Hays and Mountcastle are the Problem

[baltfan]

This team needs them to hit like middle of the order bats.  They haven’t for months except Mountcastle against the Blue Jays.  

Hays in July and August  -  566, 467 OPS

Mountcastle in July and August - 541, 661 OPS

Kinda interesting that the best argument for calling up Henderson et al might be Hays and Mountcastle’s struggles. 

[Jagwar]

They're going though slumps. It happens. 

[baltfan]

Just now, Jagwar said:

They're going though slumps. It happens. 

They have underperformed on the season badly.  Hays is hurt but he always seems to be hurt. Not sure what is up with Mountcastle 

[Jagwar]

This isn't a team that is built to absorb big slumps. Not when you have a lineup that at best barely exceeds a .700 OPS, slumps seem more pronounced.  

None of this should be a surprise to us. 

[Sports Guy]

No, the problem is relying on several hitters that are extremely flawed.  

This isn’t a good offense.  It’s not well built.  
 

The good news is that the offensive talent that is coming is way better than what we have.  The bad news is that they still need to add more talent imo.

It’s not as big a need as pitching is but it shouldn’t be ignored.

 

[waroriole]

2 minutes ago, Jagwar said:

This isn't a team that is built to absorb big slumps. Not when you have a lineup that at best barely exceeds a .700 OPS, slumps seem more pronounced.  

None of this should be a surprise to us. 

Mountcastle’s regression is surprising to me. I thought he’d hit for enough power to be above an .800 OPS. 

[Bahama O's Fan]

They are a problem but the problem is the bottom of the lineup can't pick them up when they are slumping

[Jagwar]

2 minutes ago, waroriole said:

Mountcastle’s regression is surprising to me. I thought he’d hit for enough power to be above an .800 OPS. 

Agreed. I don't really view him as a nugget any longer. I'd be interested in the O's acquiring a 1B in the offseason. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

No, the problem is relying on several hitters that are extremely flawed.  

This isn’t a good offense.  It’s not well built.  
 

The good news is that the offensive talent that is coming is way better than what we have.  The bad news is that they still need to add more talent imo.

It’s not as big a need as pitching is but it shouldn’t be ignored.

 

While I had hoped Mountcastle and Hays would be playing better, I’m not surprised by their struggles. Hitters who widen the strike zone by swinging at every pitch are vulnerable to slumps. 

[waroriole]

3 minutes ago, Jagwar said:

Agreed. I don't really view him as a nugget any longer. I'd be interested in the O's acquiring a 1B in the offseason. 

Yeah with the huge LF, a RH power bat isn’t a good fit for this team. You need special power, and Mountcastle doesn’t have it. He also doesn’t have the plate discipline to get himself into a good enough count to use the power he does have. 

[Aristotelian]

Hays is replaceable. Mountcastle is a bigger issue because we don't have an obvious successor in the pipeline. Both still have >100 OPS+ so they aren't terrible but it seems they are both disappearing at the same time when we need them to step up. 

[Orioles0615]

18 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

No, the problem is relying on several hitters that are extremely flawed.  

This isn’t a good offense.  It’s not well built.  
 

The good news is that the offensive talent that is coming is way better than what we have.  The bad news is that they still need to add more talent imo.

It’s not as big a need as pitching is but it shouldn’t be ignored.

 

 

talent that is coming

so is Christmas..

Edited August 19, 2022 by Orioles0615

[Jagwar]

7 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Hays is replaceable. Mountcastle is a bigger issue because we don't have an obvious successor in the pipeline. Both still have >100 OPS+ so they aren't terrible but it seems they are both disappearing at the same time when we need them to step up. 

What left handed power hitting 1B might be available in the offseason?

[Can_of_corn]

Pretty clearly the only flaw in the roster is the cost controlled first baseman putting up a 104 OPS+.

If it wasn't for him they'd be leading the division by 10 games.

No wonder Grayson and Gunnar never got the call with the only position that could be improved upon is first base.

[Jagwar]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Pretty clearly the only flaw in the roster is the cost controlled first baseman putting up a 104 OPS+.

If it wasn't for him they'd be leading the division by 10 games.

No wonder Grayson and Gunnar never got the call with the only position that could be improved upon is first base.

He isn't the glaring hole(s) in the roster. But I think we believed we were going to get more production out of him. The issue with Mountcastle was which position would he play where he would do the least amount of damage in the field.