Renato Nunez Claimed from Texas

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Think he will stick at 3B. Some people say he needs to go to the OF

I think he has made enough progress that you give him a shot.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Thato'sfan said:

Yeah, Mountcastle can work on his defense for a bit. If he’s taking, call him up and you get the extra year of control. 

The O's don't play that game no matter how much you folks want them to.

Everyone can get excited when they do it for mr. 1-1 in a couple years.

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

See if he can beat out Mountcastle.

Mountcastle should start the year in AAA.

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Mountcastle should start the year in AAA.

I think he's earned a shot to earn a spot in spring training.

I'll hit you with a cheap shot, should Markakis have stated 2006 in AAA?

[Frobby]

27 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I think he's earned a shot to earn a spot in spring training.

I'll hit you with a cheap shot, should Markakis have stated 2006 in AAA?

I could answer that in several different ways:

1.   Arguably, Nick should have started 2006 in AAA.   It would have bought us an extra year of service time, and the team was going nowhere in 2006 anyway.   Plus, Nick did struggle badly for 2.5 months, indicating that the leap from AA to the majors was pretty tough for him.

2.   Having said that, Nick did a lot to earn that jump.    He destroyed AA for 6-7 weeks in 2005, then hit extremely well in the Arizona Fall League.    And then, he kicked butt in spring training.    Also, he was a more highly regarded prospect than Mountcastle (BA had him at no. 21 going into 2006), and his disciplined approach at the plate made him a better candidate to adjust to major league pitching than Mountcastle.    

So yeah, I agree Mountcastle should get a good look in spring training.    I suppose if he really looked amazing we could think about putting him on the roster.   But overall I think he should start the year in AAA almost no matter what.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

I could answer that in several different ways:

1.   Arguably, Nick should have started 2006 in AAA.   It would have bought us an extra year of service time, and the team was going nowhere in 2006 anyway.   Plus, Nick did struggle badly for 2.5 months, indicating that the leap from AA to the majors was pretty tough for him.

2.   Having said that, Nick did a lot to earn that jump.    He destroyed AA for 6-7 weeks in 2005, then hit extremely well in the Arizona Fall League.    And then, he kicked butt in spring training.    Also, he was a more highly regarded prospect than Mountcastle (BA had him at no. 21 going into 2006), and his disciplined approach at the plate made him a better candidate to adjust to major league pitching than Mountcastle.    

So yeah, I agree Mountcastle should get a good look in spring training.    I suppose if he really looked amazing we could think about putting him on the roster.   But overall I think he should start the year in AAA almost no matter what.

Irrelevant as the team did the smart thing and extended him early.

You could say that those struggles would have happened regardless.  I've not seen any studies that show position players adapt more quickly to the major leagues if they have spent just long enough to get another year of control in AAA.

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Irrelevant as the team did the smart thing and extended him early.

You could say that those struggles would have happened regardless.  I've not seen any studies that show position players adapt more quickly to the major leagues if they have spent just long enough to get another year of control in AAA.

I’d argue that the terms of Nick’s extension would have been more team-friendly if he was eligible for free agency one year later.    

As to the adjustment period, no I wouldn’t argue that keeping him in AAA for the minimum time to keep him from hitting free agency in 6 years would have helped his adjustment much.    I would have expected him to stay down until he was hot and looked ready at the AAA level.    

I’m not going to press the Nick argument too far, because when he did adjust, he did so with a vengeance and there’s no telling whether being at AAA a while would have helped him.  Overall he had an excellent rookie year.    But I’d be reluctant to try it with Mountcastle.  

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

I’d argue that the terms of Nick’s extension would have been more team-friendly if he was eligible for free agency one year later.    

As to the adjustment period, no I wouldn’t argue that keeping him in AAA for the minimum time to keep him from hitting free agency in 6 years would have helped his adjustment much.    I would have expected him to stay down until he was hot and looked ready at the AAA level.    

I’m not going to press the Nick argument too far, because when he did adjust, he did so with a vengeance and there’s no telling whether being at AAA a while would have helped him.  Overall he had an excellent rookie year.    But I’d be reluctant to try it with Mountcastle.  

I still don't get the "hot" thing.  You look at the process and how the player has done overall, not if he's swinging a hot bat.

Stewart wasn't "hot", last year Hays was "hot" when he was called up.  I'm not at all sure it makes a difference.

 

[Frobby]

13 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I still don't get the "hot" thing.  You look at the process and how the player has done overall, not if he's swinging a hot bat.

Stewart wasn't "hot", last year Hays was "hot" when he was called up.  I'm not at all sure it makes a difference.

 

Yeah, “hot” is probably the wrong word.    What I’m getting at is whether the player has adjusted to the more advanced pitching at that level.    Sometimes that’s reflected in stats, sometimes it isn’t.  

[jtschrei]

5 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

He now has a .731 OPS overall for the season. That would put him around the top 20-23 3B in baseball that have a decent chunk of PAs. 

He has a .773 OPS since joining the Orioles. 

He’s only 24. This is his first period of time of being a regular and sticking. Maybe he’s a nugget?

If the O's are confident he can put up a .750 OPS and has the potential to be an .800 OPS guy or higher, then I think the O's should sit tight this offseason and let him have the 3B job next year. 

He was a very high priced signing out of Venezuela. He has put up good numbers in the minors. He has worked hard at 3B. He's definitely not great there (remember when we had Manny, sigh..)  but Nunez seems competent. Eye test -- he's got a nice swing.

Bottom line: I don't think Mountcastle is better than him at this point and so it's his job. 

[Cumberbundy]

Nunez took a 100mph FB to the opposite field, it was a glorious swing.

[Yardball85]

Sold hits last night.  Loved how he smoked two to the right center gap.  Average defense and an OPS over .750 would be just fine for next year.

[jamalshw]

Nunez should go into Spring Training as the favorite for the position and I would only give it to Mountcastle if he is ripping the cover off the ball against Major League level pitching early in games. Otherwise, lets see if Nunez can be a viable big league piece as either a bench bat or a fringe starter. What he's done since getting called up is encouraging.

[Tony-OH]

8 hours ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Think he will stick at 3B. Some people say he needs to go to the OF

Mountcastle is not able to play an effective major league thirdbase. He doesn't have the arm. I mean you can put him out there like the Blue Jays did with the catcher, but major leaguers will take advantage of that all day long. 

What I can't figure out with Nunez is whether he's Craig Worthington or Leo Gomez without the walks. Barring an injury, he should get the bulk of playing time next year at 3B for the Orioles. I'm fine with that as this gives the Orioles a chance to see if he's a nugget or not.

My infield next year would be:
1B: Mancini
2B: Wilkerson
SS: Villar
3B: Nunez

UTL: Valera

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Mountcastle is not able to play an effective major league thirdbase. He doesn't have the arm. I mean you can put him out there like the Blue Jays did with the catcher, but major leaguers will take advantage of that all day long. 

What I can't figure out with Nunez is whether he's Craig Worthington or Leo Gomez without the walks. Barring an injury, he should get the bulk of playing time next year at 3B for the Orioles. I'm fine with that as this gives the Orioles a chance to see if he's a nugget or not.

My infield next year would be:
1B: Mancini
2B: Wilkerson
SS: Villar
3B: Nunez

UTL: Valera

Assuming Davis is on your team (and you are forced to play him) why Mancini at first?  Davis isn't the first baseman he was but I still think he's got the edge on Mancini.