False Promise

[knuckleheads]

Trevor Story is Domonic Brown. And he's Austin Kearns.

In 2013, Domonic Brown had a breakout season hitting .272 with 27 HR, 83 RBI, and 8 SB. At age 26, he was finally fulfilling the promise he had shown as the Phillies' top prospect, and was heading into his age 27 season ready to be the next big slugger in MLB.

A closer look reveals that Brown didn't actually have a breakout season so much as a historic 40-game run from April 17 - June 8, during which he hit .325 with 17 HR, 39 RBI and 6 SB. The other 3/4 of the season he hit .249 with 10 HR, 44 RBI and 2 SB.

In 2003, Austin Kearns took MLB by storm by hitting .305 with 13 HR an 35 RBI in Cincinnati Reds first 40 games. He was clearly the next Mark McGwire. An injury ended his season in July that year, but as the next great power hitter, Kearns was drafted as a top-20 hitter for years to come, despite hitting more than 20 HRs only 1 time in his career (24 in his age 26 season).

With the 40-game threshold fast approaching this year, or for Zola, the 3/4 pole, Trevor "The" Story has hit .280 with 11 HR, 25 RBI, and 3 SB. Those numbers are banked. Congratulations. But they are also the best Story is likely to produce for the next few years given one additional more telling stat.

53

As in, the number of times Story has struck out in the first 37 games. Robb Deer, Ryan Howard, and Mark Reynolds are preparing to conduct an intervention.

That's 53 strikeouts while playing half his games at Coors Field, a venue that cuts strikeout rates by 15% because the ball doesn't curve in thin air.

As for the historic beginning to his career, it's not even in the same league as Austin Kearns' for Domonic Brown's white-hot, 40-game performances.

I think this season can finish two ways for Story. He may hit another 10-12 HR and hang on the entire season in the big leagues. This would precede him being drafted side-by-side with Carlos Correa in the 2nd round of many 2017 drafts.

Or his talent for striking out will have him in the minors by the All-Star break.

Either way, those Kearns/Brown-lite numbers are money in the bank.

[Yah Mule]

He's way better than either of those guys. For about six weeks, pitchers forgot that there was never any reason to throw Brown a strike. I think nearly constant injuries derailed Kearns career more than anything else. Story's K rate is actually coming down as the season progresses. 32% for the season, but 29% over the last month and 24% over the last two weeks.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... r=2016&t=b

[KJ Duke]

He's way better than either of those guys. For about six weeks, pitchers forgot that there was never any reason to throw Brown a strike. I think nearly constant injuries derailed Kearns career more than anything else. Story's K rate is actually coming down as the season progresses. 32% for the season, but 29% over the last month and 24% over the last two weeks.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... r=2016&t=b

Fully agree. The mule and I are 2-for-2 in our agreement today!

[Yah Mule]

He's way better than either of those guys. For about six weeks, pitchers forgot that there was never any reason to throw Brown a strike. I think nearly constant injuries derailed Kearns career more than anything else. Story's K rate is actually coming down as the season progresses. 32% for the season, but 29% over the last month and 24% over the last two weeks.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... r=2016&t=b

Fully agree. The mule and I are 2-for-2 in our agreement today!

We both love dogs.

[Edwards Kings]

Let me know when you guys want to break out into a rousing chorus of "Kumbaya" so I can arrange to be somewhere more comfortable like a protological exam or listen to a Secretary Clinton speech.

[Yah Mule]

Let me know when you guys want to break out into a rousing chorus of "Kumbaya" so I can arrange to be somewhere more comfortable like a protological exam or listen to a Secretary Clinton speech.

I haven't even opened the politics thread in a week. We have almost six more months of campaigning, which is as depressing as not knowing which of my SP will be the next one tagged for seven earned runs.

[DOUGHBOYS]

I don't understand modern campaigning. I guess because it's not modern.
In the past, politicians had to take to the road to spread 'their message'.
Understood. With only newsprint, radio, and local tv, this was important.
Now, folks tweet when they sneeze.
We know of a bombing in a third world country within five minutes.
With today's technology, campaigning is a large waste of money and archaic.
Oh....politicians...archaic....wasting money...never mind....carry on.

[Chest Rockwell]

I don't understand modern campaigning. I guess because it's not modern.
In the past, politicians had to take to the road to spread 'their message'.
Understood. With only newsprint, radio, and local tv, this was important.
Now, folks tweet when they sneeze.
We know of a bombing in a third world country within five minutes.
With today's technology, campaigning is a large waste of money and archaic.
Oh....politicians...archaic....wasting money...never mind....carry on.

Dan don't be so naïve. They are on the road for the fund raiser after the rally. I go to them and they are as terrible as you might think.

One question I would have for any democrat is tell me why Hillary Clinton is a good person? I think even Obama haters could at least put a narrative out there as to why he is not a bad guy. Same thing just put Republican, Trump, and George W Bush in the sentence.

Scary thing is if you put Sanders and Cruz in the conversation it is just as bad. Sanders probably not a bad guy just crazy. I know Cruz a little bit and know many who know him well. Never heard a single word about how much they like him.

Scary stuff...

[DOUGHBOYS]

Kent, I'll have you know that I know as much about politics as I do women!
Which means that you correct about my naivete, my friend.

[TOXIC ASSETS]

I'm an independent and more than willing to give an opinion on these 'leaders'...

Hillary Clinton: no doubt, one of the worst people I've ever come across. Dishonest to the core, arrogant beyond belief and power hungry. Hearing her voice is like having finger nails scraped across a blackboard.

Bernie Sanders: Crazy socialist. Repeat after me: his ideas won't work.

Barak Obama: Seems like a nice guy. He's not. He's a liar, see "you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor". Never met the republicans half way on anything. A 'my way or the highway' guy.

George W Bush: Great guy. Thought he was going to be a good president. He wasn't.

[KJ Duke]

I'm an independent and more than willing to give an opinion on these 'leaders'...

Hillary Clinton: no doubt, one of the worst people I've ever come across. Dishonest to the core, arrogant beyond belief and power hungry. Hearing her voice is like having finger nails scraped across a blackboard.

Bernie Sanders: Crazy socialist. Repeat after me: his ideas won't work.

Barak Obama: Seems like a nice guy. He's not. He's a liar, see "you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor". Never met the republicans half way on anything. A 'my way or the highway' guy.

George W Bush: Great guy. Thought he was going to be a good president. He wasn't.

Succinct. I can understand people philosophically agreeing with what Hilary says given varying viewpoints, but anyone that actually believes her spew has got to have an awfully deficient radar when it comes to judging people.

[lrr]

Next year Main Event--Toronto Hilton.