Someone help me understand the pickup of Jesus Aguilar

[Tony-OH]

First I totally understand keeping Chirinos and Odor on the roster since they've been with the team all year despite both being below replacement level players. Odor at least provides the ability to turn a DP consistently, but Chirinos has been pretty terrible as back up catcher.

The reason I bring them up is they make some sense, but somebody needs to help me understand why Elias signed Jesus Aguilar on this team and has given him starts against right-handers?

I mean, this is a team that kept a Tyler Nevin, a singles hitting, right-handed below average defensive 3B/1B as a backup for a long time, but honestly, why Aguilar?

Aguilar was released by the Marlins after putting up a .236/.286/.388/.674 for a -0.7 WAR. He brings zero defensive value and if you think he's a lefty masher, well his .208/.274/.333/.607 against them this year tells a different story.

But let's look at the team construct. Who are the hitters that most likely would be PH for late in games? 

Mateo (RHB), Odor (LHB), Vavra (LHB), Hays (RHB -we've already seen it), Chirinos (RHB), McKenna (RHB)

That's four RHB and two LHB. Wouldn't make more sense to add a left-handed hitter to PH or to spell Mountcastle at 1B? 

Now DJ Stewart would have made more sense now that he's been playing 1B, but he got hurt and hasn't played since August 20th. We'll assume that the Orioles don't want to add Westburg to the 40-man when he doesn't have to be until next offseason (though he should be up next year) so that's why he was out.

Honestly, Brett Phillips might have made more sense for the bench because he can at least play great defense and run. Other than that, AAA is filled with a wasteland of AAA guys who really can't help offensively down the stretch.

Either way, I just don't see how adding a one dimensional players who hasn't been good even in the power department this year adds much to this team, and he certainly should not be starting over Stowers and the now doghoused Vavra against right-handers. 

What am I missing? Is it his playoff experience (15 games of WV, DS slashing .207/.258/.431/.689)?

Why is Aguilar here and more importantly, why is he starting against right-handers?

 

 

 

[Sports Guy]

No idea why he starts vs righties.

Only thing I’ve got is that he has fared reasonably well in the past Vs lefties.

[CharmCityHokie]

Is Brett Cumberland healthy? I know he can't hit, but at least we could send him in a PH situation to get hit, as he's really good at that. Plus he's a switchhitter so he can get plunked from both sides of the plate, a switch hit-by-pitch-er. And he's played a little bit of 1B in the minors as a bonus!

[Roy Firestone]

26 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

First I totally understand keeping Chirinos and Odor on the roster since they've been with the team all year despite both being below replacement level players. Odor at least provides the ability to turn a DP consistently, but Chirinos has been pretty terrible as back up catcher.

The reason I bring them up is they make some sense, but somebody needs to help me understand why Elias signed Jesus Aguilar on this team and has given him starts against right-handers?

I mean, this is a team that kept a Tyler Nevin, a singles hitting, right-handed below average defensive 3B/1B as a backup for a long time, but honestly, why Aguilar?

Aguilar was released by the Marlins after putting up a .236/.286/.388/.674 for a -0.7 WAR. He brings zero defensive value and if you think he's a lefty masher, well his .208/.274/.333/.607 against them this year tells a different story.

But let's look at the team construct. Who are the hitters that most likely would be PH for late in games? 

Mateo (RHB), Odor (LHB), Vavra (LHB), Hays (RHB -we've already seen it), Chirinos (RHB), McKenna (RHB)

That's four RHB and two LHB. Wouldn't make more sense to add a left-handed hitter to PH or to spell Mountcastle at 1B? 

Now DJ Stewart would have made more sense now that he's been playing 1B, but he got hurt and hasn't played since August 20th. We'll assume that the Orioles don't want to add Westburg to the 40-man when he doesn't have to be until next offseason (though he should be up next year) so that's why he was out.

Honestly, Brett Phillips might have made more sense for the bench because he can at least play great defense and run. Other than that, AAA is filled with a wasteland of AAA guys who really can't help offensively down the stretch.

Either way, I just don't see how adding a one dimensional players who hasn't been good even in the power department this year adds much to this team, and he certainly should not be starting over Stowers and the now doghoused Vavra against right-handers. 

What am I missing? Is it his playoff experience (15 games of WV, DS slashing .207/.258/.431/.689)?

Why is Aguilar here and more importantly, why is he starting against right-handers?

 

 

 

Thank You 

 

26 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

First I totally understand keeping Chirinos and Odor on the roster since they've been with the team all year despite both being below replacement level players. Odor at least provides the ability to turn a DP consistently, but Chirinos has been pretty terrible as back up catcher.

The reason I bring them up is they make some sense, but somebody needs to help me understand why Elias signed Jesus Aguilar on this team and has given him starts against right-handers?

I mean, this is a team that kept a Tyler Nevin, a singles hitting, right-handed below average defensive 3B/1B as a backup for a long time, but honestly, why Aguilar?

Aguilar was released by the Marlins after putting up a .236/.286/.388/.674 for a -0.7 WAR. He brings zero defensive value and if you think he's a lefty masher, well his .208/.274/.333/.607 against them this year tells a different story.

But let's look at the team construct. Who are the hitters that most likely would be PH for late in games? 

Mateo (RHB), Odor (LHB), Vavra (LHB), Hays (RHB -we've already seen it), Chirinos (RHB), McKenna (RHB)

That's four RHB and two LHB. Wouldn't make more sense to add a left-handed hitter to PH or to spell Mountcastle at 1B? 

Now DJ Stewart would have made more sense now that he's been playing 1B, but he got hurt and hasn't played since August 20th. We'll assume that the Orioles don't want to add Westburg to the 40-man when he doesn't have to be until next offseason (though he should be up next year) so that's why he was out.

Honestly, Brett Phillips might have made more sense for the bench because he can at least play great defense and run. Other than that, AAA is filled with a wasteland of AAA guys who really can't help offensively down the stretch.

Either way, I just don't see how adding a one dimensional players who hasn't been good even in the power department this year adds much to this team, and he certainly should not be starting over Stowers and the now doghoused Vavra against right-handers. 

What am I missing? Is it his playoff experience (15 games of WV, DS slashing .207/.258/.431/.689)?

Why is Aguilar here and more importantly, why is he starting against right-handers?

 

26 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

 

Thank you, Tony! It baffles me too....

[eddie83]

We can’t hit LHP. He started the one night in Cleveland I assume just to give him reps before he started Friday and yesterday because of reverse splits with Gausman. 

[Bahama O's Fan]

I think the management does not see a suitable backup 1B on the roster. Mountcastle was scuffling and needed a break (or maybe so they thought). It was either use Nevin, which they know what he is, or pick up this guy and hope he can be another waiver claim success like Voth, Mateo and others. I'm guess confidence in their staff to "coach em up". It doesn't mean I like it, just like trying to understand the Phillips trade.

[Aristotelian]

This one is a bit of a head scratcher for sure. Best I got is most of our bench bats are LH (Vavra, Stowers, plus Odor when he doesn't start). With the additional roster spots Elias wanted a lefty masher and apparently thinks Aguilar is the best available.

Hyde seems to go more by pitcher splits than batter splits, so he will stack the lineup vs RHP with reverse splits almost the same as vs a LHP. A lot of the RHP's we have faced lately have had reverse splits. 

[deward]

I can only assume Elias hoped he would provide some support against LHP and give them someone to spell Mountcastle as needed. I'm at a loss as to why he would ever start against a RHP. Why is Stowers even up here if they're hardly going to play him? It's oddly inconsistent to trade Mancini and Lopez because you don't consider this team to be a real contender, then call up prospects and not play them.

This is the first year of Elias' tenure that he's had to make decisions on the major league roster that mattered, and I can't say that I've been impressed with the last couple of months. Between the bizarre handling of Hall, leaving Nevin on the roster for as long as he did, the weird Aguilar and Phillips acquisitions, allowing Stowers and Vavra to get buried on the bench....he's going to have to get better at this. 

[Redskins Rick]

It must be Buck and Brady's fault.

[spleen1015]

Regarding giving Mountcastle a break, I'm sure Santander is good enough at 1B to give him a 1 game break every few weeks.

I dunno Tony. I had the same thought as soon as Aguilar was in the starting lineup. The dude has no business in our lineup. Hopefully Hyde/Elias wisen up and demote him like they did Phillips. I think it's just wishful thinking that he could be what he was with the Brewers. Maybe the O's coaches could make him the next Matt Chapman.

It's beyond dumb, IMO.

[Oriole1940]

The answer is simple.  It makes the casual fan believe that management  is working hard trying to put a winning product on the field.  It is fake like more and more things every day.  

[webbrick2010]

the Phillips and Aguilar signings are both troubling. Do they really think they can coach up negative WAR players ??

[Just Regular]

Veteranosity.    Better than Tyler Nevin.    Is a genuine 1B.

Elias was in the booth for half an inning sometime over the weekend and also mentioned Mountcastle fatigue as a factor.     I grew up on Eddie and Cal so don't easily get this notion of starting players needing days off so often, but I'm sure the Decision Science of rest has some data behind it.

[baltfan]

I suspect they were worried about Mountcastle and saw something in Aguilar's swing that they were hoping they could tweak.  It's a cheap pickup, with very little risk.  I agree that I don't understand him starting against a righty.

[Frobby]

I think it was a little bit of a panic move because Mountcastle had been struggling for two months.   Fortunately, Mountcaste seems to have found his stroke in the last week (.273/.222/.727 in 6 September games).