SPRING TRAINING NEWS/RUMORS/GAME Thread

I recall my Dad telling me about this. He hated Frisco anyway but Dietz trying this shit still bugged him decades later, even though LA came out on top & the streak continued.

 

Coin flips are a bitch. I lose well more than half myself. Here's to opponents having similar numbers to mine vs. Sasaki.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/roki-sasaki-scouting-report
https://www.sportsinfosolutions.com/2024/02/22/npb-scouting-report-roki-sasaki/

 

Jackson ferris striking out the side!

 

Jackson played at IMG Academy with a former student of mine from SoCal... he was a beast at that level. Hopefully he can keep that up. Kid has some heat.

 

then gives up a HR to Ahmed lol

 

Shit. I'm cursed.

 

Was thinking that we coulda had possibly Ferris/ Buehler on the staff.
Checked on Walker...2 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 4 Ks.
Not bad...not bad at all.

 

and then we sign him back go Ferris!

 

This does not seem good - Yankees might be without Cole for the whole season.

 

Yeah. That sounds ominous.

 

Stanton might be done too. This explains the rumors of interest in JD Martinez.

https://x.com/BryanHoch/status/1898406222837031234?t=bvbJMNGRmGWVljTL9pz3sg&s=19
Giancarlo Stanton said his elbow injuries are “considered severe in both elbows.” He attributes it to “bat adjustments” from last season and is unsure when he will be able to resume baseball activities. If surgery is needed, he said it would be season-ending.
- per Bryan Hoch

 

The GROK Says: Dalton Rushing Comparisons

Key Points

• It seems likely that fair comparisons for Dalton Rushing include J.T. Realmuto, Sean Murphy, and Salvador Perez, based on similar minor league offensive stats.
• Research suggests Rushing could become an above-average offensive catcher with solid defensive skills, potentially earning All-Star status.

Comparisons
Dalton Rushing's minor league stats, with a .271 batting average, .384 on-base percentage, .512 slugging percentage, and 26 home runs in 503 plate appearances in 2024, align closely with catchers who have had successful major league careers. J.T. Realmuto, Sean Murphy, and Salvador Perez showed comparable or slightly lower offensive production at similar career stages, making them fair comparisons.

Career Projection
Given Rushing's strong offensive metrics and decent defensive reports, he is projected to be a starting catcher in the majors. Projections for 2025, such as ZiPS estimating a .224 average and 18 home runs over 468 plate appearances, suggest he could be a solid offensive contributor, potentially similar to Sean Murphy or Will Smith, with the potential for multiple All-Star appearances if he continues to develop.
Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of Dalton Rushing's Metrics and Career Projection
This analysis delves into Dalton Rushing's metrics and analytics to identify fair comparisons among catchers and project his potential major league career, focusing solely on statistical data without relying on external opinions. Rushing, a catcher in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, was drafted in the second round (No. 40 overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft from the University of Louisville. His minor league performance, particularly in 2024, provides a robust dataset for comparison and projection.

Minor League Performance Overview
In 2024, Rushing played across Double-A (AA) and Triple-A (AAA), accumulating 503 plate appearances (PA) with a .271 batting average (AVG), .384 on-base percentage (OBP), .512 slugging percentage (SLG), and 26 home runs (HR). His walk rate (BB%) was 12.7%, strikeout rate (K%) was 20.5%, and isolated power (ISO) was .240, indicating significant power and plate discipline. His weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) of 142 suggests he was 42% above league average offensively in the minors.

Breaking down by level:

• AA (77 games, 334 PA): .270 AVG, .378 OBP, .512 SLG, 17 HR
• AAA (37 games, 169 PA): .273 AVG, .396 OBP, .511 SLG, 9 HR

These stats highlight his ability to maintain offensive production as he progressed to higher levels, with a slight edge in OBP at AAA.

Comparative Analysis with Other Catchers
To find fair comparisons, we examined catchers with similar minor league offensive profiles at comparable career stages.

• J.T. Realmuto (2014): In AA/AAA, Realmuto had a higher AVG (.299) but lower OBP (.369) and SLG (.461) compared to Rushing's 2024 stats, with fewer HR (8 vs. 26). His major league career (AVG .275, OBP .337, SLG .459, 175 HR in 9 seasons) suggests Rushing could follow a similar path as a well-rounded offensive catcher.
• Sean Murphy (2018): Murphy's combined AA/AAA stats showed a .285 AVG, .361 OBP, .489 SLG, and 8 HR, with a focus on power later in his minors (e.g., 2019 AAA: 10 HR in 140 PA). Rushing's higher HR total (26) and OBP (.384) indicate potentially stronger offensive upside, aligning with Murphy's solid major league career (AVG .262, OBP .358, SLG .474, 60 HR in 4 seasons).
• Salvador Perez (2011): Perez's AA/AAA stats (.290 AVG, .332 OBP, .437 SLG, 10 HR) show lower power and OBP compared to Rushing, but his stellar major league career (AVG .277, OBP .321, SLG .481, 249 HR in 13 seasons) suggests Rushing could exceed expectations with his current metrics.
• Joey Bart (2019): Bart's A+/AA stats (.278 AVG, .328 OBP, .495 SLG, 16 HR) are similar in AVG and SLG to Rushing, but Rushing's higher OBP (.384) and HR (26) suggest better plate discipline and power. Bart's early major league career (AVG .215, OBP .281, SLG .346, 11 HR in 3 seasons) indicates Rushing may outperform him.
• Shea Langeliers (2021): Langeliers's AA/AAA stats (approximated .256 AVG, .337 OBP, .495 SLG, 22 HR) are close to Rushing's in SLG and HR, but Rushing's higher AVG (.271) and OBP (.384) suggest a stronger offensive profile. Langeliers's major league stats (AVG .224, OBP .299, SLG .421, 29 HR in 3 seasons) are still developing, but Rushing's metrics suggest a brighter offensive outlook.

These comparisons indicate Rushing's offensive metrics are at least on par with, and often exceed, these catchers at similar stages, particularly in power and OBP.

Defensive Considerations
While the query focuses on metrics and analytics, defensive skills are crucial for catchers. Scouting reports from Baseball America note Rushing has "fine receiving skills and plus arm strength," throwing out 31% of basestealers in college, suggesting above-average defensive potential. Specific minor league defensive stats (e.g., caught stealing percentage, framing runs) were not readily available, but his reported skills align with solid defensive catchers like Realmuto and Murphy.

Career Projection
Projecting Rushing's career involves analyzing his current performance and comparing it to the trajectories of his comparables. His 2024 minor league stats (wRC+ 142) and projections for 2025 provide insight:

• 2025 Projections (from Fangraphs):
  • ZiPS: PA 468, AVG .224, OBP .323, SLG .409, HR 18
  • Steamer: PA 1, AVG .225, OBP .318, SLG .398, HR 0 (limited sample)
  • ATC: PA 149, AVG .230, OBP .315, SLG .392, HR 5
  • THE BAT: PA 149, AVG .227, OBP .310, SLG .391, HR 5

These projections suggest, in a full season, Rushing could hit around .225 AVG, .320 OBP, .400 SLG, with 15-20 HR, placing him among above-average offensive catchers. Given his minor league power (26 HR in 503 PA), he may exceed these projections, potentially reaching 25+ HR in a full major league season, similar to Murphy's peak.
Comparing to his comparables' early major league careers:

• Realmuto's first full season (2015): .259 AVG, .322 OBP, .417 SLG, 11 HR
• Murphy's first full season (2019): .245 AVG, .324 OBP, .459 SLG, 13 HR
• Perez's first full season (2012): .254 AVG, .299 OBP, .364 SLG, 11 HR

Rushing's projected stats suggest he could outperform these early seasons, especially in power, potentially becoming a cornerstone catcher for the Dodgers, akin to Will Smith, with multiple All-Star appearances if defensive development continues positively.

Unexpected Detail
An unexpected detail is Rushing's versatility, with reports mentioning time spent at first base and left field in the minors, which could expand his utility if needed, though his primary role remains catcher.
In conclusion, Rushing's metrics position him as a potential elite offensive catcher, with fair comparisons to Realmuto, Murphy, and Perez, and a projected career as a starting, All-Star caliber player, possibly exceeding early expectations based on his power and plate discipline.

 

6-6, 245 and made of glass.

 

not that the team was counting on him for much but Grove is out for the year w shoulder surgery

 

Outman making his case for the roster spot over Pages (which he should get tbh).

 

....and the beat goes on.