Can Rio Ruiz take it up a notch?

[NCRaven]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

Perhaps, but Nunez still intrigues me. While not a plate discipline guy, he has legitimate power and his xwOBA was right around league average (49th percentile). If he could bring any kind of defensive value he might have some value here at 3B. He was surprisingly awful at 1B last year but in his very limited opportunities he was ok in 3B after being below average in 2018.

Since I think he has an upside where as Ruiz doesn't, I'd start 2020 spring training with Nunez penciled in as my 3B and let him prove to me he can't play there when healthy. 

I certainly think he has more value than Ruiz, but that's not a high bar to hurdle.  Just don't think either is a long-term answer for the O's.  Can he be the thirdbaseman on a playoff team?  Well, I guess so, Todd Cruz was.  But he would be along for the drive, not in the driver's seat.

[Tony-OH]

23 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Honestly, you’ve done an amazing job of incorporating all the new stats into your analysis over the last couple of years.    Bravo to you for not just sitting on your laurels.  

As I'm sure you can tell, Baseballsavant.com is my favorite site and has given us so much more information that we used to have to do with our eyes. When and if this information becomes available for minor league players my life will become complete! :D

 

[Tony-OH]

1 minute ago, NCRaven said:

I certainly think he has more value than Ruiz, but that's not a high bar to hurdle.  Just don't think either is a long-term answer for the O's.  Can he be the thirdbaseman on a playoff team?  Well, I guess so, Todd Cruz was.  But he would be along for the drive, not in the driver's seat.

Well you can't have All-stars at every position and if Nunez can play 3B effectively enough not to kill the team, I think he could be a solid everyday player on a playoff caliber team.

As a DH solely? That's when it becomes more questionable in my mind, but he had a league average xwOBA and there's nothing wrong with that considering the black hole we had at DH at times over the years.

[NCRaven]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Well you can't have All-stars at every position and if Nunez can play 3B effectively enough not to kill the team...
 

I agree and have made the same point, many times, and that's why I mentioned 1983 World Series Champion Oriole Todd Cruz.  3B was a train wreck with Cruz, Glenn Gulliver, Aurelio Rodriquez and Leo Hernandez sharing time at the hot corner.  Yet they were champs. 

I think that an outfield of Mountcastle, Hays, Diaz, and Santander could be excellent.  Rutschman, by all accounts, will be a stud.  Just think that the infield is where the most improvement is needed (outside of pitching).  3B and Nunez might not be #1 on that to do list, just think it's certainly an area that could be upgraded at some point.

[sportsfan8703]

I buy into the theory that there could be more there based on his performance after he came back up from AAA.  

[Scalious]

Very Good eye, but limited plate coverage and power output. He has a career .218 BA off 4-seamers. It's tough to survive in the MLB when you can't capitalize on the most common pitch. Just makes it too easy for opposing pitchers. You better be some kinda elite tier breaking ball crusher. Which he really isn't.

He would need a complete swing overhaul to even have a chance of becoming something other then "Meh"

 

[Gatoriole]

My opinion is very similar to @Tony-OH. I see Ruiz as a below average hitter and averageish in the field. He's 26 and that's probably "who he is." I haven't looked at his minor league numbers in awhile, but I expected that profile the last time I looked at his minor league stats. I never found Ruiz very intriguing. He simply doesn't seem like someone who will develop in a way that he will play on a contending team. 

I also agree with Tony about Nunez. He has a ceiling that could allow him to play for a contending team, particularly if he can play 3B. If I recall correctly, last year, we were told he was injured (elbow?) and could not play 3rd early in the season. I don't recall any updates about that, but it didn't sound like an injury that should have kept him from playing 3rd all season. If he can be developed into a better defensive 3B, we should be trying to do that. 

If Nunez is not the answer at 3B, we should be playing the waiver wire for another guy with upside (like Nunez was). I don't follow the waiver wire close enough to say we have missed someone. But we should not be playing Ruiz if there is someone else who has potential. 

[wildcard]

Ruiz is a platoon player vs righties.   He went to the minors last season in late July/early August and returned with a little more power in his swing.   The question this year is can he maintain that extra power or was it a mirage.   

He has an average glove at 3B and an accurate decent arm.   I don't see that improving.   But its good enough to keep him a 3B for a while if he keeps his 2nd half power.

Nunez is a DH.   Poor range at 3B and an inconsistent arm.   I don't want to see him at 3B this season.

Probably weak hitting Urena and Valaika will get opportunities to show what they can do at 3B in ST.

Alberto is better defensively at 2B.  He had shoulder surgery in 2017 that cost him arm strength.  He is not a SS anymore and he kind of slings the ball from 3B.    Could  platoon with Ruiz like last year if that is best Elias can find.  Alberto still has to show he can hit righties in the majors.   

3B is one of the weakest positions for the O's in the majors and high minors.   I don't see Bannon as an everyday player in the majors.   I would not be surprised to see Elias acquire a young, cheap 3B at any time. 

[interloper]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Haha, gotta step up my game. Maybe this old guy still has some value around here! 

I've been digging the "recommended post" feature. I don't recall seeing that before and I think it's a nice way to easily find the "scout's take" on the topic. 

[interloper]

8 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Ruiz is a platoon player vs righties.   He went to the minors last season in late July/early August and returned with a little more power in his swing.   The question this year is can he maintain that extra power or was it a mirage.   

He has a average glove at 3B and an accurate decent arm.   I don't see that improving.   But its good enough to keep him a 3B for a while if he keeps his 2nd half power.

Nunez is a DH.   Poor range at 3B and an inconsistent arm.   I don't want to see him at 3B this season.

Probably weak hitting Urena and Valaika will get opportunities to show what they can do at 3B in ST.

Alberto is better defensively at 2B.  He had shoulder surgery in 2017 that cost him arm strength.  He is not a SS anymore and he kind of slings the ball from 3B.    Could  platoon with Ruiz like last year if that is best Elias can find.  Alberto still has to show he can hit righties in the majors.   

3B is one of the weakest positions for the O's in the majors and high minors.   I don't see Bannon as an everyday player in the majors.   I would not be surprised to see Elias acquire a young, cheap 3B at any time. 

I agree here. I'd like to see Elias go out and try to find some diamond-in-the-rough 3B guys. Guys who excel at that position defensively (rather than, say, SS) and who might be coaxed into having some thump in the bat. Guys like Ruiz, basically, but just more of them. 

[interloper]

2 hours ago, Ruzious said:

I think he's a long-shot at best.  He'd have to tear it up big-time in the minors for half a season to make me think about giving him another MLB chance.  

Who are you giving starts to at 3B to start the year if not Ruiz?

[Tony-OH]

8 minutes ago, interloper said:

I've been digging the "recommended post" feature. I don't recall seeing that before and I think it's a nice way to easily find the "scout's take" on the topic. 

Well I'm not going to lie, I just found that option myself!

[wildcard]

11 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Younger and cheaper than Nunez and Ruiz?   They aren't exactly old and guys younger and better than them aren't going to be easy to come by.

Givens could be traded before OD and bring back a AAA starter  and/or  3B with MLB potential. 

[interloper]

15 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Younger and cheaper than Nunez and Ruiz?   They aren't exactly old and guys younger and better than them aren't going to be easy to come by.

I think if we are making 3B acquisitions, it's going to be guys like Rio who were DFA'd but are still young-ish and have some prospect pedigree and a chance to "click". Nunez was also a waiver claim. Unfortunately, they are basically opposite players, which is why they were eventually waived. They aren't complete packages. 

But I definitely think we need to be finding more of these guys. 

[REDMAN]

I like what I see from Ruiz by my eye test, a really nice swing, just needs to make better contract and hit the ball more to the opposite field instead of trying to pull. Good defensively, good hands, and a decent accurate arm, will improve with age. See a platoon with Nunez some this year,  if Nunez can control his throws because accuracy is his problem, he has the arm. Both could work on tempo of their throwing motion, they rush their throws to many times.