What has gotten into Robbie Grossman?

[Brandon Warne]

Decided to try figure it out, and came up with this article:

 

http://www.todaysknuckleball.com/minnesota-twins/gotten-robbie-grossman/

 

let me know what you think, thanks!

 

 

[Winston Smith]

100 ab's sss so I'll reserve judgement, been fooled before.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Reminds me of Chris Parmelee, September 2011, in some ways.

 

Still, I feel like Grossman has a decent chance of hanging around as an average MLB player for a bit, even when he comes back to earth.

[Thrylos]

Grossman once was a pretty regarded prospect when in the Pirates organization (I think he was in the top 100 of one of the raking sites.)   Check out his BABIP until he moved up for good to the Astros in 2014.  Probably averaged in the high 300s.   Currently he is at .377, which  might indicate that he is not way over his head. 

 

On the other hand, in his ridiculous 21 game cup of coffee, Parmelee's numbers were better than Grossman's and his BABIP was a .390 that was about 10-20 points higher than his previous career average, but not ridiculous like Grossman.

 

We shalt see.

[nicksaviking]

When the Twins signed him I made an off hand comparison to J.D Martinez. Who knows, maybe it's just the Astros who are screwing up their prospects.

 

If it's a possibility, this team can go right ahead and kick the tires on Jake Marisnick, Jon Singleton and Preston Tucker after Houston gives up on them too.

[drivlikejehu]

The key is whether his increase in power is at least partially 'real.' My guess is that he's basically a league average hitter without much defensive value - a good bench player or tolerable starting one - but it is possible that he's figured something out. 

[markos]

I think there is a lot to like with Grossman, or at least to be cautiously optimistic. His overall profile, including the minors, was pretty solid except that he lacked the power for a corner outfield position - but that has been his biggest improvement this season (even in AAA to start the year). He obviously won't keep up a .300 ISO, but even a bump up to .150-.200 ISO isn't unreasonable (career .ISO was .100). He definitely wouldn't be the first player to have a power-spike in his late-twenties. I wonder if he made some swing/approach improvements, as he is hitting more flyballs and liners, making harder contact, and pulling the ball more often. Anyway, assuming he keeps his walks (he has always had a solid walk rate throughout his career) and some of this new found power, he should be a solidly average hitter. That isn't great for a corner-outfielder, but not the end of the world. And it is pretty solid as a 4th-outfielder/bench bat, even more so when factoring in his switch-hitting ability.

 

Sometimes I wonder if Travis Harrison will have this kind of season in 2020. 

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

Right now, he's Robbie "Hurricane Bob" Grossman, which has been fun. Time (and repeated trips through the league) will tell if it's sustainable.

 

RE: Parmalee. His first September, he was hitting the ball loudly. That winter and the next spring, he was put on the yo-yo.

[Boom Boom]

Grossman is a mirage like 2014 Phil Hughes and Kurt Suzuki. Just wait a few weeks.

 

So, of course, Ryan will lock him into an unnecessary contract.

[Danchat]

I think Grossman's power is a mirage.

 

His 20 walks are not a mirage to me. Grossman seems to be very disciplined at the plate and even if he falls into a slump, he'll have a high OBP. 

 

I think he profiles as a 4th outfielder in the future, as a solid backup to a Rosario-Buxton-Kepler OF in 2017, hopefully.

[Pardon My Dinger]

SSSo good. 

[Primetime82]

I'm surprised Terry Ryan hasn't given him a 4 year 56 million dollar extension yet!

[SwainZag]

A whole lot of snark in this thread.  It's nice watching an OF come to the plate and actually show some patience and lay off the off-speed stuff.  Something Buxton, Arcia and Rosario have shown very little of.  While the power he has shown and the BABIP of .393 will probably fade, he has actually looked like a hitter with a plan going up to the plate which has been a breathe of fresh air.

 

He's only 26 and has less than 900 ML PA.  Reading this thread you would think he was some 33 year old re-tread having a career year.  Even as a 4th OF type I think he has some potential.

[Linus]

A whole lot of snark in this thread. It's nice watching an OF come to the plate and actually show some patience and lay off the off-speed stuff. Something Buxton, Arcia and Rosario have shown very little of. While the power he has shown and the BABIP of .393 will probably fade, he has actually looked like a hitter with a plan going up to the plate which has been a breathe of fresh air.

 

He's only 26 and has less than 900 ML PA. Reading this thread you would think he was some 33 year old re-tread having a career year. Even as a 4th OF type I think he has some potential.

This. Perhaps we've got lucky on a guy someone else gave up on too soon. Or not but certainly worth a look.

[lecroy24fan]

 

When the Twins signed him I made an off hand comparison to J.D Martinez. Who knows, maybe it's just the Astros who are screwing up their prospects.
 

 

I made the Martinez comparison a week or so after he came up. I think Grossman was a victim of Houston's glut of OF prospects more than anything else, but so was Martinez.

[David HK]

 

I made the Martinez comparison a week or so after he came up. I think Grossman was a victim of Houston's glut of OF prospects more than anything else, but so was Martinez.

They have a glut of OF, too?  

 

Judging  from SSS Grossman, their glut > our glut.