Click here to read a transcript of Tuesday’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
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Great chat Steve! Tucker gets a better contract; Vlad is too up-and-down and will be a DH only sooner rather than later. Just my two cents…!
It will be interesting to see who gets the better deal. I’d much rather have Tucker. But I saw this discussed on MLB TV, and they also thought that Vlad would get the bigger deal, but that Tucker would be the better signing. That really didn’t make sense to me, and still doesn’t.
Lots of time before the script can flip!
Comparing from 2019-2024 these guys average exit velocity and hard hit% along with other studs:
Vlad 92.8 EV – 50.3 Hard Hit%
Tucker 90.7 EV – 44.5 Hard Hit %
Soto 92.7 EV – 52.0 Hard Hit%
Tatis 92.9 EV – 52.5 Hard Hit%
Acuna 92.6 EV – 51.5 Hard Hit%
Tucker brings speed and defense to the equation compared to the likes of Vlad and Soto, but he clearly isn’t elite in these two particular stats with the bat.
Tatis is such a freak. Hits the ball harder then all of these guys and more frequently while having elite speed and one of the best arms in the game.
fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&st…
Jean – The mere fact Vlad is more than 2 years younger than Tucker means he will likely get a contract that is two years longer than Tucker. So that means probably at least an additional $80M right there. That is the biggest factor in favor of Vlad moneywise, along with the fact Tucker’s season ended after only 78 games and he needs to prove he is back to 100% with no injury concerns.
Other than that, the two of them are eerily similar production-wise.
Since 2021 (because looking back any further would be stupid) their OPS has only a ONE point difference and their OPS+ has only a ONE point difference. They both have a GG and they both have been Top 5 in MVP.
The reason why Tucker would be the better signing, he plays a much more valuable position and he doesn’t have the conditioning concerns that Vlad has had over the years. That’s why so many compare Vlad to Prince and Cecil Fielder, both of whom were also great hitters but were done by Age 34.
That was my first thought as well, but Vlad is also almost two whole years younger than Tucker. He plays almost every single game too. This year will be a big determining factor—if he has one of his amazing years vs his really good years—but if he has a big season I think he gets more.
Brian the Angels fan must not have been around back in 2002 because nobody called David Eckstein “Eck”, he was known as “X Factor”.
There’s only one “Eck” and he’s in the HOF ;O)
My question, why isn’t JD Martinez a Red right now? That dude has been tailor made for Great America his entire career.
I’m sorry, if he was tailor made for GAB his OPS+ would be way higher than 98, which is below average, and he currently hits better in 15 other ballparks!!
How many PA does Martinez have in GAB?
65 PA
Dude look at his expected home runs in Great America over the years.
Over Martinez career he only has 59 at bats (15 starts) in Great America and hit very well. His expected home runs in Great America last season was 30. Since 2016, his expected home runs in Great America is 388 va 254 actual home runs. If that isn’t tailor made I don’t know what is.
If you still disagree, here is a list of ballparks where Martinez and expected to hit more:
Also, if you’re going to comment on something, make sure you get it right. His OPS+ is NOT 98, his tOPS+ is.
A tOPS+ is based off HIS own average, His OPS+ would still be higher than 100. Also, that’s based on a whole 16 games.
tOPS+ or OPS+ it’s still below 100(98) which is average and he still hits better in 15 other ballparks!!
Small sample size.
Yes we all understand that YOU don’t know what tOPS+ is. Carry on
1:49. Me too. Soto. Love how he does not like to give in to his nemesis … every at bat, every pitch. Eddie Murray was like that.
Whos’s the pitcher? That rookie phenomenon that Soto has never faced before.
Game 7, tied up, bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, bases loaded- I wanna see Scherzer closing games for the Orioles, and Arraez at the dish for my Pads.
Scherzer, like Soto, refuses to give in to his rival in that pitcher vs hitter face-off. Love that guy!
There are wrong answers to the Game 7 Bottom of the 9th hitter vs. batter question:
Austin Hedges exists, after all.
Baseball is the greatest sport in the world and the greatest sport ever invented.
Haha, I definitely was. Benito Santiago gave me a ball at G1. I also had tickets for G5 of the ALDS in NY but it didn’t work out. Had to cancel the plane and accommodations.
You’re right though, I never said “let’s go Eck” at all during the run. Would never have thought to shorten David’s name like that. Crazy oversight on my part when posting a question to MLBTradeRumors Live Chat for fun engagement. I’m getting older and I remember crossing the thundersticks to represent an X for X factor but can’t understand for the life of me why I would refer to him as “Eck.”
Sorry Steve’s team ruined your season in 02! That was a terrific movie.
Brian – Thank you for the explanation! The only reason I mentioned it is because Eckersley was my childhood idol and I immediately said to myself “He never pitched for the Angels”. Haha!
Between the thundersticks and the rally monkeys those were fun times for Angels fans. I was so happy they beat the Giants in the WS.
Looking forward to catching a couple games at The Big A this year!