Someone help me understand the pickup of Jesus Aguilar

[LookinUp]

1 hour ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

I'm guess confidence in their staff to "coach em up". 

 

4 minutes ago, baltfan said:

I suspect they were worried about Mountcastle and saw something in Aguilar's swing that they were hoping they could tweak. 

I third this theory. I think they saw a previously decent hitter and think they can tap into that during the stretch run. I don't like it, but it's my best guess.

[btdart20]

1 hour 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?

 

 

 

Just like Aguilar, I got nothing…. I said as much in the Aguilar signing thread.  Experienced 1B back-up over Nevin was the best “reason” others gave.  But that’s not good enough.

[btdart20]

40 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

It must be Buck and Brady's fault.

For having a flawed 1B and a gaping hole in the system?  Maybe to some degree…

[maybenxtyr]

29 minutes ago, Oriole1940 said:

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.  

I think stuff like this is an old narrative. There's no proof, but I would guess that had anyone on the planet seen a turnaround like this coming, management would have possibly done more in the past off season.

 

I'm guessing that they took a chance on a guy with some power but not much else. This team has it's nights, but they've also seemingly struggled on a lot of nights to get 3+ runs. At this point he really shouldn't be playing over any of the normal starting 9.

[interloper]

To have another RH PH option other than Ryan McKenna. 

[LA2]

12 minutes ago, btdart20 said:

For having a flawed 1B and a gaping hole in the system?  Maybe to some degree…

Wow, how many smiley-faces did Redskins Rick have to put in there for people to see he was being facetious? Even got down-voted by someone else!

[btdart20]

6 minutes ago, LA2 said:

Wow, how many smiley-faces did Redskins Rick have to put in there for people to see he was being facetious? Even got down-voted by someone else!

My bad if that’s the case.  

[Redskins Rick]

21 minutes ago, btdart20 said:

For having a flawed 1B and a gaping hole in the system?  Maybe to some degree…

just my sarcasm and it failed lol

 

[Redskins Rick]

7 minutes ago, LA2 said:

Wow, how many smiley-faces did Redskins Rick have to put in there for people to see he was being facetious? Even got down-voted by someone else!

Yes, thats the case, was trying to be funny.

I guess I need to leave the funny stuff to the comedians.

 

[Bahama O's Fan]

1 hour ago, spleen1015 said:

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.

Well, we heard that Santander took some fielding practice at 1B and then we never heard about it again. I'm assuming it didn't go well. We sometimes underestimate how many balls Mountcastle scoops out of the dirt. 

[btdart20]

Just now, Redskins Rick said:

just my sarcasm and it failed lol

 

It’s on me… Sadly I kinda expected it in reality.

[SilverRocket]

10 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Well, we heard that Santander took some fielding practice at 1B and then we never heard about it again. I'm assuming it didn't go well. We sometimes underestimate how many balls Mountcastle scoops out of the dirt. 

Yeah I think it's simply they have nobody else to back up 1B (the experiments for some players trying 1B went poorly), and they think Aguilar's at least better than Nevin.

[Tony-OH]

21 minutes ago, SilverRocket said:

Yeah I think it's simply they have nobody else to back up 1B (the experiments for some players trying 1B went poorly), and they think Aguilar's at least better than Nevin.

Yet Henderson had played a few games there in the last few weeks in AAA and bats left-handed, so he seems like a backup for Mountcastle. 

[LA2]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

Yet Henderson had played a few games there in the last few weeks in AAA and bats left-handed, so he seems like a backup for Mountcastle. 

I'd rather have an experienced first baseman at first, even as "just" a back-up. Just like I wish Henderson hadn't blown two crucial double plays at his other new position (second base) yesterday. But it may have become  a moot issue more quickly than Elias expected since Mountcastle seems to have regained his mojo and is playing superb defense.

Edited September 6, 2022 by LA2

[spleen1015]

1 hour ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Well, we heard that Santander took some fielding practice at 1B and then we never heard about it again. I'm assuming it didn't go well. We sometimes underestimate how many balls Mountcastle scoops out of the dirt. 

You have a really good point there. Mountcatle has made some good plays on the scoop and they barely get mentioned.

Mateo's play yesterday when he dove and throw the ball that bounced 19 times before it got to first was a great play by Mountcastle.

I think it is because people expect 1B to make those plays. I know I do.