Baysox 2019 Playoff Thread

[Ruzious]

5 hours ago, LA2 said:

Has he been on the careless side as a baserunner the whole season?

How can one's head not be in a playoff game in extra innings?

Well, he had 25 steal in 36 attempts for the season, only 9 of 16 in 2018, but was 20 of 22 in 2017.  It's clear at this point he's not a skilled base runner - or at least not a consistent one.  Otoh, he got on base exceptionally well in the 2 playoff games.  But wow, a pickoff, a caught-stealing, and getting doubled uip on a fly ball all in one game... that's not good - but probably not something to be particularly concerned with - just realize stealing bases likely won't be one of his assets if he makes it to the bigs.  Not sure I really care that he did this in a Double playoff game - I don't put much importance in it.  I mean... it'd have been nice if the Baysox won, but I don't consider it a big deal.          

[DirtyBird]

I don’t think being doubled up was a result of being careless. It was more being overaggressive and getting a bad read on a ball off the bat. It was a spot where his run would have won the game and the ball was hit to spot where he was going to need a good jump in order to score.

[PaulFolk]

Buck Britton was not happy with McKenna's baserunning last night.

Quote

“Really no excuse for either one of them,” Britton said. “You’ve got to stay engaged in the game, number one. You can’t lose focus in moments like that. Those are things that we preach from spring training. He’s heard the same things for years. At some point, you’ve got to retain information and be able to slow the games down, especially in big games like this.”

https://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2019/09/05/baysox-comeback-stalls-harrisburg-takes-game-2-eastern-league-division-series/

[Matt Bennett]

23 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

He was always a bat first catcher, if he stays at the position, he'll be the guy you deal with the defense to get the bat.

But the bat has improved, he's gotten more rotational in the swing and it's allowed him to produce similar bats speed without the stiff/high effort swing he used to utilize. That's translated to less swing and miss. I think there was some (warranted) push back against Fangraphs' lofty ranking of him on the O's list.  Then he had a ridiculously poor BABIP in his Orioles debut and missed time this season which has led people to write him off. The bat will play at C, at least in a backup role, if he can stick there. He's a clunkier receiver than Chance Sisco, but is better catch and throw. 

Will Cumberland get added to the 40-man to be protected from Rule V? 

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, PaulFolk said:

Buck Britton was not happy with McKenna's baserunning last night.

https://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2019/09/05/baysox-comeback-stalls-harrisburg-takes-game-2-eastern-league-division-series/

Wow, pretty blunt.   Can_of_corn will not approve!

[Luke-OH]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Wow, pretty blunt.   Can_of_corn will not approve!

Apparently McKenna’s main issue this year has been staying focused and playing smart. Adam Pohl told me it’s been an ongoing issue and he’s been pulled from games for it. The puzzle is that he didn’t have that reputation previously so it’s hard to tell what’s going on from the outside.

[DirtyBird]

53 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Wow, pretty blunt.   Can_of_corn will not approve!

I think the player's manager making comments about an in-game decision is much different than Buck commenting on a minor league player's plate approach while the team he is actually managing has the exact same approach, with no repercussions.

[WillyM]

It's going really well for the Baysox this evening in Harrisburg.  Anderson Feliz belted a two-run homer in the first inning and a three-run homer in the second, and the Baysox lead, 7-1, in the middle of the sixth inning.

The Senators' radio announcer just said that Feliz hit a total of three homers for the Baysox during the regular season.

[WillyM]

A once-comfortable 7-1 lead has shrunk to 7-5 after a two-out RBI single followed by a 3-run homer.

Senators are finally out in the eighth.  Going to the top of the ninth, Baysox still with a two-run lead.

[WillyM]

Alvarado restores order in the ninth with a DP grounder and a strikeout.

Baysox win, 7-5.  Game 4 tomorrow afternoon at 3.

[orioles22]

Lowther with a solid outing in a big game to solidify his choice as the league's top pitcher. I hope he is a little more consistent than Akin in Norfolk.

 

[MurphDogg]

Baysox are up 7-1 through 6 innings. Wells has thrown 84 pitches through 6, allowing 1 run on 6 hits and one walk while striking out 6. He should be able to get through at least one more inning.

Cedric Mullins is 3-4 with a homer and a stolen base. Valentin and Palmeiro have also homered. Yusniel Diaz is 2-4 with two RBI and Ryan McKenna is 1-2 with a walk

[MurphDogg]

McKenna with another single, he is batting .600 for the series with 4 walks, and has reached base in 10 of his 14 plate appearances. He had the baserunning snafus in game 2, but he has been hitting.

The wheels are coming off now for Harrisburg, it is now 12-1 going into the 7th inning stretch. The Baysox scored 5 in the 7th let by a Mullins triple and doubles by Palmeiro and McCoy.

Mullins has 4 hits and is a double short of the cycle. As long as the Baysox don't go 6 up and 6 down in the 8th and 9th, he will have another at-bat.

Zach Muckenhirn replaces Wells for the 7th, probably makes sense in a 12-1 game.

[Yachtsman]

Just win Baby. Love it.

[MurphDogg]

Muckenhirn allowed 2 runs in the 7th and back-to-back homers to start the 8th to cut the lead to 12-5 before striking out Nick Banks and walking Jackson Reetz. Luis Gonzalez then came on to record the final two outs of the inning on two pitches, a flyout and a popout.

McKenna and McCoy singled in the 7th but the Baysox didn't score, Mullins will hit second in the 9th looking for his 5th hit and/or a double for the cycle.