McKenna has himself a day

[NCRaven]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

McKenna is at best a 4th outfielder!   Hmmm.   Who else did we say that about the last 2 years?   Hmmmm.   

Mullins (I assume that's who you mean) was a switch hitter who made a substantial change - dropping right handed hitting and becoming a full-time lefty.  His status didn't change through incremental improvement.  He made a major change to how he hit.  Mullins is a completely different player from who he was two years ago.

What change can McKenna make to become a significantly different hitter?

[Moose Milligan]

5 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

McKenna is at best a 4th outfielder!   Hmmm.   Who else did we say that about the last 2 years?   Hmmmm.   He has some talent.  Who knows.   He was putting up a .940 OPS at Norfolk.   I would have liked to see him get a full season of AB's down there.    We need to stop making definitive statements on players based on 50 sporadic AB's.     McKenna needs to lay off of the high fastball but he looks like he has talent to me.

All of these guys have some talent.  Even the worst player in the majors is still in the 99th percentile of all players in the world.

IMO, just because Mullins stopped switch hitting and in turn upped his game doesn't mean that everyone who looks like a 4th outfielder can suddenly put up an 8 WAR season.  Some of these guys really are 4th outfielders.  

Yes, he needs to lay off the high fastball...and he needs to show that he can hit a fastball, too.  Maybe he does need some more at bats but at first glance he's been overmatched quite a bit.

[RZNJ]

Just now, NCRaven said:

Mullins (I assume that's who you mean) was a switch hitter who made a substantial change - dropping right handed hitting and becoming a full-time lefty.  His status didn't change through incremental improvement.  He made a major change to how he hit.  Mullins is a completely different player from who he was two years ago.

What change can McKenna make to become a significantly different hitter?

 

It's more than just giving up switch hitting for Mullins.   He became a better hitter overall from the left side.   He became much better at going the other way and up the middle.   What chances can McKenna make.   Nearly everyone says his biggest weakness is the high fastball.   That would be the first thing right there.   Laying off high fastballs out of the zone.   That's doable.

[RZNJ]

Just now, Moose Milligan said:

All of these guys have some talent.  Even the worst player in the majors is still in the 99th percentile of all players in the world.

IMO, just because Mullins stopped switch hitting and in turn upped his game doesn't mean that everyone who looks like a 4th outfielder can suddenly put up an 8 WAR season.  Some of these guys really are 4th outfielders.  

Yes, he needs to lay off the high fastball...and he needs to show that he can hit a fastball, too.  Maybe he does need some more at bats but at first glance he's been overmatched quite a bit.

I wasn't suggesting that McKenna would become something special, just that it's way to early to label him "nothing more than a 4th outfielder".  Again, he was putting up a .940 OPS at Norfolk.   He shows bat speed, some power, speed and defense.    He probably has more tools than most.

[Moose Milligan]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I wasn't suggesting that McKenna would become something special, just that it's way to early to label him "nothing more than a 4th outfielder".  Again, he was putting up a .940 OPS at Norfolk.   He shows bat speed, some power, speed and defense.    He probably has more tools than most.

If I'm reading his baseball reference minor league stats correctly, he put up a .949 OPS in 67 at bats.  But then you said we need to stop making definitive statements off 50 sporadic at bats.  67 isn't 50, but we can also not pretend 67 at bats of .949 OPS in Norfolk is a portender of future success at any level.

[RZNJ]

Just now, Moose Milligan said:

If I'm reading his baseball reference minor league stats correctly, he put up a .949 OPS in 67 at bats.  But then you said we need to stop making definitive statements off 50 sporadic at bats.  67 isn't 50, but we can also not pretend 67 at bats of .949 OPS in Norfolk is a portender of future success at any level.

What definitive statement did I make based on those 67 AB's?

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

6 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

All of these guys have some talent.  Even the worst player in the majors is still in the 99th percentile of all players in the world.

IMO, just because Mullins stopped switch hitting and in turn upped his game doesn't mean that everyone who looks like a 4th outfielder can suddenly put up an 8 WAR season.  Some of these guys really are 4th outfielders.  

Yes, he needs to lay off the high fastball...and he needs to show that he can hit a fastball, too.  Maybe he does need some more at bats but at first glance he's been overmatched quite a bit.

Reminds me of this Brian Scalabrine video, where he plays any takers at a gym and destroys everyone. Scalabrine was an end-of-the-bench role player in the NBA, but he's way better that 99.9% of the population at playing basketball. 

 

[Moose Milligan]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

What definitive statement did I make based on those 67 AB's?

That you want to see more of him based off a .940 OPS.  Or that he has more tools than most, or something.  Which is fine, I guess.  I mean, I don't really think .940 OPS in 67 at bats is much to get excited about, it's essentially an extended hot streak.  

Had he done that for an entire season, I'd be excited to see him.  He also put up a .686 OPS in Bowie over a full season, too.

[SteveA]

31 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

All of these guys have some talent.  Even the worst player in the majors is still in the 99th percentile of all players in the world.

IMO, just because Mullins stopped switch hitting and in turn upped his game doesn't mean that everyone who looks like a 4th outfielder can suddenly put up an 8 WAR season.  Some of these guys really are 4th outfielders.  

Yes, he needs to lay off the high fastball...and he needs to show that he can hit a fastball, too.  Maybe he does need some more at bats but at first glance he's been overmatched quite a bit.

Honestly not sure if that's true of Chris Davis anymore.

[Three Run Homer]

16 hours ago, Philip said:

To be honest, even if he doesn’t hit any more than he’s hitting, I still think he’s valuable. I’m tired of loading up our bench with the DJ Stewart types. I still fondly remember David Lough

The O's aren't trying to contend, so they have the luxury of carrying McKenna as a fourth outfielder and seeing if he can get better.  But no way does a contending team want to have a 4th outfielder who hits .200, even if his speed and defense are excellent.  

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

34 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Honestly not sure if that's true of Chris Davis anymore.

 I don't think Davis could bat above the Mendoza Line in A Ball these days. 

[Tony-OH]

17 hours ago, Pushmonkey said:

Much rather have him then Stewart. 

At least McKenna brings outstanding defense and speed to the field. Stewart brings power and that has been missing this year. i imagine Stewart will be DFA'd or traded before the Orioles set their 40-man this offseason.  

[Frobby]

12 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

The O's aren't trying to contend, so they have the luxury of carrying McKenna as a fourth outfielder and seeing if he can get better.  But no way does a contending team want to have a 4th outfielder who hits .200, even if his speed and defense are excellent.  

Philip brought up David Lough.  2014 Lough was pretty valuable (1.5 rWAR) with a .694 OPS; 2015 Lough was useless (-0.2 rWAR) at .555 OPS.   If McKenna is going to have long term value he needs to be more like the former than the latter.   He’s managed to have positive value (0.6 rWAR) despite an OPS below Lough’s 2015 so far, but I wouldn’t expect that to be sustained if he doesn’t hit better.   

[RZNJ]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

That you want to see more of him based off a .940 OPS.  Or that he has more tools than most, or something.  Which is fine, I guess.  I mean, I don't really think .940 OPS in 67 at bats is much to get excited about, it's essentially an extended hot streak.  

Had he done that for an entire season, I'd be excited to see him.  He also put up a .686 OPS in Bowie over a full season, too.

 

1. I never made any definitve statement regarding McKenna.

2. I never claimed his .940 OPS was anything to get excited about.   I said I would like to see what he would do with a full season in AAA.

3. Sure, he's never hit before (exept for a torrid half season at Frederick) which is why I'd love to see if the improvement at Norfolk was real progress or not.

 

It seems like you keep wanting to put words in my mouth.   Keep trying.

[Moose Milligan]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

 

1. I never made any definitve statement regarding McKenna.

2. I never claimed his .940 OPS was anything to get excited about.   I said I would like to see what he would do with a full season in AAA.

3. Sure, he's never hit before (exept for a torrid half season at Frederick) which is why I'd love to see if the improvement at Norfolk was real progress or not.

 

It seems like you keep wanting to put words in my mouth.   Keep trying.

You did an excellent job of bringing a .940 OPS to the table without mentioning it was in 67 at bats.