The remaking of Anthony Gose

polo007 · Post #1 » by **polo007** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:43 pm

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2011/1 ... e_feature/

You’re Toronto Blue Jays prospect Anthony Gose.

It’s March, 2011, spring training in Dunedin. You’re here because you’re damn fast and you play a rangy centrefield with good instincts and a cannon for an arm that threw a mid-90s fastball in high school.

You’ve never hit for much power, but you can slap the stitching off the ball for line-drive singles and you can beat out any grounder that draws as much as a moment of hesitation from an infielder.

But now your coaches have a different plan for you.

They tell you to stop bunting, stop playing small ball, stop doing all the things that got you here. They tell you they’re going to dramatically overhaul your swing to have you to square up and drive the ball. They want you to start hitting for power; something you’ve never been able to do with much success in the past. Oh, and you’ll have to do it at the highest level you’ve ever competed against and as the youngest player in the league.

So what do you do? You relearn everything.

"Ever since I was traded here, I’ve made pretty much every adjustment you can think of," Gose said last month in Phoenix where he was playing in the Arizona Fall League. "You just sort of hang in there and believe in what you’re doing."

Lateral Quicks · Post #2 » by **Lateral Quicks** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:23 pm

Thanks for a good read. Lacava certainly has a very high regard for Gose.

In many ways 2011 was a breakout season for Gose: better power, better OBP, and better SB totals and SB/CS ratio. And if you believe Lacava, his high strikeout total was in part due to swinging for the fences even with two strikes. Seeing as his K rate is the major outstanding concern in his game, that's very encouraging to hear.

I'd like to see him start in AA next year to work on his holistic game, with the hope/expectation he rapidly earns a quick promotion to AAA. With the current outfield glut and the fact he's only 21, there's no need to rush him.

CrymeTime · Post #3 » by **CrymeTime** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:38 pm

If he doesn't work out as a hitter, they could try to make him a pitcher. Then make him an ultimate utility man.

Defense in all 3 OF positions (defencive replacement)
Bullpen guy
Pinch runner

How often do teams have a guy that can come in as a pitcher or pinch runner. Other managers will have a difficult time figuring out where he is going to be played, and adjust accordingly.

WpgPage · Post #4 » by **WpgPage** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:47 pm

Good read I really like Gose hopping he can have a big year next year. I agree he should be in AA to start hes only 21 after all. Imagining the OF defense with a Bautista-Gose-Rasmus is pretty awesome. If he can develop into a Jacoby Ellsbury type with less power that would be amazing to have hitting ahead of Yunel and Bautista.

torontoaces04 · Post #5 » by **torontoaces04** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:15 pm

WpgPage wrote:Good read I really like Gose hopping he can have a big year next year. I agree he should be in AA to start hes only 21 after all. Imagining the OF defense with a Bautista-Gose-Rasmus is pretty awesome. If he can develop into a Jacoby Ellsbury type with less power that would be amazing to have hitting ahead of Yunel and Bautista.

Are you implying that Bautista is a good defender?!!?

He's got a cannon for an arm, that is unquestionable. Everything else having to do with playing good defense is WELL below par.

WpgPage · Post #6 » by **WpgPage** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:24 pm

Yeah hes a poor RF but would be an above average LF especially with Gose in CF to back him up.

Relentless88 · Post #7 » by **Relentless88** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:02 pm

Great read, thanks for posting. I can't wait to see how he develops next year.

Skin Blues · Post #8 » by **Skin Blues** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:24 pm

WpgPage wrote:Yeah hes a poor RF but would be an above average LF especially with Gose in CF to back him up.

Yeah but that's because most LFs suck, not because his skills translate better to that position. His best asset is his arm, so he should be in RF where it's far more useful.

g_greg · Post #9 » by **g_greg** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:50 pm

I didn't know the reason he struck out so much was because they asked him to keep hacking away. Good to know..

Weems · Post #10 » by **Weems** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:48 pm

Phenomenal to hear that a large part of his strike out problem could have to do with the lack of a two strike approach? I didn't know that was the case. Maybe the strike out problem could lessen significantly if he cut down on his swing with two strikes. I've seen talk that he has a nice swing and nice hands, so even turning some of those Ks into decently hit GBs could help him a lot.

MikeM · Post #11 » by **MikeM** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:19 pm

Bunting alone will bring his average up. The top guys in the MLB have about 15-20 bunt hits a year at about 40-50% success rate. Then you get the infields that start coming in.

rtcaino · Post #12 » by **rtcaino** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:41 am

The article certainly presents an optimistic narrative concerning Gose's year.

I am interested to see what some of the regular posters think about it.

WpgPage · Post #13 » by **WpgPage** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:16 am

He struck out 154 times and walked 62, if he can turn 30 of those K's into balls in play I would be very happy. A 0.5 BB/K with 15-20 HR power and amazing speed would make him a top prospect for sure.

sule · Post #14 » by **sule** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 8:53 am

I'm confident Gose will fare well if the Jays are 'remolding' him. They've fared pretty good with these kinds of projects. They remade Delgado from a catcher to a 1B, and they reworked Halladay after his 10+ ERA season.