Why is Puig so popular?

[tmoore_25]

I am not a prospector or big stats guy but I don't understand all the hype with Puig. I just happened to look at the stats for the Dodgers and Hanley Ramirez has identical stats so far this year with the team. So why isn't everyone going crazy for Ramirez's cards?

I just don't understand why someone would pay a grand for an auto of a guy who has only been seen in 31 games. And to say he is all-star material at this point is just wrong.

[roro17]

I think because he plays in a big market for an under achieving team, and having a great start to a career.

[HadWayTooMuch]

He is in the middle of the best start in MLB history. That might have something to do with it.

[JustinVerlander07]

He's gotten off to a ridiculously good start (that is completely unsustainable).

He has a 3.8% walk rate, and 22.1% strikeout rate, mix that in with a .483 BABIP and there is going to be a serious regression eventually.

He's fun to watch right now, but he's been severly overhyped. He's no where near the clas of a Harper, Trout or even Machado like some would like to suggest.

[gmsieb]

People always love the next big thing.

[Afton9444]

HAHA people are crazy...

[Gio47]

Puig is popular because he just had the best first month for a rookie in MLB history with 43 hits, it's impressive and he should be popular right now. He has yet to go two games without a hit and he has shown massive power at the plate and in the outfield. Yasiel Puig is the first player to ever win a Player of the Month award in his first month in the major leagues.

[xbignick]

You're right, except I'd say Hanley Ramirez has been better. On Puig, he was a relatively unknown commodity who quickly made it to MLB for a big market team down on their luck and flashed tools on both sides of the ball, and results with that in the card world = $$$. While there's going to be heavy regression eventually, the start will stick out in people's minds.

Thing is...you can take these kinds of results and find them in multiple careers when you slice such a small sample out, it's extremely noticeable because it's at the beginning.

Starts like these always make me look back on the best player I've probably ever seen...Barry Bonds. Look at Puig's 213 wRC+, which is outstanding, and then notice that Bonds put up better results over the course of three single years, even with the outside stuff, it's pretty cool.

[Gio47]

You're right, except I'd say Hanley Ramirez has been better. On Puig, he was a relatively unknown commodity who quickly made it to MLB for a big market team down on their luck and flashed tools on both sides of the ball, and results with that in the card world = $$$. While there's going to be heavy regression eventually, the start will stick out in people's minds.

Thing is...you can take these kinds of results and find them in multiple careers when you slice such a small sample out, it's extremely noticeable because it's at the beginning.

Starts like these always make me look back on the best player I've probably ever seen...Barry Bonds. Look at Puig's 213 wRC+, which is outstanding, and then notice that Bonds put up better results over the course of three single years, even with the outside stuff, it's pretty cool.

Just the fact that you are mentioning Barry Bonds with Yasiel Puig says A LOT

[xbignick]

Just the fact that you are mentioning Barry Bonds with Yasiel Puig says A LOT

No it doesn't, especially if you understand basic comprehension. I'm not making any relation other than the one I referenced. Edited out insult, I'm a big cranky.

[Gio47]

David Castillo covers the Mets and he tweet'd this below a few weeks ago. If Puig wasn't popular enough already, he will be after he does the Home Run Derby and plays in the All Star Game.

@DavidCCastillo David Wright said the two players he’s heard suggested most for his HR derby team are Gattis and Puig. More pressure than he expected.

[Qwasian]

he's more popular than ramirez because ramirez is not new.

[Tugarpj]

A couple bad weeks and the fickle fans will jump on another player train. Not a matter of if, just when.

[Gio47]

he's more popular than ramirez because ramirez is not new.

"Not New" kind of is the reason but that's a bad way of describing it. Everyone knows Hanley Ramirez and he's a big time player who is established. His numbers are amazing but you kind of expect that from him. You don't expect a rookie you've never heard of to just come in and on his first try win player of the month. There is supposed to be a learning curve for rookies and there hasn't been for Puig (it will come eventually).

It's like if LeBron James scores 30 points and a guy like Norris Cole scores 30 points. Cole woud get the big headlines because he's a guy who you don't expect that from. LeBron scoring 30 is just standard.

[base set]

I am not a prospector or big stats guy but I don't understand all the hype with Puig. I just happened to look at the stats for the Dodgers and Hanley Ramirez has identical stats so far this year with the team. So why isn't everyone going crazy for Ramirez's cards?



because anyone who wants a Ramirez card already has one. big supply, moderate demand. Puig has a small supply of cards, and a huge demand.

[Munsonmanor]

I don't know about the rest of the members here, but I can't remember of a stretch of a couple of years where this much good young talent has come about. Some had the hype (Harper, Strasburg, etc..) and some not so much, Puig being one of them. I watch the MLB channel a lot and while some may think Mitch Williams is a lunkhead, his breakdown of Puig is 100% correct. The few times that pitchers have gotten him out, it's obvious he cannot handle good pitches on the inner half of the plate. There's a handful of at-bats I've seen where he just about screws himself in the ground when pitchers get in his kitchen. Once the adjustment has been made from the advance scouts, they'll start getting him out and he'll come back to earth.

[Gio47]

I don't know about the rest of the members here, but I can't remember of a stretch of a couple of years where this much good young talent has come about. Some had the hype (Harper, Strasburg, etc..) and some not so much, Puig being one of them. I watch the MLB channel a lot and while some may think Mitch Williams is a lunkhead, his breakdown of Puig is 100% correct. The few times that pitchers have gotten him out, it's obvious he cannot handle good pitches on the inner half of the plate. There's a handful of at-bats I've seen where he just about screws himself in the ground when pitchers get in his kitchen. Once the adjustment has been made from the advance scouts, they'll start getting him out and he'll come back to earth.

Agreed, nice post. But at the same time Puig will obviously make the same adjustment and focus in on learning how to handle pitches inside.

[Afton9444]

MY prediction is Puig's avg will be .296 by the end of the season. maybe 13-14 homers.

[Gio47]

MY prediction is Puig's avg will be .296 by the end of the season. maybe 13-14 homers.

Solid year for a rookie playing with a lot of pressure in LA. I don't think he will hit as low as .296 but it's possible. 13-14 homers I think is really unlikely though. He hit 8 in a month and has massive power. Can't see him hitting just 5-6 the rest of the year with the way he swings for the fences.

[Afton9444]

Solid year for a rookie playing with a lot of pressure in LA.

Yeah pretty good... But the prices people are paying for his cards.. Well thats just insane.... going to be some bummed out people down the road.

$70 for a ref mini come on people that will be a $5 card in a year.

[Gio47]

Yeah pretty good... But the prices people are paying for his cards.. Well thats just insane.... going to be some bummed out people down the road.

$70 for a ref mini come on people that will be a $5 card in a year.

Ya those people buying the random inserts are getting railed bad.

[Tugarpj]

People buying ANY of his cards right now are going to be bummed. They are all going to fall and then level off.

[sayheywillie]

I am not a prospector or big stats guy but I don't understand all the hype with Puig. I just happened to look at the stats for the Dodgers and Hanley Ramirez has identical stats so far this year with the team. So why isn't everyone going crazy for Ramirez's cards?

I just don't understand why someone would pay a grand for an auto of a guy who has only been seen in 31 games. And to say he is all-star material at this point is just wrong.

His popularity is like Jeremy Lin of basketball

[sayheywillie]

MY prediction is Puig's avg will be .296 by the end of the season. maybe 13-14 homers.

Your .100 too low

[dodger]

I think most people here miss the point of Puig.

Yes, he's had an amazing start. But more important, he's REALLY fun to watch. He's absolutely mesmerizing... from the way he bats, runs the bases, fields. Everything he does is entertaining. You never know when he'll smash into something, make an amazing play, try to stretch an infield single into a triple, hit a grand slam. Every game is an adventure.

He's raw, he's exciting, he makes amazingly bold and boneheaded plays. He's interesting.

I find it interesting that the general consensus is that his cards will "fall off a cliff. I don't buy it. I am particularly skeptical when EVERYONE is saying that his cards will fall off a cliff. In any speculative endeavor it's rarely a good idea to side with an overwhelming majority opinion.

Even if/when he cools down, which is more than likely, there's still the electric manner and passion in which he plays that will make this kid a superstar for the next decade.

While it's certainly usually folly to claim "this time it's different", it's certainly possible that this time it IS different.

Here's my prediction:

- Puig's cards keep rising slowly and steadily for the foreseeable future. His mini refractor goes for $100 by the end of this year.

- The enthusiasm for Puig filters throughout the whole hobby and card collecting gets a huge boost over the next few years, as the unexpected strength of Puig's cards create interest and more people enter to both collect and speculate.

- People selling Puig cards today will be kicking themselves next year.

Time will tell how crazy I am.

[Bluemarlin528]

The same reason Trout was last year. The team turned around as soon as they arrived and numbers don't lie. The eye test - people can't stop watching when they are batting or fielding.

[Axe]

theres a few reasons

1)lack of cards, he's not like a lot of players who have 20 different bowman and chrome cards and several different autos.
2)he has an amazing story about how he got to the states and even made it into the majors
3)he's got a lot of character, he's fun to watch
4)he is the next BIG thing right NOW
5)he plays in a big market team

[cardinalscards4]

I think most people here miss the point of Puig.

Yes, he's had an amazing start. But more important, he's REALLY fun to watch. He's absolutely mesmerizing... from the way he bats, runs the bases, fields. Everything he does is entertaining. You never know when he'll smash into something, make an amazing play, try to stretch an infield single into a triple, hit a grand slam. Every game is an adventure.

He's raw, he's exciting, he makes amazingly bold and boneheaded plays. He's interesting.

I find it interesting that the general consensus is that his cards will "fall off a cliff. I don't buy it. I am particularly skeptical when EVERYONE is saying that his cards will fall off a cliff. In any speculative endeavor it's rarely a good idea to side with an overwhelming majority opinion.

Even if/when he cools down, which is more than likely, there's still the electric manner and passion in which he plays that will make this kid a superstar for the next decade.

While it's certainly usually folly to claim "this time it's different", it's certainly possible that this time it IS different.

Here's my prediction:

- Puig's cards keep rising slowly and steadily for the foreseeable future. His mini refractor goes for $100 by the end of this year.

- The enthusiasm for Puig filters throughout the whole hobby and card collecting gets a huge boost over the next few years, as the unexpected strength of Puig's cards create interest and more people enter to both collect and speculate.

- People selling Puig cards today will be kicking themselves next year.

Time will tell how crazy I am.

This.

He is fun to watch. There is a huge difference between a good player and a good player that is as fun to watch as Puig is.

[jstbuch]

I don't know. Why was Mike Trout so popular last year? Having an amazing rookie year usually gets people pretty jazzed up. Combine that with the large market and the fact that the team has gotten much better since his call up and I think you have your answer.

[Afton9444]

Your .100 too low

You think Puig is going to hit .396???

Like I said earlier

HAHA people are crazy...

[Joshua961203]

because puig has more hits then harper...

[Wolves4Life]

I never seen Harper or Trout or even Castro pose after a single which if he hustled could have been a double.

[ninjacookies]

I see a lot of Puig's game in Harper, and vice versa. Both have great arms, great speed (edge to puig) and good power (edge to puig). However, I think the thing that I don't think works well for Puig right now is his playing the game constantly at 100mph. It will catch up to him eventually, more likely sooner than later.


Justin Upton had a better start to the year than Puig did to his career...and is now batting in the mid .2xx's and trailing the HR leader by a grip. Not saying that's what's going to happen to Puig, but his slump will come hard. I think he'll be in the high .2xx's by the end of the year. His strikeout rate is not good whatsoever (just like Bo Jackson), so he needs to work on that.

[Wolves4Life]

Puig and Harper both at times show no class though with the cheap shot in the brawl and today i think Puig leads there too.

[USAFDODGERS]

Puig and Harper both at times show no class though with the cheap shot in the brawl and today i think Puig leads there too.

Yeah I don't agree with the showing off today with Puig but Romo was talking a lot yesterday after his save to Hanley mocking him and the Dodgers. Pretty sure why he was acting like that doesn't make it right. He's a 22 year old kid still immature.

[free2131]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/1002121_384942114939991_269724483_n.jpg

[ninjacookies]

^^ Mix in the Los Angeles press/coverage/fanbase market + international cuban card collectors...and you have all the ingredients for the perfect storm.

Reminds me so much of Jeremy Linn last year...and now those same cards are selling for like 1/20th of what they did lol

Can't even imagine what Puig's red and orange ref. BC autos will go for...

[xbignick]

I think most people here miss the point of Puig.

Yes, he's had an amazing start. But more important, he's REALLY fun to watch. He's absolutely mesmerizing... from the way he bats, runs the bases, fields. Everything he does is entertaining. You never know when he'll smash into something, make an amazing play, try to stretch an infield single into a triple, hit a grand slam. Every game is an adventure.

He's raw, he's exciting, he makes amazingly bold and boneheaded plays. He's interesting.

I find it interesting that the general consensus is that his cards will "fall off a cliff. I don't buy it. I am particularly skeptical when EVERYONE is saying that his cards will fall off a cliff. In any speculative endeavor it's rarely a good idea to side with an overwhelming majority opinion.

Even if/when he cools down, which is more than likely, there's still the electric manner and passion in which he plays that will make this kid a superstar for the next decade.

While it's certainly usually folly to claim "this time it's different", it's certainly possible that this time it IS different.

Here's my prediction:

- Puig's cards keep rising slowly and steadily for the foreseeable future. His mini refractor goes for $100 by the end of this year.

- The enthusiasm for Puig filters throughout the whole hobby and card collecting gets a huge boost over the next few years, as the unexpected strength of Puig's cards create interest and more people enter to both collect and speculate.

- People selling Puig cards today will be kicking themselves next year.

Time will tell how crazy I am.

Your beginning describes every talented player...basically ever. Do you think he will still get the same attention when he regresses hard? I seriously doubt it. And I really can't see the last part happening.

HR/FB, BABIP, new guys hitting the league, etc.

[dlab85]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/1002121_384942114939991_269724483_n.jpg

Just saw this on facebook... hilarious