13 2019 05:45 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

Look at that BAbip difference! Some might try to tell you that the first half number wasn't sustainable anyhow. But I have my issues with BAbip theory.

MFS62 Oct 13 2019 07:09 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

I remember when Wade Boggs was criticized for being a "singles hitter". So in his sixth year in the majors he went from single digit homer runs to 24. (Of course , he hit .363 while doing it.) Then, after his "I'll show you" year he went back to single digits.(OK, so one later year he hit eleven dingers) https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/boggswa01.shtml I'm sure he'll continue to do whatever the pitchers let him do. And I'll take either one. I just hope the new manager will be someone who starts him in the game after he gets four hits. Later

whippoorwill Oct 13 2019 08:13 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

Well heavens, he'd need to rest

seawolf17 Oct 14 2019 07:03 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

I do remember the Boggs thing, but that was also 1987, which was a juiced ball year. So there's that. I have been really impressed by McNeil's ability to adapt; I think he can be both. To answer your question, I prefer the first, but somewhere in the middle of those two for the next several years is going to be *fantastic.*

Lefty Specialist Oct 14 2019 07:56 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

First half squirrel was a good leadoff hitter (could have walked more but a .409 OBP is nothing to sneeze at). Second-half squirrel was a more of a 5 hitter. I think first-half squirrel is more useful in the team context. They have other guys to punish baseballs.

Centerfield Oct 14 2019 08:42 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

Was his swing actually loopier? I'm not a big fan of changing one's swing, especially if he's having a first half like he was. Look I'll take either guy, but if I had to pick, I like the first one.

seawolf17 Oct 14 2019 09:55 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

He's not a guy who's going up there to walk. He wants to swing. I listened to his Rain Delay Theater podcast episodes on the plane the other day, and he talked about how he's willing to take what the defense throws at him and work with it. If they want to shift, he'll hit the other way. His OBP says otherwise, but he's not a new-school leadoff guy, or even a #2 guy. He's a middle of the order make something happen guy.

LWFS Oct 14 2019 10:43 AM Re: Who's Your Squirrel?

A little like a next-gen version of the Murphy transition, isn't it?