Tabata 6 hits in AFL game

[3Up3Down]

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2009_11_19_scowin_perwin_1

Jose Tabata was 6 for 7 last night with 3 RBI's. I am not sure how much power this guy will have in the bigs. Hopefully it is still developing but man oh man can he sure square up a baseball.

I saw him hit a dead rope homer to centerfield at Reading last July and he sold me. But if he continues to be a hitting machine he will be a welcome addition to RF anyday. I was pleasantly surprised with his speed in the AFL Rising Stars games as he beat out an infield hit and had another single go off an infielder's glove, but there was no chance out throwing him out.

It is certainly fun to watch a player develop who may be an impact major leaguer.

[kansasfan]

Yes it is.  Tabata's line drive swing and speed should translate very well to the majors.  He should hit for a high average and have lots of doubles.  The biggest question is the number of HRs he'll hit. 

That was the same question with Cutch, and he's done very well.  Personally, I'd be happy with Cutch & Tabata hitting 1/2 with the line drives & speed they bring, then having Jones & Alvarez as 3/4.  That's a pretty good top half of the order.

And Cutch & Tabata cover LOTS of ground in the outfield.

Could be the start of something very interesting.

[VaPirate]

First, I'm not at all convinced that Jose will not have good HR power within a year or two.  I'll be surprised if he doesn't hit for at least 20.  Having watched him in Altoona he looked, granted to my untrained eye, to be close to having the swing for HR power. 

The experts are saying he is finished developing physically, and since I'm not an expert I'll accept that.  But the experts also say that since he's developed and not hitting HRs he's not going to hit HRs.

But personally, I like that he has already developed to the extent he has - I rather watch his swing adjust than wait on someone who may have a swing but has yet to achieve projected physical development.  Waiting for the physical side of a player to develop can take years, just about as long as his non-FA years, meaning a player starts to fully mature about the time he becomes very hard to afford. 

The big thing for me, and I don't understand why the "experts" can so easily blow this off, It looks to my untrained eye that Jose is very close, RIGHT NOW, to being a good or better HR producer.  I'd much rather have this situation than waiting for his physical development.

But if he is a doubles machine in the majors, and he and Cutch are hitting 12-15 HRs batting #1 and #2, I have no problem.  Cutch, Tabata, Jones, Alvarez, Millidge (look for his power to be greatly improved), and Ryan makes for a potentially VERY strong top 2/3 of the order with great protection (and 7 and 8 may well be better than average). 

I am really excited about this lineup and expect it to open the 2011 season in Pittsburgh.  Good defense (+ in the outfield; we have to wait and see what happens at SS and 2nd) and the best looking batting order in decades, along with what could be a very strong rotation...Next year will be fun watching the pieces come together for 2011 and beyond.

[ECBucs]

I'm not worried about power yet either.  Jeffrey Leonard hit 0 homers as a rookie and Kirby Puckett didn't hit many either.

I'm impressed that Tabata doesn't strike  out much and seems to hit the ball hard most times.

[IABucFan]

Just out of curiousity, if Tabata is as good as advertised defensively with as much speed and range as it sounds like he has, why are we planning on hiding him in right field?  At least for games in PNC, wouldn't it make more sense to put him in left?  Is his arm that much better that it demands him bing placed in right?

[The Moose]

My understanding is that Tabata has a pretty good arm. Between Milledge, McCutchen, and Tabata, Tabata's arm is probably best.
So, RF seems like the fit for him.