Orioles in the Outfield

[TommyPickles]

Can't we just cut Davis loose, and have Mountcastle and Mancini split 1B and DH?

Why do either of them need to be part of the crowded OF picture?

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, TommyPickles said:

Can't we just cut Davis loose, and have Mountcastle and Mancini split 1B and DH?

Why do either of them need to be part of the crowded OF picture?

Because Mountcastle has more value if he can play left at a decent level.

[now]

54 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Because Mountcastle has more value if he can play left at a decent level.

I'd say that's the crux of the biscuit (cue Frank Zappa meme...)

[RVAOsFan]

15 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Because Mountcastle has more value if he can play left at a decent level.

I agree that he has more value as a left fielder than a first basemen (not looking to argue that) but isn't there an argument to be made that future of the overall team looks better with Mountcastle playing 1B? We have multiple young outfielder knocking on the door to get a shot to be every day players.  I guess all I am saying is that if Santander, Hay, Diaz all turn out to be quality MLB players I would rather have Mountcastle / Mancini at 1B / DH than Santander on the bench or Diaz still in AAA.

[LookinUp]

3 hours ago, RVAOsFan said:

I agree that he has more value as a left fielder than a first basemen (not looking to argue that) but isn't there an argument to be made that future of the overall team looks better with Mountcastle playing 1B? We have multiple young outfielder knocking on the door to get a shot to be every day players.  I guess all I am saying is that if Santander, Hay, Diaz all turn out to be quality MLB players I would rather have Mountcastle / Mancini at 1B / DH than Santander on the bench or Diaz still in AAA.

I haven't been involved since post 1, but it seems like pretty much everyone is agreeing that we need to optimize use of our roster. If there's any leadership group capable of doing that (absent Chris Davis), it's this one.

I'm not concerned that they won't be able to figure out how to best use these guys if/when they're on our roster. I'm more concerned with how they compose the roster moving forward so you aren't faced with these types of sub optimal trade offs. I'm sure Elias likes some of the talent, but none of these guys are "his" guys per se. I won't be surprised when he starts moving a bunch of them and guys we never really heard of end up about 4/6 of our 1B/3B/DH/OF of the future.

[Frobby]

20 hours ago, weams said:

Remember.I believe defensive metrics, and the WAR they create, are badly flawed still.

There’s a big difference between saying defensive metrics are flawed and saying that defense is unimportant.     

[weams]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

There’s a big difference between saying defensive metrics are flawed and saying that defense is unimportant.     

You know I think defense is very important 

[NCRaven]

First, Can never said defense was not important.  He simply questioned whether the O's were using defense as an excuse to keep Mountcastle down until they could promote him without losing a year of service time.  If two players are equal as hitters, of course you want the better defender.  But, if Boog Powell could spend time in LF, I'm pretty sure Ryan Mountcastle can, too.

Second, Mountcastle is not the same caliber of prospect as a guy like Acuna or Vladie Jr.   But, he is the best young hitting prospect that we have so he is in a relatively similar situation where the Orioles are concerned.  Given the current rules, I really don't blame them for waiting a couple of weeks.

[Frobby]

36 minutes ago, weams said:

You know I think defense is very important 

Yes, I do.    I think it’s possible now to measure the importance of defense with some accuracy.   What’s harder is to measure who is actually saving runs and who isn’t (and how many).    For example, a guy who strikes out and then makes a great catch to save a double is just as valuable as a player who hits a double but then doesn’t get to the ball defensively that lands for a double.    But, discerning when Player A made a defensive play that Player B wouldn’t have made in the same situation is what’s hard.     

[weams]

15 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 For example, a guy who strikes out and then makes a great catch to save a double is just as valuable as a player who hits a double but then doesn’t get to the ball defensively that lands for a double.    But, discerning when Player A made a defensive play that Player B wouldn’t have made in the same situation is what’s hard.     

Depends if JJ Hardy scores that winning run. And I always though Nick would make that catch. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, weams said:

Depends if JJ Hardy scores that winning run. And I always though Nick would make that catch. 

He'd would have looked a lot smoother not making the catch.