Watch Live: Astros take on Indians in Free Game of the Day
We live in an era of instant gratification. If you don’t know the answer to a question, you can look it up on your smart phone in seconds. Really want that video game? You can order it online and have it delivered on the same day.
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In everyday life, instant gratification is a good thing. But when it starts to seep into other areas … like, say, baseball analysis … things can get out of hand.
Take Houston Astros prospect Alex Bregman, for example. Eight games into his major-league career, some already wanted to call him a bust. In fairness, the numbers weren’t pretty. Through his first eight games, Bregman was just 1-for-32. Based on that performance, it certainly looked like he may have been rushed to the majors.
In retrospect, the level of panic surrounding Bregman after just eight games is laughable. Not just because that’s a ridiculously tiny sample, but also because Bregman has been an absolute monster at the plate since then.
For Houston, Bregman’s hot streak couldn’t come at a better time. His performance will be the focus of Yahoo Sports’ MLB Free Game of the Day on Thursday. Bregman and the Houston Astros will take on Trevor Bauer and the Cleveland Indians in what could wind up being an early playoff preview. The contest, which begins at 12:10 p.m. ET, can be streamed on the Yahoo Sports app, Yahoo’s Sports Home, MLB index, video home and in this very post. Local blackouts apply, per MLB rules.
Since that awful 1-for-32 stretch to open his major-league career, Bregman has hit like a seasoned veteran. Over his last 31 contests, the 22-year-old is slashing .321/.375/.588, with seven home runs. Overall, he’s hitting .264/.320/.479 after 39 games.
During the last month, Bregman’s 162 wRC+, an advanced stat that measures a player’s offensive contributions, rates as the 24th best in all of baseball. He’s been the second-best hitter on the Astros over that period, just behind DH Evan Gattis.
If anything, Bregman’s up-and-down start to his career is a reminder that prospects can be tricky. Some players take months, even years, to reach their full potential. Other dominate immediately.
In retrospect, it’s silly how much concern went into Bregman’s first eight games in the majors. As of right now, he looks like he’s got it all figured out.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
