Welcome to an All-Star week version of Five Things, my weekly column that appears at no matter caught my eye within the final week. As at all times, because of Zach Lowe of ESPN for the column thought. One piece of suggestions I regularly get on this collection is that I’m not paying sufficient consideration to the massive stars. It’s true; we’re not precisely brief on Shohei Ohtani protection right here at FanGraphs, and I’m a type of hipster-y baseball watchers who loves a fourth outfielder greater than your common fan. This week, although, I assumed I’d do one thing somewhat completely different. In celebration of the All Star recreation, which is perennially certainly one of my favourite occasions regardless of the low stakes, listed below are 5 issues I like about large stars.
1. All Your Base Are Belong To Elly
I”m not the primary particular person to write down about this, and I clearly gained’t be the final, however JEEZ. Elly De La Cruz is enjoyable as a result of he’s an entire unicorn, a switch-hitter with 80 energy and 80 velocity. He’s enjoyable as a result of he’s 6-foot-5 and appears like a center infielder acquired stretched past all recognition. He’s enjoyable as a result of he has enjoyable on the sector. He’s additionally enjoyable as a result of he can steal third and residential on the identical pitch:
This is my favourite play of the 12 months to date. It’s virtually definitely going to face up as my favourite play of the 12 months. What may high it? The steal of third, eh, no matter. That’s little one’s play with the brand new guidelines and top-shelf footspeed. I simply can’t recover from the attention on show after that swipe. He realized that Brian Anderson wasn’t taking part in near the bag in any respect, and at the same time as he dusted himself off and adjusted his helmet, he was already gathering extra info:
I don’t need to let pitcher Elvis Peguero off the hook, however actually, this was De La Cruz beating the entire Brewers staff on his personal. Anderson didn’t instantly shut down to 3rd after the steal as a result of, properly, why would he? The base was already stolen. What goal could be served by strolling over and lackadaisically sticking his glove in direction of the mound? He was simply going to show round and stroll again to his off-the-line fielding place anyway.
Peguero wasn’t faultless, as I discussed. This is manner too lengthy to show your again on a man with game-breaking velocity:
Meanwhile, William Contreras ought to have been yelling on the high of his lungs the entire time. The most harmful baserunner within the recreation is close by. What within the title of Bernie Brewer was everybody pondering? Keep eyes on him always!
What they have been pondering is that this isn’t how baseball works. No one steals third after which residence. No one steals residence, even. No one steals and not using a pitch being thrown. This felt like a Little League recreation the place one child is simply much more mature than the remainder, solely De La Cruz is youthful than everybody on the sector. That’s life in Elly’s world proper now. I can’t consider he wasn’t an All-Star, however it doesn’t matter, as a result of he’s probably the most thrilling participant on the sector each time he performs lately:
2. Shohei’s Speed
On August 21, the sentence instantly previous this one will cease being true. Why? Because the Reds are visiting Anaheim for a collection beginning on that day, and Shohei Ohtani is quickly ascending the ranks of the most effective gamers of all time. He mashes residence runs. He hits for common and takes his walks. He pops 100 mph on the radar gun often and learns new pitches on the fly. I’m not the primary to notice that the Babe Ruth comparisons are getting tiring, however Ohtani makes all of the mythmaking round Ruth really feel quaint. He’s the most effective hitter in baseball this 12 months, and he’s additionally putting out a 3rd of the batters he faces. It’s Shohei’s world; we’re simply residing in it.
All of these issues are nice. I wouldn’t have area to cowl all of the issues Ohtani does that carry me pleasure on this column, even when each merchandise have been about him. Let’s simply give attention to one side in the present day: his velocity. Naturally, Ohtani leads the Angels in steals, as a result of he leads the Angels in every thing. He additionally leads the majors in triples (he leads the league in homers, too, however that’s not a velocity factor). He will get a few of these triples as a result of he tattoos the ball, however he additionally will get some as a result of he can flat out fly. Check out this unlikely triple from July 8:
I do know what you’re pondering. “Ben, you clipped a double on accident.” That appears to be like like a backyard selection double off the bat, a blistered line drive that cut up the outfielders and acquired to the wall. Mookie Betts is taking part in it like a double. But wait! Smash lower to the basepaths:
You can’t let your guard down for even a minute with Ohtani, as a result of he’ll make the most of it. He wasn’t even going full velocity as he rounded first base; like everybody else, he was clearly pondering double when he hit it. But when the ball kicked off of the wall unusually, catching the padding and dying on the observe as a substitute of rebounding to the grass, he hit the afterburners:
Most of his triples are extra textbook than that one. Here’s the next-most-recent, from late in June. It ought to include a banana peel sound on Ohtani’s off-balance swing, after which Yakety Sax for Gavin Sheets‘ protection:
Not each triple is earned. But that one towards the Dodgers was, and it’s simply one other device in Ohtani’s never-ending bag. He homered afterward within the recreation, by the best way. The Angels misplaced, 10–5. Some issues by no means change.
3. Austin Riley’s Defense
Austin Riley is rightly considered a bat-first participant. He’s coming off of back-to-back seasons the place he was roughly 40% higher than the common hitter, and he signed the most important deal in membership historical past on the again of these years. He was additionally 10 outs beneath common at third base in accordance with Statcast, although DRS as a substitute thought he was a plus defender on the market, so the true reply probably lies someplace in between.
This 12 months, Riley’s bat has been cold and warm. He slumped badly in May and once more in June, however he’s had his fair proportion of sizzling streaks as properly. The result’s a batting line that isn’t removed from league common, although his uncooked energy numbers recommend that higher days will likely be right here quickly. But there’s one clear piece of excellent information to counteract that: he appears to be like higher and higher defensively to me every single day.
The first instance that involves thoughts? What in regards to the All-Star Game itself, the place Riley channeled Nolan Arenado to rob a certain base hit from Josh Jung:
That’s simply clear residing proper there. Jung hit the ball so softly that it was a do-or-die play. Riley appropriately went in barehanded, used his momentum to glide right into a throwing place, and delivered an correct throw on one hop. Plain and easy, that’s nice protection. That ball is successful more often than not, notably towards a hitter with Jung’s energy, as a result of third basemen need to play again.
That was the most effective play he made all recreation, however I appreciated this one, too:
That was a pleasant play, even when it didn’t have the wow issue of that off-balance cost. He displayed nice fingers, calm reactions, and the presence of thoughts to fireplace the ball throughout the diamond instantly moderately than first attending to his ft. You need to go for it there, as a result of a traditional throw gained’t work, and the chance of misfiring is simply not as massive because the reward of turning a double play.
Those quick-reaction throws weren’t at all times Riley’s forte. In truth, he seemed stiff and mechanical to me within the early levels of his profession, making an attempt to throw from the identical platform each time moderately than adapting to his scenario. Now, although, he appears to be like clean and pure on the market. His offense will flip round, and when he does, he’ll be a real double risk moderately than a slugger with a 3rd baseman’s mitt.
4. Logan Webb, Digging Deep
Complete video games are a factor of the previous. There have solely been 20 to date this 12 months, and we’re greater than midway by way of the season. As not too long ago as 2015, there have been triple-digit full video games, and there have been 50 as not too long ago as 2021. Baseball simply doesn’t work that manner anymore; relievers are too good lately, and groups perceive the realities of each pitcher put on and batter familiarity greater than they used to.
Logan Webb is the sort of pitcher who would have racked up full video games in a earlier period. He has a low-stress supply and glorious command. He picks up a ton of double performs because of his superlative sinker. He’s comparatively proof against platoon disadvantages because of his finest pitch, a jaw-dropping changeup. But in his first 95 begins, his profession excessive was eight innings pitched. He’s probably the most sturdy pitcher in baseball — he leads the league in innings pitched, and greater than half his begins have gone seven innings or extra — however final Sunday, the 96th begin of his profession, was the primary time he went the gap.
The Giants wanted each little bit of his brilliance in a 1–0 win over the Rockies. They slumped into the All-Star break, 3–7 of their final ten video games earlier than Sunday’s collection finale. Their playoff place is tenuous; they got here into that day a half recreation out of the ultimate wild card spot. You’re imagined to beat the Rockies, and but the offense may solely muster a single run towards Kyle Freeland and Justin Lawrence.
Webb made that run arise along with his best single-game efficiency. He posted double-digit strikeouts for the seventh time in his profession and didn’t stroll a single batter. He acquired grounders like he at all times does. He pitched massive within the greatest moments. He did every thing an ace is meant to do, which is smart: he’s their ace.
Webb’s regular strikeout pitch is his changeup, and this recreation was no exception. He garnered ten swinging strikes with it, and 6 of his ten strikeouts. His slider, which is completely satisfactory towards righties, acquired three swinging strikeouts of its personal. That’s par for the course; Webb throws secondary pitches greater than 70% of the time with two strikes, one of many highest charges within the recreation.
Sure, that’s what he often does, however I like baseball for the eccentricities. The highest-leverage second within the recreation, each in my thoughts and in accordance with leverage index, got here within the high of the eighth inning. Harold Castro lined a one-out double to left, which introduced Brenton Doyle to the plate. Winning run in scoring place, just one out within the inning: if Doyle reached base safely, Webb was probably getting pulled. Four straight changeups confirmed you what Webb needed to do, however Doyle lastly acquired a bat on the fourth one:
That brings me to my favourite pitch of the whole recreation. Doyle had changeup on his thoughts. Webb had changeup on his thoughts. Catcher Patrick Bailey absolutely had changeup on his thoughts. But the best way ahead was proper down most important avenue:
He’ll by no means report a neater strikeout except the pitch clock is concerned. Doyle acquired two changeups and a slider within the fifth. He acquired 4 straight changeups within the eighth. He acquired lulled to sleep and paid the value. That was an important piece of pitching by an important pitcher, and Webb sailed to the victory by coaxing a weak grounder to finish the eighth and putting out the aspect within the ninth. One recreation is only one recreation, however going into the All-Star break along with your ace carrying you feels fairly dang good.
5. The Incomparable Luis Arraez
I get it, Luis Arraez is extra enjoyable than worthwhile. I believe wRC+ does an excellent job of describing offensive contributions for probably the most half, and it thinks he’s doing rather well — the seventh-best certified hitter in all of baseball. But I additionally suppose that the remainder of our WAR framework does an excellent job of describing worth, and his baserunning and protection are doing him no favors. Being the Twenty fifth-most worthwhile hitter in baseball is rather a lot much less thrilling than batting .383, and sadly, I believe that Pandora’s field has lengthy since been opened on the subject of treating baseball gamers like piles of statistics as a substitute of enjoyable dudes to look at.
Here’s the factor, although: Arraez is a remarkably enjoyable dude to look at! A stroll, a homer, and a strikeout have a better mixed linear runs worth than three singles, however I’d moderately see the three singles in particular person. This one completely isn’t one thing that occurred this week, however it caught with me, and what higher event to carry it up than after Arraez slapped two All-Star singles this week?
My favourite Arraez talent is his uncanny means to get hits with two strikes. Here’s an instance: after working the depend towards José Berríos within the backside of the primary, he took a well-located sinker and Arraez’ed it proper up:
That wasn’t even a nasty pitch. It was 95 and heavy, completely dotting the underside of the zone. I don’t suppose Berríos may have situated it higher if he tried. No matter: tender line drive, nine-degree launch angle, utterly undefendable.
The subsequent time up, Berríos acquired forward 0–2, however Arraez is tough to place away. He fouled off a curve, then took two huge ones to get to 2–2. His subsequent pitch wasn’t fairly excellent, and you must be excellent to toss something Arraez can’t get his bat on. Advantage, Arraez:
Bad location for a changeup? No doubt. What are you imagined to do, although, when he’s both fouling your curve off or taking it for a ball? Berríos needed to attempt one thing new, and his plan didn’t precisely pan out.
Ah, however don’t fear, Berríos acquired one other chew on the apple. In the underside of the fourth, Arraez had an opportunity to interrupt the sport open: three-run lead, two males on, and nobody out. Again, the 2 dueled to a 2–2 depend. Berríos tried but another choice this time, a four-seamer up. You can most likely see the place that is going:
That’s three completely different pitches to a few completely different places in two-strike counts, and there have been some curves that Arraez fouled off within the discount too. You simply can’t get something previous him. After a clear single within the sixth on a 1–0 depend — de rigeur at this level — the Blue Jays had one final shot to salvage one thing. Oh, not the sport; the sport was properly out of hand. But what about placing Arraez away after getting forward of him for as soon as?
This time, Mitch White acquired a shot. He rapidly acquired forward 1–2 and determined to take no possibilities. He didn’t emulate Berríos and attempt to dot the corners; he simply reared again and threw a method above the zone. Arraez didn’t even blink:
If there have been a neater approach to put emojis into these articles, I believe this paragraph would simply be a string of ‘crying laughing.’ What are you imagined to do about that? When Arraez is feeling it, he appears to be like completely unstoppable. He batted 5 instances on this recreation and hit 5 line-drive singles. None have been smashed. None needed to be. He’s on an absolute tear proper now. Arraez will get to 2 strikes lower than virtually anybody in baseball, as a result of he swings early and infrequently. He’s nonetheless second in baseball in hits with two strikes. He leads baseball in two-strike hit fee, and the gap between his 15.3% fee and Cody Bellinger’s 11.5% second-place mark is similar as the gap between second and 98th place. Whatever you consider batting common, whether or not you’re telling youngsters to get off your garden or not — who cares? Just marvel at this diminutive hitting genius and depart your WAR at residence for a day.
Content Source: blogs.fangraphs.com