It's a slow Friday. Who is your favorite current MLB player?
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Mike Yastrzemski and Lamonte Wade Jr. Both have great lefty swings. Love watching video of their swings.
I'll have to second late-night Lamonte Wade Jr.
https://twitter.com/KNBR/status/1443810595438923783
I haven’t had a favorite player since I was a kid. I’m barely watching my supposed favorite team as they fight, err struggle to make the playoffs. MLB now bores me so much I can’t watch more than three innings at a time. I’ve watched three full games this year. I’ve watched three innings of about thirty games. I haven’t had the desire to attend one game. I would rather watch a high school or college game.
Trea Turner is a favorite. He can disrupt a game in so many ways.
Juan Soto is an amazing hitter. The last 2 months, he seems to have gotten over his tendency to watch too many close third strikes, and he took off.
Wander Franco is impressive, too. Seems to be one of those who actually lives up to all the hype he got before they called him up.
Never seen anyone get the bat around as quickly as Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. Maybe he should lose another 20 pounds this winter and see where he goes?
I'm going to cheat a bit and say that my favorite is Late Night's boss, Farhan Zaidi. The way he's cobbled together the best team in baseball from a roster of unheralded prospects, castoffs and past-their-prime guys is nothing short of magic. Got to give the coaches lots of credit there too. For an actual player, I have to go with the only current player I personally know, Andrew Vaughn of the CWS.
I’m the only non-Yankee fan in my family (hubby is from NY) but I still love Judge because he gave my son the courage to stay with baseball as a position player when people were telling him he would play basketball or have to pitch because of his size. I also think Judge is defensively underrated and a great teammate.
Freddy (FREDRICK!!!!) Freeman. Just plays the game right, from both new school and old school perspective.
Any team out there would be lucky to have a consistent competitor and team leader like him on their roster.
@Senna posted:Freddy (FREDRICK!!!!) Freeman. Just plays the game right, from both new school and old school perspective.
Any team out there would be lucky to have a consistent competitor and team leader like him on their roster.
It's saying something in the age of Tatis and Soto and Trout and Judge but Freeman is absolutely a member of mlbs inner circle. What a phenomenal player.
As a life long Phillies fan Freddie freeman is a guy I hate to love.
Can’t say I have a favorite, but it seems like the players today are much more approachable and have fun. My son does a lot of hitting at Cressey. From November to February he gets to hit with a lot of MLB guys, including some listed in this post already. Guys will give him tips on showcases, ask him about his school team, where he wants to go for college, etc. Last spring one even asked him about a drill he was doing and asked him to do it in slow-mo so he could try it.
Don't really have a favorite player but the international talent currently in mlb is insane, tatis, acuna, ohtani, vlad, Soto and franco are so good.
Judge, yes I am a biased yankee fan. But he was one of a few players that made time and talked to my kid when he was given access to BP at a game he attended when he was 13. Khris Davis is also on that list.
My viewership and awareness of the current game is way down...that said Hunter Renfroe is fun to watch.
Great question. Can't narrow it done to one. I've got three buckets:
Bucket 1 is the guys I will stop what I'm doing to watch because their talent is off the charts. Jacob Degrom is one of a very few guys in this category. He is the Pedro Martinez of 20 years ago. Unhittable.
Bucket 2 is probably answering the question best. Xander Bogaerts is the guy that makes the Red Sox go. Great all around player and leader. The only reason the Red Sox haven't slapped a big ol "C" on his chest is because of his contract situation...he can opt out next year and it is an up and coming boom market for SSs next year. The guy is clutch.
Bucket 3 are the HSBBWeb posters son's who've made it to the show or the kids that played against my kids when they were younger. Always rooting for those guys even if they are playing my Red Sox.
There are a handful of other guys I enjoy watching for their athletic and versatility. MidloDad mentioned Trea Turner, and I'm a big fan of his despite wearing Dodger blue. He's come a long way in a short period of time.
JMO.
Kyle Higashioka.
Yuli Gurriel
Daniel Bard.
Tremendous comeback. Even better person.
... and, a VERY close second to Daniel: Kyle Seager.
If Nathan Eovaldi can shut down the NYYs Tuesday night 10/5/21 he will become my "new favorite current MLB player".
My first answer is maybe I'll have the answer in a few years
. For now, I also have to go with (Trea) Turner the burner. Love his speed, energy and versatility to go along with added pop recently.
@Francis7 posted:Kyle Higashioka - any guy who can hang in there for 10 years in the minors and then become an elite defender at a premium position to earn a major league roster spot is a guy who I root for...
Well, he is a Yankee. Other than that fatal flaw, I agree that he's an impressive guy.
interesting the name Shohei Ohtani hasn't popped up, what a season this kid had, wow. I don't really have a current "favorite" anymore but I will switch games to watch Ohtani hit or pitch.
I saw recently a great video from one of my old favorites, rod carew, telling a story about batting against catfish hunter with Thurman munson behind the dish.... check it out
I agree on Ohtani. He’s one of my son’s favorites. What he is doing is so much fun to watch.
Easy. Oneil Cruz. If you haven't heard of him you will. 9 MLB ABs so far for the Pirates. One of them exited at 118.6 mph which is the hardest hit ball ever by a Pirate since measuring such became a thing
@fenwaysouth posted:If Nathan Eovaldi can shut down the NYYs Tuesday night 10/5/21 he will become my "new favorite current MLB player".
He can’t do worse than the last time he faced them. It was batting practice.
@fenwaysouth posted:If Nathan Eovaldi can shut down the NYYs Tuesday night 10/5/21 he will become my "new favorite current MLB player".
He certainly did shut them down and at least for tonight is my new favorite player!
adbono - All smiles here too! Eovaldi was carving them up left and right. He baffled everybody in the Yankee lineup except Stanton. The "Nation" rests for a day.
Did you hear a loud scream around 10:15pm EST? That was me when Cora took Eovaldi out. I still don't get it with a 3 run lead. He could have gone 1-2 innings more.
