He needs work on angles off the wall. The misplay on the corner bounce in Texas late in the game on Friday 7/8 turned a double into a triple and a following fly ball into a go ahead sac fly, and that was the game.

While that is true, Kepler made a real nice play earlier in the game to hold Odour to a single on a ball towards the corner. He has the speed and instincts to be a fine outfielder.

The right field hanging porch should be Das Überhang.

 

And if his nickname doesn't eventually become Mr. Oktober, we've all done something wrong.

I like anybody who contributes to Sano not playing the OF.

Sano is destined for 1st base.

 

By the way, I don't like Kepler.

 

I love Kepler.

YOU TAKE THAT B...oh, never mind. We're cool.

Das Bat.

 

Alarm!

 to hold Odour to a single

It is not necessary to cater to twinsnorth49 in every random thread.

Stay hot'!!!!!'!!!!!

 

Kepler's observatory.  I can't believe it's not already a thing.

 

 

I love this!

Has Kepler passed Mauer in RBI yet?

 

Has Kepler passed Mauer in RBI yet?

 

Days ago......33>28.

 

We need a nickname for the overhang that Kepler hits all his homeruns into

How about "FRANCE".  

Yeah that overhang.

Don't get me wrong I love that Kepler's off to a strong start but those are some cheap home runs. 2009 Mauer anyone?

Yeah that overhang.

Don't get me wrong I love that Kepler's off to a strong start but those are some cheap home runs. 2009 Mauer anyone?

Are they moving to a new park again next year? I'm not paying for it.

Are they moving to a new park again next year? I'm not paying for it.

Don't be so sure about that.

Don't be so sure about that.

Still paying off the bloody Gophers empire.

 

Yeah that overhang.

Don't get me wrong I love that Kepler's off to a strong start but those are some cheap home runs. 2009 Mauer anyone?

 

According to ESPN's homerun tracker, only one of his homeruns this year could legitimately be called "cheap," and it was in Yankee Stadium

 

http://www.hittrackeronline.com/detail.php?id=2016_3073&type=hitter

 

If he played in Yankee Stadium he might hit 50 homeruns (like Mauer at Fenway )

 

According to ESPN's homerun tracker, only one of his homeruns this year could legitimately be called "cheap," and it was in Yankee Stadium

 

http://www.hittrackeronline.com/detail.php?id=2016_3073&type=hitter

That tool also says Mauer had ZERO lucky HRs in 2009.

Depends on if you consider lucky to be "wow that just barely cleared the wall", or "there's only a couple ballparks that would've been a HR in."

 

A ball hit into Kepler's Observatory, it turns out, would be a HR in lots of ballparks.

 

A ball hit into Kepler's Observatory, it turns out, would be a HR in lots of ballparks.

I'm just trying to get a handle on his true power. I'm not implying his HRs were cheap because of which park they were hit in or how many rows up they landed. Obviously if it clears the fence, even by a little, it counts as a HR.

 

Kepler is on a 30/HR year pace, do you think that's evident of his "true" HR power?

A ball hit into Kepler's Observatory, it turns out, would be a HR in lots of ballparks.

And an ellipse with the Earth at one focus.

I'm just trying to get a handle on his true power. I'm not implying his HRs were cheap because of which park they were hit in or how many rows up they landed. Obviously if it clears the fence, even by a little, it counts as a HR.

 

Kepler is on a 30/HR year pace, do you think that's evident of his "true" HR power?

I don't think Morneau type numbers are beyond his reach, no.

 

I don't think Morneau type numbers are beyond his reach, no.

 

That would be awesome if he could do that.

 

I'm just trying to get a handle on his true power. I'm not implying his HRs were cheap because of which park they were hit in or how many rows up they landed. Obviously if it clears the fence, even by a little, it counts as a HR.

 

Kepler is on a 30/HR year pace, do you think that's evident of his "true" HR power?

His HR/FB is 19%. For reference - the league average is 12.9%.

 

His ISO this year with the Twins sits at .245 and steamer projects it at .145 (although Steamer isn't high on him to begin with). His highest ISO in the upper minors was .209 in AA last year - this year he had .173 in AAA. His power numbers are a bit elevated due to the HR/FB luck, but once he settles in, I could see him being a ~.175 ISO guy at the MLB level.

 

So to answer your question, no, I don't think he will be an annual 30 home run hitter and it's not a reflection of his true power. I see him more as a ~20 home run guy with lots of doubles and a good OBP, certainly a fine player.

Edited July 11, 201610 yr by King

Kepler:  Most impressive mid season call-up since Kirby, imo.

 

Edit: Forgot that Sano was a call-up, not on the opening roster last year.  My bad.

Twins have some impressive young players.  I hope to be remarking on their success as they mature.   We can hope!

Edited July 11, 201610 yr by ScottN

 

We need a nickname for the overhang that Kepler hits all his homeruns into

the Berliner's wall

Kepler is not done growing IMHO. For now, he is mostly a gap hitter, but that could change.

Peak Morneau was a truly great player. It's sad to look back at 2006-2010 and think what could have been (exactly half way through 2010 he had a OPS+ of 187)

 

I don't want to put that type of projection on a young kid, but I see no reason he can't be Morneau-lite in a couple years.

 

275/375/500, 25 HR

 

With a kid that big and athletic, could he take it one step further once he gets more experience and fills out his frame.....? Yeah, maybe. Just think of all the progress he's made in the last 18 months. Do we view it as a positive or a negative that in 2014 he had an OPS of 726 in high-A? A negative Nelly would use that to project his future stats. a positive Paul would commend him for an unbelievable improvement over 1.5 seasons.

 

the Berliner's wall

 

My vote is "mad max" not sure why other than his name starts with Max and I like the 1979 & 1981 flicks Mad Max & Mad Max 2. 

Edited July 11, 201610 yr by laloesch