Prepare yourselves for Hosmer

[sportsfan8703]

5 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

I think he is a "jerk" because he hasn't lived up to his contract.  

Maybe he will benefit from the shift ban.  

The Shift ban is why I want a LH option for the remaining bench spot. 
 

Vs RHP

Mullins CF L

AR C S

Gunnar 3B L

Santander RF S

Mountcastle 1B R

Stowers LF L

Hosmer DH L

Frazier 2B L

Mateo SS R

Hays, McCann, Urias, McKenna

Our offense struggled a little bit last year. That looks like a much improved lineup. Mateo can be moved out for Urias as well, with Gunnar playing SS. 

[Jammer7]

29 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I read it, kind of fast.   Did I miss something?   I don't think it says one thing about Hosmer being a jerk or bad teammate.

No, it doesn’t say things in a negative spin. You kind of have to read between the lines a bit. I could not find an article better than this, unfortunately.

It talks about being resistant to swing change to remedy his extreme ground ball tendencies. Underperforming on a big contract and always seeming like he doesn’t care if he struggles. It also talks about his veteran leadership.

The Padres traded him and played better baseball. The defense has become awful, and to me, that is all about effort.

I have been told things privately about him. Opinions of people in and around the game that indicate he does not care about winning, is not a worker. A huge ego who cares about getting paid. Take it for what that’s worth. I have zero first hand knowledge on him. 

[Jammer7]

26 minutes ago, owknows said:

It says he dresses nicely but conservatively, pals around with guys in the dugout and clubhouse, and smiles a lot. Even when he's slumping and the fans are hating on him.

That monster!

The media today doesn’t write many articles where they call a player out. You have to read between the lines. See my reply to RZNJ.

[Moose Milligan]

4 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

 

The Padres traded him and played better baseball. The defense has become awful, and to me, that is all about effort.

I have been told things privately about him. Opinions of people in and around the game that indicate he does not care about winning, is not a worker. A huge ego who cares about getting paid. Take it for what that’s worth. I have zero first hand knowledge on him. 

I'll disagree that defense is all about effort.  He's not on the upside of his career anymore as he's 33 years old.  You can still be a good defender at age 33 but I'm assuming his age is playing a part in his decline.

He also has a very punchable face.  

[Jammer7]

I see many posters are building a case and talking themselves into signing the worst offensive 1B in the league the past 4-5 years. And he has become a shadow of his former self, defensively. Chris Davis says, “Hello.”

Hosmer and Hyde are going to get along great.

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, Jammer7 said:

I see many posters are building a case and talking themselves into signing the worst offensive 1B in the league the past 4-5 years. And he has become a shadow of his former self, defensively. Chris Davis says, “Hello.”

Hosmer and Hyde are going to get along great.

I think there's a difference between asking for some kind of proof that he's a jerk and a bad teammate and trying to talk one's self into him being a good signing.   I don't want him.   I just wondered where the other stuff was coming from. 

[Jammer7]

Just now, Moose Milligan said:

I'll disagree that defense is all about effort.  He's not on the upside of his career anymore as he's 33 years old.  You can still be a good defender at age 33 but I'm assuming his age is playing a part in his decline.

He also has a very punchable face.  

It is about effort when you don’t dig balls out of the dirt. He’s 33, not 53. His preparation and work ethic have come into question a lot in recent years. I watched some videos on him a few days ago, and just some dreadful misplays. Bad foot work, lazy positioning. 

[Jammer7]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

I think there's a difference between asking for some kind of proof that he's a jerk and a bad teammate and trying to talk one's self into him being a good signing.   I don't want him.   I just wondered where the other stuff was coming from. 

I wasn’t talking about you, RZ. I know where you stand. 

[Number5]

20 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

I didn’t either.  Been searching around and haven’t found anything yet.  
 

I get he played for the 2014 Royals and 8 years later that still stings.  But by all accounts he seems to be a pretty driven, focused, and determined guy.  

He played well in the 2014 ALCS against us.  That isn't the issue.  After the Royals got up 3 games to none, the media was talking about how the Orioles were missing Machado and Davis.  Hosmer made some comments that went beyond saying how good the Royals had been playing really good not only in this series, but leading up to it, which would have been understandable.  He went way beyond that to making disrespectful comment about the Orioles.  Something to the effect of the Orioles have no business even being on the same field with them.  Disrespect.  I'm glad he was nice to your son, but I'll never like the guy.

[Just Regular]

You can google around if interested, but the precise Hosmer story I know best involves Eno Sarris from Fangraphs.

Early in his media career, he asked him a question in too technical or nerdy of a style, and the flavor I get from Eno's tellings of it was somewhat in Revenge of the Nerds-land.      Since, I've heard Eno say in podcast and writing that he's grown his journalistic chops to better frame questions for ballplayers, and the unpleasant episode was growth for him too.

These days Fangraphs David Laurila hops on Zoom with A-ball Coby Mayo and basically hits a teenager with "don't you need to change your power swing big fella because you miss too much, dang", and some of the last 10 years of Elias-Sig type people permeating the game I think is guys like Mayo having a more graceful reaction.

I think Hosmer's probably sounder with his fellow ballplayers, but it'd be tough on Mountcastle.    I don't believe Eric Hosmer thinks Ryan Mountcastle is better than him.    Ryan Mountcastle maybe being a slower adopter of analytics than Mike Elias, I don't know if Ryan Mountcastle would think he is better than him.     Hosmer has a ring and kept Paul Goldschmidt on the bench in the WBC.

I'd even agree $$$/WAR a Club getting Hosmer for the MLB minimum probably does better than the 2022 Orioles did with Rougned Odor, and maybe that's all that matters.     I guess the baseball circle of life has brought Hosmer back around to where Mountcastle is...for 2023 for the MLB minimum, who would you rather play?     Mountcastle does have the Arb years available to the Club unlike Hosmer.

The mentions here that Brandon Belt's body is broken are new to me - if he's upright I like him better for this Club, but if he's not then unless you really like Dominic Smith, Hosmer may be the best talent for the role before trades.

[jrobb21613]

I’d like to see Stowers get some time at 1st this spring to see how he does there. I believe we can get better production or just as good out of him then what we can Hosmer.

After his performance in the AFL. I would not be surprised if we Kjherstad up by June. That‘ll give us another left handed bat. 
 

I’ll pass on Hosmer. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Just now, jrobb21613 said:

I’d like to see Stowers get some time at 1st this spring to see how he does there. I believe we can get better production or just as good out of him then what we can Hosmer.

After his performance in the AFL. I would not be surprised if we Kjherstad up by June. That‘ll give us another left handed bat. 
 

I’ll pass on Hosmer. 

If the Orioles want to bring in a veteran player then target a better player instead of one past his prime.  Let deserving younger players get experience and if the O’s really want to make a playoff push then land a better bat than Hosmer. 

[eddie83]

20 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

I see many posters are building a case and talking themselves into signing the worst offensive 1B in the league the past 4-5 years. And he has become a shadow of his former self, defensively. Chris Davis says, “Hello.”

Hosmer and Hyde are going to get along great.

Why would you compare someone who signed the biggest deal in franchise history to someone who would be a backup making the minimum? 
 

If Hosmer displays any of the traits you describe he is released and they move on. This is a bench/depth move if it happens. Nothing more. 

[eddie83]

7 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

If the Orioles want to bring in a veteran player then target a better player instead of one past his prime.  Let deserving younger players get experience and if the O’s really want to make a playoff push then land a better bat than Hosmer. 

It’s a backup role. One that has no risk.  

[waroriole]

5 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

It’s a backup role. One that has no risk.  

I think most people don’t trust Hyder to sit the veteran who sucks, like with Odor last year. My concern is he’ll cost Stowers ABs.