Would Mike Yastrzemski’s breakout have occurred if he was with the Orioles this year?

[drdelaware]

It is easy to say it after the fact, but certainly I’d have rather seen Yaz than some of the garbage we’ve put in the outfield this year.

[atomic]

7 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Larry Sheets looked like a star with juiced baseballs in 1987. Didn't last when baseballs got changed the next year. Same thing could happen to Yaz or he could go on to have a 10 year career. I'm leaning toward this is a fluke, but I'm rooting for him.

Sheets couldn’t field.  Not a comparable player to Yaz.  

[Matt Bennett]

My only problem is that we had outfield at-bats to give and we chose not to. bad evaluation

1. last minute trade for Dwight Smith Jr

2. signing of Keon Broxton

3. conversion of infielder Stevie Wilkerson

4. callup of Santander when he had posted mediocre AAA stats 

[sportsfan8703]

Yeah it would have happened. We play in a band box. 

Edited September 19, 2019 by sportsfan8703

[DrungoHazewood]

17 hours ago, Obando said:

...but you would think if the front office really thought he was capable of this type of breakout at 28 years old that they would have at least given him a chance to show what he could do before trading him away, especially on a rebuilding team.

He's two years older than Manny Machado or Bryce Harper and has a .783 minor league OPS, 100 points less than Steve Pearce.  Last year, at 27, he spent a month with the Baysox OPSing .603.  In 2017 he had a .739 at Norfolk.  In 2016, at 25, he had a .680 at Norfolk.  If you want to blame the Orioles on not developing him, go for it.  But don't pretend this is a Jon Knott, or JR House situation where Yaz kept putting up .900-1.000 OPSes in the high minors and everyone kept ignoring it.  He's a 28-year-old corner outfielder who had a resume prior to this year that was 5% better than 26-year-old Dwight Smith Jr.

[DrungoHazewood]

5 hours ago, Matt Bennett said:

My only problem is that we had outfield at-bats to give and we chose not to. bad evaluation

1. last minute trade for Dwight Smith Jr

2. signing of Keon Broxton

3. conversion of infielder Stevie Wilkerson

4. callup of Santander when he had posted mediocre AAA stats 

1. Smith's AAA OPS: .765.  Yaz's .783.  Yaz is 28, Smith is 26.

2. Keon Broxton was acquired after Yaz was released.  And he's an actual plus centerfielder.

3. Again, after Yaz was gone and Broxton failed to hit.

4. Santander was a Rule 5 pick whose development was disrupted.  And really, you're going to gig the O's for calling Santander up after not hitting particualrly well in AAA? Isn't that the whole reason for this thread, that the O's should have given Yaz an extended look despite mediocre AAA stats as an over-aged prospect in over 1200 PAs?
 

[DrungoHazewood]

7 hours ago, atomic said:

Sheets couldn’t field.  Not a comparable player to Yaz.  

Correct, Sheets was a far better prospect.  Before Sheets' breakout season he hit better in the majors than Yaz did in AAA. Sheets was the best hitter on the '84 Rochester Red Wings at the age of 24.  At 24 Yaz had a .688 OPS in AA Bowie.

[foxfield]

Personally, I don't think there is much to see here other than it is cool that Yaz has done so well this year.  I don't think this is a case of needing to find someone with the O's to blame.  I get everyone wishes he had this year here and I get that we certainly had room for him.  I just think this is a case where rather than blame...we should credit.  I credit Mike for staying after it and busting his ass until he got his shot and he is making the most of it for sure.  Good for him and best to him.

[Frobby]

From a BA chat today:

Roger (Washington DC): 

• Mike Yastrzemski had a torrid couple of months in the PCL, but did anybody foresee him having the major league success he did?

Kyle Glaser: No one. Scouts and managers both were amazed. I saw a good bit of Yastrzemski in the Orioles system and loved the athleticism and defense, but I can relate to those observers in never expecting him to do what he's done. It's awesome to see. Good athletes can bloom later, and Yaz looks like one of the guys to have done that.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2019-triple-a-top-mlb-prospects-chat-92419/

 

[BRobinsonfan]

If his last name weren't Yastrezemski we wouldn't be having these threads.  

[wildcard]

7 minutes ago, BRobinsonfan said:

If his last name weren't Yastrezemski we wouldn't be having these threads.  

His name could have been "Mud" and if he was a former Oriole we would still be talking about him.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

His name could have been "Mud" and if he was a former Oriole we would still be talking about him.

But it would only be one thread. 

Baby Yaz gets more virtual ink than Justin Turner and Jayson Werth did combined.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

5 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

But it would only be one thread. 

Baby Yaz gets more virtual ink than Justin Turner and Jayson Werth did combined.

But he wouldn't have a shortened name.

[Frobby]

30 minutes ago, BRobinsonfan said:

If his last name weren't Yastrezemski we wouldn't be having these threads.  

 

22 minutes ago, wildcard said:

His name could have been "Mud" and if he was a former Oriole we would still be talking about him.

 

20 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

But it would only be one thread. 

Baby Yaz gets more virtual ink than Justin Turner and Jayson Werth did combined.

It took longer for those guys to become productive major leaguers after leaving our organization.    And the OH was in its infancy when Werth became a good player.    

Try doing a thread title search for “Arrieta.”

[Can_of_corn]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 

 

It took longer for those guys to become productive major leaguers after leaving our organization.    And the OH was in its infancy when Werth became a good player.    

Try doing a thread title search for “Arrieta.”

Arrieta had at least shown potential.  Yaz is about as far out of left field as you can get.