I feel like there is a misconception at times when it comes to what truly makes some baseball players special.
Sure, seeing someone launch a no doubter over the fence is special, and it’s something that should be celebrated, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. What makes a hitter special is the little things, stuff that can often get overlooked, especially scanning the box score at the end of the game.
That’s why I found it fun that the most intriguing of the three hits Endy Rodriguez picked up on Saturday wasn’t the home run, but the hit he picked up in the first inning.
Think sometimes we get caught up in watching home run highlights and forgot what really makes some of these players special. The adjustment he makes in this at-bat, he was early in his swing, slowed down, squared up and punched the ball to center field for a base hit. pic.twitter.com/zB9dWE9Gmo
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) April 16, 2023
Endy opens up early, almost like he was thinking fastball right out the hand, only to be met with an 81.9 mph changeup. He’s able to adjust and square up and hit the ball to center field.
When it comes to exit velocity, Rodriguez doesn’t actually hit the ball that hard, with an average of just 84 mph through Saturday’s nights game. So it’s not necessarily the power that makes him special, it’s stuff like this.
It shouldn’t be a surprise at his incredible contact rates against breaking and offspeed pitches. This season he’s swung at 43 non-fastballs and has only missed seven times — a remarkable 16.2% whiff rate.
ENDY.
For good measure, he does nearly the same thing with a curveball, but does leave the park this time around. His ability to get around on some of these pitches is exactly why he flew up three levels last year and is knocking on the major league door right now.
By his standards it may be a slow start to the season, but when he’s making these kind of plays, you know it won’t be long till he hits his way out of it.
— Sean Sullivan made his season debut on Saturday, and a high pitch count only allowed him to pitch 2.1 IP, allowing two hits, a walk while striking out three. He had a rough go around in Greensboro in 2022, but has great command on his fastball that could be someone to watch making the move up to Altoona this season.
— Six of the nine hitters for Bradenton picked up multiple hits on Saturday, with only Braylon Bishop finished without one at all. Enmanuel Terrero went from a 0-for-17 stretch to picking up seven hits in the last two games.
— Braxton Ashcraft made another rehab start, throwing 3.1 innings while striking out six batters. Whatever his timeframe is to get back to Greensboro, he’s lined up perfectly now with a spot in the High-A rotation that seems freed up after going with a bullpen type game on Saturday.
— I’ve been tracking most of the Indianapolis hitters since a lot of the numbers are available on Baseball Savant now, and with a couple unaccounted for (statcast didn’t work during the doubleheader against Louisville last week), one of Nick Gonzales’ hits Saturday was the first against a non-fastball this season.
It’s been a rough start against anything that isn’t a fastball for Gonzales, so this is a start.
Daily Video Rundown
.@QuinnPriester came to work. ✊
The @YoungBucsPIT prospect punched out NINE tonight to help defeat the Saints. pic.twitter.com/6U7vAHAqnG
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) April 16, 2023
Quinn Priester brought his best swing and miss stuff Saturday night, striking out nine in 4.2 innings pitched.
Andrew McClutchen.
Play of the Day presented by @STIHLUSA pic.twitter.com/OrpWtWTaY4
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 16, 2023
Andrew McCutchen continues to show this may be more than just a farewell tour with his original team for him. He launches a two-run home run in extra innings, sparking the Pirates victory.
PIRATES PROSPECTS DAILY
By Tim Williams
I’ve been taking a break from writing about baseball for a few days. I’ve got some columns hitting the site early this week. Expect to see some changes on the site as well. Here are the links from today:
Pirates Recap: Castro and Cutch Come Up Clutch
Prospect Watch: Lots of Offense for a Change
**Pirates Draft Prospects: Has Anyone Moved Into Possible #1 Talks?
**Pirates Place Ji-Man Choi on Injured List; Recall Tucupita Marcano
**Minor Moves: Jack Brannigan Lands on the Injured List
SONG OF THE DAY
I watched an interview about how this song was recorded. The woman in the song, Merry Clayton, was home and about to go to bed when she got a late night call. The Rolling Stones were looking for a female to record a specific part. She was pregnant, and about to get some rest, but went to the studio for the opportunity.
Singing takes a physical toll on your body when you do it right. You’re literally not only shouting continuously, but you’re manipulating the speed, tone, and adding words and emotions. Clayton did several takes of the song, and the final take that was used includes intensity so great that her voice cracks.
Not long after recording, Clayton suffered a miscarriage. It’s a tragic story, and really grounds you when you hear the raw intensity of her voice in the song — which has always been the best part of this song for me.
