Who are the best sophomores right now?

[Mattingly]

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2006/07/10/eHxf4pkp.jpg
Ryan Howard holds the Derby championship
trophy on Monday night. (Charles Krupa/AP)

I'd just posted a thread in the Phillies Phorum :D about HR Derby Champ Ryan Howard (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/events/all_star/y2006/hr_derby.jsp). In this article (http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060829&content_id=1634523&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb), none other than Phillies legend Mike Schmidt praises Howard, a 2nd year 1Bman.

"He might be the modern-day Willie Stargell," Schmidt said during a Tuesday conference call. "Left-handed hitter with a distinct approach to hitting that I'm sure guys will be imiitating for years. Making that extension with the bat just like [Stargell] used to windmill that bat as the pitcher was winding up. Both can hit the ball in the upper deck. Willie used to hit some of the longest balls in the history of the league and they talked about them, just like they're talking about some of Ryan's home runs."

I know that the Yanks' Chien-Ming Wang is doing very well, at times seeming more like either the ace or #2 pitcher, rather than the #2 pitcher. Who are some of the other better sophomores out there now in either league?

[Brian McKenna]

Braves Francouer and McCann come to mind

[Mattingly]

I mistakenly thought I'd read in the article that Howard was a soph. He's in his 3rd year. :o :(

[Baseball Guru]

Willy Taveras, Jeff Francis, Garrett Atkins, Robinson Canó, McCann and Nick Swisher are all having good sophmore seasons... Not quite to the extent of Howard, but still good;)

[Baseball Guru]

I mistakenly thought I'd read in the article that Howard was a soph. He's in his 3rd year. :o :(


He was ROY last year....So technically he is a sophmore... He only played in 19 games in 2004...

[The Great Nom]

Braves Francouer and McCann come to mind

Francoeur's not any good. McCann's special though.

Ryan Zimmerman's great too. I'm more impressed with him than a guy like Howard, who I love too, because he's younger, plays great D, and has played at a high level since the day he got called up.

[Mattingly]

He was ROY last year....So technically he is a sophmore... He only played in 19 games in 2004...
Thanks for removing that egg sandwich I'd had splattered all over my face. :D ;) :p

Thanks to yourself and others for those replies. :)

[cbenson5]

Braves Francouer and McCann come to mind

McCann is an excellent ballplayer. I think he will be an elite player for quite some time. Franceour, on the other hand, has been terrible. Pitchers have figured him out now and he has not been able to adjust. A good pitcher will get him out almost every time. Last time I looked it up, he had the lowest on base percentage in the national league except for a couple of short stops.

[Ytown Tribe fan]

Robinson Cano, Mark Teahen, Willie Taveras (played in 10 games in '04)

[EvanAparra]

Robinson Cano, Mark Teahen, Willie Taveras (played in 10 games in '04)

I think everyone is overstating Wily Taveras' success this year. Hes having a great hit streak, but even then hes only batting .284, he also only has an OBP of .335, and is slugging .345. 69 SO compared to 28 BB. He does have 28 SB, so thats an upside. But hes hardly having a great season.

[Baseball Guru]

Not sure who said Taveres was having a great season but I think he is bhaving a good season... He basically is havinf the same type of season as he did last year.... He's walking a little more and he's cut down his strikeouts....

[Solair Wright]

Ryan Howard has been hitting very well, with 47 home runs. I can safely say he is NOT on steroids, and he is so powerful, he could crack a baseball bat in half by leaning it on his leg! He is from St. Louis, Missouri, so every success for him makes me happier. I won't be surprised if the Home Run Champion comes from a team that missed the playoffs.

[EvanAparra]

Not sure who said Taveres was having a great season but I think he is bhaving a good season... He basically is havinf the same type of season as he did last year.... He's walking a little more and he's cut down his strikeouts....

Maybe you only said he was having a good season, but you also said he was one of the best sophomores right now...You usually have to be having a great season for that...

I didnt think his season last year was very good either...he hit .291 or something like that with 70 infield singles...That means his actual hitting ability isnt as good as those who hit .291 with 12 infield singles.. And his average is actually lower this year, at .283. His career numbers are .287/.329/.342..... and his worth was demonstrated earlier this year when the Astros tried to trade him at the deadline and only one team was interested.

[Baseball Guru]

Maybe you only said he was having a good season, but you also said he was one of the best sophomores right now...You usually have to be having a great season for that...

I didnt think his season last year was very good either...he hit .291 or something like that with 70 infield singles...That means his actual hitting ability isnt as good as those who hit .291 with 12 infield singles.. And his average is actually lower this year, at .283. His career numbers are .287/.329/.342..... and his worth was demonstrated earlier this year when the Astros tried to trade him at the deadline and only one team was interested.


Actually I just said:

Willy Taveras, Jeff Francis, Garrett Atkins, Robinson Canó, McCann and Nick Swisher are all having good sophmore seasons...

My list was based on how they did last year as rookies...
IMO, Taveras is having a good sophmore season.. Then again, I thought his rookie season was good as well... He is what he is... He's not a hr or rbi guy like Howard... He's a speedy leadoff hitter... He had 172 hits last season...
Thats his job and he does a decent job at it... His average is lower but his obp% is higher.. For a leadoff hitter I'm sure most teams would take a little lower BA and a higher obp%... Why does it matter if a ton of his hits are infield singles?? A hit is a hit isnt it? It sounds like you are discrediting him as a hitter because he gets a lot of infield hits....

[IronMike]

Ryan Howard by far. Although if Rickie Weeks had stayed healthy, he could be up there too.

[strosfan]

Noone has even mentioned the defensive part of the game. Taveras has made some tremendous catches this year and did anyone see his put-out at third last night? Cannon for an arm!
And as far as his offense goes, he does what a lead-off hitter is supposed to do...he gets on base! whether it's from a hit, mis-hit, bunt or HBP

so he would make my list of top sophomores this year.

[EvanAparra]

Actually I just said:


My list was based on how they did last year as rookies...
IMO, Taveras is having a good sophmore season.. Then again, I thought his rookie season was good as well... He is what he is... He's not a hr or rbi guy like Howard... He's a speedy leadoff hitter... He had 172 hits last season...
Thats his job and he does a decent job at it... His average is lower but his obp% is higher.. For a leadoff hitter I'm sure most teams would take a little lower BA and a higher obp%... Why does it matter if a ton of his hits are infield singles?? A hit is a hit isnt it? It sounds like you are discrediting him as a hitter because he gets a lot of infield hits....

Well considering this thread is called "Who are the best sophomores right now".....

Why would you base your list on a rookie season when this is about sophomore seasons? Hes not a very good lead off hitter, since his job is to get on base....331 obp isnt exactly good...

A hit is a hit, but his speed makes up for his lack of talent as a hitter.

[EvanAparra]

Noone has even mentioned the defensive part of the game. Taveras has made some tremendous catches this year and did anyone see his put-out at third last night? Cannon for an arm!
And as far as his offense goes, he does what a lead-off hitter is supposed to do...he gets on base! whether it's from a hit, mis-hit, bunt or HBP

so he would make my list of top sophomores this year.

NO, he does NOT get on base...

Lead off mean OBP%

Youkilis - .385
Damon - .367
Rollins - .342
Ramirez - .347
Eckstein - .349
Pierre - .335
Suzuki - .365
Granderson - .339
Roberts - .361
Izturiz - .369
Matthews - .364
Kendall - .367
Rioa - .343
Sizemore - .377
Castillo - .352
Baldelli - .338
Furcal - .360
Hudson - .352

Taveras - .331

And two others who are lower than Wily are Podsednik and Figgens, both of whom are no longer in the leadoff spot because of their ineffectiveness.