Future Shock: Monday M... (08/13)
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August 14, 2012 Future Shock BlogMinor League Update: Chiefs/Snappers EditionA minor league update consisting solely of players from the game I attended last night in Beloit, Wisconsin. Kennys Vargas, 1B, Twins (Low-A Beloit): 1-for-3, HR (9), R, RBI, BB, 2 K. Vargas has become a bit of a pop-up player in the Midwest League this year as after just 21 games, he's hitting .278/.422/.736 with nine home runs and 17 walks in just 72 at bats, and 14 of his 20 hits going for extra bases, including the nine bombs. That's obviously impressive, and his home run on Monday night was a blast to center field. That said, there are a lot of things to like about him, and also a lot of red flags. He has tremendous power, which should be no surprise when you consider his listed size of six-foot-five and 272 pounds. That's 272 pounds for a player who earned as suspension at the end of last year for taking a weight loss supplement that was on the list of banned substances. Signed in 2009 as a non-drafted free agent for $85,000, Vargas put up solid numbers in three years of short-season baseball, so at 22 he's not exactly the youngest player in the league, and his line from Monday's game shows every aspect of his game. The massive power showed up in his home run, his good approach is there with a walk, and the fact that breaking balls make him look like a little leaguer is there with the two strikeouts. That's also kind of all that matters, as he's a poor fielder and well below-average runner. All he can do is keep hitter, and all the Twins can do is keep moving him up until he stops hitting. Despite the 1158 OPS, he merely falls into the mildly interesting pile, but is worth keeping an eye on. Others Of Note: Mason Melotakis, LHP, Twins (Low-A Beloit): 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K. The Twins 2nd-round pick in June, Melotakis signed for $750,000, and he's a left-handed power reliever who sat at 92-93 and touched 95 with a promising 79-81 mph slider.
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Re Soler, don't all people who are sprinting stay on the balls of their feet? Heel striking is unnatural for running, only good for walking, and to run flat footed is to increase resistance because maximizing surface contact with the ground increases drag (if we wanted to design cars to maximize gas mileage, automobile tires would be the width of bicycle tires). Perhaps it's because he's a relatively big player, possibly with decent speed for his size, that makes his stride look different? I don't mean to question your judgment here, just wondering aloud.