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Jackson Merrill
#31 · June 21, 2024, 3:10 pm
The bummer for Jackson is that he is up against the usual East Coast bias and the people that vote lean towards pitching if dominant versus a stud of an everyday player like Jackson.
The best thing he could do is to keep hitting and play the complete game…run (stolen bases), hit (Avg), power(HR), defense (CF)…if this team can make the playoffs and the other teams don’t (Pirates and Cubs) and he stays healthy and avoids the IL , he would have to be the NL ROY but he has a lot of bias to overcome regardless of how much he has meant to this team. He would get my vote today, tomorrow, next week and next month…I love this kid’s game and he is only going to get better and he is in a way the Padres version of Bobby Witt Jr
#32 · June 21, 2024, 4:30 pm
I second that! Merrill has performed well beyond anyone's expectations as a 20/21 year old. Some here at Madfriars and loads elsewhere, didn't want him in San Diego this early. Thankfully he is proving all doubters wrong.
The way he's handling big league life, on the diamond, in the dugout, in the clubhouse and in the community, is highly commendable. Not only do we have a budding star on our hands but also a player kids can look up to and old dudes like us really appreciate.
I'd still like to have Abrams, Wood, Hassell and Gore as well😉
#33 · June 30, 2024, 1:32 pm
I know he’s still a rookie, but Jackson currently has a second highest OPS on the team and is still hitting sixth?
Time to move him up?
#34 · August 10, 2024, 4:29 pm
We need the dodgers to score 6 off of Skenes and still lose
🤞
#35 · August 17, 2024, 9:59 am
Just saw an update on LV odds on NL ROY … with a strong month leading the Padres into a strong playoff position … Merrill has really closed the betting odds on Skenes. So the next 6 weeks will be telling.
It will be interesting to see if PITT shuts down Skenes early … now that they are way out of playoff contention and between the ML/MiL he has already pitched 125.1 innings … might not want to overuse him to avoid injury. Since they did not bring him up until May, even if he makes ROY he will not earn PITT a draft pick … so no incentive there.
On the other hand, Merrill was here opening day, so if he wins ROY then the Padres get a draft pick after the 1st round.
No issue with the run by Skenes but I see a strong case with the writers for Merrill … up all season and leading the Padres into the playoffs … 20/21 years old … SS converted to a CF as a rookie … and per WAR the #3 qualified CF in MLB (a guy named Judges is #1).
Let’s hope Merrill stays hot … PITT co-operates and shuts down Skenes … and the BBWA appreciates the full body of work of Merrill over the hype on Skenes.
#36 · August 17, 2024, 10:46 am
Fangraphs has Merrill as the best rookie in baseball with 3.6 WAR. They have Skenes at 2.6 trailing Tyler Fitzgerald and Masyn Winn. They have Jackson Chourio and Shota Imanaga at 2.6 as well.
Baseball Reference has Skenes in the lead at 4.0 with Masyn Winn in 2nd at 3.8 and Merrill in 3rd at 3.2
The NL ROY race could go down to the wire. Merrill and Skenes are getting most of the attention, but there are a handful of guys that could be in the conversation. How they all finish could go a long way in deciding it.
#37 · August 21, 2024, 1:18 pm
I feel that in the end it's going to be awfully hard to deny Merrill as ROY. He's likely to finish with 90+ RBI and quite possibly will finish 20-20. And, barring a significant September slowdown, he could see his OPS+ inch up past 130. Just magnificent for a full season 21 year old rookie playing a new position.
Tyler Fitzgerald has been absurdly good in limited time for the Giants, but I don't think his body of work will be large enough to secure a real shot at ROY.
Skenes is going to remain the likeliest threat, and he is already going to see his starts truncated to 3-4 ip from here on out (best case).
Bottom line is, we might wanna think about penciling in that extra draft pick next year.
#38 · August 21, 2024, 2:24 pm
Quote from sportwarrior on August 21, 2024, 1:18 pmI feel that in the end it's going to be awfully hard to deny Merrill as ROY. He's likely to finish with 90+ RBI and quite possibly will finish 20-20. And, barring a significant September slowdown, he could see his OPS+ inch up past 130. Just magnificent for a full season 21 year old rookie playing a new position.
Tyler Fitzgerald has been absurdly good in limited time for the Giants, but I don't think his body of work will be large enough to secure a real shot at ROY.
Skenes is going to remain the likeliest threat, and he is already going to see his starts truncated to 3-4 ip from here on out (best case).
Bottom line is, we might wanna think about penciling in that extra draft pick next year.
Bob Horner ring a bell????
#39 · August 21, 2024, 2:29 pm
But yes, should Merrill continue on his current path, he'll end up in the 20/20 club, 90 RBI, GG level defense, loads of clutch hits for a playoff bound team, which without him, is most definitely not in this position.
And I certainly agree with you guys, that as a baseball fan, Skenes should 100% be shut down in the near future. Kid has an AWESOME future ahead of him. No way Pittsburgh ruins that for a ROY award
#40 · August 21, 2024, 3:46 pm
Merrill deserves the Roy