Who’s your choice for most pleasant surprise of 2019?

[atomic]

3 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

That's by far the most ridiculous statement of the the entire thread.

Actually, I take that back.  There will be threads where we're unanimous about releasing someone, and just to be a curmudgeon and a malcontent atomic will declare them to be a coming star and the Orioles idiots for releasing them.

You asked me I even liked any of the players and I provided a list and asked you who you liked and you didnt reply. I dont think you like any of them.  

[foxfield]

My choice for the most pleasant surprise of 2019 is a little different.  I love all the choices listed, but it's going to be a tough year.  There are going to be good moments sure, but I think the pain is going to be substantial and at times could even seem unbearable and never-ending.  

With that in mind, the most pleasant surprise of 2019 will be one that 2019 will end and we will complete this first step.

I promise there will be times we will need to remember this fact.

[ChuckS]

I see a lot of picks for Drew Jackson.  I expect a lot of you are in for a rude awakening. 

He hit .250 last year in Double A and struck out 25 percent of the time.  What does that translate into at the major league level in a season where he should be playing in Triple A? 

I'm guessing something like .210 .280 .350 with a 35 percent strike out rate.  That line might be generous. Think Ryan Flaherty 2012. 

[OFFNY]

7 hours ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

Dylan Matthew Bundy.

 

o

o

 

OFFNY stops using Orange-and-Black colors and Courier New fonts every time that an Oriole hits a home run.

 

The chances of Bundy becoming the first Orioles pitcher to win 20 or more games in a season since Mike Boddicker did it in 1984 are much higher than that of the latter actually happening.

 

o

[Natty]

26 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

I see a lot of picks for Drew Jackson.  I expect a lot of you are in for a rude awakening. 

He hit .250 last year in Double A and struck out 25 percent of the time.  What does that translate into at the major league level in a season where he should be playing in Triple A? 

I'm guessing something like .210 .280 .350 with a 35 percent strike out rate.  That line might be generous. Think Ryan Flaherty 2012. 

He lead the team in hits in spring training. 

[ChuckS]

7 minutes ago, Natty said:

He lead the team in hits in spring training. 

I don't want to give the cliche response to this.....but yea. 

He brings some athleticism and versatility to the table, but he's going to really struggle against Major League pitching unless he's made major improvements from where he was at Double A a season ago.  

His swing looked really long in the few Spring Training games I saw him hit in. 

[Il BuonO]

16 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

Don't mean to be a jerk..but Im afraid a surprise would be to win 55 games...no one excites me too much on this club...

 

[now]

14 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Right. Jackson and Martin should be in AAA. Ruiz, Nunez, and Smith have mediocre AAA numbers.  If ML baseball was 100% predictable all of them should be below average players.

... and there would be 0 surprises.

[AceKing]

Good.  Waaaahh here too. Nothing positive.  Waaahhhhorioles.  The new guys haven’t played one full game and everybody poo poos all over them.

 

same stuff, different thread

[HowAboutThat]

7 hours ago, spiritof66 said:

I was going to mention that we're probably too late for Lew Ford (who turned 42 last summer), but I was trying to uphold the dignity of the board.

One of my very favorite players of 2012 was Lew Ford’s Very first play on his very first day back in the majors. Against the Athletics, it was either Michael Choice or Cespedes who hit a soft looper to left. Ford ran to get it, slipped on the wet grass, Recovered and threw a strike to Omar Quintanilla at second to nail the runner by a step. That was a great play, I wish we still had access to it. By the way, here’s a trivia question: Who had the very last RBI of the 2012 oriole season? None other than Lew Ford.

[HowAboutThat]

3 hours ago, ChuckS said:

I see a lot of picks for Drew Jackson.  I expect a lot of you are in for a rude awakening. 

He hit .250 last year in Double A and struck out 25 percent of the time.  What does that translate into at the major league level in a season where he should be playing in Triple A? 

I'm guessing something like .210 .280 .350 with a 35 percent strike out rate.  That line might be generous. Think Ryan Flaherty 2012. 

Sisco had a K rate around 40% last year, and terrible defense, yet folks were clamoring for him to be on the team. Jackson is a good defender and will be a productive asset. His “Glove is a many splendored thing.”

[Luke-OH]

24 minutes ago, Philip said:

Sisco had a K rate around 40% last year, and terrible defense, yet folks were clamoring for him to be on the team. Jackson is a good defender and will be a productive asset. His “Glove is a many splendored thing.”

Fair point but I think it’s important to point out that Jackson is a year and a half older than Sisco and was in AA vs the majors.

For apples to apples, Jackson had an .804 OPS (121 wRC+) in his age 24/25 season in AA. Sisco had an .828 OPS (135 wRC+) in his age 21 season in AA.

[jrobb21613]

It’ll be a surprise to me if any positional player outside of Trey Mancini has a respectable season. As far as pitching goes I expect Hess and Castro having good seasons Castro’s being stellar. 

[baltfan]

12 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Well they test for stuff now.

I know this is wishful thinking, but I always wanted to believe Roberts when he said he was basically clean.  The guy had a major heart issue that was repaired when he was young.  He had a disincentive to take a chance with his health that could affect him differently than others.   I am probably wrong, but it still feels right.  As I get older I get more jaded but try to remember the original appeal of the game for me

[HowAboutThat]

7 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

Fair point but I think it’s important to point out that Jackson is a year and a half older than Sisco and was in AA vs the majors.

For apples to apples, Jackson had an .804 OPS (121 wRC+) in his age 24/25 season in AA. Sisco had an .828 OPS (135 wRC+) in his age 21 season in AA.

To be honest I don’t think anyone on the team is going to hit very well, but Jackson will balance out his bat with good defense, so he can still be a benefit.