TopSkitz pt1 - Boog Powell

As the Biscuits have been eliminated from first half contention, it gives us a chance to look at some other topics discussed in the stands at Riverwalk Stadium.

Among the most talked about Biscuits are Boog Powell and Johnny Field Jr. Fans both casual and rabid have all been wowed by the solid play of these two, both at the plate and afield. Here we will take a look at some of the depth these two players have offered Montgomery and the numbers inside their excellent season.

These two players lead the Biscuits in wOBA, weighted on base average, a great stat that measures how much a player helps the team with run production.

Today, in the first of a two-part blog, we get a view on Boog Powell.

BOOG POWELL

Original Boog Powell

The first question most ask me about Boog, "is he related to THE Boog Powell?". As fair a question as was ever asked, since the chances of there being TWO Boog Powells must be slim.

Yet, there ARE two Boog Powells and surprisingly, they are not related in any way other than by name.

The story I was told is that the Biscuits Boog's dad is an Orioles fan and bestowed the nickname Boog on his son in honor of the 1970 AL MVP and Baltimore Bar-B-Que purveyor. His given name is Herschel M Powell, we just call him Boog.

Of course, the truth is there is noone named Boog Powell. The Orioles AllStar of the 1970s is John Wesley Powell, but better known by his nickname. The "original" Boog was given the nickname by his father too, SABR offers the explanation that "In the South they call little kids who are often getting into mischief buggers, and my dad shortened it to Boog.”

So theres that. Obviously SABR biographers aren't southern, or they would know how to spell "booger".


The lefty from California is listed at 5'10" tall, generously, and 185lbs.

Biscuits Boog is hitting a very cool .339 thru 57 games. He has really turned his hitting up in the last month, posting a superb .393 average in June.

With 57 games played this year, he is very close to the number of games he appeared in two seasons ago with Low-A Vermont. Upon leaving Vermont, life got good for Boog - his average jumps from .280s to .330s. This is a good sign that his current average is no fluke, he is really a good hitter. Not something a person who has seen him play needs numbers to prove, but a good sign just the same.

The other numbers are in agreement, his BABIP is nice this year around .409 but a few points under his MiLB career. This is saying we are seeing the real Boog Powell, he isn't living lucky with sneaky hits, he is hitting the ball the way he always does.

Boog doesn't disciminate, he hits lefties and righties both. As a lefthander, he enjoys seeing right handed pitchers curveballs break towards his bat, hitting right handers at a .324 clip. But he saves his best for lefthanders, stroking hits off southpaws to a .410 average.

BOOG LIKES HOME GAMES

Powell hit chart for this season so far

Powell loves the home cooking, batting over .400 at Riverwalk and seemingly a mere mortal on the road at .269.

Eight of his ten stolen bases come at home, though his one home run was on the road - a shot that scraped the right field foul pole and appears listed on his spray chart as a Home Run in foul territory!

Overall, Boog Powells charts are fun to look at for a Biscuits stat fan - he hits the ball to all fields, 36 to right field and 27 each to center and left fields.

In his 57 games this year he has 22 multi-hit efforts. Five times he has recorded three or more hits, known as a "modasho" in Japan, sort of the opposite of the "golden sombrero". Boog has not yet worn the golden sombrero, only twice striking out three times in a game.

Powell hits alot of ground balls, mostly to the right side of the field, which gives him a chance to use his good speed.



BISCUITS NEWS
WELCOME DAYRON VARONA
The 27 year old Cuban joins the Biscuits after just over a dozen games at Charlotte. Listed as Left Field, third base and second base, it will be interesting to see how he is deployed for the Biscuits. His age makes him one of the oldest players on the team, and could be in line for swift promotion to Durham if he proves himself worthy.