Valaika makes a bid to become an everyday player

[DrungoHazewood]

50 minutes ago, Sanfran327 said:

OH Debbie Downer Mob beating this one into the ground per usual. In a season with so little to be happy about, I'm glad that a guy like Valaika is having a nice streak and helping what should be an utterly terrible team hang around in most games. Maybe a more apt title for the thread would be "Valaika Makes a Bid to Become an Everyday Player on the 2020 Orioles" for proper context.

But what's the point of being right about small sample sizes if you can't SHOW everyone that you're right? This is the way.

Everyone likes a utility infielder making good on some limited playing time on a bad team.  But Valaika is 27 and has a very established track record of being a guy who'll OPS under .700.  Saying he's making a bid to become a regular starter almost has to be tongue-in-cheek.

[wildcard]

Valaika had a 771 OPS in August.   He had a 952 OPS in AAA last year in 383 at bats.

Valaika's 66 at bat in August is the most he has ever had in a month in the majors.  He has never been given a chance as a regular.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Valaika had a 771 OPS in August.   He had a 952 OPS in AAA last year in 383 at bats.

1) what he did in AAA, as a 26 y/o, when he already had a little bit of MAJOR LEAGUE success is meaningless.

2) He started off the month of August with a 606 OPS.  18 days into the month, his OPS was 563.  That was a span of 38 at bats.  His next 35 at bats, he has seen his OPS climb 280 points.

Its a nice run of 35 at bats.  That’s all it is.  It’s nothing more than that.  He could go 2 for his next 12 and his OPS would come crashing back down.  

[DrungoHazewood]

30 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Valaika had a 771 OPS in August.   He had a 952 OPS in AAA last year in 383 at bats.

Valaika's 66 at bat in August is the most he has ever had in a month in the majors.  He has never been given a chance as a regular.

In 2019 he was playing his fourth season in AAA, as a 26 year old, on a 60-80 team that had a .852 team OPS.  In the '19 PCL there were twenty-nine players with 100 or more PAs who OPS'd 1.000.  Valaika was 48th in the league in OPS as a guy repeating the level a third time.  Albuquerque is like playing in Colorado, just against teams where Joe Gunkel is the other team's ace.

He's never been given a chance as a regular because his teams who evaluated him every day for years didn't see him as a regular.

[ofan239]

I think you stick with Vailaka ‘s bat the rest of the season . I’d like to see him get some regular playing time at 3b. With Ruiz struggling I’d play both until Alberto comes back . See what you have . Sample size would be smaller but I like what I have seen from Vailaka so far . If he could put up .260-.270 15 hr .330 Obp ..750 OPS while playing solid defense Os may have hit on something . Getting him reg at bats at one position might just be what he needs to take off 

Edited September 3, 2020 by ofan239

[Philip]

12 minutes ago, ofan239 said:

I think you stick with Vailaka ‘s bat the rest of the season . I’d like to see him get some regular playing time at 3b. With Ruiz struggling I’d play both until Alberto comes back . See what you have . Sample size would be smaller but I like what I have seen from Vailaka so far . If he could put up .260-.270 15 hr .330 Obp ..750 OPS while playing solid defense Os may have hit on something . Getting him reg at bats at one position might just be what he needs to take off 

Well, I was going to say He doesn’t play solid defense, but I checked his stats at Fangraphs, and he actually does play above average defense overall, and is worth .5 fWAR right now. So sure, why not keep him around a bit longer.

[DrungoHazewood]

38 minutes ago, Philip said:

Well, I was going to say He doesn’t play solid defense, but I checked his stats at Fangraphs, and he actually does play above average defense overall, and is worth .5 fWAR right now. So sure, why not keep him around a bit longer.

He only has a few hundred innings in the majors at any one position, so any metrics are going to be of pretty low confidence.  The Fangraphs numbers have him as average-ish at harder-than-average positions.  So I'd rely more on scouting than anything else right now.

[Roll Tide]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

Valaika had a 771 OPS in August.   He had a 952 OPS in AAA last year in 383 at bats.

Valaika's 66 at bat in August is the most he has ever had in a month in the majors.  He has never been given a chance as a regular.

With the exception of the year in the minors that you mentioned his minor league OPS is right around .720. 
 

it’s unlikely that he is anymore than that... but it’s possible.

I like Valaika by the way so I hope he does well.

[Philip]

43 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

He only has a few hundred innings in the majors at any one position, so any metrics are going to be of pretty low confidence.  The Fangraphs numbers have him as average-ish at harder-than-average positions.  So I'd rely more on scouting than anything else right now.

That’s right, so what did Scout say?
He’s actually a shade under zero at short, which is where I’ve seen him make his worst plays, But I did see him miss one catch that was scored an error on the throw from Santandar, and I really think it should’ve been on Valaika. 

But I’m happy with him for now. I’m looking forward to when Hall comes up, but it seems there’s some new guys in front of him now.

[Moose Milligan]

Anyone want to discuss his defense?

I feel like if he's a utility guy next year, he's gotta be a better defender.  

[Legend_Of_Joey]

3 hours ago, wildcard said:

He has never been given a chance as a regular.

The same can be said about a ton of players. 

[DrungoHazewood]

52 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Anyone want to discuss his defense?

I feel like if he's a utility guy next year, he's gotta be a better defender.  

If you're a utility guy you're probably lacking somewhere.  Usually it's the bat. But it doesn't have to be.  He could be a Ty Wigginton type utility guy.

All I can really be confident in saying about his defense is I don't think he's a starting shortstop in the majors.

[OriolesMagic83]

It's good to have a utility player with some pop.  I checked his stats and found out he has 22 HR in 465 career MLB at bats.  Maybe he can be the O's Zobrist-light.  I think I would rather see him as a utility player than everyday player at one position.  I don't think he has the glove for SS, but could probably be adequate as 2B.  I'm glad he's an O. 

[Philip]

Is he better than Ryan Flaherty? Flaherty couldn’t hit a lick but was solid with the glove everywhere.

[wildcard]

2 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Anyone want to discuss his defense?

I feel like if he's a utility guy next year, he's gotta be a better defender.  

Good defensive 2nd baseman.  Backup at SS, 3B, 1B, COF and DH.