Jordan Westburg 2022

[ChuckS]

Westburg’s versatility may be valued over a player like Norby, who arguably has a better bat. 

With that said I would not hesitate to include either one in a trade package for a SP. 

 

[OriolesMagic83]

4 hours ago, ChuckS said:

Westburg’s versatility may be valued over a player like Norby, who arguably has a better bat. 

With that said I would not hesitate to include either one in a trade package for a SP. 

 

Wondering if Norby is the future 1B and Westburg is traded.

[nvpacchi]

One thing to keep in mind with Westburg is that he can earn the O's another draft pick based on his rookie performance next year.

With the weird quirk that a player has to appear on at least two of three top 100 lists from BA, ESPN, or MLB Pipe, Westburg probably has a good shot of appearing on all three if not two.

If Elias is serious about that extra draft pick spreading his bets across Gunnar, Grayson, Hall, and Westburg may be his play, hoping one or two catches lightning in a bottle.  Or maybe this is all for naught.

[WI O’s Fan]

Elias mentioned Westburg’s best position is 2b so the odds of him starting the year in Baltimore seem very high.

[yark14]

13 hours ago, WI O’s Fan said:

Elias mentioned Westburg’s best position is 2b so the odds of him starting the year in Baltimore seem very high.

I think (and hope) he is our opening day 2B. 

[RZNJ]

22 minutes ago, yark14 said:

I think (and hope) he is our opening day 2B. 

It's interesting that Elias said that about Westburg.   Might be a clue to the rest of the infield.  Henderson at 3B, Mateo at SS, Westburg at 2B.   Ortiz getting more AB's in Norfolk while we see where we are at with Mateo and Westburg.

[forphase1]

33 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

It's interesting that Elias said that about Westburg.   Might be a clue to the rest of the infield.  Henderson at 3B, Mateo at SS, Westburg at 2B.   Ortiz getting more AB's in Norfolk while we see where we are at with Mateo and Westburg.

I like this, though if Ortiz looks good in the Spring I'd be tempted to start him at SS and use Mateo as a situational/role player.

[RZNJ]

Just now, forphase1 said:

I like this, though if Ortiz looks good in the Spring I'd be tempted to start him at SS and use Mateo as a situational/role player.

I'm not sure how Mateo would take to that role.   Meaning, I think he's very proud of being a ML starting SS and I wonder if he might request a trade or sulk in that role.    If Henderson is deemed the SS, Mateo gets traded.  That's just my opinion.   If Henderson is the 3B, my guess is that Mateo stays at SS while Ortiz plays a waiting game at Norfolk.   Urias/Westburg compete for 2B with the loser being sort of a super utility player as both can play all 3 infield positions.

[forphase1]

13 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I'm not sure how Mateo would take to that role.   Meaning, I think he's very proud of being a ML starting SS and I wonder if he might request a trade or sulk in that role.    If Henderson is deemed the SS, Mateo gets traded.  That's just my opinion.   If Henderson is the 3B, my guess is that Mateo stays at SS while Ortiz plays a waiting game at Norfolk.   Urias/Westburg compete for 2B with the loser being sort of a super utility player as both can play all 3 infield positions.

That's possible.  But I honestly don't care about Mateos feelings, and am more concerned with us putting the best team we can on the field.  I think Ortiz can give you very similar defense with the chance of a much better bat.  And I'm not saying you are wrong in how things will turn out, just that if the decision was mine I wouldn't have Ortiz playing the waiting game.  I'm completely fine with trading Mateo or him being a role player.  I just think we need a more solid bat in the lineup, and Ortiz could be that solution.  And yeah, I know many teams have a weaker, field first player or two.  And if the rest of our lineup was strong then having a hole or two wouldn't be that big of a deal.  But outside of Adley and Gunner, our lineup was full of holes at times, and we need to upgrade as many places as we can to make a better push for the playoffs.  

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, forphase1 said:

That's possible.  But I honestly don't care about Mateos feelings, and am more concerned with us putting the best team we can on the field.  I think Ortiz can give you very similar defense with the chance of a much better bat.  And I'm not saying you are wrong in how things will turn out, just that if the decision was mine I wouldn't have Ortiz playing the waiting game.  I'm completely fine with trading Mateo or him being a role player.  I just think we need a more solid bat in the lineup, and Ortiz could be that solution.  And yeah, I know many teams have a weaker, field first player or two.  And if the rest of our lineup was strong then having a hole or two wouldn't be that big of a deal.  But outside of Adley and Gunner, our lineup was full of holes at times, and we need to upgrade as many places as we can to make a better push for the playoffs.  

I don't really disagree.  I'd like to see Ortiz start next season at SS.   If that were to happen I think Mateo would be traded instead of staying on as a bench player.   My guess is that they break Westburg into the lineup at 2B and see if they can get Mateo's bat to hit again.   If Mateo doesn't hit Ortiz is ready to go.   If Mateo hits that's a good problem to have.

[forphase1]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I don't really disagree.  I'd like to see Ortiz start next season at SS.   If that were to happen I think Mateo would be traded instead of staying on as a bench player.   My guess is that they break Westburg into the lineup at 2B and see if they can get Mateo's bat to hit again.   If Mateo doesn't hit Ortiz is ready to go.   If Mateo hits that's a good problem to have.

No doubt.  If Mateo could have continued on that 6 week run or so when his bat came alive then I'd be singing a different tune.   But if they do decide to start Mateo I hope he has a VERY short leash, and as soon as it's clear he hasn't regained his good bat, bring up Ortiz and give him the bulk of the innings.  I just fear that if they break camp with Mateo as the starter then they are going to ride him much longer than they should.  They certainly did that this year with Odor, Hays, Mountcastle, etc. IMO.

[Yossarian]

43 minutes ago, forphase1 said:

No doubt.  If Mateo could have continued on that 6 week run or so when his bat came alive then I'd be singing a different tune.   But if they do decide to start Mateo I hope he has a VERY short leash, and as soon as it's clear he hasn't regained his good bat, bring up Ortiz and give him the bulk of the innings.  I just fear that if they break camp with Mateo as the starter then they are going to ride him much longer than they should.  They certainly did that this year with Odor, Hays, Mountcastle, etc. IMO.

Hitting slumps in the major leagues are a given.  Everybody is going to have them and they need a chance to work them out.  This comes with getting regular at bats. 

Our problem was that 2/3 of the team was all slumping at the same time and for too long.   This was a problem for most of the year.  It wasn't just Mateo, though he didn't produce a much as he should have between slumps.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Yossarian said:

Hitting slumps in the major leagues are a given.  Everybody is going to have them and they need a chance to work them out.  This comes with getting regular at bats. 

Our problem was that 2/3 of the team was all slumping at the same time and for too long.   This was a problem for most of the year.  It wasn't just Mateo, though he didn't produce a much as he should have between slumps.

The question is if Mateo was going through a slump or if that hot stretch was just an atypical performance that is unlikely to be repeated.

 

[forphase1]

8 minutes ago, Yossarian said:

Hitting slumps in the major leagues are a given.  Everybody is going to have them and they need a chance to work them out.  This comes with getting regular at bats. 

Our problem was that 2/3 of the team was all slumping at the same time and for too long.   This was a problem for most of the year.  It wasn't just Mateo, though he didn't produce a much as he should have between slumps.

Sure.  At the same time hot streaks are a common occurrence too.  The question is which was the 'real' Mateo?  The slump that happened at the beginning and end of the year?  Or the hot streak for the 6 week period or so?  Looking at his history I think it much more likely that the 'slumping' Mateo is the one we are likely to see day by day.  If the line he ended up with, accounting for both the hot and slumps, is what we continue to get then he isn't a solid starting SS.  I'm sorry, but a .646 OPS player is a bit/role player, and shouldn't be starting unless there are no better options.  

[Frobby]

7 hours ago, Yossarian said:

Hitting slumps in the major leagues are a given.  Everybody is going to have them and they need a chance to work them out.  This comes with getting regular at bats. 

Our problem was that 2/3 of the team was all slumping at the same time and for too long.   This was a problem for most of the year.  It wasn't just Mateo, though he didn't produce a much as he should have between slumps.

Mateo’s peaks and valleys were very extreme.   32 games of .435 OPS, followed by 50 games of .886, followed by 36 games of .483.   That’s nuts.