Vavra and Stowers 2023

[Bahama O's Fan]

Any defensive ratings from the minors?

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

Interested to see why you think he has the speed to cover LF in Camden.    His speed has been rated average by MLB Pipeline.   I think it takes more than average speed to cover LF at Camden.   Interested in your take.

Pleaee tell me you are still not getting grades for players off mlb pipeline when baseball savant exists?

[wildcard]

26 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Pleaee tell me you are still not getting grades for players off mlb pipeline when baseball savant exists?

Does Baseball Savant give rating of minor leaguers?   I didn't know they did.

Vavra has not played enough in the majors to have meaningful fielding stats.  

[Tony-OH]

3 hours ago, wildcard said:

Does Baseball Savant give rating of minor leaguers?   I didn't know they did.

Vavra has not played enough in the majors to have meaningful fielding stats.  

Statcast will tell you how fast a player is already. That's not going to significantly change.

[Frobby]

11 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Statcast will tell you how fast a player is already. That's not going to significantly change.

I suspect it couid be off by .1 or .2 with the small number of speed bursts they probably have for Vavra, but that’s about it.  

[OriolesMagic83]

When Vavra was being interviewed after the game, one of the Orioles (offscreen) asked him "Did you hit the ball over the fence?"  Vavra:  Yeah, the real fence.  lmao

[Three Run Homer]

Both Stowers and Vavra have skills and potential but both have a major challenge to overcome before they can become quality regulars.  

Vavra needs more power.  His strike zone judgment is outstanding, but if you only have warning track power, pitchers are going to pound the strike zone with hard stuff.  I'd like to see if Vavra can bulk up a little over the offseason.   I don't think he'll ever hit 20 HR in a season but if he can hit 10 HR and 30 2B a season, that's enough to keep pitchers honest and give Vavra a better chance to draw walks and work the count in his favor.  

Stowers needs to work on hitting the curveball.  

 

[Bahama O's Fan]

Since the season is over, prediction time. Where will Vavra and Stowers begin 2023? Orioles? Tides? On another team (maybe a trade)?

[Aristotelian]

I really like the versatility that Vavra brings. I think he will be a keeper and find a role. 

Stowers is going to have to hit because he is pretty bad defensively. Maybe he can be stashed in left but I'd rather he be DH only. Maybe there is a chance he could be converted to 1B, but he would probably be worse than Mountcastle defensively and would not be a lock to be better offensively. He should spend every day of the offseason chasing fly balls. 

[RZNJ]

13 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I really like the versatility that Vavra brings. I think he will be a keeper and find a role. 

Stowers is going to have to hit because he is pretty bad defensively. Maybe he can be stashed in left but I'd rather he be DH only. Maybe there is a chance he could be converted to 1B, but he would probably be worse than Mountcastle defensively and would not be a lock to be better offensively. He should spend every day of the offseason chasing fly balls. 

Do you mean stashed in RF?   That is now the tougher spot and why Hays plays there at home.

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

Do you mean stashed in RF?   That is now the tougher spot and why Hays plays there at home.

They seem to like Santander in RF, probably because of his arm. So far it looks like Stowers has played *slightly* more games in LF but yeah, could go either way, just not CF! 

[Jagwar]

I think the O's acquire an outfielder and Stowers heads to Norfolk. 

I think Vavra competes with Urias for the utility job. 

[forphase1]

1 hour ago, Jagwar said:

I think the O's acquire an outfielder and Stowers heads to Norfolk. 

I think Vavra competes with Urias for the utility job. 

I'd be very surprised if they acquire an outfielder unless one of Mullins, Santandar or Hays are traded.  With Stowers and McKenna already in the MLB and Cowser knocking down the door, I think getting an outfielder is very low on the priority list for Elias.  

I think next year Stowers will be given a shot at first base, and he will be a 1st/OF player.  I would hope the stupid platoon thing that was done to him this year stops as his splits are fairly even historically.  With Mountcastle and Hays slumping often we need someone with a decent bat who can fill in both positions, and Stowers could fill such a role and get some significant playing time as such.  Vavra is a bit more complicated.  We have a need for a good 2nd baseman, but I'm not sure Vavra is the answer there.  Urias and Mateo look to finish out the ss/3rd positions, and then of course there is Westburg waiting in the wings.  With Odor gone I think Vavra gets more playing time at 2nd and around the infield in general.  But I could also see 2nd base being a place where we bring in another vet, but one better with the bat than Odor.  

 

[Tony-OH]

On 9/24/2022 at 4:52 PM, Frobby said:

Sprint speeds for 2022:

Hays 27.8

Vavra 27.3

Stowers 26.9

Santander 26.4

 

Why go off actual data from statcast through baseball savant when you can just assume MLB Pipeline scouting grades are correct all the time?

[Moose Milligan]

I don't care if Vavra doesn't have any power.  He's arguably the 2nd best guy on the roster behind Rutschman as far as a plate approach goes.  He's not swinging all over the place.  12 walks, 19 strikeouts.  And that might get better.  His on base percentage in his 103 plate appearances in Baltimore was .340.

If he can maintain that OBP clip and play adequate defense at 2 or 3 positions we've got a guy who doesn't totally hurt us when he's in the lineup and make sense as a leadoff hitter on the days where Mullins gets a spell. 

I don't care if he doesn't hit a homer for all of 2023, as long as he's not a total liability with the bat, can work a count and play solid defense that's very valuable.