Maverick Handley is on a tear

[Frobby]

In his last 8 games covering 34 PA, Aberdeen catcher Maverick Handley has hit .464/.529/.786 with 2 homers and 16 RBI.  In the process he’s raised his OPS from .605 to .738.   

The twist here is that the 8 game hot streak was interrupted by 18 days after game 5 of the streak, as Handley was hurt.  He’s returned and picked up exactly where he left off.    

He’s also throwing out 43% of base runners.   If he can hit a little, he stands a good chance of having a nice major league career.  
 

 

[ChosenOne21]

I hope he backs up Adley at catcher for a lot of years

[accinfo]

You have to love a guy named Maverick!

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, accinfo said:

You have to love a guy named Maverick!

I believe Matt Wieters named his son Maverick.   

[accinfo]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I believe Matt Wieters named his son Maverick.   

I think you are correct.  A friend of mine named his son that as well.  Very topical with Top Gun II coming out soon.

 

[CHIP]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

In his last 8 games covering 34 PA, Aberdeen catcher Maverick Handley has hit .464/.529/.786 with 2 homers and 16 RBI.  In the process he’s raised his OPS from .605 to .738.   

The twist here is that the 8 game hot streak was interrupted by 18 days after game 5 of the streak, as Handley was hurt.  He’s returned and picked up exactly where he left off.    

He’s also throwing out 43% of base runners.   If he can hit a little, he stands a good chance of having a nice major league career.  
 

 

If I noticed anything during the two weeks Handley was on the IL was the difference in the game flow and comfort of the pitchers.  Loeprich and Peek didn't look this comfortable previously at A+.  

At this point in the season...  comparing his May/June to his July/August it is like two different seasons.  

Split	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
May	ABD	15	49	8	11	3	1	0	5	8	0	13	7	1	0.224	0.367	0.327	0.693
June	ABD	17	57	5	9	3	0	2	9	7	0	22	4	0	0.158	0.250	0.316	0.566
May + June		32	106	13	20	6	1	2	14	15	0	35	11	1	0.189	0.289	0.321	0.610
July	ABD	10	35	5	11	4	0	1	14	3	0	12	0	0	0.314	0.385	0.514	0.899
August	ABD	3	10	2	5	0	0	1	7	2	0	4	1	0	0.500	0.538	0.800	1.338
July + August		13	45	7	16	4	0	2	21	5	0	16	1	0	0.356	0.420	0.578	0.998

Any other team would have moved the 23 year old catcher up to AA by now.  However, the Orioles keep finding something for Rutschman to refine at AA which blocks Handley from the move.  Orioles have moved Roberts to AA, AAA, and MLB Away Scout team, Hudgins is now the bouncer up at AAA, Rodriguez has bounced from A- to A+ to AA back to A+.  All to be back ups.  Has to be frustrating for those guys as well.

WHEN WHEN WHEN will they move Adley?  Cumberland's AVG has dropped every month:  May 0.254:  June 0.194:  July 0.161:  August 0.083  

Time to move him to DH/1B and get Adley his time at C and ABs at AAA and move Handley up to AA.  

December 2022 is coming in 16 months.  Will Handley continue to stay healthy and perform?  Will the Orioles be able to hang onto him past 12/2022 Rule 5 if they procrastinate with their entire system?

 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, CHIP said:

At this point in the season...  comparing his May/June to his July/August it is like two different seasons.  

Split	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
May	ABD	15	49	8	11	3	1	0	5	8	0	13	7	1	0.224	0.367	0.327	0.693
June	ABD	17	57	5	9	3	0	2	9	7	0	22	4	0	0.158	0.250	0.316	0.566
May + June		32	106	13	20	6	1	2	14	15	0	35	11	1	0.189	0.289	0.321	0.610
July	ABD	10	35	5	11	4	0	1	14	3	0	12	0	0	0.314	0.385	0.514	0.899
August	ABD	3	10	2	5	0	0	1	7	2	0	4	1	0	0.500	0.538	0.800	1.338
July + August		13	45	7	16	4	0	2	21	5	0	16	1	0	0.356	0.420	0.578	0.998

Any other team would have moved the 23 year old catcher up to AA by now.  

Whoa, whoa, whoa!   Don’t forget those July/August numbers represent only 13 games.   And in fact, in the first 5 games he played in July, his OPS was only .458. So really, we are just taking about a really hot 8 games.   And even that is split into 5 hot games, a two week stint on the IL, and then another hot 3 games.   So I wouldn’t say this is a situation where any other team would have moved Handley to AA by now.    At the same time, he’s certainly put himself into better position to move up if and when Adley does.

[sevastras]

6 hours ago, Frobby said:

Whoa, whoa, whoa!   Don’t forget those July/August numbers represent only 13 games.   And in fact, in the first 5 games he played in July, his OPS was only .458. So really, we are just taking about a really hot 8 games.   And even that is split into 5 hot games, a two week stint on the IL, and then another hot 3 games.   So I wouldn’t say this is a situation where any other team would have moved Handley to AA by now.    At the same time, he’s certainly put himself into better position to move up if and when Adley does.

You can’t discount he is an elite receiver.