Bringing the Lumber to the OF - James Wood

[imref]

seems like this is Wood's first prolonged slump. hopefully he's out of it soon.

[Slateman]

I figured this was just regression to the mean

[imref]

I figured this was just regression to the mean

been a 5 week slump, so seems it's beyond regression

[Natsinpwc]

Hitting a baseball is hard. 

[Natsinpwc]

This is why Soto is so good. Even when in a slump he still getting on base.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

well this is depressing:

70+ K%? Has Elijah Green been working with him?

[IanRubbish]

.419 OPS last 30 days, lowest on the team except for Jose Tena who's had 5 ABs in that time.   

He's got issues with breaking balls, and teams have been throwing more of them at him.  He saw about 50% more fastballs than curveballs/sliders/sweepers in April, but almost the same amount in July.  His Slug on fastballs in July was .525. it was .075 on breaking pitches. 

[IanRubbish]

This is why Soto is so good. Even when in a slump he still getting on base.

Soto's never whiffed like this, even when he first came up.

Even if things turn around soon, have to expect Boras will have him at his winter training facility to work on things.  Boras is not going lose hundreds of millions in contract value without doing something, especially if it involves being dependent on Nats coaching to help sort it out.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

well this is depressing:

this is wrong. It's 41 ks. It's still bad, but 61 is in error. 10 BB and 1 hbp, so K% is 43.2%.

[Slateman]

https://www.espn.com/contributor/jeff-passan/cad97f9ebe23a

Boston phenom Roman Anthony signed an 8 year, 130 million extension

[imref]

https://www.espn.com/contributor/jeff-passan/cad97f9ebe23a

Boston phenom Roman Anthony signed an 8 year, 130 million extension

So $16.25 million per year with 3 more guaranteed years and a team option year.  Reporting says the contract has $100m in additional potential salary.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

So $16.25 million per year with 3 more guaranteed years and a team option year. 

Wood has more of a track record. The slump hurts things, but his 1st year of play was pretty good - .274 /.371 / .492, 31 HR, 25 SBs.

[Slateman]

Wood has more of a track record. The slump hurts things, but his 1st year of play was pretty good - .274 /.371 / .492, 31 HR, 25 SBs.

Yep. The time to do this deal was last year.

The time to extend Crews would be now

[skippy1999]

Yep. The time to do this deal was last year.

The time to extend Crews would be now

They're not doing any deal then, now, or ever because the owners don't give a flying fig about this team omg it's beyond depressing 

[IanRubbish]

https://www.espn.com/contributor/jeff-passan/cad97f9ebe23a

Boston phenom Roman Anthony signed an 8 year, 130 million extension

Not Boras.  Would never happen with Crews or Wood unless they dumped Boras like Keibert did.

[KV]

11 K’s in the last 5 games.   

[imref]

since the ASB: 38 games: .218   .299   .340   .639

[tomterp]

He's checked out.  Sad to see.

[imref]

He's checked out.  Sad to see.

i wonder if it's that, or pitchers have figured him out, or he's just tired from playing his first full major league season. We'll see what happens next year I suppose.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

since the ASB: 38 games: .218   .299   .340   .639

he had a cold streak right after the all star game,but he's hitting well since 8/8. 95 PA, .282 / .358 / .471.
https://www.fangraphs.com/players/james-wood/29518/game-log?position=OF&gds=2025-08-08&gde=2025-10-31&season=&type=0

Home runs aren't there, and the K% in the upper 30s is a problem, but "checked out" is unfair

[welch]

Post game report makes it sound like he's looking forward to the end of the season.

[IanRubbish]

.418 BABIP last 30 days.

11/41 BB/K, with .255/.336/.754 last 30 along with that BABIP, and a 37% K rate

[varoadking]

.418 BABIP last 30 days.

11/41 BB/K, with .255/.336/.754 last 30 along with that BABIP, and a 37% K rate

Real shame...his bat was about the only thing resembling real talent on this team...

[aspenbubba]

He needs to sit or just DH. He looks pathetic after every K as he saunters back to the dugout. He won’t hit 30 HR’s and he can break Mark Reynolds K record. Not something to think about during the off season. He needs a reset.

[aspenbubba]

More on my dislike of Wood as anything other than a DH. His route on the "double" to start the 9th inning was so bad that it had to affect Ferrer as he struggled in his worst outing as a closer. In Zucks" article last nite a poster gave these damning figures of Woods metrics as a defender. His runs saved is a -4 and he is a -4 OAA putting him 90th out of 109 qualified outfielders. I don't give a darn how good his arm (Rick Ankiel anyone) is because if he made the catch the team would probably not have been in that situation to have a game saving defensive play. Boras' remedial center for clients can't help this guy. His athletic ability in Little League thru grade school and college and thru the minors never focused on defense as they saw him as an offensive weapon . At best, we are seeing a Schwarber successor. I said it early last season when he first came up that he is not a legitimate MLB outfielder.