Irony: Dipoto was right about Taylor Ward

[ScottT]

I like what I see more and more every day, but...

Is he a free agent this offseason?

[ScottT]

Fletcher was drafted the same year 

[Inside Pitch]

6 hours ago, ScottT said:

I like what I see more and more every day, but...

Is he a free agent this offseason?

Ward is a good example of how the number of years appearing at the MLB level aren't really an indication of playing time, or experience.

He's got less than two years of actual MLB service time 1.164  MLB defines a full season as 172 days, so he's looking at being arbitration eligible for the first time next season and because of how he's been used/called up, he looks like he will be a four arbitration year guy.  So he won't get a shot at FA until after the 2026 season

[ten ocho recon scout]

13 hours ago, notherhalo said:

And that settles it. Hes way cooler than tyler wade.

[Angel Oracle]

Too bad Ward can’t play 2B

[mmc]

[DMVol]

On 4/25/2022 at 1:36 PM, Angel Oracle said:

Too bad Ward can’t play 2B

He’s played everywhere but SS/2b…..

[IheartLA]

I thought people here said Ward's ceiling was just an average player...

He can be a solid above average RF here for the remainder of his controlled years like Calhoun was for us

[T.G.]

I am truly amazed by what Ward is doing this season, so far. It's an absolute blast to watch.

Edited April 28, 2022 by True Grich

[m0nkey]

What is happening

[Taylor]

Dipoto was right but for the wrong reasons.

[Angelsjunky]

He's now hitting .395/.531/.816. He isn't qualifying yet, but his 1.1 fWAR is 13th (technically tied for 8th with a bunch of guys), and his 285 wRC+ is highest among all major leaguers with 40+ PA. 

Dude is hitting like peak Bonds or Ruth. I know, 49 PA. But you don't hit this well over 50 PA unless you're pretty damn good. 

[Angelsjunky]

Dipoto turned out to be right about more things that it initially seemed. 

And Joe Maddon looks right for starting Ward every day over Adell and Marsh.

[T.G.]

25 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

And Joe Maddon looks right for starting Ward every day over Adell and Marsh.

I wonder if it’s his decision? I mean, right after he was quoted about why Ohtani was leading off, it changed to Ward. Makes me wonder if it was Minasian’s call?

[ettin]

So I, above most here, am extremely happy to see Ward's bat and defense making a difference, we need guys like him stepping up and helping to carry the team throughout the year.

However, we do need to temper our expectations a bit, the guy is running a red-hot .409 BABIP and has the highest walk rate of his career, so something has to give, probably (hope not, but let's be a little realistic). To be fair Ward has run high BABIP's throughout his Minor League career so how far he eventually regresses may not be too much, but it seems inevitable that it will happen, no one runs a .409 BABIP for the season.

All that being said I love his approach at the plate, the guy looks just as relaxed and nonchalant as Rendon does and he seems well prepared every time he steps to the plate. On top of that his defense has been above average too, to date.

If he can continue down this path, he will give the team great depth, which it badly needs.

[ettin]

10 minutes ago, True Grich said:

I wonder if it’s his decision? I mean, right after he was quoted about why Ohtani was leading off, it changed to Ward. Makes me wonder if it was Minasian’s call?

The decision was almost certainly Maddon's, Ward is currently running a 22% walk percentage, the highest of his career. Makes sense to let him try and get on-base in front of our best hitters.

[T.G.]

@cals, you know @Taylor talked about pooping when he was in Hawaii too. You guys are two of a kind.

[T.G.]

22 hours ago, ettin said:

The decision was almost certainly Maddon's, Ward is currently running a 22% walk percentage, the highest of his career. Makes sense to let him try and get on-base in front of our best hitters.

“Almost certainly?” 

I don’t buy it. I think there is reasonable doubt that it was solely his decision.

Edited April 29, 2022 by True Grich

[arch stanton]

If I remember this right the criticism of Dipoto was that everyone believed that Ward would be available in round 2 or even 3 in which case we're pretty happy with a guy who breaks out at age 28

Edited April 28, 2022 by arch stanton

[Docwaukee]

the guy was very good after a slow start when he got called up in may last year.  Struggled in his first 15 games but had a .831 ops over the next 50 games or so before he got hurt in mid july.  This hot streak is awesome and unsustainable but not completely out of nowhere.  He's even turned himself into a decent defensive OFer especially considering he's had fairly limited reps there.  He only really started playing the OF in 2019 and that was mostly in LF.  He was actually passable in CF last year.  

He's a very valuable player to this team right now as he could also spell Rendon or Walsh and corner IF and even get behind the plate should something weird happen.  

And is it really rocket science to consider him in the leadoff spot?  Dude has pop, can get on base, and runs well.  What a stroke of brilliance to think he could set the table for the middle of the order.  Maybe that .435 obp over his last 1000 at bats in the minors was a decent clue that he's got good plate discipline.  

[failos]

Dipoto will always be this guy. Nobody likes a quitter.

[Warfarin]

6 hours ago, True Grich said:

I wonder if it’s his decision? I mean, right after he was quoted about why Ohtani was leading off, it changed to Ward. Makes me wonder if it was Minasian’s call?

As with most things, I am sure it is somewhat of a "collaborative" decision between Minasian and Maddon (in terms of who should start and who shouldn't).  I would assume Maddon gets the final call, but I am guessing the FO is also involved and can likely persuade Maddon to go in one direction or another.

[Angelsfan1984]

8 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

Dipoto turned out to be right about more things that it initially seemed. 

And Joe Maddon looks right for starting Ward every day over Adell and Marsh.

No way. Maddon is an idiot and dipoto is an idiot. Everyone are idiots! Amirite fellas

[Angel Oracle]

8 hours ago, ettin said:

So I, above most here, am extremely happy to see Ward's bat and defense making a difference, we need guys like him stepping up and helping to carry the team throughout the year.

However, we do need to temper our expectations a bit, the guy is running a red-hot .409 BABIP and has the highest walk rate of his career, so something has to give, probably (hope not, but let's be a little realistic). To be fair Ward has run high BABIP's throughout his Minor League career so how far he eventually regresses may not be too much, but it seems inevitable that it will happen, no one runs a .409 BABIP for the season.

All that being said I love his approach at the plate, the guy looks just as relaxed and nonchalant as Rendon does and he seems well prepared every time he steps to the plate. On top of that his defense has been above average too, to date.

If he can continue down this path, he will give the team great depth, which it badly needs.

His defense has definitely improved in RF.   On Naylor’s long drive last night, he calmly moved back and knew exactly where the ball was coming down.

Have to keep him in there every day and see how it goes.  No brainer

 

[Angel Oracle]

8 hours ago, True Grich said:

@cals, you know @Taylor talked about pooping when he was in Hawaii too. You guys are two of a kind.

Did they both catch the drizzling ’s going around?