Orioles select SS Richie Martin with 1st pick of Rule 5 Draft

[Moose Milligan]

10 minutes ago, TheOtherRipken said:

Agree 100% can’t think of a single justifiable reason to give up on him based on where our team is. Development with certain players can be very strange, he was a late bloomer in the minors, could do the same in majors. If he ends up being just good AAAA depth, good major league teams has that ready for injuries.

If we had a SS prospect in the minors that could be considered a part of the future, I'd be singing a different tune.  But I'm fine to keep trotting Richie out there.  

[Ruzious]

Notice the defensive baseball IQ of the team seems much worse with Martin off the field.  Villar is much better at 2B than SS, and Alberto is problematic at 2B.  Not saying Martin is special in any way, but when he's not playing, we have a disasterous infied defense.  

[Frobby]

47 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Even though he's terrible with the bat, I think he's decent with the glove.

He's not the worst thing about this season.  I don't think the other options are much better and I'd rather have Villar at 2nd.  And who knows, Villar might be traded here soon anyway.

By no means do I think Richie is a long term option but for the rest of this season and as a backup for next season?  Sure.  

I’m mostly disappointed with his defense.    I think back to the two years Cesar Izturis was our starting SS.    His bat stunk, but you almost could justify it because of his above average defense (especially the first year, when his OPS was somewhat more tolerable).    But Martin’s defense is just sort of OK.    Even if you disbelieve the advanced metrics that rate him well below average (-4 Rtot, -9 Rdrs, -4.5 UZR), he’s certainly not above average.   And he kinda has to be in order to even think about carrying that bat.  

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

Notice the defensive baseball IQ of the team seems much worse with Martin off the field.  Villar is much better at 2B than SS, and Alberto is problematic at 2B.  Not saying Martin is special in any way, but when he's not playing, we have a disasterous infied defense.  

I do think the defense is better when he’s at SS and Villar is at 2B, compared to when Villar is at SS and Alberto is at 2B.    Low bar there.   

[Moose Milligan]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I’m mostly disappointed with his defense.    I think back to the two years Cesar Izturis was our starting SS.    His bat stunk, but you almost could justify it because of his above average defense (especially the first year, when his OPS was somewhat more tolerable).    But Martin’s defense is just sort of OK.    Even if you disbelieve the advanced metrics that rate him well below average (-4 Rtot, -9 Rdrs, -4.5 UZR), he’s certainly not above average.   And he kinda has to be in order to even think about carrying that bat.  

Yeah, I'm not saying he's Ozzie Smith or even Izturis.  Again, I don't think there's anyone head and shoulders above him that should be getting playing time that could do WAY better.  Like Stevie Wilkerson might be better with the bat, not by a huge amount...but with the glove?  Dunno.  

[Ruzious]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I do think the defense is better when he’s at SS and Villar is at 2B, compared to when Villar is at SS and Alberto is at 2B.    Low bar there.   

Like what I just said? 

[Frobby]

2 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

Like what I just said? 

Yep, just didn’t want my other comment about being disappointed with Martin’s defense to be misinterpreted as suggesting I didn’t agree with your comment.   

[Frobby]

7 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Yeah, I'm not saying he's Ozzie Smith or even Izturis.  Again, I don't think there's anyone head and shoulders above him that should be getting playing time that could do WAY better.  Like Stevie Wilkerson might be better with the bat, not by a huge amount...but with the glove?  Dunno.  

Poor Wilkerson.     He probably could be about as useful as Flaherty was, if we had a bunch of good starting players who just needed the occasional day off.   Instead, he’s getting overexposed.   He’s certainly not a starting SS.

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

Poor Wilkerson.     He probably could be about as useful as Flaherty was, if we had a bunch of good starting players who just needed the occasional day off.   Instead, he’s getting overexposed.   He’s certainly not a starting SS.

Yeah, I like him as a utility guy for sure.  People griped about his defense in CF but I think for a guy who got thrown to the wolves he did an adequate job without having hardly any experience in the OF to begin with.

[Frobby]

Just now, Moose Milligan said:

Yeah, I like him as a utility guy for sure.  People griped about his defense in CF but I think for a guy who got thrown to the wolves he did an adequate job without having hardly any experience in the OF to begin with.

I’ve been the griper in chief, but I agree with you.    I’m just hugely annoyed that we’re in a position where he’s our best option there on many nights.    I thought we’d been in a Mullins/Hays platoon out there by now, but both have really been disappointing so far this season (plus Hays has missed a lot of time with injuries).

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

I’ve been the griper in chief, but I agree with you.    I’m just hugely annoyed that we’re in a position where he’s our best option there on many nights.    I thought we’d been in a Mullins/Hays platoon out there by now, but both have really been disappointing so far this season (plus Hays has missed a lot of time with injuries).

I'm with you 100% on that.  Talking about being exposed, Mullins got exposed super quick.  If he makes it back to Baltimore I think we all won't be expecting much.  And Hays is a walking IL trip.  I know I said the other day he's the Hunter Harvey of position players and that might not be entirely fair as Hays hasn't had anything as severe as Harvey has...but still, the dude just can't seem to go a long way without something to set him back.  

But yes, it's very annoying that there's no real CF to trot out there.  Broxton is another placeholder who seems to have all the athletic gifts you could ask for but is a K-machine and isn't the best in CF (even though he glides).

 

[UMDTerrapins]

I’m surprised at how little consideration McCoy is being given. His defense is solid and he’s had no difficulty at adjusting to AA with the bat. I’m not saying call him up yet, but he should be in the conversation. 

[eddie83]

4 minutes ago, Cy Bundy said:

His AA numbers are superior to transcendent Martins. I’m troubled that our GM could have taken any human in the rule 5 & landed on Richie. I wouldn’t put Richie in the top 500 OH wiffle ball prospects.

So all the places that ranked him number 1 on the Rule 5 draft list were idiots as well?  

I think the odds are him making it are slim but these guys wouldn’t be available if they were sure bets. 

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

So all the places that ranked him number 1 on the Rule 5 draft list were idiots as well?  

I think the odds are him making it are slim but these guys wouldn’t be available if they were sure bets. 

None of the other Rule 5 selections are really killing it.   One or two passable relief pitchers.    

[eddie83]

Just now, Frobby said:

None of the other Rule 5 selections are really killing it.   One or two passable relief pitchers.    

I was going to look into how the other guys were doing  but had not got around to it. Thanks for the info.

When you have a need at SS and what many said was the top pick is a SS it isn’t hard to understand why they took him.