Passing on Puig
Once upon a time, a young man from a humble life in a humble country dreamed of prosperity through playing a game that he loved....baseball. He quickly grabbed the attention of major league scouts who began to court him because of is abilities and eventually landed among baseball royalty in sunny California.
The young man is Yasiel Puig. The team is the Los Angeles Dodgers. The story....his downfall.
When Yasiel Puig burst onto the scene and into living rooms across the nation, he was lauded as a potential superstar that could easily eclipse many Hall of Famers. His ascent, beginning in 2013, was epic and validated all of the praise. He was a phenom, a rookie prodigy. The Dodgers had hit the jackpot.
Unfortunately, as it is with reality sometimes, the fairy tale did not last as the Dodgers have now sent Puig down to the minor leagues. How could such a star have fallen so fast? the GM of the Dodgers organization simply stated that the recent acquisition of Josh Reddick, another great outfielder, made the line-up too full and made it necessary for someone to be demoted. Puig's lack of production made him the unfortunate victim.
"Lack of production?" you say. Yes. Even though he started off so well, the past few years have seen him ridden with injuries and his on the field statistics dropping, most notably his OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) which is at .706 when his career average is .831. Though it is mentioned among analysts that his defense is improving, his lack of production and progress at the plate has everyone questioning his future with the Dodgers. The move made by the Dodgers is perfect for trading. A place in the minor leagues will allow teams to watch Puig without having to worry about limited playing time or media distraction. There is only one problem. Leading up to the trade deadline, no one wanted Puig.
With concerns about consistency and professionalism the good news for Puig is that there is still time. Though trainers state that he needs to solidify pregame training and mechanics and also needs to learn to interact and get along with teammates more, he is only 25 years old. Going to the minor leagues could be the best thing for him. Analysts agree that this could be a great time to improve his speed and swing at the plate as well as learn that there is more to baseball than media and money. A solid amount of time in Triple-A Oklahoma City could produce a proper end to that fairy tale that started with a young man who just wanted to play baseball.
The young man is Yasiel Puig. The team is the Los Angeles Dodgers. The story....his downfall.
When Yasiel Puig burst onto the scene and into living rooms across the nation, he was lauded as a potential superstar that could easily eclipse many Hall of Famers. His ascent, beginning in 2013, was epic and validated all of the praise. He was a phenom, a rookie prodigy. The Dodgers had hit the jackpot.
Unfortunately, as it is with reality sometimes, the fairy tale did not last as the Dodgers have now sent Puig down to the minor leagues. How could such a star have fallen so fast? the GM of the Dodgers organization simply stated that the recent acquisition of Josh Reddick, another great outfielder, made the line-up too full and made it necessary for someone to be demoted. Puig's lack of production made him the unfortunate victim.
"Lack of production?" you say. Yes. Even though he started off so well, the past few years have seen him ridden with injuries and his on the field statistics dropping, most notably his OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) which is at .706 when his career average is .831. Though it is mentioned among analysts that his defense is improving, his lack of production and progress at the plate has everyone questioning his future with the Dodgers. The move made by the Dodgers is perfect for trading. A place in the minor leagues will allow teams to watch Puig without having to worry about limited playing time or media distraction. There is only one problem. Leading up to the trade deadline, no one wanted Puig.
With concerns about consistency and professionalism the good news for Puig is that there is still time. Though trainers state that he needs to solidify pregame training and mechanics and also needs to learn to interact and get along with teammates more, he is only 25 years old. Going to the minor leagues could be the best thing for him. Analysts agree that this could be a great time to improve his speed and swing at the plate as well as learn that there is more to baseball than media and money. A solid amount of time in Triple-A Oklahoma City could produce a proper end to that fairy tale that started with a young man who just wanted to play baseball.
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