Colorado Rockies news and links for Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Baseball is a funny sport. There are so many factors and variables that can affect a player on the field that it gives credence to Yogi Berra’s classic quote, “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”
There is an element of comfort and familiarity that has the chance of impacting a players performance like something as simple as playing a certain position or hitting in a specific spot in the lineup. Yet, does playing a particular position truly matter in helping a player succeed offensively?
Hunter Goodman
The reason I bring this up is because of Hunter Goodman’s recent bit of success. As Evan Lang pointed out on Monday, Goodman has been on a hot streak in the month of September, trying to make a case for his role on the 2025 roster. In 10 games since being recalled, Goodman is batting .258/.303/.645 with four home runs and nine RBI. After struggling for most of his 87 career games at the big league level, what has inspired this burst of power?
From what Purple Row writers have heard from the clubhouse, it’s been that Goodman is playing his primary catcher position.
Goodman has mentioned that it feels like he hits better when he catches because of the time he spends preparing to call a game behind the plate that it leaves no room to think when he’s hitting. There is anecdotal evidence but does that theory hold water when looking at his splits?
Yes, yes they do.
Entering Tuesday, Goodman had played 64 games with the Rockies in 2024. On the year he’s batting .190/.233/.418 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI in 202 plate appearances. Defensively he has played 31 games in the outfield, 10 games as the designated hitter, four games at first base, and 15 behind the plate.
In 24 games as the right fielder, Goodman has slashed .185/.254/.292 with a 42 wRC+ and a 29.6% strikeout rate. In stark contrast, as a catcher Goodman is batting .275/.304/.667 with six home runs, a 143 wRC+, and a 17.9% strikeout rate. It’s a small sample size to be sure (just 56 PA), but there is definitely reason to believe that Goodman is a much better hitter when he is behind the plate. There is a level of comfort that exudes from Goodman when he catches that has caused him to have a keener eye at the plate and generally, better-looking at-bats that are yielding better results. Plus, that confidence in a position he’s more familiar with has made him look rather fine behind the dish.
But what about other Rockies that have bounced around defensively, has it mattered for them?
Michael Toglia
Michael Toglia has spent a lot of time in his young career with the Rockies bouncing between the outfield and occasionally first base, his primary position. Since being recalled in June, Toglia has locked down the first base, stringing together a streak of consecutive starts at the position not seen since Todd Helton in the early 2000s.
In his young career, Toglia has played 130 games at first base entering Tuesday and 46 in right field (502 PA vs. 175 PA). It’s hard to fully compare the splits because of the different versions of Toglia, but he has shown slightly better at first base in what comparisons we can make. As a first baseman for the Rockies across three seasons, Toglia has slashed .211/.295/.425 with 24 home runs, much better than the paltry numbers as a right fielder. In 2024 alone he’s batted .214/.309/.450 with a 97 wRC+. Yes, he did hit .244 with a .578 SLG in right field earlier this season, but that was in just 50 PA.
Perhaps what has made Toglia find some success and growth this year isn’t so much what position he’s played, but rather the consistent playing time he has received at a single position where has proved to be a Gold Glove-caliber player and allowed him to get in a rhythm offensively.
“But knowing I’m more likely going to be in the lineup, I can do some more research the night before, look at the information, be able to sleep on it.” Toglia said to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding in July. “When I get to the field the next day, it’s not as much of a last-second cram.”
Since June 18th, the beginning of his consecutive starts at first, Toglia has batted .227/.328./487 with 19 home runs, 10 doubles, two triples, 34 RBI, 95 strikeouts and 42 walks. That’s not a bad line for a slugging first baseman.
Conclusions
I wish I could give you a definite answer to the question posed in this article. In all honesty, it’s a question that is answered on a case-by-case basis. The Rockies like to preach versatility but that can have a detrimental effect on a player’s production. Goodman has shown that his success could be linked to playing a specific position while Toglia’s is linked to the fact that he is able to play consistently at a position at all. There are other examples of players unaffected by position change, like Ryan McMahon, while players like Jordan Pacheco back in the day suffered because the Rockies moved him around so much defensively.
The fact of the matter is that the Rockies have to understand some of these trends, understand their players better, and give them the best chance to succeed. If a player is more comfortable at a certain position and produces better than what you may already have there, then it’s in the interest of the team to give them opportunities suited for them.
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Top prospect Condon pays visit to Coors Field | MLB.com
Charlie Condon visited Coors Field to work out with the team and meet with the media. Thomas Harding details his time with Colorado thus far.
Affected by Altitude Episode: 130: Outnumbered at Home | Rocky Mountain Rooftop
In this week’s episode of Affected by Altitude, Evan Lang and I talk about the return of Antonio Senzaleta, the young bullpen, the vast number of opposing team fans at Coors Field, and bid farewell to the City Connects.
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On the Farm
Triple-A: Reno Aces 9, Albuquerque Isotopes 2
The Albuquerque Isotopes had five hits, including three doubles, but three errors and a tough start for Tanner Gordon resulted in their 88th loss of the season. Gordon lasted just three innings, giving up five runs on five hits, including two home runs, with four strikeouts and a walk. Trevor Boone led the way offensively with two hits and an RBI.
Double-A: Somerset Patriots 3, Hartford Yard Goats 2 (Eastern League Division Series Game 1)
In the first game of their Division Series, the Yard Goats sent Chase Dollander to the mound to take on the Patriots. Dollander battled his command through five innings, walking four and striking out four, but he limited Somerset to just one run on five hits, that lone run coming via the long ball. Juan Guerrero gave Hartford a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh with a solo home run, but the Patriots bounced back with two runs in the bottom of the eighth off of Carson Skipper to take Game 1 of the series.
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