Caleb Gindl and Taylor Green

[DHonks]

Since both are mashing right now and helping Gamel out with the left-handed offense, I was just curious what the latest on their defensive abilities is. Green was always criticized by some at 2b, but he's really split his time between 2b and 3b thus far. Either way, it'll be nice with these two up in September to bolster the bench, if not sooner

[Invader3K]

I asked Jim Breen (Bernie's Crew) about Green's defense yesterday. Here's what he said:

 

I see an average defender w/ decent, but unspectacular actions. Have talked to a couple scouts who see it more fringe-average.

[CheezWizHed]

Is that mean average or median average?

[Invader3K]

The thing with Green is that he probably would be a defensive upgrade over McGehee, but I'm really hesitant to say his offense in the majors would be better.

 

As far as Gindl, I have no idea how he would get much playing time right now with the five OFs currently on the MLB roster.

[And That]

Green makes routine plays and doesn't have astounding range, but it is ok. Accurate arm, if not the strongest. His knees work. In those senses, he's kind of like the rich man's McGehee on defense.

 

I would not be hesitant to say that Green could best McGehee's 2011 slash of .225/.284/.321, especially if they'd start Casey v LHPs.

[pogokat]

I think Taylor will carry a higher obp in the majors than Casey---also, like Lucroy, I think Taylor's got more power than most are expecting him to have...i think he could easily be a 20 homer a year guy..

 

will he immediately be better than casey was last year? i doubt it...but Casey has played much better than his minor league number's suggested he was going to, and if his luck has run out...I think Taylor may be the more productive player going forward

[endaround]

Gindl is 2 years younger, he really isn't in the same boat as say Green and Gamel or even Wheeler who are at the point where they should be dominating to have a chance in teh majors.

[homer]

For some reason, Gindl reminds me of the chicken hawk from the old Foghorn Leghorn cartoons.

 

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk110/schryver1960/Henery-Hawk-the-Apostle.jpg

[Tbadder]

That is perfect Homer--now if Kotsay was Foghorn Leghorn he could kick his butt halfway across the country where it should be.

[TooLiveBrew]

Responding to igor67's post #21 in the 7/11 Link Report thread:

What are the odds that he adds that much more power production

to his total? Either Giles of Gonzalez would be a major coup.

 

Gindl

has actually displayed more power through his MiLB career than

Giles

did at the same age.

 

I don't agree with the Luis Gonzalez comp,

since Gonzalez's frame is/was so much bigger than Caleb's. Plus, like I

said, it's not like profiling Gindl for Giles's career is exactly fair,

either. Gindl strikes out at a significantly higher rate than either

Gonzo or Giles. The odds are heavily against him coming close to

Giles's career, especially circa 1999-2005.

 

However, Gindl was a

5th round pick, so it's not like he's some super longshot. For whatever

reason, he's pretty easy to overlook. But the guy's just 22 &

having success at AAA. If he were 6'0" instead of 5'9", this guy would

be getting rave reviews as a prospect. All he's done is hit at every

level, and at a relatively young age at each stop to boot. Heh, this

discussion has just turned me into a huge Gindl believer. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Here's

the slash line for another

bat-first

OF that wasn't necessarily regarded as a big-time prospect, but

spent his age-22 season at AAA & went on to become a good

big-leaguer: .281/.342/.485/.827. Gindl's so far is

.281/.353/.474/.827. Hart is probably a better comparison in terms of

trying to project Gindl's offense at the big-league level.

[CheezWizHed]

For whatever reason, he's pretty easy to overlook.

 

Uh, he is 5'9". (Ba-dum-bump - ching!)

[Never Outhustled]

It's tough to find a perfect comp for Gindl, but to me the best one is Rich Becker. Both are short lefties who play all 3 OF spots. Both signed out of HS, and played each year at the same level with similar OPS. Becker was a little more of an OBA guy than Gindl, and Caleb has a little more power. Becker had a 731 OPS in his MLB career.

 

IIRC, Becker struggled with injuries at times, in part because his conditioning possibly wasn't as good as it could have been. I think Gindl will be like Becker was at his best, as I expect Gindl will be a better conditioned player than Becker was in his prime years. Becker had an 807 OPS as a 24 year old in over 600 MLB ABs. He was 4 WAR that year. It was after that when his conditioning starting to effect his durability and performance.

[LouisEly]

I don't agree with the Luis Gonzalez comp, since Gonzalez's frame is/was so much bigger than Caleb's.

 

The original question was this: "I'm trying to come up with a comp for Gindl, good OBP guy, reasonable power, and average to above average corner D. Any ideas? I was kind of thinking Brady Clark, who had a pretty good run, but Clark was about 2 years older than Gindl at every level." Height/weight/frame was not part of the question.

 

When people think of Luis Gonzalez they think of his highly likely power surge after the age of 30. But if you look at his stats from ages 23 through 29 his power numbers weren't tremendously impressive; just a quick glance says an average SLG in the .425-.430 range with a couple sub-.400 and a high of .470+. Decent OBP (.350-.370), reasonable power.

 

However, Gindl was a 5th round pick,

 

Similar to Luis Gonzalez, who was a 4th round pick. And Gonzalez, unlike Brady Clark, hits lefty like Gindl. (Throws righty though, unlike Gindl.) Age comp is right on though, as Gonzo debuted in the majors at age 22, which is possible for Gindl.

[TooLiveBrew]

Height/weight/frame was not part of the question.

 

Touché, sir. I was including that on my own. His numbers are eerily similar to Giles's if my memory serves (from looking at both of them earlier today).