Joey Gallo: baseball or homerun derby?
 

Is Joey Gallo playing baseball, or a variation of homerun derby? Is this the direction the game should be headed in? Thoughts and opinions as you please.

Best to all,

Larry

40 of his 102 hits are home runs. That must be near a percentage record. Maybe Adam Dunn topped that? Or McGwire?

It's most deffinetly the direction the game is going! Earlier in the season Stanton was striking out a ton and Tim Kutkjian stated that Tony Gwynn only struck out more than twice in a game 2 times in his career. Baseball has fell prey to modern technology in which launch angle and 30 pitchers in the bullpen are the norm.

I have frequently wondered if he consciously sought to emulate Rob Deer (230 lifetime homers; .220 lifetime BA in 11 years, plus what were then a ton of strikeouts). His development into this kind of player is probably the only possible thing that could have happened, given the fact that he is a big, strong guy whose swing begins in Mexico City and ends in Montreal. Personally I prefer rallies. The issue is most definitely NOT as the these kinds of players often try to frame it: a strikeout is just the same as any other out. That is a completely erroneous premise, as the issue is striking out, with its' ensuing .000 batting average, versus putting the ball in play, which carries on average a .300 batting average plus the possibility of getting on base via the error route.

Personally, I have grown tired of the ever-increasing frequency of the 3 "true outcomes"--a walk, strikeout, or homerun. I much prefer rallies coming from putting the ball in play, and stringing a series of hits together, with a sac fly thrown in here and there. Learning to approach the at bat, especially with a two-strike count, by attempting to just line the ball where it is pitched, is the key to that. To me, that's baseball. If you can only hit 40 homers by hitting .208 or so and striking out 200+ times, the game is telling you you are not really a homerun hitter. Going purely by recollection, even Harmon Killebrew's lifetime batting average was .256, and he hit 40 or more homers 8X.

Just my personal preference as a kid following the game and growing up in the '60's.

Sincerely,

Larry

For the first time in MLB history, there were more strikeouts than hits. Sabermetrics, launch angles, "specialty" pitchers, pitch counts, defensive shifts, etc. have brought us to this point.

I honestly believe the pendulum will swing back. To answer your question - yes; it is headed in that direction, but only temporarily. Baseball will be back!

Looks like Dave Kingman and Rob Deer were ahead of their time.

KIngman was who I thought of. He was in that sort of range several times.

All I know is that I would pay to see him in batting practice.

These days, everyone can hit home runs, but not like he does.

It would be interesting to know (and it can be calculated) how many runs he is giving up for his team by striking out with a man on third and less than two out. Obviously, putting the ball in play--especially to the outfield, as Nolan Arenado did yesterday against the Brewers to tie the game (at least for the moment)--carries considerable value. IMHO, such missed opportunities equating to runs lost for one's team should be calculated and weighed in with the other modern sabermetric stats.

Interesting responses,

Larry

Every time I see this thread I think of Jerry Callo :)

His name was in all the papers last week.

he's dead!

No Josh, it was Jerry Gallo who died, Jerry Callo is trying cases in rural Alabama, home of the Sac Of Suds, where they have an original Mona Lisa