Is Steve Wilkerson the next JD Martinez?

[Snutchy]

11 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Send Davis.

It'd be cool to finally have one of these AAAA guys turn into a stud for us.  I feel like we never get lucky with that type of stuff.  I guess we did have Steve Pearce for his big year.  But seeing a guy like Max Muncy last year, that stuff never seems to happen for us.

I feel like Melvin Mora kinda fit that description. I've had a few tonight, so I'm probably wrong. 

[atomic]

I dont see a place for Wilkerson in the team.  He is a terrible fielder and we have a ton of DH types.

[Frobby]

4 hours ago, atomic said:

I dont see a place for Wilkerson in the team.  He is a terrible fielder and we have a ton of DH types.

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/video/wilkersons-stellar-diving-stop/c-2179980883?tid=51231442

[BohKnowsBmore]

I assume he still has options? Let him start at AAA and if his power really has improved bring him up when Villar has been traded. Switch hitter with pretty good MiLB OBP who can play all over the infield. Why not?

[atomic]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/video/wilkersons-stellar-diving-stop/c-2179980883?tid=51231442

You are going to base it one play. I saw him play third base last season and it wasn't pretty.  Maybe he will be better at second but he is no third baseman. 

[atomic]

Also notice he is playing first base today.  We have so many first base/DH types I don't see him having a place on the team. 

[gmelson26]

4 minutes ago, atomic said:

Also notice he is playing first base today.  We have so many first base/DH types I don't see him having a place on the team. 

Can he backup 2B or 3B in a pinch?  If so, that's useful.

[weams]

22 hours ago, AceKing said:

In your first post you said “the ONLY REASON he was drafted was to SAVE MONEY”.  So I understood you at your word, there.

I don’t know enough about Dans draft strategem to compare one way or the other, but I am more confused about it now than when we started.

“In the sixth round, the Orioles select (insert chump who we can sign cheap), who is an old dude from WhatsamattaU”...seems like a reason we are in the mess we are in.

Someone with skills, that will sign for 2000 because he has nowhere else to go other than his Dad's insurance agency so that the Orioles can offer *98000 more to a sophomore that can go back to school who also has skills. Probably much more than the first dude.

* or much more if he is a sixth rounder!

[Philip]

On 2/22/2019 at 10:13 AM, Bonecrusher52 said:

Don't forget about Nate McLouth. He was a beast for half a season.

Nate McLouth was a very good player for us for a season and a half. It’s the one time when Dan’s, “wait till the price goes down”, theory paid off.  We have not had a better leftfielder since, and I don’t think anybody has stolen as many bases either, except maybe Manny. 

I’m glad we didn’t sign him again, but that’s only in retrospect. At the time I was really sad to see him go to the Nats.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, atomic said:

You are going to base it one play. I saw him play third base last season and it wasn't pretty.  Maybe he will be better at second but he is no third baseman. 

 

47 minutes ago, atomic said:

Also notice he is playing first base today.  We have so many first base/DH types I don't see him having a place on the team. 

First of all, I didn’t see him play enough to really have a personal opinion about his defense.    It so happens that I was at the game where he made that play, in Washington.    It was pretty spectacular and displayed a degree of athleticism you don’t normally see in poor fielders.   

By the numbers, in a very tiny sample, Wilkerson was +2 Rtot, 0 Rdrs, +0.3 UZR.    None of those samples are enough to judge a player on, but the stats certainly don’t scream “horrible fielder.”

If Wilkerson makes the team at all (which is possible, but doubtful IMO), it won’t be to play 1B/DH.    It’ll be to be a super-utility guy a la Flaherty.

[BohKnowsBmore]

4 minutes ago, Philip said:

Nate McLouth was a very good player for us for a season and a half. It’s the one time when Dan’s, “wait till the price goes down”, theory paid off.  We have not had a better leftfielder since, and I don’t think anybody has stolen as many bases either, except maybe Manny. 

I’m glad we didn’t sign him again, but that’s only in retrospect. At the time I was really sad to see him go to the Nats.

I’d say 2014 Steve Pearce was a better LF as the whole package. 

2017 Mancini had a higher WAR than 2013 McLouth. 

[atomic]

1 minute ago, BohKnowsBmore said:

I’d say 2014 Steve Pearce was a better LF as the whole package. 

2017 Mancini had a higher WAR than 2013 McLouth. 

I would rather have McLouth.  Sometimes WAR doesn't tell the whole story.  McLouth could actually play the outfield.  

[BohKnowsBmore]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 

First of all, I didn’t see him play enough to really have a personal opinion about his defense.    It so happens that I was at the game where he made that play, in Washington.    It was pretty spectacular and displayed a degree of athleticism you don’t normally see in poor fielders.   

By the numbers, in a very tiny sample, Wilkerson was +2 Rtot, 0 Rdrs, +0.3 UZR.    None of those samples are enough to judge a player on, but the stats certainly don’t scream “horrible fielder.”

If Wilkerson makes the team at all (which is possible, but doubtful IMO), it won’t be to play 1B/DH.    It’ll be to be a super-utility guy a la Flaherty.

Yea, 45 MLB innings at 3B is hardly enough to judge. Particularly when his 70 innings at 2B show good metrics (at a SSS). 

As you mention, the sample size is small, but not indicative of “horrible fielder” taken alone at face value. I would argue that attribute-based scouting (I.e. the ability demonstrated by the play you shared) is appropriate given the lack of other inputs to go off of. At least with respect to a binary “can play around the IF” vs. “1B/DH only” determination. 

[BohKnowsBmore]

2 minutes ago, atomic said:

I would rather have McLouth.  Sometimes WAR doesn't tell the whole story.  McLouth could actually play the outfield.  

Actually, in this case WAR is telling more of the “whole story” than what you’re doing as it factors in the players stick (along with defense as much as we can measure it). I don’t argue that WAR is perfect, but I think it’s directionally correct in this instance, that those players offensive contributions outpaces the defensive superiority of McLouth. 

[Philip]

7 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 

First of all, I didn’t see him play enough to really have a personal opinion about his defense.    It so happens that I was at the game where he made that play, in Washington.    It was pretty spectacular and displayed a degree of athleticism you don’t normally see in poor fielders.   

By the numbers, in a very tiny sample, Wilkerson was +2 Rtot, 0 Rdrs, +0.3 UZR.    None of those samples are enough to judge a player on, but the stats certainly don’t scream “horrible fielder.”

If Wilkerson makes the team at all (which is possible, but doubtful IMO), it won’t be to play 1B/DH.    It’ll be to be a super-utility guy a la Flaherty.

I agree he won’t make the team, simply because he has options and the rule five guys do not. It’s kind of funny that when people referred to “that play” I know exactly what play they are talking about. And that was a spectacular play.

 One of the things I tell my students is, “if you can do it once you can do it always“ It’s just a matter of being aware of what allowed you to do it the one time, and duplicating it. Beckham’s Problems were mental. I don’t think Wilkerson has the same habit for being careless. He is always aware. It really is that simple. I’m not worried about Wilk’s defense.