A middle of the order bat from Japan?

[Just Regular]

MLB Morosi reporting posting likely.    In planetary terms, that's probably one more ballplayer who clearly pushes Kyle Stowers away from being one of the Top 270 choices for Opening Day lineups, and 2023 first-string roles.    Even sooner than Colton Cowser or Heston Kjerstad!

Granted GM's always be arbitraging every bit they can, but until Bat Talent for Arm Talent transactions complete, $$$ for improving the '23 ballclub seems like it should have a strong Arms lean.

How many $15mm/year Field Value guys can we get?     If the answer is three, this guy might align with team needs once we buy one Arm, and trade for another.

[sportsfan8703]

1 hour ago, Just Regular said:

MLB Morosi reporting posting likely.    In planetary terms, that's probably one more ballplayer who clearly pushes Kyle Stowers away from being one of the Top 270 choices for Opening Day lineups, and 2023 first-string roles.    Even sooner than Colton Cowser or Heston Kjerstad!

Granted GM's always be arbitraging every bit they can, but until Bat Talent for Arm Talent transactions complete, $$$ for improving the '23 ballclub seems like it should have a strong Arms lean.

How many $15mm/year Field Value guys can we get?     If the answer is three, this guy might align with team needs once we buy one Arm, and trade for another.

I don’t want us to push Stowers away. For next year, I want him to be a #6/#7 matchup bat, and see what he can do. If we get the right RH slugger, we can do that. 
 

Let’s just be real, Stowers would hit 35 HR in Japan. 

[Can_of_corn]

9 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I don’t want us to push Stowers away. For next year, I want him to be a #6/#7 matchup bat, and see what he can do. If we get the right RH slugger, we can do that. 
 

Let’s just be real, Stowers would hit 35 HR in Japan. 

Let's just be real.

Two hitters managed to hit 35 HR in Japan in 2022.

[Orioles0615]

Other than Ohtani has there been a middle of the order bat to come from Japan and be successfull

[btdart20]

7 minutes ago, Orioles0615 said:

Other than Ohtani has there been a middle of the order bat to come from Japan and be successfull

I may have this backwards, but didn't Jake Elliot set the record for most consecutive games hitting a HR?  

Matsui and (to shift your question a bit toward 'top of the order') Ichiro are the only others I would consider successful.

[Roll Tide]

On 11/7/2022 at 3:02 PM, Moose Milligan said:

I'm assuming the plate discipline would translate. 

The power almost never does. 

[Can_of_corn]

36 minutes ago, Orioles0615 said:

Other than Ohtani has there been a middle of the order bat to come from Japan and be successfull

Fielder.

[Spy Fox]

1 hour ago, Orioles0615 said:

Other than Ohtani has there been a middle of the order bat to come from Japan and be successfull

Matsui.

He was a bit better in Japan by raw stats than Yoshida has been (.996 career OPS there to Yoshida's .957).

He came to MLB at the same age Yoshida is now and posted an .822 OPS over 10 seasons, the best being his second year over-- .912 OPS with 31 HRs. 

[DrungoHazewood]

15 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Let's just be real.

Two hitters managed to hit 35 HR in Japan in 2022.

Renato Nunez hit .217/.269/.392 in Japan this past season after hitting .253/.319/.464 with the Orioles.

Dayan Vicideo has played almost 500 MLB games averaging .254/.298/.424 with 22 homers per 600 PAs. In Japan he's hit .293/.358./475 with 22 homers per 600 PAs.

Domingo Santana hit 30 homers for the Brewers in 2017 and has 34 homers in 176 games for the Yakult Swallows.

Gregory Polanco's MLB high in homers is 23, his NBP high is 24.

Could Stowers hit 35 homers in Japan?  Sure, it's possible.  But he could hit 35 homers in the majors, too.

Edited November 9, 2022 by DrungoHazewood

[DrungoHazewood]

Also, when doing these comparisons you need to pay attention to parks and run context.  Last season the Japanese Central League had a .678 OPS, the Pacific League a .668.  Together they averaged just over 3.5 runs/game.  That's 20% fewer runs than in MLB. It's not unreasonable to think that the scarcity of runs is enough to overcome the difference in quality of play.

And that's before park effects.  The Seibu Lions scored/allowed about 3.15 runs/game.  The 1968 AL scored more than that.

[Sports Guy]

On 11/7/2022 at 3:29 PM, DrungoHazewood said:

He's not going to walk 80 times and strike out 40 in the majors.  But he might be close to even?  Like 60/60 in a full season?

This guy's NPB line is exactly what I want to see out of at least some stars in the majors.  .330 with 30 doubles, 20 homers, 70 walks, 35 strikeouts.  That's basically peak George Brett, and that guy has been extinct for many years.  Jose Altuve is probably closest today and he's more like .310 with 20 homers, 50 walks, 85 strikeouts.  Yoshida isn't going to do that, but maybe .290, 15 homers, 60 walks, 60 Ks? Is that too much to ask?

Sounds like what you hope Cowser becomes.  
 

He certainly sounds intriguing. Low K, high average/OBP bat to the ball guys are very interesting to me.

Maybe a Kwan type guy but more power?  

Edited November 9, 2022 by Sports Guy

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Sounds like what you hope Cowser becomes.  
 

He certainly sounds intriguing. Low K, high average/OBP bat to the ball guys are very interesting to me.

Maybe a Kwan type guy but more power?  

Hopefully Kwan with more power and less of the Guardians' incessant social media push for Kwan to be inducted into the Hall of Fame tomorrow.

[OriolesMagic83]

15 hours ago, Spy Fox said:

Matsui.

He was a bit better in Japan by raw stats than Yoshida has been (.996 career OPS there to Yoshida's .957).

He came to MLB at the same age Yoshida is now and posted an .822 OPS over 10 seasons, the best being his second year over-- .912 OPS with 31 HRs. 

Matsui w/ less power and more average, sign me up.

[jamalshw]

We should certainly kick the tires, but that doesn't mean we should be all-in. I find him interesting and would be interested in the right price (including posting fee). To me, we need one more bat and Yoshida is a fine option, but there are other options out there. 

[Jim'sKid26]

Mariners Won't Extend Qualifying Offer To Mitch Haniger - MLB Trade Rumors

Well the Mariners are not assigning a QO to Mitch Haniger. Can he stay healthy just DHing and playing an occasional RF at OPACY?

Fangraphs has him projected for 2023 to hit 26 HRs with 26 2Bs, .250/.322/.448 in 141 games. 

He'll be 32 yo all of 2023.  Ben Clemens has him getting 3 years at AAV= $8M. Sounds like the neighborhood the O's like to shop in. 

He did hit 39 Hrs in 2021....

Oh, and SG, he's a right handed hitter.......

Edited November 9, 2022 by Jim'sKid26
Dig at SG