We have reached the point in the MLB season that we have enough data to make more concise observations on player performances. I want to use this segment as a springboard to help us decifer what is going on. This can be helpful for season long and daily fantasy.
Not only will we profile players that are thriving but we also look into players that are struggling.
1B Paul Goldshmidt Arizona Diamondbacks
2018– 52 games played/ 220 plate appearances batting avg balls in play(league average is around .300)-.282, strikeout percentage-31.5, fly ball percentage-37.1, soft hit percentage-21.6%,
CAREER-986 games played/8 yr, avg plate appearances(not including this season)-574 batting average balls in play-.351, strikeout %-22.5, fly ball %– 33.9, soft hit %-11.7
Looking at these numbers it seems like perhaps the biggest takeaway is the soft hit percentage and maybe the fly ball percentage. One can only imagine what a prolonged slump feels like when really in your full professional career you’ve never had one. Before this, Goldy in my mind, was about as sure as a thing as any other player in the Bigs.
What kind of adjustments will be necessary going forward? It could be something as simple as his swing plane and launch angle. Judging by the uptick in fly ball percentage this year maybe Goldshmidt needs to focus on just making solid contact instead of trying to elevate the ball. This will in turn cut back on strikeouts and likely increase his hard hit percentages.
Baseball can be a game of inches. Players are constantly making slight adjustments in the offseason and in some instances during the season. Is this just a prolonged slump that will eventually even itself out or there something more to Goldshmidt’s struggles.
For season long players, in my mind, this is too good of a player to do anything with right now. I feel over the next 110 games there is plenty of time for a turn around.
For daily fantasy,at this point he is mostly a stay away until he puts together a 5- 10 game stretch of solid performances. You could consider only based on the matchup history with opposing pitchers with a big enough sample size, say 25 at bats or more.
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