Jorge Mateo 2021

[SteveA]

From Roch this morning... Ryan Flaherty and Bobby Dickerson are now on the Padres' staff, and they thought Baltimore was the perfect place for Mateo to end up:

https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2021/09/former-orioles-knew-where-mateo-belonged.html

[wildcard]

41 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Urias? Solid defense, high walk rate and .760 OPS. He doesn't have Mateo's crazy athleticism but still seems like at least a utility guy with possible upside as everyday 2B. I love his AB's on a team that sorely needs hitters with plate discipline. 

I could see Urias starting at 2B or 3B next year.  Agree with Tony that Mateo looks like a starting SS.

[Philip]

I asked this question about Mateo, but I could easily ask you about any of our successful pick ups… Well, both of our successful pick ups, ha ha. Is he doing well enough to shift our focus in the upcoming rule 5 draft?

I was expecting we would look for good solid infielders, because what we have is poor, or pitching possibilities, But because of our own plethora of pitching possibilities, the middle infield would be more likely. Is Mateo good enough to shift that focus? Or is it too early to tell?

[Tony-OH]

58 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Urias? Solid defense, high walk rate and .760 OPS. He doesn't have Mateo's crazy athleticism but still seems like at least a utility guy with possible upside as everyday 2B. I love his AB's on a team that sorely needs hitters with plate discipline. 

Urias is more a of utility guy than a real piece for me. He's probably second amongst the position players.

[Tony-OH]

He can hit a little too..

https://www.mlb.com/video/00u7jzgkdtP9kH55c356/reels/mateo-s-extra-base-hits-as-oriole-thru-9-7

[Pickles]

I don't have a ton to add but I'll say this: You hear about a guy like Mateo with all his tools and a lack of success at the MLB eventually exposing him to waivers, and you assume he must have a bad approach.

I found the opposite to be true.  He has a solid approach, and has been having good abs almost every plate appearance.

Likewise, in the field, you kind of expect to see some poor fundamentals.  He made an E last night, but he looks a solid ss to me.  He's not Shawon Dunston.

I want him to get 500-600 abs next year.

[Moose Milligan]

Patiently waiting for the other shoe to drop.  

[Hazmat]

1 hour ago, Philip said:

I asked this question about Mateo, but I could easily ask you about any of our successful pick ups… Well, both of our successful pick ups, ha ha. Is he doing well enough to shift our focus in the upcoming rule 5 draft?

I was expecting we would look for good solid infielders, because what we have is poor, or pitching possibilities, But because of our own plethora of pitching possibilities, the middle infield would be more likely. Is Mateo good enough to shift that focus? Or is it too early to tell?

If there is a consensus best player I would consider picking that player no matter the position.  Otherwise, given our pitching, I'd repeat what we did this past year and take 2 more pitchers that profile as starters long-term and see if one can stick in the BP next season.

[wildcard]

So how did the Mateo go unclaimed through the entire National League?

[Jammer7]

27 minutes ago, wildcard said:

So how did the Mateo go unclaimed through the entire National League?

I think that changed to worst record, regardless of league, a few years ago. Maybe I am wrong. 

[SteveA]

1 minute ago, Jammer7 said:

I think that changed to worst record, regardless of league, a few years ago. Maybe I am wrong. 

Nope, we couldn't claim JB Wendelken when Oakland cut him; Arizona had a worse record than us at the time and they got him, even though we are AL and Arizona is NL.

[Pickles]

32 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Nope, we couldn't claim JB Wendelken when Oakland cut him; Arizona had a worse record than us at the time and they got him, even though we are AL and Arizona is NL.

Does that prove exactly what jammer said?

[Ruzious]

I surely didn't expect a 113 OPS+ in his first 105 plate appearances here and just 1 error in his first 16 games, but now... I'm kinda expecting him to keep it up and maybe even improve offensively.  The talent was always there - he was a top 100 prospect (sometimes top 30) from 2016 through 2018.  He just didn't develop as quickly as most expected him to.  But ya watch the guy play, and the tools are so obvious, and he knows this is his opportunity of a lifetime.  I hope to the baseball Gods that I'm not jinxing him, but I think he'll get better, and this is not a Felix Pie situation.        

[SteveA]

3 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Does that prove exactly what jammer said?

I misspoke.  We had a worse record than Arizona at the time but they still got him.   

Listen to what I mean, not what I actually type!!!

[Pickles]

11 minutes ago, SteveA said:

I misspoke.  We had a worse record than Arizona at the time but they still got him.   

Listen to what I mean, not what I actually type!!!

Oh, ok.  I don't know the answer so I was confused.