Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑25 Jul 2026 10:10 am
I think he’s going to end up a RH version of Alec Burleson, hopefully without the RH/LH splits.
His numbers this season look kinda similar to Burleson’s first two years with the team, which is not great. And I was pretty down on Burleson his first three seasons. I’d say I was a Burleson hater. But he got better and he’s been pretty consistent offensively. Not great, but pretty good. I think Jordan could be pretty similar to that. Maybe not this season, he is a rookie after all. Maybe not even next season. It took Burleson a few years to get going.
The unfortunate thing is that he is not good defensively, also kind of like Burleson. You don’t want him starting long term at 3B, unless somehow Oquendo can lay hands on him and turn him into a decent defender there. There’s a bit of a log jam at 1B/DH with Burleson and Herrera there, although that could change soon.
I guess we gotta let this season play out to see what the future holds, but I’m thinking he’ll have a decent MLB career when it’s all said and done. And now I just jinxed him and he’ll end up how I thought Burleson was going to end up a few years ago.
Yes, I posted yesterday or the day before that Blaze and Burley were the B bookends. One L and one R. Similar players. Both slow on bases with little range, but can be adequate defensively. Adequate, not great. Both are really 1B/DH types, and with Ivan only catching part time there is trouble getting all of them in the lineup unless Blaze plays 3B. He can adequately, but certainly doesn't have the range to be an elite defender there. Honestly he has done better than I expected at third defensively. I think the kid can hit and he just needs to play the rest of the year. They have some options way down in the system, but no one in AAA who is going to step up even next season. So hopefully Blaze can be half decent defensively at third because he is kind of it right now. Fermin is not the answer to third base. Nor Saggese, and Urias didn't impress me at all. I think Blaze has some power. He is adjusting and just trying to put the ball in play right now, which is probably best for him in his rookie season. Just pencil the kid in at third and bat him 5-7 in the order somewhere and leave him alone. Let's see what the kid can do (without getting yanked to put Fermin at third all the time). My 2 cents.
Yes they are similar as stated in the analysis below
Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑25 Jul 2026 10:10 am
I think he’s going to end up a RH version of Alec Burleson, hopefully without the RH/LH splits.
His numbers this season look kinda similar to Burleson’s first two years with the team, which is not great. And I was pretty down on Burleson his first three seasons. I’d say I was a Burleson hater. But he got better and he’s been pretty consistent offensively. Not great, but pretty good. I think Jordan could be pretty similar to that. Maybe not this season, he is a rookie after all. Maybe not even next season. It took Burleson a few years to get going.
The unfortunate thing is that he is not good defensively, also kind of like Burleson. You don’t want him starting long term at 3B, unless somehow Oquendo can lay hands on him and turn him into a decent defender there. There’s a bit of a log jam at 1B/DH with Burleson and Herrera there, although that could change soon.
I guess we gotta let this season play out to see what the future holds, but I’m thinking he’ll have a decent MLB career when it’s all said and done. And now I just jinxed him and he’ll end up how I thought Burleson was going to end up a few years ago.
Maybe you swap them in the lineup depending on the starter. Burly bats 3rd vs RHP and 8th vs LHP. Jordan 8th vs RHP and 3rd vs LHP. Jordan's SLG% vs LHP in a SSS is .441 with a .265 avg (unfortunately a .265 OBP, too), so it's not exactly completely unjustified.
The other thing about Jordan is that I know that Busch is particularly hard on RHB's for power. On the road so far in his MLB career, Jordan is hitting .315 with a .784 OPS (.463 SLG%). That's not bad. He's hitting .159 with a .434 OPS at Busch though.
They have to play him everyday for the rest of the season. To small Ss hopefully for those #'s to mean anything. 620 ops w 1 homerun is awful. Especially since his bat is his only tool and power is supposed to be his calling card. If that trend continues he won't be a viable third base option. The optics on him are better than a lot of guys because he doesn't strikeout. But he doesn't walk either. So he has a poor obp of .255. All these numbers have to improve, but he has to play every day.
He isn't hitting either. .245 .255 .369 .620. Maybe he should have better discipline in the strike zone and quit chasing out of the zone. Than instead of grounding out and popping up he walks. Because with those #'s he's history. Patience is a good thing. I hope he gets the runway and improves.
Galatians221jb1 wrote: ↑25 Jul 2026 12:09 pm
Walks are overrated. They are supposed to occur when the hitter hets nothing to hit. He’s a hitter. He’s not up there to walk.
Galatians221jb1 wrote: ↑25 Jul 2026 12:09 pm
Walks are overrated. They are supposed to occur when the hitter hets nothing to hit. He’s a hitter. He’s not up there to walk.
There was a time when I agreed and given certain situations I do.
However with game evolving as it has with pitch counts and 5 inning starts getting into other teams bullpen as soon as you can taking more pitches seems to be an offensive ploy now more than ever.
Galatians221jb1 wrote: ↑25 Jul 2026 12:09 pm
Walks are overrated. They are supposed to occur when the hitter hets nothing to hit. He’s a hitter. He’s not up there to walk.
That's a losing mentality. Walks are baserunners. More baserunners, more runs you can get. Top 3 teams in walks are the Cubs, Brewers, and Dodgers. All 3 are in the top 5 in MLB in runs per game. Only the Dodgers are top 5 in batting average.
Galatians221jb1 wrote: ↑25 Jul 2026 12:09 pm
Walks are overrated. They are supposed to occur when the hitter hets nothing to hit. He’s a hitter. He’s not up there to walk.
That's a losing mentality. Walks are baserunners. More baserunners, more runs you can get. Top 3 teams in walks are the Cubs, Brewers, and Dodgers. All 3 are in the top 5 in MLB in runs per game. Only the Dodgers are top 5 in batting average.
Players that focus on walks are too passive early in the count and fall behind in the count. With ABS they can no longer focus on an umpire having a tight strike zone. No hitter in the history of the game is better with two strikes. Players that strive to walk are almost as bad as hitters that will only swing at balls that they can pull. Be ready to hit on the first pitch. I admire a hitter with a good eye who doesn’t swing at bad pitches and draws walks. Hitters that allow grooved fastballs to go by early in the count without offering are ruining the game.
Galatians221jb1 wrote: ↑25 Jul 2026 12:09 pm
Walks are overrated. They are supposed to occur when the hitter hets nothing to hit. He’s a hitter. He’s not up there to walk.
That's a losing mentality. Walks are baserunners. More baserunners, more runs you can get. Top 3 teams in walks are the Cubs, Brewers, and Dodgers. All 3 are in the top 5 in MLB in runs per game. Only the Dodgers are top 5 in batting average.
Players that focus on walks are too passive early in the count and fall behind in the count. With ABS they can no longer focus on an umpire having a tight strike zone. No hitter in the history of the game is better with two strikes. Players that strive to walk are almost as bad as hitters that will only swing at balls that they can pull. Be ready to hit on the first pitch. I admire a hitter with a good eye who doesn’t swing at bad pitches and draws walks. Hitters that allow grooved fastballs to go by early in the count without offering are ruining the game.
The problem is if you dont take walks they have no reason to throw you strikes and you get yourself out swinging at pitches out of the zone. Ive seen him fouling off pitches going deep into counts that he could have walked several times on and then flies or grounds out. He would get far more pitches he can do damage on if the pitcher knew he was capable of laying off of bad pitches. I like blaze but he could do a lot more damage if he swung at strikes instead of getting himself out on bad pitches
Galatians221jb1 wrote: ↑25 Jul 2026 20:19 pm
Agreed. Swing at strikes. Dont swing at balls. Easier said than done but still true.
It is interesting though does he hit so well with runners in scoring position and on base because they don’t want walk him and make the situation worse so they throw him strikes and he hits strikes and when no one is on base they don’t worry about walking him so they don’t throw him strikes and
He gets himself out or is he like Allen Craig and just hits well with men on
He is what we were hoping Gorman would have been. A guy who drives in runs. At his pace so far in a full season he would be around 100 RBI. I would like to see him play everyday.
