What if Mullins shows he is ready for the majors in ST?

[wildcard]

What if Mullins shows more range in center than Jones this spring and he runs great routes to the ball?  And what if he also shows the can hit right-handed pitching after putting up a 863 OPS vs righties for the Baysox?   He is a switchhitter who hits much better as a left-handed batter.   Might Mullins in center and Jones is right be the O's best defensive alignment?

Just something to think about.

[Aristotelian]

Even if you want to keep Jones in center, it would be nice to have a quick guy who can catch the ball in LF. I think your thinking is one of the reasons they haven't moved to bring in a LH bat yet. Could create a roster jam though with Santander also a SH. Maybe start with Santander until we own him outright, then bring up Mullins if Santander struggles? Or trade Trumbo...

[interloper]

Mullins could make the team by beating out fellow switch-hitter Santander. The pressure is on Santander to prove he can play competent defense. But he also has to hit in ST. Then again, Mullins is easy to option and you only need to keep Santander for a little over a month before you can option him. 

I think Mullins' only real hope is an injury to someone.

[wildcard]

I think Santander is going to have to be terrible to not make the O's 25 man roster for 44 days.   He is a bench guy to start the season.  And there is room for 4 other outfielders. on the roster.

[Redskins Rick]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I think Santander is going to have to be terrible to not make the O's 25 man roster for 44 days.   He is a bench guy to start the season.  And there is room for 4 other outfielders. on the roster.

12 - Pitchers

2 catchers and 7 other position players = 9

Backup INF = 1

Leaves 2 spots, DH & Backup OFF

Right??????

[Luke-OH]

21 minutes ago, wildcard said:

What if Mullins shows more range in center than Jones this spring and he runs great routes to the ball?  And what if he also shows the can hit right-handed pitching after putting up a 863 OPS vs righties for the Baysox?   He is a switchhitter who hits much better as a left-handed batter.   Might Mullins in center and Jones is right be the O's best defensive alignment?

Just something to think about.

Unless Mullins has improved his strike zone judgement over the offseason, he isn't ready.  He gets himself out way too much as of late in 2017.

[wildcard]

5 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

12 - Pitchers

2 catchers and 7 other position players = 9

Backup INF = 1

Leaves 2 spots, DH & Backup OFF

Right??????

12 pitchers

8 position players and the DH = 9

That is 21.  4 spots for the bench.

Backup catcher.

UIF

2 outfielders. 

Santander is one for the outfielders.

[Redskins Rick]

Just now, wildcard said:

12 pitchers

8 position players and the DH = 9

That is 21.  4 spots for the bench.

Backup catcher.

UIF

2 outfielders. 

Santander is one for the outfielders.

Ok,

[Frobby]

12 minutes ago, Luke-OH said:

Unless Mullins has improved his strike zone judgement over the offseason, he isn't ready.  He gets himself out way too much as of late in 2017.

There is pretty much nothing that could happen in spring training that would convince me otherwise.  Most of spring training is competing against minor league pitchers, or pitchers who are rusty and working on things.    Mullins struggled at the end of last year in AA and needs more MiL experience regardless of how he does in a few dozen spring training at bats.  

[Aristotelian]

15 minutes ago, wildcard said:

12 pitchers

8 position players and the DH = 9

That is 21.  4 spots for the bench.

Backup catcher.

UIF

2 outfielders. 

Santander is one for the outfielders.

C1 - Joseph

C2 - Sisco?

1B - Davis

2B - Schoop

3B - Manny

SS - Beckham

CF - Jones

LF - Mancini

RF - Santander

DH - Trumbo

UI - Tejada?

RH OF - Hays/Rickard

LH OF - Mullins/Brugman

Looks like the last two spots could come down to Hays/Rickard for a RH bat, or Mullins/Brugman for a LH bat. But there is talk of adding Dyson or a LH bat from free agency.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Mullins also missed a chunk of time last year due to 2 DL stints. He didn't seem the same after the second stint. 

I would rather he stay healthy all season and get a late season call up if he shows that the tail end of last season won't happen again.

Love his defense though.

[Luke-OH]

To expand on Mullins's struggles late in the season, I don't think it had anything to do with his injury, he just was getting out sequenced.  The book on him got out, and he hadn't adapted to it yet.

[wildcard]

30 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

C1 - Joseph

C2 - Sisco?

1B - Davis

2B - Schoop

3B - Manny

SS - Beckham

CF - Jones

LF - Mancini

RF - Santander

DH - Trumbo

UI - Tejada?

RH OF - Hays/Rickard

LH OF - Mullins/Brugman

Looks like the last two spots could come down to Hays/Rickard for a RH bat, or Mullins/Brugman for a LH bat. But there is talk of adding Dyson or a LH bat from free agency.

Santander is not the O's RF this year.   He is probably a bench OFer for the 1st 44 days.

[Tony-OH]

I don't see any situation barring major injury issues where Mullins will make the big league roster.

First he really struggled the second half of last year and especially down the stretch. as Luke said, it had nothing to do with injuries so he'll need to make some adjustments in the minors before realistically having a chance at a big league spot.

Second, I don't think the Orioles are going to risk losing Santander when he only needs 44 more days on the roster to keep him in the organization. I don't see any way Mullins can make the team when the team will already have to carry Santander as an extra outfielder.

Lastly, The Orioles might not have an everyday right fielder (unless they decide to give it to Hays), but they do have some deep depth at 4th/5th outfield kind of guys. I think Mullins is one more good minor league season away from getting consideration for a major league job barrring injuries.

[Yardball85]

2 hours ago, interloper said:

Mullins could make the team by beating out fellow switch-hitter Santander. The pressure is on Santander to prove he can play competent defense. But he also has to hit in ST. Then again, Mullins is easy to option and you only need to keep Santander for a little over a month before you can option him. 

I think Mullins' only real hope is an injury to someone.

IMO, it would be really foolish to lose Santander when you only need to hold onto him for 40 more days or so.  DH him once or twice a week and then option him for Rickard/Hays/Mullins in May.