Podcast Interview: Connor McKnight
Guest: Connor McKnight, host of White Sox Weekly and Chicago White Sox Pre/Postgame Host
Rundown
2:00: Home Opener feeling
6:18: Lance Lynn’s terrific performance
12:37: Yermin Mercedes
18:34: Impressive starts to 2021 including Luis Robert taking walks
23:29: Concerns after eight games
26:23: Andrew Vaughn’s playing time
32:20: Can the White Sox win their 18th straight game against a LHP?
34:12: Do the White Sox need another LH bat?
To watch, click play below:
To listen, click play below:
It’s weird to hear Connor say he’s encouraged by Madrigal’s offense. AVG, SLG, wRC+, wOBA, etc. all down from last year. He cited three walks in 29 PA that, according to him, is up from a pace of 1 last year, but then admitted that 1 of 3 was a completely non-competitive PA. Put it all together and he’s encouraged Madrigal walked once. I’m a Madrigal defender, but c’mon. He’s not looked good so far. I think he’ll find Merlin’s wand, but the magic isn’t there right now.
I do agree with him about Robert. BB% is up, K% is down, and watching him take pitches is night and day from last season. The EV is up, too, and it really seems like he’s gotten unlucky with some liners right at guys. I don’t mind this Robert hitting 2nd.
Pretty much all of Madrigal’s plate discipline stats are improved on Baseball Savant, fangraphs etc. He’s made more contact on pitches in and out of the zone. He’s swinging less at pitches out of the zone and swinging less overall. An increased walk rate seems to follow, although maybe not this much.
Well, yes, he’s swinging less across the board which leads to more walks, but so far it’s included him being a worse offensive player. Maybe it is a positive development that will lead to things clicking later, but it’s weird to be “encouraged” by Madrigal’s offense when he’s been significantly worse in almost every offensive category—and it checks out by the eye test, too. It’s not like he’s just getting unlucky.
If he is more selective, I would hope pitchers have to come to him with some pitches he can learn to turn on, maybe get some gap xbh