2019 #4 Prospect: Ryan Mountcastle - LF/1B

[Lucky_13]

If he could handle 2nd that'd be a big plus.  They seem to have a decent amount of outfield prospects but not really any infield prospects. Plus his bat would probably be really good there too.

[7Mo]

1 minute ago, Philip said:

Smith set a very low bar in left, as did Stewart, so I’m not completely worried about him being an improvement in left.

True. Hopefully Mountcastle can be league average as a defender in left. 

[weams]

18 minutes ago, Philip said:

Badly...

And you know this how?

[weams]

6 minutes ago, Philip said:

Smith set a very low bar in left, as did Stewart, so I’m not completely worried about him being an improvement in left.

What makes you think he would be poor?

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Mountcastle at 2nd should have been attempted when they moved him from short. But I don't think he will be very good there. 

I'm not saying "terrible," but it will be a struggle. His arm is weak for the position and his hands aren't good (for a transfer on a double play.) He was declining in lateral ability when he was at 3rd and has bulked up a bit since, but they might have him on a program/diet.

I think they want to shoehorn him in somewhere to his bat to the Majors. With the outfield setting up the way it might be, there wouldn't really be room for him out there. First base is tied up. 2nd might be the best shot.

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Mountcastle at 2nd should have been attempted when they moved him from short. But I don't think he will be very good there. 

I'm not saying "terrible," but it will be a struggle. His arm is weak for the position and his hands aren't good (for a transfer on a double play.) He was declining in lateral ability when he was at 3rd and has bulked up a bit since, but they might have him on a program/diet.

I think they want to shoehorn him in somewhere to his bat to the Majors. With the outfield setting up the way it might be, there wouldn't really be room for him out there. First base is tied up. 2nd might be the best shot.

Or at least before they put him in left and at first.

They don't seem to have much of a plan.  Someone whose bat is ML ready shouldn't be wondering if they are going to play him in left, right, first, second or third.

[7Mo]

5 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Or at least before they put him in left and at first.

They don't seem to have much of a plan.  Someone whose bat is ML ready shouldn't be wondering if they are going to play him in left, right, first, second or third.

But with a month or 2 at Norfolk to start the year, they'll get all of that figured out.!!

Sorry, couldn't resist needling you there. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, 7Mo said:

But with a month or 2 at Norfolk to start the year, they'll get all of that figured out.!!

Sorry, couldn't resist needling you there. 

They could have used last September to figure it out. 

[7Mo]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

They could have used last September to figure it out. 

All in good time my friend. Why interrupt the pennant chase with experimenting? 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, 7Mo said:

All in good time my friend. Why interrupt the pennant chase with experimenting? 

Even without Mountcastle they weren't catching the Tigers.

[7Mo]

16 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Even without Mountcastle they weren't catching the Tigers.

Well, the Tigers were exceptional at what they were doing last year. 

The O's are far from the only team that waits on a prospect to be on the cusp of the major leagues and then decides a position change is a great idea but I am at a loss for why it wasn't done last year. 

Seems like they were pretty satisfied with his progress in left. I don't really understand the 2B experiment. 

[weams]

32 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Mountcastle at 2nd should have been attempted when they moved him from short. But I don't think he will be very good there. 

I'm not saying "terrible," but it will be a struggle. His arm is weak for the position and his hands aren't good (for a transfer on a double play.) He was declining in lateral ability when he was at 3rd and has bulked up a bit since, but they might have him on a program/diet.

I think they want to shoehorn him in somewhere to his bat to the Majors. With the outfield setting up the way it might be, there wouldn't really be room for him out there. First base is tied up. 2nd might be the best shot.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/murphda08.shtml

[sportsfan8703]

11 minutes ago, weams said:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/murphda08.shtml

Mike Muncy played 70 games at 2B. Mountcastle has to be a better athlete than that guy. 

[Luke-OH]

24 minutes ago, 7Mo said:

Well, the Tigers were exceptional at what they were doing last year. 

The O's are far from the only team that waits on a prospect to be on the cusp of the major leagues and then decides a position change is a great idea but I am at a loss for why it wasn't done last year. 

Seems like they were pretty satisfied with his progress in left. I don't really understand the 2B experiment. 

Didn't they straight up say it wasn't a position change? Versatility is good, the guy played 226 pro games as a SS, so it's not going to be too much of a shock to try out 2B. 

[Philip]

1 hour ago, weams said:

What makes you think he would be poor?

Oh God we’ve been over this so many times, I’m not going to re-state everything again, you are welcome to disagree, and as always, I am perfectly willing to admit that I was wrong if it turns out I’m wrong, but no I’m not going to rehash everything yet again.