2K18 - Increased Playing Time Breakouts - HITTERS

[chancellor]

When did this happen? Nothing on the Braves website or anywhere else I have seen. As of yesterday, he was still hitting bombs over major league pitchers and scheduled to take the road trip to play again today. It is true, he will be sent down at the end of spring for service time considerations. I still don't understand why lots of people keep saying he'll be up in May. Given that it is obvious that it is purely for service time (forget being one of the three best OF's on the roster, he's at least second best), he'll either be up April 14th (or April 16th when the Braves have their next home game for logistical reasons) (and this scenario seems most likely) or he'll be up in late June after the Super 2 date. Up in May seems pointless--why wait until May when you get the same benefits for service time by bringing him up in mid-April?

May be my mistake, as I read the 3/15 Rotoworld blurb as a done deal:

"If service time wasn't an issue, there's no doubt that Acuna would be the Braves' Opening Day left fielder. Since it is, he'll have to spend a couple of weeks in Triple-A before getting his chance. Mar 15 - 4:24 PM"

Also, I'll try and follow be the reference for an earlier Super 2 date, but that's why I figure he will be up around 5/15-22.

[onejayhawk]

Fangraphs has an article on service time games. Acuna and Willie Calhoun are specifically addressed. Not a lot of detail.

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/ronald-acuna-willie-calhoun-and-service-time-manipulations/

J

[harmon]

Will be very surprised if he is not up right after serving his 2 week stint in AAA.

[pitbull]

Fangraphs has an article on service time games. Acuna and Willie Calhoun are specifically addressed. Not a lot of detail.

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/ronald-acuna-willie-calhoun-and-service-time-manipulations/

J

Acuna service time will be mid April so after that there is no advantage in keeping him in the minors. I'm not sure actually don't how this is calculated because other farm guys have different service time as to when they can be called up.

[onejayhawk]

Calhoun would be later, so that he does not accumulate 172 service days by the end of the season. If my counting is right, he now has 19 days. So, count back 152 days from the end of the season gives the first or second week of May.

Robles is another issue. Like Acuna, he may have to wait a couple of weeks, but it could be longer because the Nats have a set OF of Eaton, Harper and Taylor. That said, both Eaton and Taylor are already less than 100%.

J

[onejayhawk]

It looks like Eduardo Escobar will be in for a lot more innings at SS. Unless the team trades for someone like Raul Adelberto Mondesi, the only other SS is Erick Aybar. It may come to that, because Excobar is a better bat than defender at 2B and 3B. At SS...

Check back in July, when Polanco may be back.

J

[Hornsby]

It looks like Eduardo Escobar will be in for a lot more innings at SS. Unless the team trades for someone like Raul Adelberto Mondesi, the only other SS is Erick Aybar. It may come to that, because Excobar is a better bat than defender at 2B and 3B. At SS...

Check back in July, when Polanco may be back.

J

Not true, they've got Ehire Adrianza, a terrific glove at SS who'll see a lot of the playing time.

[onejayhawk]

Not true, they've got Ehire Adrianza, a terrific glove at SS who'll see a lot of the playing time.

No, he's not a terrific glove. Reliable, yes, but limited range. In 200 innings last year, he didn't get anything that was not better than even odds. There is a reason he's the utility guy.

Now, compared to Aybar, at this point, and Escobar, I have to admit he's likely best glove on the roster. That says bad things about the defense of the group, not good things about Adrianza.

J

[Hornsby]

No, he's not a terrific glove. Reliable, yes, but limited range. In 200 innings last year, he didn't get anything that was not better than even odds. There is a reason he's the utility guy.

Now, compared to Aybar, at this point, and Escobar, I have to admit he's likely best glove on the roster. That says bad things about the defense of the group, not good things about Adrianza.

J

LOL...I assume that you have an extensive history of watching him play then. Rotowire disagrees with your assessment:

2017

Primarily known for his defensive prowess, Adrianza took a step forward with his bat in 2016.

2018

Minnesota grabbed Adrianza off waivers before last season as a versatile utility man with an above-average glove at shortstop who had shown little at the plate in the majors.

[onejayhawk]

LOL...I assume that you have an extensive history of watching him play then. Rotowire disagrees with your assessment:

And your point? This just says he is a viable ML ballplayer and his glove is better than his bat. That does not make him a good glove. If he played outstanding defense at SS, he would have owned the job, not Polanco.

J

[Hornsby]

And your point? This just says he is a viable ML ballplayer and his glove is better than his bat. That does not make him a good glove. If he played outstanding defense at SS, he would have owned the job, not Polanco.

J

Man, this is why I don't respond to you...you refuse to acknowledge simple facts. Rotowire SAYS: Primarily known for his defensive prowess ... versatile utility man with an above-average glove at shortstop

And i'm done with this nonsense.

[onejayhawk]

Man, this is why I don't respond to you...you refuse to acknowledge simple facts. Rotowire SAYS: Primarily known for his defensive prowess ... versatile utility man with an above-average glove at shortstop

And i'm done with this nonsense.

And the thing is there is no real disagreement. You hyped above average into very good. I'll stand by the very consistent, but with limited range. That does not disagree with above average. Either way, he's a substandard everyday SS.

J

[cavebird]

May be my mistake, as I read the 3/15 Rotoworld blurb as a done deal:

"If service time wasn't an issue, there's no doubt that Acuna would be the Braves' Opening Day left fielder. Since it is, he'll have to spend a couple of weeks in Triple-A before getting his chance. Mar 15 - 4:24 PM"

Also, I'll try and follow be the reference for an earlier Super 2 date, but that's why I figure he will be up around 5/15-22.

Had no idea that Super 2 date could ever be that early. Interesting. I would guess that it will still end up being sometime in June, and I just doubt that is the Braves plan or they would have gotten something better than a Lane Adams/Preston Tucker platoon. That screams 2-3 weeks, not 2+ months, lol.

[cavebird]

Calhoun would be later, so that he does not accumulate 172 service days by the end of the season. If my counting is right, he now has 19 days. So, count back 152 days from the end of the season gives the first or second week of May.

Robles is another issue. Like Acuna, he may have to wait a couple of weeks, but it could be longer because the Nats have a set OF of Eaton, Harper and Taylor. That said, both Eaton and Taylor are already less than 100%.

J

I've read that Calhoun has 20 days of service time, but that could be rounding, so he would have to be down longer. He also can't really play any position defensively at this point so at least they have an excuse.