Controversy erupts between Jeff Passan and a former MLB player
The world of baseball was abuzz last Friday as a heated debate unfolded between ESPN's Jeff Passan and former MLB player Doug Mientkiewicz on Baseball Twitter. The disagreement stemmed from a post by Passan praising 19-year-old prospect Edgleen Perez's "excellent swing decisions."
Mientkiewicz, a 2004 World Series champion with the Red Sox, expressed skepticism about the use of the term "excellent swing decisions" for Perez, who was hitting .209 in A ball and has a career batting average of .241. This skepticism led to a fiery back-and-forth between the two, with Mientkiewicz implying that Passan, whom he considered a "non-baseball person," was overly generous or inaccurate in his evaluation.
In response to Mientkiewicz's criticism, Passan defended his assessment, stating that the description of Perez's swing decisions came from a scout. He also suggested that Mientkiewicz might be bitter because batting average is no longer the only metric people care about, and that it was the only metric Mientkiewicz was good at.
Mientkiewicz, who had a .271 batting average across his 12-season MLB career, which included a seven-year stretch with the Twins and brief stints with the Mets (2005) and Yankees (2007), also suggested that Passan should have credited the scout who provided the information about Perez's swing.
The argument escalated further when Passan responded by saying, "I don't know a lot - so I ask people who do. You think you know a lot - and those who actually do laugh at you." Mientkiewicz claimed that Passan got his feelings hurt.
Mientkiewicz also implied that some scouts and writers exaggerate their analysis to sound intelligent to non-baseball people. This heated debate sparked widespread discussion across baseball social media, highlighting the importance of accurate and informed analysis in the world of baseball.
It's important to note that Perez was recently acquired by the Pirates from the Yankees in exchange for closer David Bednar. As the debate continues, it serves as a reminder that the interpretation and credibility of scouting jargon can be subjective, and it's crucial to approach such discussions with a balanced and informed perspective.
[1] Baseball Twitter Debate: Passan vs Mientkiewicz (Link to Article 1) [2] The Great Baseball Twitter Debate of 2022 (Link to Article 2)
Passan's assessment of 19-year-old prospect Edgleen Perez's "excellent swing decisions" was met with skepticism by former MLB player Doug Mientkiewicz, who suggested that scouts and analysts might exaggerate their analysis to sound intelligent to non-baseball people, sparking a heated debate on Baseball Twitter. In the midst of this discussion, Mientkiewicz also pointed out that Perez's low batting average should be considered when evaluating his playing skills, as he was hitting .209 in A ball and has a career batting average of .241.
