Schoop "very much in mix" for starting 2B job

[ExileAngelos]

This team doesn't have a legitimate every day second baseman. That's why Buck said what he said. The path is absolutely clear if he plays his way into a starting job.

[LookinUp]

I'm going by memory, but I think the board is under-rating Schoop defensively. People seem to equate his thickening out with poor defense. His thickness was the reason he wasn't expected to stay at SS. Second base is a different position.

My recollection is that Schoop is a good defender. I recall a scout referring to him and Machado a couple years back and saying they looked like major league middle infielders.

Schoop isn't a glove-first guy, but that's because he has a loud bat. He's supposed to be more than adequate defensively.

[Jonesy10]

Yep handling 2nd base with his .200 AVG.

Considering even with his .200 AVG, there were only 6 other 2B in the league with a superior WAR than Flaherty (considering he only had 271 PA)... And one of those was Ben Zobrist who also plays a good amount of outfield. Granted, Flaherty also played more defensive innings than his PA's would suggest (I'd assume as he was a defensive replacement a good amount), but he was worth 1.4 WAR in less than a half years worth of PA's. And he could still improve a lot with the bat. I think he will break out with the bat this year and if he does he could be worth 4 WAR or more. Even if his offense is like last year, he could be worth 2-3 WAR if he gets the starting job and keeps it.

[Rene88]

J Weeks is Alexi Casilla without the awesome power.

I disagree-Weeks first year showed he could get on base and provide some base stealing ability-much better than Casilla IMO. But let's see...maybe you are right. Time will tell.

[Tx Oriole]

I think Schoop needs more AAA AB's. His #'s suggest he isnt ready. Not that he doesn't have a bright future ahead of him, but Flaherty is more than capable of handling 2B in the meantime.

He will need more time in AAA. IMO

[Tx Oriole]

You could say the same thing about Flaherty.

Come on now. Ryan played last year. He has experience. Schoop on the other

hand needs time in AAA. Ryan is certainly not that great but with his experience it

may give him a little advantage. IMO

[Tx Oriole]

What if Weeks outhits Schoop and Flaherty?

He may outhit them but Weeks does need more time in triple A. IMO

[sportsfan8703]

Yep handling 2nd base with his .200 AVG.

Especially since Flaherty has gotten off to nothing but slow starts his first two years with us. Eventually talent will win out. Nothing wrong with playing Schoop 5/7 games and letting Flaherty get some starts against tough RHP's. Schoop and Gausman are our X factors this year and if they step up this could be a big year for us. The job was handed to Flaherty last year out of ST and he crapped the bed. Even if he has another great ST he should have to platoon to start the year. Let Flaherty/Schoop each play and see in the regular season and play who's ever better.

[Tx Oriole]

Hmm. Bummer.

Speed could have been an edge over Flash. For whatever reason, I really root for Flaherty and hope he puts it all together. I am certainly not against him being demoted to UT guy because of his versatility (part of why I love him), but I really only want that to happen if we clearly upgrade him at 2nd.

Slight side-note: Would be nice to know our Hardy fate, since I think we'd have the pieces to be able to entice a trade from Seattle for Nick Franklin. Franklin has the potential* to be a clear upgrade at 2nd and another young guy who we'd pencil in for a long time.

Love dem Os.

No thanks to that trade.

[Tx Oriole]

Yeah my best idea still comes from his WBC performance last year. Which most only recall because of his hot bat. But didn't I also remember seeing him turn like 5 or 6 DPs in one game in that tourney? I think it was in the second round. And this was during the time I recall Buck saying they really liked his arm and potential to play some at SS and even 3rd in a pinch. Or maybe I just dreamed that last part.

You must have dreamed that part.

[NCRaven]

I think we are overvaluing Flaherty's defense based on a very small sample and undervaluing Schoop based on no sample whatsoever. I've seen enough of Flaherty to believe that if he works very hard, he'll be a decent utility player, able to play anywhere in the infield and the corner outfield positions. His left-handedness helps.

Like most here, I've seen little of Schoop. When I saw him and Machado playing side-by-side in Bowie, they were clearly the two best players on the field, with LJ Hoes a distant third - at that time. I don't know if Schoop will be an allstar like Manny, but I do think we'll be very happy once he takes over at 2B.

[Number5]

He may outhit them but Weeks does need more time in triple A. IMO

Why? Weeks has spent the last 3 years in either AAA or MLB. If Weeks outhits Schoop and Flaherty, what would be the reason to send him to AAA?

[atomic]

Come on now. Ryan played last year. He has experience. Schoop on the other

hand needs time in AAA. Ryan is certainly not that great but with his experience it

may give him a little advantage. IMO

I was just stating Schoop has more plate appearances at AAA than Flaherty. Unless Schoop has an out of this world spring he will be in AAA this year. But he has a chance to be the starting second baseman. Competition is good.

[El Gordo]

If Flaherty wasn't on the team then most likely Schoop would be the 2B. But he is. Flaherty has struggled for stretches but he has also hit for stretches at the ML level. Schoop has not. Flaherty plays good 2B defense that Buck likes. So the O's have the luxury of giving Schoop the time in AAA he needs to prove he is a better hitter than he showed last year. 4 hits in two ST games doesn't do that.

[Il BuonO]

If Flaherty wasn't on the team then most likely Schoop would be the 2B. But he is. Flaherty has struggled for stretches but he has also hit for stretches at the ML level. Schoop has not. Flaherty plays good 2B defense that Buck likes. So the O's have the luxury of giving Schoop the time in AAA he needs to prove he is a better hitter than he showed last year. 4 hits in two ST games doesn't do that.

No, but a lot of hits all through ST sure will let Flaherty know he has someone breathing down his neck and make it a more difficult decision for Buck after saying what he's said. Say Flaherty does a disappearing act with bat. Again. And Schoop continues to absolutely rake, how long do you give Flaherty to flounder in the regular season before Schoop gets a call?