At what point do we start worrying about Luis Robert?

[HomeFish]

Average is nearing .250, OPS is slipping to the vicinity of .800. The breakout game we're hoping for hasn't come yet. He continues to swing at pitches way outside, but now also takes called strikes over the plate. He has range in the outfield, for sure, but can't seem to time jumps to rob a home run, and the less said of his slides in the outfield the better.

Did the Sox get a dud? I am putting Luis Robert on #bustwatch.

[Krs1]

[Mohoney]

We don’t.

[HomeFish]

Don't tell him what, that Robert is one of the league leaders in WAR? That says little about Robert and a lot about how WAR gives people a big bonus for playing a premium defensive position.

[A. Cavatica]

Yeah, maybe we should play Engel in center instead of letting him rust.

[thomas35forever]

Is this a joke?

[voodoochile]

Ah HomeFish is posting a bust watch thread. Must be home...

[guillensdisciple]

This is a very bad post. There are so many underlying metrics that can show you he is going through a combination of bad luck and genuine slump that will correct itself.

Yes, WAR likes him but not just because of his difense but also because he is on pace for 30 home runs and 90 rbis in a full season with that great defense. WAR is a catchall and he is an elite player in his first stint in baseball. This isn't Adam Engel.

The best point here is the fact that his babip has been in the low .200s for the previous 20 games.

The league average is close to .300.

Luis Robert has spent a third of a very short season getting extremely unlucky.

Combine that with a person who hits the ever loving crap of the hall and barrels consistently, and you have the makings of a slump.

Plus, the eye test literally tells you the guy is missing by milliseconds. He has been just underneath hangers for weeks.

Just ask yourself, what has changed in the last 15 to 20 games? His contact is getting caught or he is just underneath it. Meanwhile, his k rate has remained consistent. So his approach hasn't caused any issues.

This is what happens in a short sample size season where a 20 to 30 game sample makes your numbers seem poor. Over a 162 game season, this is a blip. He likely irons this out without issue. As is, just be patient. I promise you, teams know that he will pop at some point. They are just hoping it doesn't happen against them.

[spanishsox]

IMHO the one that should be on bust watch is Carlos Rodon. If he does not make an appearance this year or does and basically fails then I guess you could say he is done with the Sox.

[Frater Perdurabo]

Knowing that Robert both murders the ball and knowing that he often chases sliders out of the zone, how much would Robert benefit from having some protection in the order? Much of the time he has Mazara hitting after him, and we know that Mazara isn’t providing much protection.

[soxfanatlanta]

We should be concerned if he does not start producing at the plate, by September-2021

Good grief

[FourGoldGloves]

He has had a few good AB lately but for a while I had a theory that he decided whether to swing not just before each pitch but before each AB. Anyone who has seen him flail at three consecutive pitches two feet outside and in the dirt can see that his problem is not bad luck or lack of protection. The league has realized they don't have to pitch to him. And BABIP is a function of quality of contact.

[Zakath]

Wonder if we say the same thing about Moncada in 2017 when he played 54 games, hit .231, OPS was .750, and struck out 74 times in 199 AB.

This is like saying a kid is going to be a scholastic failure after the first month in kindergarten.

[FourGoldGloves]

This is like saying a kid is going to be a scholastic failure after the first month in kindergarten.

Or the next Willie Mays. I have every confidence that (a) he has the ability to be the next Willie Mays, and (b) he will make adjustments like Moncada did and be the monster we are hoping for. But right now he is on a bust trajectory.

[Kobo]

Average is nearing .250, OPS is slipping to the vicinity of .800. The breakout game we're hoping for hasn't come yet. He continues to swing at pitches way outside, but now also takes called strikes over the plate. He has range in the outfield, for sure, but can't seem to time jumps to rob a home run, and the less said of his slides in the outfield the better.

Did the Sox get a dud? I am putting Luis Robert on #bustwatch.

Good for you as you are the only one. Enjoy!