Jordan Westburg 2023

[Otter]

58 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

He has 27 Innings in COF.  I'd like to see him out there more.  There's room for his bat especially against LHP in either COF 2B/3B.  Gunnar and Frazier could both sit.  

Agreed.  It's just a hunch, but I don't think the O's are high on his infield defense so why not give him some reps at corner outfield.  He's a good athlete so he should be able to handle it, and I'd much rather see him get corner OF at bats than Frazier or McKenna...

[deward]

1 hour ago, orioles22 said:

For some reason, I see Ortiz as our second baseman and Norby in left or DH or utility. I think we trade Westburg or Gunnar with the other playing third. I like Ortiz the best of those three mentioned.

I think Westburg is going to be a significantly better player than Norby; Norby is the one I'd be most willing to part with. I'd be doing everything I could to shop Norby or Ortiz for pitching help before I considered parting with Westburg. I'd be shocked if Gunnar is traded.

[sportsfan8703]

4 minutes ago, deward said:

I think Westburg is going to be a significantly better player than Norby; Norby is the one I'd be most willing to part with. I'd be doing everything I could to shop Norby or Ortiz for pitching help before I considered parting with Westburg. I'd be shocked if Gunnar is traded.

Oritz's offense shouldn't be taken lightly, and he's a GG caliber defender.  Defense wins out.  Our system is currently lacking a RH COF bat.  Westburg could be that guy for this season.  He could play some 2B/3B and some COF.  There's 3-4 starts a week in that roll.  

[jabba72]

Westburg with his 9th HR in the 1st inning. OPS 1.015 now for the year. 

[Brooks The Great]

It's absurd that Westburg's not already helping the Orioles. His bat is sorely needed against left-handed pitching, and to lengthen the lineup and make it more dangerous in general. I've mentioned it before in this thread I believe, but I think Westburg will provide leadership qualities that will help the big league team as well.

I actually think Westburg will/should wind up as the organization's 1B of the future. Mountcastle should be traded during the offseason. 

In the meantime, Westburg can play 2B instead of Frazier, and/or RF or DH. 

[deward]

41 minutes ago, Brooks The Great said:

It's absurd that Westburg's not already helping the Orioles. His bat is sorely needed against left-handed pitching, and to lengthen the lineup and make it more dangerous in general. I've mentioned it before in this thread I believe, but I think Westburg will provide leadership qualities that will help the big league team as well.

I actually think Westburg will/should wind up as the organization's 1B of the future. Mountcastle should be traded during the offseason. 

In the meantime, Westburg can play 2B instead of Frazier, and/or RF or DH. 

I'd take him at first over trading him, but it feels like something of a waste of his abilities. Mountcastle wasn't any good at any other position, Westburg is at least passable at multiple spots. 

[sportsfan8703]

You can’t get more AAA seasoned than Westburg.  536 PA 27 HR .896 OPS

[emmett16]

8 hours ago, Brooks The Great said:

It's absurd that Westburg's not already helping the Orioles. His bat is sorely needed against left-handed pitching, and to lengthen the lineup and make it more dangerous in general. I've mentioned it before in this thread I believe, but I think Westburg will provide leadership qualities that will help the big league team as well.

I actually think Westburg will/should wind up as the organization's 1B of the future. Mountcastle should be traded during the offseason. 

In the meantime, Westburg can play 2B instead of Frazier, and/or RF or DH. 

I like what Westburg brings to the table.  I think they want him to improve his throws and footwork work from 2b/ss/3B.  He’s a gamer and is always locked in, but will make a mistake throwing or just not having his feet set-up properly.  You ca tell it kills him and you can also tell he moves on immediately and learns from his mistake.  Now these plays are not errors per se, sometimes a throw sails or is wide and 1B bails him out or he gets to a ground ball but isn’t properly set up to make the throw and his weight takes him away down the throw.  He looks like a guy who doesn’t have these movements come 100% naturally but has worked his tail off to get where he is.  If he absolutely mashed I could see him at 1b since his arm is his weak link (not saying it’s bad, just not his strongest tool).  I do think that is selling him short a bit, though. He has value in the IF and likely at 2b as his best position.  I was hoping he’d be helping the Os by this point.  The bat is ready for MLB pitching.  

[sportsfan8703]

2 hours ago, emmett16 said:

I like what Westburg brings to the table.  I think they want him to improve his throws and footwork work from 2b/ss/3B.  He’s a gamer and is always locked in, but will make a mistake throwing or just not having his feet set-up properly.  You ca tell it kills him and you can also tell he moves on immediately and learns from his mistake.  Now these plays are not errors per se, sometimes a throw sails or is wide and 1B bails him out or he gets to a ground ball but isn’t properly set up to make the throw and his weight takes him away down the throw.  He looks like a guy who doesn’t have these movements come 100% naturally but has worked his tail off to get where he is.  If he absolutely mashed I could see him at 1b since his arm is his weak link (not saying it’s bad, just not his strongest tool).  I do think that is selling him short a bit, though. He has value in the IF and likely at 2b as his best position.  I was hoping he’d be helping the Os by this point.  The bat is ready for MLB pitching.  

McCann should not be DH'ing versus LH SP.  He should be catching and that is all.  If we need a DH versus LHP then Westburg should get the spot start.  Also, Westburg should likely be playing versus LHP over Gunnar and Frazier.  Westburg should be the direct replacement for Urias.  

Elias has the open 40 man spot.  Unless he's saving that for a Franmil Reyes, or a RP/SP.  

[emmett16]

6 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

McCann should not be DH'ing versus LH SP.  He should be catching and that is all.  If we need a DH versus LHP then Westburg should get the spot start.  Also, Westburg should likely be playing versus LHP over Gunnar and Frazier.  Westburg should be the direct replacement for Urias.  

Elias has the open 40 man spot.  Unless he's saving that for a Franmil Reyes, or a RP/SP.  

I’m all for it.  It’s time for him to come up and get a crack at at.  

[DirtyBird]

28 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Elias has the open 40 man spot.  Unless he's saving that for a Franmil Reyes, or a RP/SP.  

Or Cowser

[interloper]

9 home runs is a LOT for May 10th. 

[yark14]

I find it interesting how unexcited the organization is about Westburg.  When Adley and Gunnar were in AAA, the MASN broadcasters seemed to give daily updates on their performances.  Elias would talk about them frequently in interviews.  We'd see hype videos all the time.  Westburg has been hitting better than either of them did at AAA for a longer period of time and literally nothing.  Rarely mentioned by the MASN folks, Elias gives brief and generic responses in interviews, and I've yet to see any sort of hype video.

The lack of PR/marketing around him has me convinced they've been set on trading him for a long time.

[Matt Bennett]

I think this is Elias speak for “we are about to promote him”. But I feel like he has this weird policy of not promoting “real prospects” to replace an injury void, and only promoting them when they’re “ready”. Perhaps after they’ve finished with the string of RHP’s? Which is a stupid reason to keep him down. Open 40 man roster spot. Westburg can fill exactly the roll Urias was playing. 

[deward]

9 minutes ago, yark14 said:

I find it interesting how unexcited the organization is about Westburg.  When Adley and Gunnar were in AAA, the MASN broadcasters seemed to give daily updates on their performances.  Elias would talk about them frequently in interviews.  We'd see hype videos all the time.  Westburg has been hitting better than either of them did at AAA for a longer period of time and literally nothing.  Rarely mentioned by the MASN folks, Elias gives brief and generic responses in interviews, and I've yet to see any sort of hype video.

The lack of PR/marketing around him has me convinced they've been set on trading him for a long time.

To be fair, they haven't spent much time hyping any of the AAA guys individually this year, that I've heard. There's still plenty of talk about how great the farm system remains even after losing Adley and Gunnar, but it's more of a collective thing.