Heston Kjerstad 2023

[RZNJ]

BTW, Cowser is on a 6 game hit streak, 10-26 with 4 walks and 5 K, 2 doubles and a triple.   And Dylan Beavers has an .810 OPS after 8 games.   The minor league disaster thread is going to be a tough sell right now.

Edited April 16, 2023 by RZNJ

[Frobby]

9 minutes ago, DocJJ said:

How's his defense in outfield?  Is he going to be converted into a First Baseman?  Or is he serviceable in the outfield?

I saw him in spring training and thought he was fine out there.  He’s actually much faster than I expected.   

[Frobby]

7 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

BTW, Cowser is on a 6 game hit streak, 10-26 with 4 walks and 5 K, 2 doubles and a triple.   

Why post that here, though?   It’s got nothing to do with Kjerstad, unless you’re thinking about where Kjerstad would play at Norfolk right now.  

That’s actually a decent question, though.  You’ve got Cowser, Haskin and Stowers in the OF, Diaz at 1B.  I guess Kjerstad could rotate between COF/1B/DH and still get plenty of at bats.  

I’m super excited about Kjerstad’s hot start, but still believe he’ll get at least two months in Bowie, as Cowser did last year while posting a 1.037 OPS there.  

 

[RZNJ]

19 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Why post that here, though?   It’s got nothing to do with Kjerstad, unless you’re thinking about where Kjerstad would play at Norfolk right now.  

That’s actually a decent question, though.  You’ve got Cowser, Haskin and Stowers in the OF, Diaz at 1B.  I guess Kjerstad could rotate between COF/1B/DH and still get plenty of at bats.  

I’m super excited about Kjerstad’s hot start, but still believe he’ll get at least two months in Bowie, as Cowser did last year while posting a 1.037 OPS there.  

 

Long story. DocJJ started a disaster thread last year after some poor starts by certain minor leaguers.  I made a joke that Kjerstad didn’t want to be on that list.  He then mentioned Wagner, Cowser, and Beavers who might be on such a list this year.

[DocJJ]

5 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Long story. DocJJ started a disaster thread last year after some poor starts by certain minor leaguers.  I made a joke that Kjerstad didn’t want to be on that list.  He then mentioned Wagner, Cowser, and Beavers who might be on such a list this year.

don't forget "Dud" Fabian....

 

(Just kidding!)

[interloper]

Kjerstad is the Truth, man. I kind of think he's exactly the type of hitter that the ML lineup needs, that is, Santander competition. A true LH power hitter. A guy who is up there with one job: to try and smoke balls off the Eutaw St. bricks. Except he can do it with a nice plate approach. .429 OBP in Bowie right now.

Edited April 17, 2023 by interloper

[Hazmat]

2 hours ago, interloper said:

Kjerstad is the Truth, man. I kind of think he's exactly the type of hitter that the ML lineup needs, that is, Santander competition. A true LH power hitter. A guy who is up there with one job: to try and smoke balls off the Eutaw St. bricks. Except he can do it with a nice plate approach. .429 OBP in Bowie right now.

Let's go easy on the nicknames.  The last person we labeled The Truth around here was John Parrish.

[CharmCityHokie]

1 hour ago, Hazmat said:

Let's go easy on the nicknames.  The last person we labeled The Truth around here was John Parrish.

The very first year I played fantasy baseball I drafted John Parrish with I think a 3rd round pick after he had, if I'm remembering accurately, a scoreless Spring Training. Everyone else in the league basically said "who TF is that guy?" I also drafted Jake Fox one time. I'm not a good fantasy baseball player.

I'm really thrilled Kjerstad is raking, let him rake for a month or so and get everyday at bats, even last year he didn't have a full season so let him get back in the groove of the day-to-day 6 game-a-week schedule and then bump him up to AAA. He's gotta go on the 40-man after this season, so if he keeps it up I could see him as a September call-up in a similar position as Stowers last season. 

Edited April 17, 2023 by CharmCityHokie

[Frobby]

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/a-look-at-heston-kjerstad-s-fast-start-for-double-a-bowie

[Just Regular]

Heading towards 2024 (September 2023?) the LF/RF/1B/DH depth chart includes Cowser, Hays, Santander, Mountcastle and Kjerstad.      That'll be some upping the ante on the present Kyle Stowers struggling to get oxygen.

Moore said he expects to use Kjerstad two or three times a week during each six-game series at first base. Some weeks he may try to get him four starts there.

“The ground he has covered from spring training to now is enormous and he’s not too bad over there. We just need to see what he can become there. I think from being an outfielder and now going to first base, your footwork is so key. It’s about footwork for him. Holding a runner and then transitioning into a good position to field. I think he can gain that since he is so athletic,” Moore stated.

[seak05]

1 hour ago, Just Regular said:

Heading towards 2024 (September 2023?) the LF/RF/1B/DH depth chart includes Cowser, Hays, Santander, Mountcastle and Kjerstad.      That'll be some upping the ante on the present Kyle Stowers struggling to get oxygen.

 

I think we should probably stop lumping RF and LF together. We're seeing with Stowers that the Orioles clearly don't. And with the oversize LF at Camden Yards it makes sense. 

So for Instance Cowser is on the CF/LF depth chart, while Kjerstad is on the 1b/dh/rf depth chart. Just like Hays and Santander don't really overlap positions. 

[RZNJ]

27 minutes ago, seak05 said:

I think we should probably stop lumping RF and LF together. We're seeing with Stowers that the Orioles clearly don't. And with the oversize LF at Camden Yards it makes sense. 

So for Instance Cowser is on the CF/LF depth chart, while Kjerstad is on the 1b/dh/rf depth chart. Just like Hays and Santander don't really overlap positions. 

Some people would say that Hays and Santander do overlap positions.  Most, seemingly, would rather have Hays in RF and Santander at DH.

[seak05]

14 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Some people would say that Hays and Santander do overlap positions.  Most, seemingly, would rather have Hays in RF and Santander at DH.

Including me! Hays shouldn't be anywhere near LF anymore. The Orioles don't yet agree with me though...

[Bemorewins]

5 minutes ago, seak05 said:

Including me! Hays shouldn't be anywhere near LF anymore. The Orioles don't yet agree with me though...

If Cowser isn’t traded. He will probably come up and play LF and Hays will then probably move to RF, with Santander going to DH. But right now, there is no one on the roster to adequately replace Hays in LF.

[Tony-OH]

Kjerstad may want to limit his stolen base attempts because he head first "scorpion slide" is awkward and very risky for injury.