Jordan Westburg 2021

[Chaka Garcia]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Didn’t OH have a relationship with Eutaw Street Report once upon a time?

I was surprised about the random internet guy comment, because I was about to say the same thing. I do remember him posting here frequently.

Thank you Tony for your feedback on Westburg versus Henderson. Henderson has over 10 errors- i did wonder if it's related to the quality of the fields and position switching.

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Chaka Garcia

[glenn__davis]

12 hours ago, Chaka Garcia said:

I was surprised about the random internet guy comment, because I was about to say the same thing. I do remember him posting here frequently.

Thank you Tony for your feedback on Westburg versus Henderson. Henderson has over 10 errors- i did wonder if it's related to the quality of the fields and position switching.

I pay very little attention to errors or fielding % at the minor league level.   Just so many variables - field conditions, lighting, frankly probably some lack of focus - I'm not saying errors are totally meaningless, just that a lot of that gets cleaned up pretty well at the MLB level.

Even scouting reports on defense are difficult at that level.  Like Frobby mentioned, Caleb Joseph was often reported as being a bat first, poor defensive catcher.  Scouting reports on DJ Stewart said that he may not be a plus defender but that he could hold his own at a corner OF spot.  He's looked terrible at the MLB level.  There were even people who worried about Manny's defense at the MiLB level and he became a platinum glover.  I think you would have to watch these guys every single game to get any kind of good feel for their defense and that's just difficult to do unless you're covering the team full time.  

[Aristotelian]

On 8/4/2021 at 10:11 AM, sportsfan8703 said:

Yeah, I think we’re worrying way too much about defense about every single prospect. I’m happy that Westburg has a .900+ OPS since being promoted. Keep hitting and staying healthy. They will figure out where to play him. 
 

We were the best team in MLB and our COFs were Trumbo, Cruz, Young, and Pearce. 

I think it is PTSD from Mountcastle. (Apologies to anyone who has had real PTSD but you know what I mean).

[phatty]

“• Jordan Westburg was Baltimore’s second pick in 2020, taken 30th overall, out of Mississippi State, but started the year with Low-A Delmarva, despite his experience and age (22). Since a promotion to High A, he’s hit .298/.398/.484, playing mostly shortstop along with some third base. He really extends his arms through contact and seems to hit everything hard when he hits it at all, with very good plate coverage and a two-strike approach where he widens his stance (like Juan Soto, if a bit less extreme) and drops the stride. His strikeout rate in High A has been fine, under 24 percent, although in my one game with him, I saw him cut through at least four fastballs in or near the zone. He played surprisingly well at shortstop, but I’d bet on him ending up at third base in the majors because he’ll be bumped aside by a plus defender.”

From Keith Law @Athletic

 

[Aglets]

So an .882 OPS at Aberdeen after 56 games (261 PA).     Shouldn't we be expecting to see him at Bowie soon?

[Sports Guy]

8 minutes ago, Aglets said:

So an .882 OPS at Aberdeen after 56 games (261 PA).     Shouldn't we be expecting to see him at Bowie soon?

He should already be there.

[Aglets]

19 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

He should already be there.

For once I will say I completely agree.   

[Paul in Virginia]

 

 

[yark14]

This is pretty cool: I hired a new employee at work this week.  Turns out he grew up best friends with Westburg.  I had the O's game on the TV at work today, asked the new kid if he followed baseball.  He said not really, but that is friend was drafted by the Orioles, and asked if I had heard of Jordan Westburg.  I told him I only check Westburg's game stats every single day.

I think my new employee already earned a raise. 

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, yark14 said:

This is pretty cool: I hired a new employee at work this week.  Turns out he grew up best friends with Westburg.  I had the O's game on the TV at work today, asked the new kid if he followed baseball.  He said not really, but that is friend was drafted by the Orioles, and asked if I had heard of Jordan Westburg.  I told him I only check Westburg's game stats every single day.

I think my new employee already earned a raise. 

He probably thinks he got a good break with the new boss.  

[Yossarian]

18 hours ago, yark14 said:

This is pretty cool: I hired a new employee at work this week.  Turns out he grew up best friends with Westburg.  I had the O's game on the TV at work today, asked the new kid if he followed baseball.  He said not really, but that is friend was drafted by the Orioles, and asked if I had heard of Jordan Westburg.  I told him I only check Westburg's game stats every single day.

I think my new employee already earned a raise. 

Nice.

We hired an intern out of college at my company a few years back.  He pitched for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was on that staff with Garrett Olson (remember him)?  When the kid found out I was a Baltimore fan, he said he was buddies with Olson and we would waste hours talking baseball.  

[waroriole]

Really struggling at Bowie so far. 5-34 with this slash line:

.147/.293/.176

[Tony-OH]

On 8/5/2021 at 7:23 AM, glenn__davis said:

I pay very little attention to errors or fielding % at the minor league level.   Just so many variables - field conditions, lighting, frankly probably some lack of focus - I'm not saying errors are totally meaningless, just that a lot of that gets cleaned up pretty well at the MLB level.

Even scouting reports on defense are difficult at that level.  Like Frobby mentioned, Caleb Joseph was often reported as being a bat first, poor defensive catcher.  Scouting reports on DJ Stewart said that he may not be a plus defender but that he could hold his own at a corner OF spot.  He's looked terrible at the MLB level.  There were even people who worried about Manny's defense at the MiLB level and he became a platinum glover.  I think you would have to watch these guys every single game to get any kind of good feel for their defense and that's just difficult to do unless you're covering the team full time.  

Joseph was that way and through hard work became a much better defender. Stewart did at times hold his own defensively but not surprisingly for his body type, he regressed as he got older. If there were questions about Manny's glove it was his range to play SS.

While I agree to an extent about taking errors with a grain of salt, minor league fields have come a long way and are not longer the rock filled wasteland of yester year. In fact, Aberdeen plays on turf.

When i see a lot of errors and got to the video and see what kinds are errors are they making. Now I haven't done that with Westburg and have only caught a few of his errors this year which were a mixef bag between not fielding cleanly and a bad throw.

Overall, Westburg has been fine defensively with the only question is whether the arm plays long term at SS. I've seen him make some decent throws and then some that made me question his arm strength, but I also don't know if he was just taking something of the throws because he had the time.

I've seen him make some nice plays up the middle and turn and make an accurate strong throw, so I still don't think he HAS to be moved off SS, but it would not be out of the question if eventually moves because there is a better, flashier option at SS.
 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, waroriole said:

Really struggling at Bowie so far. 5-34 with this slash line:

.147/.293/.176

He had a .636 OPS his first two weeks at Aberdeen.   So, hopefully he’ll adjust.  Not to worried about it, even if he doesn’t put up big numbers the rest of the year.   Just getting to AA this season is a good accomplishment.  

[sportsfan8703]

18 hours ago, Frobby said:

He had a .636 OPS his first two weeks at Aberdeen.   So, hopefully he’ll adjust.  Not to worried about it, even if he doesn’t put up big numbers the rest of the year.   Just getting to AA this season is a good accomplishment.  

It is his 3rd level this year. Had to expect him to struggle a bit at some point.