...Matt (Nashville, TN): What are your thoughts on the long term prospects of Chesney Young? He continues to hit for a high average at every level (now almost at .400 in AA) with tremendous strike zone control and a little speed to go with it. He certainly doesn't have the profile of a top prospect, but his floor may be so high that he has a much better chance to carve out a long career in the majors. Would you rather have two of him or one higher profile prospect?
J.J. Cooper: I love him. He’s not going to be an impact guy but I’m with you–he’s going to play in the big leagues. My expectation is he ends up in some sort of Tommy La Stella role where his hitting ability get him pinch hit at-bats. But Young has more defensive value than La Stella, so he could end up being better than La Stella...
Thanks, reb. That's cool. Agree with your point, some guys can just hit, and sometimes the rich-get-richer: the guys who actually are the best pure hitters to start are the ones who are best able to further optimize their game, and the ones who are most able to sustain against better and better pitching.
I'm guessing the 10-HR hope isn't going to happen. I saw clip of one of his HR's this spring, the only clip I think I've ever seen of him. He had a very small, short swing, without much of a back-swing or load-up. Pitch was right down the middle; he seemed to hit it right on the sweet spot and with as much extension as his little swing allowed, and it barely cleared what looked to be a short-ish fence. Of course anybody can get one out now and then, when they get the right pitch and hit it right, and the wind is good, etc.. But I'm guessing with his swing that he'll never have as much power as, say, Darwin Barney. (Barney hit 7 HR's in back-to-back seasons with Cubs. Theriot had a 7-HR season as well.)
But, if a guy could BABIP at .330, if he K's only 10% of his AB's, he can still hit .297 average without a single HR.