Carson Williams is a high-profile prospect in a fertile Tampa Bay Rays farm system. Drafted twenty eighth general in 2021 out of San Diego’s Torrey Pines Excessive Faculty, the 20-year-old shortstop is No. 20 in MLB Pipeline’s recently-released Prime 100, and he will even rank prominently when our personal checklist comes out subsequent month. His 2023 manufacturing supplied ample proof of his plus instruments. Enjoying primarily at Excessive-A Bowling Inexperienced, and with cups of espresso on the Double-A and Triple-A ranges, Williams walloped 23 residence runs whereas placing up a 130 wRC+.
Erik Neander was effusive in his reward when giving a synopsis of the younger infielder throughout November’s GM Conferences.
“Unbelievable bodily potential in all points of the sport, either side of the ball,” Tampa Bay’s President of Baseball Operations advised me. “And somebody who’s made to do that, mentally and emotionally. He handles it effectively. It’s fairly near a complete bundle by way of his potential and the substances you prefer to see at such a younger age.”
Fittingly, Williams got here off as each humble and self-aware after I spoke to him late within the Arizona Fall League season. Requested the place he’s in his improvement, he replied that he was “proper in the midst of it,” including that “the minor leagues are a troublesome street” and he’s “going by the entire regular issues {that a} child out of highschool has to.” Considered one of them, as he readily admits, is the problem of competing towards skilled pitchers who possess bat-missing repertoires. If a purple flag exists inside his prospect profile, it could be the 31.4% strikeout charge on final 12 months’s ledger.
“I’m engaged on my contact charge,” acknowledged Williams.“I’m not nervous in regards to the exit velos, the launch angles, or something like that. My swing is highly effective, so after I put the ball in play it’s often popping out sizzling. Proper now, my focus is on placing the ball in play. The extra I put the ball in play, the higher hitter I might be.”
He might have been a pitcher. Many scouts most well-liked him on the mound, and there are those that imagine he might even succeed as a two-way participant. I broached that topic with Tampa Bay’s high government.
“That might be a greater query for him,” mentioned Neander. “It was one thing the place he actually had a whole lot of expertise on the mound, however in the end there was a want for him to have the chance to play shortstop and be an every-day participant.”
Was it Williams’s want to settle solely on brief, thereby forgoing pitching?
“That was our opinion of the place he was higher, and it appeared to align effectively with the place his pursuits had been,” was Neander’s reply to that query. “We had him evaluated stronger on that aspect of the ball, and it’s why we took him. He signed, and we couldn’t be extra happy along with his improvement.”
Williams demurred after I requested for his personal ideas on the topic.
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Danny Taylor went 14 for 62 towards Invoice Swift.
Reggie Jackson went 6 for 15 towards LaMarr Hoyt.
David Justice went 3 for 28 towards Ken Hill.
Jerry Goff went 1 for six towards John Smoltz.
Ron Kittle went 0 for 3 towards Jeff Montgomery.
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I ran a ballot this week asking which of two theoretical middle-infield combos folks would favor, Lou Whitaker–Jimmy Rollins or Chase Utley–Alan Trammell. The outcomes had been comparatively one-sided, with the latter pair garnering a hefty 77.7% of the votes solid.
The ballot was a thought experiment greater than something, so there is no such thing as a actual purpose to debate the outcomes. That mentioned, listed here are a smattering of their mixed numbers:
Whitaker-Rollins: 4,824 hits, 475 residence runs, 613 stolen bases, 117.7 WAR.
Utley-Trammell: 4,250 hits, 444 residence runs, 390 stolen bases, 125.3 WAR.
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A quiz:
Who holds the MLB report for many video games performed as a primary baseman?
The reply might be discovered beneath.
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NEWS NOTES
Terry Ryan and Rick Stelmaszek have been elected to the Minnesota Twins Corridor of Fame. Ryan served because the group’s basic supervisor from 1994-2007 and once more from 2011-2016. Stelmaszek, who died of most cancers in 2017, was a member of the membership’s teaching employees for 32 consecutive seasons starting in 1980.
Ryan Braun has been elected to the The Milwaukee Brewers Stroll of Fame. Braun spent his total 14-year profession with the Brewers, bashing a franchise-best 352 residence runs and logging a 135 wRC+ from 2017-2020. His résumé additionally contains six All-Star berths, a Rookie of Yr award, and a Nationwide League MVP award.
The Miami Marlins are reportedly hiring Brandon Mann as a pitching strategist. An erstwhile MLB and NPB southpaw who has labored as an teacher at Driveline, Mann was featured right here at FanGraphs in June 2020.
Ballpark Digest has chosen Alex Cohen as their 2023 Broadcaster of the Yr. A visitor on FanGraphs Audio again in August 2021, Cohen calls video games for the Iowa Cubs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
The Visalia Rawhide (Low-A, Arizona Diamondbacks) have employed Joey Gonzales as their new play-by-play broadcaster. An intern in 2023, the Texas State College alum replaces Jill Gearin, who will now be calling video games for the Atlantic League’s Charleston Soiled Birds.
Steve Staggs, an infielder who performed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977 and for the Oakland Athletics in 1978, died final Sunday at age 72 (per Baseball Participant Passings). Considered one of a dozen Alaska-born gamers in MLB historical past, the Anchorage native logged 94 profession hits, the primary of them a house runs in his big-league debut.
Crimson Swanson, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 42 video games for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955-1957, died this week at age 87. A bonus child, Swanson made his big-league debut when he was 18 and threw his final big-league pitch three weeks earlier than his twenty first birthday. His profession log features a 3-3 report and a 4.90 ERA.
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The reply to the quiz is Eddie Murray, who performed in 2,513 video games as a primary baseman.
A associated Murray be aware: The Corridor of Famer began three big-league video games as a 3rd baseman, all with the Baltimore Orioles to open the 1978 season, and with Lee Might stationed at first. The Orioles had been outscored 40-11 whereas being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers within the season-opening set.
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Invoice James revealed on Friday that he not too long ago suffered a stroke. Per his social media message, the famend author/statistician/historian is “roughly OK,” with numbness in his proper hand seemingly the first challenge. Evidently, the complete world needs him the perfect in his restoration.
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
Bibb Falk — his given identify was Bibb August Falk — batted .314 whereas taking part in for the Chicago White Sox from 1920-1928 and the Cleveland Indians from 1929-1932. Born in Austin, Texas on January 27, 1899, the left-handed-hitting outfielder had his finest season in 1926 when he slashed .345/.415/.477 with a 134 wRC+ and a profession excessive 195 hits. He went on to be the top baseball coach on the College of Texas from 1940-1967.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Hiroki Kuroda and Motonobu Tanishige had been introduced final week as the most recent members of the Japanese Baseball Corridor of Fame. Kuroda gained 124 video games over 13 seasons with NPB’s Hiroshima Carp, and 79 video games over seven seasons pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. Tanishige, who caught for Yokohama and Chunichi in a profession that spanned the 1989-2015 seasons, performed in 3,021 video games, essentially the most in Japanese historical past.
The Perth Warmth and Adelaide Giants superior to the Australian Baseball League championship collection earlier right this moment, with every profitable the deciding recreation of a best-of-three semi-final matchup. Adelaide edged previous the Melbourne Aces 2-1, whereas the Warmth beat the Brisbane Bandits 5-4. The finals — starting subsequent Friday — might be a repeat of final 12 months, which noticed the Giants come out on high.
The Kia Tigers have suspended supervisor Kim Jong-kook, who’s being investigated for bribery fees (hyperlink to story right here). The KBO membership’s basic supervisor had been fired a 12 months in the past resulting from comparable improprieties.
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MLB NOW not too long ago offered a listing of the Prime 10 left fielders not within the Corridor of Fame, this per the opinion of Bob Costas. I’m on board with the majority of the picks, with one notable exception. Costas included Kirk Gibson, who began simply 456 video games at that place over the course of his profession. Furthermore, Gibson isn’t even the perfect non-Corridor of Fame Detroit Tiger to have performed left discipline with any regularity. No offense to Gibson, however he logged 1,553 hits, 2,686 complete bases, a 123 wRC+, and 35.9 WAR. Bobby Veach, who began 1,653 video games as a left fielder, logged 2,063 hits, 2,942 complete bases, a 124 wRC+, and 43.8 WAR. Gibson has postseason heroics on his aspect, however that’s largely circumstantial. Veach’s October résumé includes simply two plate appearances, each at age 37 in his closing season.
Veach performed from 1912-1925, all however the final two years in a Detroit uniform, and to say that he was overshadowed by teammates could be an understatement. Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, and Harry Heilmann had been all Tigers throughout his tenure, and every has a plaque hanging in Cooperstown. Veach wasn’t their equal, however that doesn’t imply he isn’t one in every of ten finest left fielders not within the Corridor of Fame. Even when he isn’t, he has higher credentials than Gibson.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Pitcher Record’s Nate Kosher checked out eight gamers who belong within the Corridor of Fame.
The Cleveland Guardians 2024 residence opener, on April 8, will happen amid a complete photo voltaic eclipse. Zack Meisel wrote about it at The Athletic (subscription required).
Carter Stewart is ready to start his sixth season pitching in Japan, this after signing with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks fairly than with the Atlanta Braves, who’d drafted him eighth-overall out of a Florida highschool in 2018. Jim Allen talked to the 24-year-old right-hander for The Kyodo Information.
Roki Sasaki re-signed with NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines this week, however just for one 12 months as he hopes to take his immense expertise to MLB. Thomas Harrigan has the story at MLB.com.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Brandon Marsh has a .384 BABIP, the best amongst lively gamers with at the least 1,000 profession plate appearances. Bo Bichette has a .349 BABIP, the best amongst lively gamers with at the least 2,000 profession plate appearances.
Joe Mauer performed in 1,858 video games and had a .306 batting common and a 123 wRC. Ernie Lombardi performed in 1,853 video games and had a .306 batting common and a 125 wRC. They’re the one two catchers in MLB historical past with a number of batting titles.
Anthony Rizzo has 6,961 plate appearances, a .364 OBP, and a 128 wRC+.
Bob Watson had 6,962 plate appearances, a .364 OBP, and a 128 wRC+.
Félix Hernández pitched in 419 video games and went 169-136 with a 117 ERA+.
Kevin Appier pitched in 414 video games and went 169-137 with a 121 ERA+.
Corridor of Fame southpaw Warren Spahn had eight 21-win seasons. He additionally had two 22-win seasons, two 23-win seasons, and one 20-win season.
Wilbur Wooden had 138 wins and 53 saves from 1968-1975. The left-handed knuckleballer tossed 22 shutouts over that eight-season stretch.
The San Francisco Giants signed Dan Quisenberry as a free agent on right this moment’s date in 1990. The once-great nearer went on to take the mound simply 5 occasions for the Giants, logging a 13.50 ERA in his closing big-league season.
On right this moment’s date in 1982, the California Angels acquired Doug DeCinces and Jeff Schneider from the Baltimore Orioles in alternate for Disco Dan Ford. DeCinces went on to depart the yard 30 occasions whereas logging a 147 wRC+ in his first season on the West Coast. All advised, he homered 130 occasions in six seasons as an Angel.
Gamers born on right this moment’s date embody Emil Yde, a left-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1924-1927 and for the Detroit Tigers in 1929. The Nice Lakes, Illinois native went 16-3 with a 2.83 ERA in his rookie season, adopted by a 17-9 report for a group that went on to win the 1925 World Sequence in seven video games over Walter Johnson’s Washington Nationals.
Additionally born on right this moment’s date was Pete Runnels, a left-handed-hitting infielder who captured American League batting titles with the Boston Crimson Sox in 1960 and 1962. A profession .291 hitter over 14 big-league seasons, Runnels went 0-10 in stolen base makes an attempt with the Washington Nationals in 1952, 5 years earlier than the group was rebranded the Senators in 1957.