I’m about ready to give up on DJ Stewart

[sportsfan8703]

I think we’re getting real close to being past the point of having such a limited player like Stewart on the 40 man roster. I’ve liked DJ Stewart since we drafted him. I liked that in the minors he had “fat guy wheels”. Let’s face it, we can only afford to carry a 3 man bench because of the pitchers we need. Those 3 spots are for McKenna, backup C, and Util IF. 
 

If not for the lockout, I think we would’ve seen Stewart dropped for an arm or IF. 

[Sports Guy]

29 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I think we’re getting real close to being past the point of having such a limited player like Stewart on the 40 man roster. I’ve liked DJ Stewart since we drafted him. I liked that in the minors he had “fat guy wheels”. Let’s face it, we can only afford to carry a 3 man bench because of the pitchers we need. Those 3 spots are for McKenna, backup C, and Util IF. 
 

If not for the lockout, I think we would’ve seen Stewart dropped for an arm or IF. 

No, we aren’t at that point yet.  They could be if they actually tried but they aren’t, so they aren’t there yet.  Too many other players with even less upside that should be cut before DJ.

But it’s quickly approaching.  DJ has to show he can hit.  It’s that simple.  People want to focus on his defense but it’s largely irrelevant.  He will make or break his career with the bat in his hands.  
 

He either hits or he doesn’t.  We can still see if he can hit and give him some at bats for the first few months of the season.  If he is failing, at that point you can DFA him.

 

[jamalshw]

I expect DJ makes it to spring training still on the 40-man, but I think the main thing keeping him there is his remaining option. He's basically an option for the last bench spot. I disagree that we will only have 3 bench spots. I think we will have 4. If the roster was just 25 like in the past, I would agree with a 3-man bench. Either way, he's a fringe 26-man guy and one that would be even easier to cut if he didn't have an option. For now, I *think* he makes it through the winter, but he could very well be a DFA guy to make a spot on the roster later in the year for someone like Stowers. 

[MCO'sFan]

I have already given up on DJ. He has one skill and that is taking walks. He can't hit, is a bad base runner and is below average (being kind for a career OF'er) defensively. He shouldn't be on the 40 man roster. I agree that there is not a pressing reason to DFA him now but I would hate to lose any decent prospect to the R5 draft with surplus players like DJ (and others) on the 40 man. 

[Moose Milligan]

58 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

No, we aren’t at that point yet.  They could be if they actually tried but they aren’t, so they aren’t there yet.  Too many other players with even less upside that should be cut before DJ.

But it’s quickly approaching.  DJ has to show he can hit.  It’s that simple.  People want to focus on his defense but it’s largely irrelevant.  He will make or break his career with the bat in his hands.  
 

He either hits or he doesn’t.  We can still see if he can hit and give him some at bats for the first few months of the season.  If he is failing, at that point you can DFA him.

 

I dunno, I think a lot of it depends on ST.  If Stowers has a monster ST and makes the roster on opening day, where do you put Stewart?  Is he a full time DH?

If that time isn't here, you are correct, it is quickly approaching.  I think they need to make it simple for Stewart...don't focus on defense, we'll make you a full time DH.  Just focus on hitting.

The OBP skills are there, if he could hit .250 he'd probably be around .350 OBP.  That would be valuable.  

But his biggest problem outside of the defense thing is that he can't catch up to a fastball.  He gets beat constantly.  baseball reference says that for his career, he's hitting .147 against Power pitching (how they determine this, it neglects to say) with a .612 OPS.  Now that's over 136 plate appearances so it's still a relatively small sample size, but still...he gets beat with a good heater.  In a game where more and more guys are reaching high 90s and triple digits, that's problematic and doesn't bode well for him, IMO.

I can see wanting to give him some at bats for the first couple months of the season, but I dunno.  I wouldn't be upset if he was let go/traded before the season starts.

 

[Sports Guy]

Stowers isn’t starting the year on the ML roster, so that’s not a consideration for me.

 

[wildcard]

As long as Bannon is on the 40 man roster Stewart is not the first to go.

[Frobby]

11 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Stowers isn’t starting the year on the ML roster, so that’s not a consideration for me.

 

I don’t think it’s a given that Stowers will be a better major league hitter than Stewart.   I’d say the odds are about 60/40 in Stowers’ favor.   Lots of swing and miss in his game and we’ll have to see if that gets worse in the majors.  I agree Stowers is starting the year in AAA, even if the service time rules change.   

[Sports Guy]

10 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I don’t think it’s a given that Stowers will be a better major league hitter than Stewart.   I’d say the odds are about 60/40 in Stowers’ favor.   Lots of swing and miss in his game and we’ll have to see if that gets worse in the majors.  I agree Stowers is starting the year in AAA, even if the service time rules change.   

For sure.  I’m still not a full on believer in Stowers although he made me much more of a believer as the year went on.  

Stowers is a guy I assume we see this year but until he shows me more, I don’t consider him in my long term team plans.  That could change very quickly this year though.

[Aristotelian]

33 minutes ago, MCO'sFan said:

I have already given up on DJ. He has one skill and that is taking walks. He can't hit, is a bad base runner and is below average (being kind for a career OF'er) defensively. He shouldn't be on the 40 man roster. I agree that there is not a pressing reason to DFA him now but I would hate to lose any decent prospect to the R5 draft with surplus players like DJ (and others) on the 40 man. 

He's got good power to right field the few times he manages to get hold of one. His overall .732 OPS is in the neighborhood of viable MLB hitter (albeit barely). He has not shown Trey Mancini's upside yet but Trey hit .715 in 2018 and .758 in 2021. I would not be opposed to getting rid of DJ but I also wouldn't be surprised if they keep him around as an option should Trey be traded. 

[OriolesMagic83]

Some of you guys still haven't given up on Hobgood and Connaughton.  I remember threads on those guys going on for years after Hobgood was finished as a prospect and Connaughton had obviously chosen the NBA as a career.  Connaughton has had a really great career for a role player.  He made a lot more money than he would as a bench player in MLB.

[Frobby]

35 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

Some of you guys still haven't given up on Hobgood and Connaughton.  I remember threads on those guys going on for years after Hobgood was finished as a prospect and Connaughton had obviously chosen the NBA as a career.  Connaughton has had a really great career for a role player.  He made a lot more money than he would as a bench player in MLB.

Agreed, but what relevance does this have to Stewart, who is playing baseball in the major leagues?   I just conjured up an image of Stewart playing in an NBA game.   That would be amusing!

 

[interloper]

3 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I dunno, I think a lot of it depends on ST.  If Stowers has a monster ST and makes the roster on opening day, where do you put Stewart?  Is he a full time DH?

If that time isn't here, you are correct, it is quickly approaching.  I think they need to make it simple for Stewart...don't focus on defense, we'll make you a full time DH.  Just focus on hitting.

The OBP skills are there, if he could hit .250 he'd probably be around .350 OBP.  That would be valuable.  

But his biggest problem outside of the defense thing is that he can't catch up to a fastball.  He gets beat constantly.  baseball reference says that for his career, he's hitting .147 against Power pitching (how they determine this, it neglects to say) with a .612 OPS.  Now that's over 136 plate appearances so it's still a relatively small sample size, but still...he gets beat with a good heater.  In a game where more and more guys are reaching high 90s and triple digits, that's problematic and doesn't bode well for him, IMO.

I can see wanting to give him some at bats for the first couple months of the season, but I dunno.  I wouldn't be upset if he was let go/traded before the season starts.

 

 I recall the O's were actively trying to fix this part of Stewart's game, at least. A healthy knee can't hurt either. But ultimately it will just come down to whether or not he can improve on something that is likely very hard to improve upon. Either you have the reflexes to hit power stuff or you kinda don't. But crazier things have happened. 

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, interloper said:

 I recall the O's were actively trying to fix this part of Stewart's game, at least. A healthy knee can't hurt either. But ultimately it will just come down to whether or not he can improve on something that is likely very hard to improve upon. Either you have the reflexes to hit power stuff or you kinda don't. But crazier things have happened. 

Yep, it's hard to tell if it's swing mechanics or he just doesn't have the hand/eye coordination and bat speed to do it.  

[MCO'sFan]

3 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

He's got good power to right field the few times he manages to get hold of one. His overall .732 OPS is in the neighborhood of viable MLB hitter (albeit barely). He has not shown Trey Mancini's upside yet but Trey hit .715 in 2018 and .758 in 2021. I would not be opposed to getting rid of DJ but I also wouldn't be surprised if they keep him around as an option should Trey be traded. 

He hits for power in spurts. His OPS is heavy on the OBP due to crazy ability to walk. He is (IMHO) an AAAA player. But my point was more that he really is a one trick pony and he doesn't provide enough offense to be a DH (on a competitive team) and is horrendous on the bases and in the field. Which eliminates him from being a bench player. He won't(shouldn't) be here when the O's are competitive.