Who's the RH platoon in RF if Hays starts at AAA?

[interloper]

Hays is injured and struggling at the plate, and it seems more and more likely that they'll opt to simply have him get some games under his belt at AAA to start the season.

Weirdly, the Orioles spend all off-season looking for a lefty outfield bat, but kind of don't have a great righty outfield bat for RF. As it looks right now on 3/1, Rasmus will make the team as the main left-handed half of a platoon in RF (Buck said he sees him more as a platoon guy right now). Santander will also likely make the team due to his Rule 5 status, but he's a switch-hitter who is better from the left side of the plate. He may ride the bench more often than not.

The right-handed outfield options for RF include essentially just Rickard and Gentry. Presley and Brugman are both left-handed. 

Who the heck is platooning RF with Rasmus? Are Rickard and Gentry really our best options?

[Frobby]

Yeah, probably Rickard or Gentry.   Or maybe they’ll play Santander more than you think.    And, there’s always Trumbo....

Hopefully Hays hits well in Norfolk and is in the majors sometime this summer.     He’d really have to ramp it up to make the team this spring, and I’d really rather he didn’t.  

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

Yeah, probably Rickard or Gentry.   Or maybe they’ll play Santander more than you think.    And, there’s always Trumbo....

Hopefully Hays hits well in Norfolk and is in the majors sometime this summer.     He’d really have to ramp it up to make the team this spring, and I’d really rather he didn’t.  

Don't get me wrong, I'd actually take Gentry's defense out there for a change. Rickard, he just isn't hitting those line drives like he used to, and he's not as good as Gentry defensively. 

It's possible they play Santander as a right-handed bat, but at that point you might as well just leave Rasmus out there for the defense. 

[PaulFolk]

5 minutes ago, interloper said:

Hays is injured and struggling at the plate, and it seems more and more likely that they'll opt to simply have him get some games under his belt at AAA to start the season.

Weirdly, the Orioles spend all off-season looking for a lefty outfield bat, but kind of don't have a great righty outfield bat for RF. As it looks right now on 3/1, Rasmus will make the team as the main left-handed half of a platoon in RF (Buck said he sees him more as a platoon guy right now). Santander will also likely make the team due to his Rule 5 status, but he's a switch-hitter who is better from the left side of the plate. He may ride the bench more often than not.

The right-handed outfield options for RF include essentially just Rickard and Gentry. Presley and Brugman are both left-handed. 

Who the heck is platooning RF with Rasmus? Are Rickard and Gentry really our best options?

Yep, pretty much. I'd prefer Gentry, but neither is particularly inspiring.

Also I wouldn't want Hays for that role even if he were healthy. I'd rather have him playing every day at Norfolk than sitting on the bench 4 out of 5 games in the majors.

[interloper]

Just now, PaulFolk said:

Yep, pretty much. I'd prefer Gentry, but neither is particularly inspiring.

Also I wouldn't want Hays for that role even if he were healthy. I'd rather have him playing every day at Norfolk than sitting on the bench 4 out of 5 games in the majors.

Agree. I just think it's funny that a left-handed bat was such a big priority when we really don't have the righty, either. And so it goes. 

Ah well. Anyone but Trumbo, please.

[Frobby]

2 minutes ago, interloper said:

Don't get me wrong, I'd actually take Gentry's defense out there for a change. Rickard, he just isn't hitting those line drives like he used to, and he's not as good as Gentry defensively. 

I think the defensive metrics last year favored Rickard over Gentry pretty strongly.   I happen to prefer Gentry overall, but I’m not sure Buck does.   

[Aristotelian]

We all know it's going to be Trumbo.

[jamalshw]

I think it's Gentry. I think we see an OF of Jones, Gentry/Rasmus, Mancini and Santander to start the year. Hays could earn his way up pretty quickly.

[interloper]

Just now, Frobby said:

I think the defensive metrics last year favored Rickard over Gentry pretty strongly.   I happen to prefer Gentry overall, but I’m not sure Buck does.   

Ah, I did not know that. That's interesting. 

[clapdiddy]

I definitely prefer Gentry.   Despite fielding metrics, I like him better than Rickard.

[eddie83]

Issue with Gentry is once he is on team he has to go through waivers or he is gone. Of course he could easily pass through, I believe he may have last year?  Not sure.  

[eddie83]

26 minutes ago, interloper said:

Agree. I just think it's funny that a left-handed bat was such a big priority when we really don't have the righty, either. And so it goes. 

Ah well. Anyone but Trumbo, please.

Of course it is because you face more RHP than LHP. I think they are basically trying to buy some time for Hays with a minimal investment.

Once Santander’s Rule 5 time is met I would think at that time they evaluate where they are at. If they want Hays up at that point Rasmus could fit into the 4th OF spot. 

I bet we hardly see Santander play at all.  

[El Gordo]

45 minutes ago, interloper said:

Hays is injured and struggling at the plate, and it seems more and more likely that they'll opt to simply have him get some games under his belt at AAA to start the season.

Weirdly, the Orioles spend all off-season looking for a lefty outfield bat, but kind of don't have a great righty outfield bat for RF. As it looks right now on 3/1, Rasmus will make the team as the main left-handed half of a platoon in RF (Buck said he sees him more as a platoon guy right now). Santander will also likely make the team due to his Rule 5 status, but he's a switch-hitter who is better from the left side of the plate. He may ride the bench more often than not.

The right-handed outfield options for RF include essentially just Rickard and Gentry. Presley and Brugman are both left-handed. 

Who the heck is platooning RF with Rasmus? Are Rickard and Gentry really our best options?

Santander and Trumbo.

 

[El Gordo]

1 minute ago, El Gordo said:

Santander and Trumbo.

 

Of course if we signed Jay  he could play both ways. He gets on base from both sides.

[weams]

53 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Yeah, probably Rickard or Gentry.   Or maybe they’ll play Santander more than you think.    And, there’s always Trumbo....

Hopefully Hays hits well in Norfolk and is in the majors sometime this summer.     He’d really have to ramp it up to make the team this spring, and I’d really rather he didn’t.  

Gentry if healthy.