So...Ruiz @ 2B

[Frobby]

7 hours ago, GuidoSarducci said:

I don't understand why its such a big surprise that a 3B who played competently can also play 2B. 

2B requires more range, and the arm actions are quite different.   I still don’t know how good Ruiz will be there, but he’s earned himself some more reps there.   

On the other hand, it would be nice if he could get his bat on the ball with runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out.   
 

[scOtt]

Rio added credence to ME and Hyde's idea that he could play there. Had a GREAT day today. Would I expect that in the future? Not at all. Many, many nuances to 2B over playing 3B. But he... you can check off the box that he can play 2B competently. Once in a while.

[Bahama O's Fan]

11 hours ago, Snutchy said:

 

Wonder if he played there in college or high school?

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Wonder if he played there in college or high school?

Looks like he was a 3B out of HS.

https://www.crawfishboxes.com/2012/5/31/3053392/2012-mlb-draft-profile-rio-ruiz-3b

[Hallas]

I kind of thought that 3b was underrated in terms of difficulty, especially after seeing some of the past 3B the Orioles have had kick the ball around there a few times. So I don't think it should be a huge surprise that he can transition.  I imagine he's going to screw up some of the rotations on some defensive plays until he gets the hang of it, but if Schoop can play an average-ish 2B then I don't really see why Ruiz can't.  Especially if he already has the arm for 3B.

[Can_of_corn]

So we shouldn't be surprised when Ruiz can just get dropped onto second base and play it competently but Mountcastle needs time game time reps at first so he won't be rusty?  Oh and a bunch of games in left in the minors.

I'm not saying it is the same posters saying both things, just an interesting difference.

[jabba72]

Ruiz didnt look bad at all his first game. Looked comfortable actually. The next test will be how he turns a DP. 

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

So we shouldn't be surprised when Ruiz can just get dropped onto second base and play it competently but Mountcastle needs time game time reps at first so he won't be rusty?  Oh and a bunch of games in left in the minors.

I'm not saying it is the same posters saying both things, just an interesting difference.

I for one am pretty surprised he played that well.   Will be interested to see how he does on plays ranging towards the 2B bag and turning the DP.

Also it might be my imagination, but Rio’s build seemed leaner than I remembered.   

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I for one am pretty surprised he played that well.   Will be interested to see how he does on plays ranging towards the 2B bag and turning the DP.

Also it might be my imagination, but Rio’s build seemed leaner than I remembered.   

I'm a bit as well.  But we never have complete information.  Maybe Ruiz was told he might be playing second this year and made some changes in his offseason workout?

The early returns are promising.

[Bahama O's Fan]

Now...Will he hit enough to stay there?

[jabba72]

2 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Now...Will he hit enough to stay there?

At the end of the day it probably doesn't matter a whole lot if he hits. He's just a stopgap solution until the next offseason, or maybe a midseason option comes available. But for one day. he looked good. 

[Sports Guy]

47 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'm a bit as well.  But we never have complete information.  Maybe Ruiz was told he might be playing second this year and made some changes in his offseason workout?

The early returns are promising.

We also don’t know how much he could have been working there in workouts and B games.  The media had no access to those this year.

[oriole]

If Steve Pearce can do it I don’t see why Ruiz wouldn’t be able to.

[Frobby]

13 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

We also don’t know how much he could have been working there in workouts and B games.  The media had no access to those this year.

Hyde said the idea came to him about ten days ago.   

[Frobby]

“Rio played outstanding at second base,” Hyde said. “When we talked about Rio at second a week ago, I’ve always loved Rio’s feet, his hands. He plays the game defensively. He can slow the game down. I know he was a quarterback in high school. There’s all sorts of athleticism, the things that he has, and I just want him to catch the ball and be able to make the routine play, balls he can get to, and he did all those things and a little bit more.”

The idea of auditioning Ruiz at second base came about a week and a half ago. Hyde called him into the manager’s office in spring training and asked what he thought.

“From his reaction, I felt like, ‘You know what? This is something I’m going to try,’ because he was so excited to do it,” Hyde said.

“He’s always asking to play short and things like that. Everybody thinks they can play shortstop that’s played infield or played shortstop in high school, so he’s always mentioned those things to me. And when I asked him how he felt about it, he was super excited to get out on the field the next day and go to work with Manso (Tony Mansolino) on it. It put my mind at ease. However, this is his third game playing second base.

“He played well today. I don’t want to add more than that. He played very, very well today, he picked us up big-time and I’m really happy for him.”

https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2021/04/reflecting-on-yesterdays-opening-day-win-in-boston.html