Moose Milligan

We gonna stop acting like this is the United Nations and talk some baseball instead or what?

It's a good day when you get to type Zach Muckenhirn.

When Mateo waves at a slider that's a foot outside the zone, I'm pretty sure it's not his swing that's broken.

I'm not all in on O'Hearn just yet, however he's making it hard not to be a believer. Let's keep in mind that the O's hitting coaches allegedly fixed Mateo and we've all seen how that's played out. Maybe O'Hearn doesn't regress to what he was, maybe he does. At the very least, he's earned the right to keep playing so we can find out.

I don't think Irvin could be counted on, but I do believe Kremer, as frustrating as he can be at times, can be a 4th. Wells, Bradish, Grayson, Kremer, FA into 2024 is a rotation that doesn't have a true #1, although maybe Bradish and Grayson can get there.

I think getting rid of the shift might have helped O'Hearn. But I think he's a good all fields hitter and he can hit to the opposite field with some power. His spray chart shows pull tendencies but he does use a lot of the field. https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/ryan-o-hearn-656811?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

Gray will probably get a haul after the career year he's having. But he's been remarkably consistent over his career and I'd take a look at him. I'd also look at Monty, Snell, Stroman and Hendricks. I'm not saying I have to have any of those guys, but those would be guys on my radar. I'd take a flier on Jack Flaherty and maybe Flexen. Two guys that have had good seasons in their careers and still might have upside.

I'm not sure if I follow. A lefty starts, O'Hearn is on the bench. Santander at 1B. He's got an .893 OPS against lefties this year. Outfield: Hays, Mullins, Cowser. I suppose then you'd have to put Hicks at DH which is your argument but he's got a career OPS against lefties of .744 and this year he's at .785. Mountcastle's OPS against lefties this year is 1.017, up from his career OPS against lefties of .811. I'm not sure how long that'll last, especially after the vertigo. I get all the reasons why people would want to platoon him at 1B, I just think our roster is overall better without him.

Thank you. No need to platoon O'Hearn and Mountcastle when Santander/O'Hearn is an option.

Motorhead.

I'm arguing that I don't want to see him in an Orioles uniform for the rest of the season. All of the voices in my head are in concert with that.

I can't imagine whatever his trade value is much at all. Everyone can see the declining stats, everyone can see the vertigo issue this year, everyone can see the poor OPS on his rehab stint. Do my favorite exercise: What would YOU give up from our current system if Ryan Mountcastle was on another team and they wanted to make a trade?

Well, maybe in your head O’Hearn is a valid point to bring up. But I don’t think anyone here believes that. I also never said Mountcastle’s trade value is zero.

I agree with @MurphDoggthat they don't trade Hays or Santander (hopefully both) until the offseason. So I think Kjerstad, despite killing it in AAA, is going to have to wait a little bit. But Ortiz for Mateo is the move that could be made today. And should be.

No, Mountcastle has changed. As I stated in the OP, he's gotten progressively worse in practically all categories since he arrived on the scene. You're correct that the Orioles have changed, there's a lot of talent now that makes him expendable. If this were a last place team there'd still be room for him, most likely. But with the team performing the way it is and the system producing the talent that it has, he is expendable. But it's not as if Mountcastle is the same guy he was two, three years ago. He's not the worst player in the league but he's certainly cemented himself in the bottom tier. Bottom third? 25%? I feel that's pretty safe.

Yeah, I think you reaching for O'Hearn's career numbers and the rope that he got in KC and somehow parlaying that into a 1.4 million contract with the Orioles is kind of deflecting the absurd take that Mountcastle isn't one of the worst players in the league. But that's ok, you can make emotional arguments not based on facts.

I sort of feel that way, but I think if they can win tonight that’ll be more important. Come out of NYC no better/no worse than when we went in regards to the Yankees after two disaster games to start the series would be huge.

Completely comfortable with that.

I don’t see it either, which is unfortunate. Anyone can see that Mountcastle isn’t a future piece for this team. They’re gonna have to find a place for Mayo, 1B seems like an option for him or maybe Kjerstad.

Oh haven’t you heard? Adley’s not that great and a disappointment.

I get that, but I'd prefer to keep Mountcastle down, keep Cowser up and have Cowser in the outfield and Santander at 1st base when O'Hearn is on the bench cause a lefty is on the mound.

O'Hearn with a missile tonight that would have only been a homer in Houston. .294/.343/.524. Reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated. I get that he's not great against lefties, that's fine. Let Santander start at 1st base when the opponent starts a lefty, especially now that Cowser is up and can play an outfield spot.

Great start for Cowser.

That was a great performance. Hopefully it carries over to the next start.