Vavra has been working on 1B

[interloper]

Good to hear because I'd rather Vavra on this roster than any of the lefty 1B guys we signed for depth. 

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-terrin-vavra-first-base-heston-kjerstad-20230205-7b2ssdyuozhznco43m5hlnlamq-story.html

Quote

Aware Baltimore is looking for a left-handed-hitting complement to Ryan Mountcastle at first base, Vavra focused this offseason on “being able to play everywhere,” he said at Saturday’s happy hour to close the day’s Birdland Caravan events. Throughout his rookie season, the 25-year-old did pregame drills at first base but has never appeared there in his professional career.

“It’s something that the more I take reps over there, the better it gets, the more comfortable I get,” Vavra said. “I don’t think until I really play a game over there, I’ll truly feel the most comfortable, but that’s what spring training’s for. I think I’ll get some opportunities to showcase that and showcase other talents and try and make my case.

“I want to be able to show that I can do that, and I want the coaching staff to be confident if they had to send me out there, Day 1 of spring training even.”

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by interloper

[Aristotelian]

Good to hear. I've been wondering if this might be a role for him. Could turn into a Terry Crowley type. I could see that being a better use of the last roster spot than Tyler Nevin. 

[interloper]

I really like Vavra. I know he was technically below average OPS+-wise in his 100 or so ABs, but he's a fun player. Speed, contact, very good ABs, will take a walk, can play wherever, left-handed. What's not to like? Give me that guy on my bench all day. 

[Yardball85]

4 minutes ago, interloper said:

Good to hear because I'd rather Vavra on this roster than any of the lefty 1B guys we signed for depth. 

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-terrin-vavra-first-base-heston-kjerstad-20230205-7b2ssdyuozhznco43m5hlnlamq-story.html

 

Good.  Assuming the Orioles don't trade one of Urias or Mateo, the bench should be Urias/Mateo, McCann, McKenna, and Vavra. 

[Sports Guy]

I’m guessing Diaz will be a more useful player at first.

 

[wildcard]

Its not ideal because that would be replacing Mountcastle in the lineup who is a power guy with Vavra who has very little power.   Vavra can hit for average and a hopefully a high OBP so its not terrible but far from ideal.

[interloper]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

I’m guessing Diaz will be a more useful player at first.

 

But a much less useful player overall on the 26-man roster. 

[Hank Scorpio]

1 minute ago, interloper said:

I really like Vavra. I know he was technically below average OPS+-wise in his 100 or so ABs, but he's a fun player. Speed, contact, very good ABs, will take a walk, can play wherever, left-handed. What's not to like? Give me that guy on my bench all day. 

I think his speed is a little overblown if I'm remembering the '22 metrics correctly. He's a good contact guy but I'm not sure he brings plus defense to the table either. I don't know, I have always been enamored with him b/c he can work a count and that's the one thing this team hasn't really been able to do over the course of the last, what? 25 years? 

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Its not ideal because that would be replacing Mountcastle in the lineup who is a power guy with Vavra who has very little power.   Vavra can hit for average and a hopefully a high OBP so its not terrible but far from ideal.

Well, no one is going to be platooning with Mountcastle. That player would get the majority of 1B ABs, as they'd be facing righties. Mountcastle on the bench for 2/3 of the games is just not going to happen. As a backup if Mounty is banged up for a few days, or if they want to DH him, someone like Vavra would be fine. 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by interloper

[wildcard]

4 minutes ago, interloper said:

I really like Vavra. I know he was technically below average OPS+-wise in his 100 or so ABs, but he's a fun player. Speed, contact, very good ABs, will take a walk, can play wherever, left-handed. What's not to like? Give me that guy on my bench all day. 

Vavra's speed is rated average.  Mountcastle has a better sprint speed.

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Vavra's speed is rated average.  Mountcastle has a better sprint speed.

Fair, perhaps I over-estimated his speed then.

However, he's a guy you can pinch-run for Adley/McCann/Santander at least. 

Edited February 6, 2023 by interloper

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, interloper said:

But a much less useful player overall on the 26-man roster. 

Maybe. If he doesn’t show power, his OBp will be nothing and his offense overall isn’t good enough for the OF or first.

I was high on Vavra but not being able to play second or hit for power basically makes him a pretty useless player. He has to show A LOT this year to stay in the majors.

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

Maybe. If he doesn’t show power, his OBp will be nothing and his offense overall isn’t good enough for the OF or first.

I was high on Vavra but not being able to play second or hit for power basically makes him a pretty useless player. He has to show A LOT this year to stay in the majors.

I feel like we don't really know about his 2B ability because they refuse to give him a long look over there. Regardless, he won't be playing much 2B this year with Frazier and Urias both on the roster, and Westburg and Ortiz and Norby on the way. 

But as a reserve guy, he can technically play 2B and SS if you need him to and won't be an absolute butcher. Overall, I agree that his spot is tenuous because of the lack of power, being basically a carbon-copy of Frazier from the positional flexibility to the high contact/low power profile, etc. 

I just thought he was a breath of fresh air when he came up - just feels like he's gonna be a guy that gets squeezed and maybe he's a better player than we think if we give him a minute to establish his game up here. 

[eddie83]

1 minute ago, interloper said:

I feel like we don't really know about his 2B ability because they refuse to give him a long look over there. Regardless, he won't be playing much 2B this year with Frazier and Urias both on the roster, and Westburg and Ortiz and Norby on the way. 

But as a reserve guy, he can technically play 2B and SS if you need him to and won't be an absolute butcher. Overall, I agree that his spot is tenuous because of the lack of power, being basically a carbon-copy of Frazier from the positional flexibility to the high contact/low power profile, etc. 

I just thought he was a breath of fresh air when he came up - just feels like he's gonna be a guy that gets squeezed and maybe he's a better player than we think if we give him a minute to establish his game up here. 

I think a bigger opportunity here may come later on. At some point they won’t have 4 starters for 3 spots. 3rd, SS and 2nd. 

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, interloper said:

I feel like we don't really know about his 2B ability because they refuse to give him a long look over there. Regardless, he won't be playing much 2B this year with Frazier and Urias both on the roster, and Westburg and Ortiz and Norby on the way. 

But as a reserve guy, he can technically play 2B and SS if you need him to and won't be an absolute butcher. Overall, I agree that his spot is tenuous because of the lack of power, being basically a carbon-copy of Frazier from the positional flexibility to the high contact/low power profile, etc. 

I just thought he was a breath of fresh air when he came up - just feels like he's gonna be a guy that gets squeezed and maybe he's a better player than we think if we give him a minute to establish his game up here. 

We need to stop labeling guys as versatile just because they stand at a position and have a glove in their hand.

Versatility is only valuable if the player can actually be an asset in other areas.

Frazier can at least play above average defense at second base.

Don’t get me wrong. I would rather have Vavra on the roster and not Frazier but Vavra isn’t an everyday player and unless he shows more of a hit tool, he will be a career MiLer/out of baseball within 5 years.