MLB Dirt

All the context you need to know is that culture is highly correlated to the pulse of the baseball environment. Baseball is but a Summer poem and the beauty of the game, the LYRICAL aspect interlaces itself into the lives of fathers and sons, and daughters and America.

It goes all the way back to the beginning, baseball has been part of Amrica’s popular culture as early as the 1850′s, celebrated in art, story and song. The Beastie Boy’s have since their beginning have also had a close relationship to popular culture, been on top of it and pretty quickly put their mark on it.

Baseball references in Beastie Boys songs:

“The sun is beating down on my baseball hat” – Paul Revere [Licensed to Ill, 1986]

“I did it with a wiffleball bat” – Paul Revere [Licensed to Ill, 1986]

“I beat a biter down with an aluminum bat” – Shake Your Rump [Paul’s Boutique, 1989]

“Shea Stadium the radium E M D squared” – The Sounds of Science [Paul’s Boutique, 1989]

“On the mic I score just like the Yankees” – 3-Minute Rule [Paul’s Boutique, 1989]

“And I’ve got more hits than Sadaharu Oh” – Hey Ladies [Paul’s Boutique, 1989]

“Got more Louie than Philip Rizzuto” – What Comes Around [Paul’s Boutique, 1989]

“And I’ve got mad hits like I was Rod Carew” – Sure Shot [Ill Communication, 1994]

“I said, Oops gotcha clutch like Piazza” – 3 The Hard Way [To the 5 Boroughs, 2004]

“Waiting like a batter who is on deck” – It Takes Time to Build [To the 5 Boroughs, 2004]

Their early material was certainly crass and juvenile but their music has always been marked by a certain measure of swagger and braggadocio, much like these minor league prospect players’ hit tools:

Oscar Taveras, LH, OF Cardinals
2012 Stats: Double-A .318/.378/.575
The Hit Tool: Taveras has an excellent approach for his age. His swing possesses the rare combination of violence and control. Most of his value is wrapped up in his hitting ability. Probably the best hit tool in the minor leagues.

Anthony Rendon, RH, 3B, possible position switch, Nationals
2012 Stats:Ending the year at Double-A. Overall .239/.290/.308
The Hit Tool: Rendon has been hurt most of this year but if he can stay healthy his plate discipline and pitch recognition is at a major league level. Quick bat and bat control off the charts, line drives to all fields.

Kolten Wong, LH, 2B Cardinals
2012 Stats: Double-A .290/.350/.410
The Hit Tool: Excellent approach, lightning-quick bat. Leveraged swing and value in his batting average.

Nick Castellanos, RH, 3B Tigers
2012 Stats: Ending the year at Double-A. Overall .329/.375/.465
The Hit Tool: His hit tool stands out, quick bat with excellent hands. Knack for hard contact.

Jurickson Profar, SH, SS Rangers
2012 Stats: Double-A .280/.367/.452
The Hit Tool: Profar can do a little of everything. Above-average hitter with bat speed and strong wrists. He has good approach and understanding of the strike zone for a 20-year old playing at this level. Considered best position player prospect in all of baseball.

Christian Yelich, LH, OF Marlins
2012 Stats: Class-A Advanced: .321/.394/.508
The Hit Tool: Yelich can flat out hit. Great bat speed, works the count well and should hit for average with a high on-base percentage as well.

Wil Myers, RH, OF Royals
2012 Stats: Ending the year at Triple-A. Overall .307/.384/.589
The Hit Tool: Myers can flat-out hit. He has bat speed, great hands. Has big league level appraoch that sometimes walks the line between disciplined and passive.

Jonathan Singleton, LH, 1B Astros
2012 Stats: Double-A .283/.94/.494
The Hit Tool: Singleton can hit, and there is potential for power. he combines a quick bat and draws lots of walks because of good plate discipline.

Nolan Arenado, RH, 3B Rockies
2012 Stats: Double-A .279/.332/.421
The Hit Tool: Arendo is the best pure hitter in the Rockies’ system. Plenty of bat speed and quick hands. Gap-to-average power that projects to solid average. Arenado is an impatient hitter whose tremendous plate coverage works against him at times, leaving him swinging at pitches he can hit but not drive, while also leading to few walks.

Oswaldo Arcia, LH, OF Twins
2012 Stats: Ending the year at Double-A. Overall .315/.395/.538
The Hit Tool: Arcia is among the best pure hitters in the system. He has bat speed and a good feel for contact, to go with above-average power. He’s very aggressive at the plate, especially early in the count, and needs to work on his on-base skills.

*I am not a scout or expert on prospects, but I did gather information by people who are, these ten prospects with excellent hit tools are painted with a broad brush and some can obviously be substituted with others with great hit tools but these are the names I choose to submit.

Be sure to check out Dave England’s other work as a Texas Rangers contributor at Aerys MLB and be sure to follow him on twitter @Juniusworth.

Filed under: Digging Deep - Analysis, On the Farm - Prospects Tagged: | Anthony Rendon, Christian Yelich, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Hit Tool, Houston Astros, Jonathan Singleton, Jurickson Profar, Kansas City Royals, Kolten Wong, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, Minor leagues, Nick Castellanos, Nolan Arenado, Oscar Taveras, Oswaldo Arcia, Prospects, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, Wil Myers