Another Urias Thread

[sportsfan8703]

Urias has earned ABs in the IF. I don’t know if he’s apart of our next contending team. At some point the team has to take a look at Martin if he’s healthy due to the upcoming 40 man decision. Unfortunately, is that they can, and likely will, slow play Jones until next year. 

[Sports Guy]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

I agree with keeping Urias at SS, but I’m pessimistic that he’ll get better.   He’s not some 22-23 year old kid, he’s a veteran of the minors and Mexico.   Most probably, he is what he is.    But we may as well give him the chance.  

I  agree but if he can hit like this and be passable, I’m ok with that.  He’s not a butcher imo although I admit I haven’t seen a ton of him over there.

[Aristotelian]

Agreed, he seems to be slightly above replacement level MLB infielder. I'm not saying that as a negative since we got him for nothing. Question is whether we have anyone better in the system. Could be one of those guys that plays all over the field, more than just a utility guy but not quite an every day starter. Or maybe he is trade bait and we flip him for more prospects in a year or two. For now he's earned a shot to start for a while and see what happens

[Jammer7]

I think Richie Martin and Jahmai Jones do come up to Baltimore some time this year. The Leyba experiment was worthwhile, but he is just not a major league player, even for a last place team. Leyba may be DFA for Richie to come back onto the 40 man roster from the 60 day IL. I think they could just move Richie up very soon, and forego the whole AAA seasoning thing. Play him everyday at SS. Move Urias to 2B and have Valaika be the UT guy.

But, they seem committed to Urias at SS for the duration of 2021. So, maybe they bring up Jones first and keep developing him as the everyday 2B. If he cannot make the plays he should make, that will adversely affect the pitching situation. They might be wanting to keep the positive momentum going into 2022. 

I do not know where else they could go, without a waiver claim or similar addition to the organization. Bannon has had a terrible year. He has been so bad that he could be DFA and/or traded to remove from the roster in the offseason to make room for the Rule 5 crop. He has been that bad. 

[Just Regular]

For 5 weeks since rejoining the lineup June 27th, FG sees him 6th among all MLB shortstops.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=ss&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2021&month=1000&season1=2021&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2021-06-27&enddate=2021-08-03

Now we get to see if it was a Traber, or if he can maintain Too Good to be True mode as Mullins has.

I think like rookie Jeter I'd keep batting him "last" (i.e., 6th ahead of 3B, C and the MI spot he isn't in that day) these last two months, but if he can command the strike zone for half a season like he did for a month, he can bat higher for me in early 2022, as Rutschman will hit lower at first.

He wasn't born in the precise 3-week window Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and Carlos Correa all were but he is just a few months older.   Age 28-30 Miguel Gonzalez gave 7 rWAR to the 2012-2014 teams.

 

 

[emmett16]

Sign me up for Martin SS & Urias 2b for last two months of the season.   Urias has earned the chance and Martin brings best defensive  & who knows, maybe the bat improves.  Let Jones continue to work  at 2b in Norfolk unless his bat absolutely forces the issue.  

[Aristotelian]

Last night was the first chance I've head this season to see Urias play. I was especially impressed with his AB in the 6th where he got down 1-2 and ended up drawing a walk. He laid off a low and away changeup that was about 3 inches out of the zone to get to 3-2 and then laid off a FB about 2 inches off the inside corner for ball four. I'm not sure how many guys in our lineup lay off those two pitches. 

After advancing on a wild pitch, he also made a terrific baserunning play to tag up and get to third on the Severino sac fly. The ball was cut off so it was a bang bang play but he made it, enabling him to score on Franco's sac fly. 

[Ripken]

The guy could play MI and bat low in the lineup on a contending team.  OTOH, he's 27 already.  If he keeps playing well into next season he could be a good trade candidate.  If not, no harm done letting him hold a position while others develop.

[jabba72]

According to barrels per plate appearance, Urias (8.1%) is the Orioles 2nd best hitter behind Mancini (8.8%). 

[interloper]

I think we found our stopgap SS for the next few years until someone like Westburg or Gunnar want to take a stab at wrestling it away. Or, he could just play 2B if Jones is a bust and they want to sign another veteran SS.

I don't really care that he's 27, he's under team control for awhile and he looks like a professional, young, impactful major leaguer out there. His ABs are really a joy to watch - works walks, goes the other way, can hit for a little power if you make a mistake. No reason he can't be part of the next competitive (relax, I did not say "playoff") Orioles team. 

[jabba72]

3 minutes ago, interloper said:

I think we found our stopgap SS for the next few years until someone like Westburg or Gunnar want to take a stab at wrestling it away. Or, he could just play 2B if Jones is a bust and they want to sign another veteran SS.

I don't really care that he's 27, he's under team control for awhile and he looks like a professional, young, impactful major leaguer out there. No reason he can't be part of the next competitive (relax, I did not say "playoff") Orioles team. 

Well, Urias is also a -3 OAA at SS (29th out of 36) with limited games there, so I dont think he's someone you want playing full time at SS. That will hurt your pitchers. But I think at 2B he could hold up better. 

[interloper]

1 minute ago, jabba72 said:

Well, Urias is also a -3 OAA at SS (29th out of 36) with limited games there, so I dont think he's someone you want playing full time at SS. That will hurt your pitchers. But I think at 2B he could hold up better. 

I agree. By no means should he stall our search for a SS, but it's at least nice to know he can hang there. I wonder if he can play any 3B...? Arguably a larger hole organizationally than either SS or 2B. 

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, interloper said:

I agree. By no means should he stall our search for a SS, but it's at least nice to know he can hang there. I wonder if he can play any 3B...? Arguably a larger hole organizationally than either SS or 2B. 

Only if you assume Gunnar is a SS.

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Only if you assume Gunnar is a SS.

And I do not, honestly. 

[Just Regular]

1 hour ago, jabba72 said:

Well, Urias is also a -3 OAA at SS (29th out of 36) with limited games there, so I dont think he's someone you want playing full time at SS. That will hurt your pitchers. But I think at 2B he could hold up better. 

I assume he is near Valaika level bad, but honestly these next few weeks.....his recent hitting performance has been so good I wouldn't change his hair style, underwear selection, ice cream flavor, lineup spot or really anything.   We tolerated Valaika at the end of last year.   It is a case of suboptimal deployment for player comfort that is easier to accept than others in this time of not prioritizing MLB wins.

I don't think in September or next spring he'll become as irreplaceable at SS as Jeter