Mullins and Mountcastle need to step up

[Sports Guy]

Mullins has seen his FB rate increase and his launch angle increase.  His hard hit% isn’t as high but it’s really close to last year.

I think less grounders and more flyball are likely leading to some of this.

He is also swinging and missing more, walking less and chasing more outside the zone pitches.

[Just Regular]

9 minutes ago, LTO's said:

I mean, moving the wall back (more so than the dead ball) has had a quantifiable effect on Mountcastle's stats.

I trust the Orioles mental process coaches are doing what they can to protect Mountcastle's Zen and not let him get too despondent.     The algorithms don't care the outcomes Contact Quality and Frequency X and Y produce, but it probably isn't realistic to hope the same for Ryan Mountcastle and his aspiration to make hundreds instead of tens of millions during his livelihood.    A fair deal to lock in some of his arbitration price points might be good medicine all the way around.

Mancini can talk candidly about The Wall as a veteran with free agency almost here...Mountcastle has nothing to do but just keep barreling as often as he can.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, btdart20 said:

103 and 105 OPS+ is disappointing.  They are core hitters in the line-up.  If our best hitters are slightly above average, that's not a good sign.  

It’s a snapshot in time.  Mullins has been higher at other points this season.   He’s been cold the last 12 games (.449 OPS) but I expect he will heat back up.   Mountcastle really hasn’t gone on an extended tear this year like he did a couple of times last year.  So, we’ll see.   But I really don’t like his approach at the plate.   He helps the pitchers out way too much for my liking.   

[interloper]

43 minutes ago, LTO's said:

I mean, moving the wall back (more so than the dead ball) has had a quantifiable effect on Mountcastle's stats. Plus he's been hurt. He'll be alright. 

Definitely concerned about Mullins. 

Like I said, forget slugging. Forget the wall. Get on base. 

[DrungoHazewood]

1. It's May 24th. 

2. The last time a full MLB season saw an OPS as low as .689 was 1981.  Probably won't stay this low, but we haven't seen offenses like this since today's 50-year-olds were in elementary school.

Just look at the list of very good MLB hitters with OPSes in the sub-.750 range. Christian Yelich, Corey Seager, Anthony Rendon, Nick Castellanos, Jorge Solar, Fransicso Lindor, DJ LeMahieu, Wander Franco, Cody Bellinger, (start dipping below .700 here) Jose Abreu, Charlie Blackmon, Bobby Witt, Bo Bichette, Yuli Gurriel, Justin Turner, Salvador Perez.  Jonathan Schoop is slashing .169/.217/.287.  Nelson Cruz is OPSing .584.  It's early, and it's a pitchers year like we haven't seen in more than a generation.

Plus, did anyone really think Cedric Mullins was going to be a .900+ OPS hitter for the next 5-10 years? I'll be happy if he settles in at 110-120 OPS+ with good defense in center and good baserunning. Two years ago he was completely written off.

[interloper]

7 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

1. It's May 24th. 

2. The last time a full MLB season saw an OPS as low as .689 was 1981.  Probably won't stay this low, but we haven't seen offenses like this since today's 50-year-olds were in elementary school.

Just look at the list of very good MLB hitters with OPSes in the sub-.750 range. Christian Yelich, Corey Seager, Anthony Rendon, Nick Castellanos, Jorge Solar, Fransicso Lindor, DJ LeMahieu, Wander Franco, Cody Bellinger, (start dipping below .700 here) Jose Abreu, Charlie Blackmon, Bobby Witt, Bo Bichette, Yuli Gurriel, Justin Turner, Salvador Perez.  Jonathan Schoop is slashing .169/.217/.287.  Nelson Cruz is OPSing .584.  It's early, and it's a pitchers year like we haven't seen in more than a generation.

Plus, did anyone really think Cedric Mullins was going to be a .900+ OPS hitter for the next 5-10 years? I'll be happy if he settles in at 110-120 with good defense in center and good baserunning. Two years ago he was completely written off.

Again, it's more of an on base issue for me than a slugging issue. .309 is not an OBP that will fly with Mullins. Plenty of hitters are succeeding in this environment. And yes, a lot aren't. And it's early of course. The thread is merely me noticing where the anchors are on the offense currently. These two guys need to find a way to get on base more. If Mountcastle isn't going to slug this year, fine, but if that's the case I want to see him use the whole field and have better ABs. 

[deward]

31 minutes ago, interloper said:

Like I said, forget slugging. Forget the wall. Get on base. 

That's not who Mountcastle is. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Mountcastle for the month of May has posted an .831 OPS, but has struggled since the injury posting a .569 OPS in his last four games played.

Mountcastle is likely going to be a streaky player with the way he swings at everything. 

[Moose Milligan]

Mountcastle also might be a slow starter, too.  He was terrible to start last year.

I agree with @OsFanSinceThe80s, he swings at everything.  He's going to be a streaky guy.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

11 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Mountcastle also might be a slow starter, too.  He was terrible to start last year.

I agree with @OsFanSinceThe80s, he swings at everything.  He's going to be a streaky guy.

It's still in the small sample size realm, but Mountcastle has been bad the last two April's his OPS is .560 compared to .777 for May. 

 

 

[webbrick2010]

Ryan Mountcastle:

Strike 1 : No defensive value

Strike 2 : Lousy OBP driven by extremely low BB rate

Strike 3? : RH power hitter in Camden Yards

This is a guy who will likely bounce around from team to team for maybe a 10 year career, without distinction.

 

[OriolesMagic83]

2 hours ago, interloper said:

Like I said, forget slugging. Forget the wall. Get on base. 

The O's are batting him leadoff to get on base, not hit home runs. 

[PHRESH]

Mullins should have 8 hrs and 8 sb by now. 

[sportsfan8703]

The strength of the lineup will make everyone better. We are finally healthy. Now guys just gotta produce. 

[DrungoHazewood]

2 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Mountcastle also might be a slow starter, too.  He was terrible to start last year.

I agree with @OsFanSinceThe80s, he swings at everything.  He's going to be a streaky guy.

If he really swings at everything then why do major league pitchers ever throw him a pitch that's hittable?  I think he doesn't swing at everything, just more than some other MLB hitters. Do players with poor plate discipline really have more hot/cold streaks than others? It's repeated all the time, but I've never seen any data showing that.

Adam Jones was like Mountcastle.  He didn't walk. Today I could throw him a slider 6" off the plate and he'd swing at it. But he had a 10-year period where he basically hit .265-.285 with 25 homers every single year. Did he do that while being super streaky?