Adley Rutschman - The 2023 Plan

[wildcard]

We have a month before the ST.  Let's lay out a plan for how the O's players will be used.  Our best guess.

Adley number of games played:  150   

110-120 catching;   30 DH

Vs righties Adley catches;   Vs lefties he is the DH;  Mostly because McCann hits lefties.   Day games after night games may be an exceptions.

Projected Stats are based on his 2nd half after he settled into the majors.

AB: 552,  R: 105, H: 153,  2B: 46,  HR: 18, RBI: 61   275/399/462/861

2022 vs righties: 889 OPS;   2022 vs lefties:  552 OPS

2021 at AAA vs righties: 915 OPS;   2021 AAA vs lefties:  871 OPS

Adley biggest offensive weakness in 2022 was his hitting vs lefties.   But he has shown the potential in the minors to hit lefties.   So the plan should be to give him 2 months to prove he can hit lefties and than re-evaluate  on June 1st  if that is working.

Injuries will change the plan.   

Adley hit 2nd in the order most of last year and his runs vs RBI reflect that.   Hyde may want to move him down to 3rd in the order at some point to increase Adley's RBI.

What do you think?

Edited January 22, 2023 by wildcard

[Moose Milligan]

I stopped reading when I did your math and realized you think Adley’s gonna play in all 162. 
 

I know you’re all excited about the season but c’mon. 

[Can_of_corn]

I think asking a catcher to play 162 is ridiculous even with time at DH.  156-158 will be plenty.

I think it is laughable to give him two months to "prove" he can hit lefties.  How many at bats against lefties is he going to get in two months?  Not enough to "prove" anything.

Second is a more important lineup spot than third.  Keep him at second.  

[Sports Guy]

Seriously..162 games?

Catch him 115ish games.  DH/1st another 30-35.

Of the rest. (Perhaps he gets a pinch hitting appearance here and there to raise the games played total but that doesn’t really count)

Edited January 21, 2023 by Sports Guy

[wildcard]

You guys seem to be choking on the 162 games.  The O's play on average 27 games a month.   This is catching 20 games and DHing 7 per month.   That should be plenty of rest for a 25 year old.

I will not argue about whether is catches 115 or 120 games.  Its not worth the key strokes.

He is the O's best offensive weapon.  They will want him in there as much as possible.  Saying he should play 158 game vs 162 doesn't seem like much of an argument.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, wildcard said:

You guys seem to be choking on the 162 games.  The O's play on average 27 games a month.   This is catching 20 games and DHing 7 per month.   That should be plenty of rest for a 25 year old.

I will not argue about whether is catches 115 or 120 games.  Its not worth the key strokes.

He is the O's best offensive weapon.  They will want him in there as much as possible.  Saying he should play 158 game vs 162 doesn't seem like much of an argument.

That isn't choking you hear, it's guffaws. 

My 158 was including pinch hitting although I can see why SG wouldn't.

Go check the games played for Mauer back when he caught.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Can_of_corn

[wildcard]

4 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

That isn't choking you hear, it's guffaws. 

My 158 was including pinch hitting although I can see why SG wouldn't.

6 games off.  One a month?  Really.   The O's are trying to make the playoffs.

Edited January 21, 2023 by wildcard

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, wildcard said:

6 games off.  One a month?  Really.   The O's are trying to make the playoffs.

Are they?

I think they are open to the possibility of making the playoffs.  This offseason has been that of a team "going for it".

And yes, look around and find an example of a modern day catcher playing 162, are you actually expecting him to play every day game after night game and both ends of every one of the eventual double headers?

Edited January 21, 2023 by Can_of_corn

[wildcard]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Are they?

I think they are open to the possibility of making the playoffs.  This offseason has been that of a team "going for it".

And yes, look around and find an example of a modern day catcher playing 162.

Look around and find a 25 year old catcher that can hit like Adley in a league that has the DH.  Posey didn't have the DH.

I don't question that the O's are planning for a playoff run.   You can if you want.  But I am making a plan to win 92 games.  So Adley is hitting if not injured.

[Aristotelian]

In 2021, Salvador Perez started 160 games, 120 at C, at age 31. He's probably the exception that proves the rule though.

Question for me is do you want more games at C with a true DH, or more games at DH with the goal of getting closer to 162. Since we have so many DH options also looking for ABs I'd be inclined to give him 8-10 off days but have him catch a bit more.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, wildcard said:

Look around and find a 25 year old catcher that can hit like Adley in a league that has the DH.  Posey didn't have the DH.

I don't question that the O's are planning for a playoff run.   You can if you want.  But I am making a plan to win 92 games.  So Adley is hitting if not injured.

Did you miss the part where I mentioned Mauer?  The Twins had the DH.

I used to say about Wieters, catch him into the ground and let someone else pay for the decline and I still never suggested something as off the wall as having a starting catcher play every game.

Two players played in 162 games last season (Olson, Swanson) , both for the Braves and neither actually started all 162.

[wildcard]

7 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

In 2021, Salvador Perez started 160 games, 120 at C, at age 31. He's probably the exception that proves the rule though.

Question for me is do you want more games at C with a true DH, or more games at DH with the goal of getting closer to 162. Since we have so many DH options also looking for ABs I'd be inclined to give him 8-10 off days but have him catch a bit more.

I doubt any other of the O's DH candidates will out hit Adley.

[Can_of_corn]

8 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I doubt any other of the O's DH candidates will out hit Adley.

So by your logic Grayson should start every game since I doubt any other O's pitcher will out pitch him?

[Sports Guy]

45 minutes ago, wildcard said:

6 games off.  One a month?  Really.   The O's are trying to make the playoffs.

Then they should get better players.

Calling for your CATCHER to play everyday is absurd and there is literally zero chance of it happening.  If he starts 150 games, I would be shocked.

[Sports Guy]

36 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Look around and find a 25 year old catcher that can hit like Adley in a league that has the DH.  Posey didn't have the DH.

I don't question that the O's are planning for a playoff run.   You can if you want.  But I am making a plan to win 92 games.  So Adley is hitting if not injured.

Well running your best player into the ground isn’t a formula for winning games.