Jordan Westburg 2023

[orioles22]

The Orioles already tried to get Ortiz at bats and didn't seem to be very successful. I think it comes down to who gets traded for starting pitching. I'd rather Westburg play six days a week in Norfolk than two days a week with the Orioles. I think it has to be sorted out going into 2024.

 

[ChuckS]

57 minutes ago, ShoelesJoe said:

Gunnar out of tonight's game with lower back discomfort. If he's IL bound that has to put Westburg on a plane heading west. Right?

Possibly not. They could give him a day or two to see how he feels and then make a decision to DL him or put him back in the lineup.

I wonder if it’s the dreaded oblique. 

Westburg should be up next given Ortiz’s status. 

[Alasdaire]

1 hour ago, orioles22 said:

The Orioles already tried to get Ortiz at bats and didn't seem to be very successful. I think it comes down to who gets traded for starting pitching. I'd rather Westburg play six days a week in Norfolk than two days a week with the Orioles. I think it has to be sorted out going into 2024.

 

So because one minor league player came up and didn't tear the cover off of the ball in his first 25 plate appearances, it's a foregone conclusion that a different minor league player will do the same?

Westburg's OPS has been almost .200 higher than Joey's.

What does Westburg get by playing six days a week at Norfolk when he has absolutely zero left to prove there? Does it not send the wrong message to other guys in the org?

[Safelykept]

2 hours ago, Alasdaire said:

So because one minor league player came up and didn't tear the cover off of the ball in his first 25 plate appearances, it's a foregone conclusion that a different minor league player will do the same?

Westburg's OPS has been almost .200 higher than Joey's.

What does Westburg get by playing six days a week at Norfolk when he has absolutely zero left to prove there? Does it not send the wrong message to other guys in the org?

Sends the same message its always sent. MLB is a tough business, Stay focused stay ready for when your time comes. Pretty sure he already knows this. 

[IPlayGM]

9 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

No room for him. We have 2 MIers that can’t hit well, a third baseman who struggles vs lefties right now and other mediocre players getting at bats but Westburg isn’t good enough to beat out any of them.

And, none of it should matter because the team is winning. 
 

And yea, that is the completely idiotic reasoning by some on this site. 

Adding onto this: And for me this is all the more reason to try to bring a guy or two up now while they are winning so the pressure is not as severe. But we are starting to accumulate injuries, our winning percentage more than likely is going to slip, and then we will NEED these guys, which makes it tougher.

[Orioles0615]

7 hours ago, orioles22 said:

The Orioles already tried to get Ortiz at bats and didn't seem to be very successful. I think it comes down to who gets traded for starting pitching. I'd rather Westburg play six days a week in Norfolk than two days a week with the Orioles. I think it has to be sorted out going into 2024.

 

I can't wait until Westburg is traded for another number 4 starter we already have, and people complain that it is an overpay.  All some people care about is having a top farm system

[Orioles0615]

59 minutes ago, IPlayGM said:

Adding onto this: And for me this is all the more reason to try to bring a guy or two up now while they are winning so the pressure is not as severe. But we are starting to accumulate injuries, our winning percentage more than likely is going to slip, and then we will NEED these guys, which makes it tougher.

The winning percentage has already slipped a little. We were a top 3 team. Texas has caught us, and NY, Houston, Arizona, and LA are a game or two behind us record rise. Thought the only one that matters is NY

[ChuckS]

1 hour ago, Orioles0615 said:

The winning percentage has already slipped a little. We were a top 3 team. Texas has caught us, and NY, Houston, Arizona, and LA are a game or two behind us record rise. Thought the only one that matters is NY

Texas and Houston matter. We will likely be competing against at least one AL West team for a Wild Card spot. I think two end up coming out of that division (three from ours and one from the central). 

[Bemorewins]

2 hours ago, Orioles0615 said:

I can't wait until Westburg is traded for another number 4 starter we already have, and people complain that it is an overpay.  All some people care about is having a top farm system

Is that all you think of his value? I believe he can be packaged in a trade to retrieve a better starter than anything we currently have. He’s a borderline top 50 prospect right now, we only have 2 rated higher (well much higher), but still. I think he carries a good amount of trade value given the very nice numbers that he has put up at AAA.

[Otter]

30 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

Is that all you think of his value? I believe he can be packaged in a trade to retrieve a better starter than anything we currently have. He’s a borderline top 50 prospect right now, we only have 2 rated higher (well much higher), but still. I think he carries a good amount of trade value given the very nice numbers that he has put up at AAA.

Agreed.  He can certainly be part of a trade package for a pretty good starting pitcher.  He's an athletic, versatile middle infielder who has absolutely destroyed AAA pitching for a year.  Elias has a month to figure out what to do with him; either part of a trade or bring him up and give him regular at-bats.  

[Orioles0615]

47 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

Is that all you think of his value? I believe he can be packaged in a trade to retrieve a better starter than anything we currently have. He’s a borderline top 50 prospect right now, we only have 2 rated higher (well much higher), but still. I think he carries a good amount of trade value given the very nice numbers that he has put up at AAA.

No I think Elias won't do anything other than trade for another number 3-4 type starter and in the process give up Westburg.

 

I can already see it now. Orioles trade Westburg straight up for Jordan Montgomery 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Orioles0615

[Bemorewins]

1 minute ago, Orioles0615 said:

No I think Elias won't do anything other than trade for another number 3-4 type starter and in the process give up Westburg

I’m not sure I understand your reasoning… Are you saying that Elias doesn’t value Westburg as much as the game of baseball does? Do you think Elias is a bad GM? Foolish? Something else?

 I’m not sure I’m understanding what point you are making.

[Alasdaire]

7 hours ago, Safelykept said:

Sends the same message its always sent. MLB is a tough business, Stay focused stay ready for when your time comes. Pretty sure he already knows this. 

I don't think it's good business to send the same message that has always been sent because we now live in player-empowerment era. How the athletes internalize these moves and the reputation the organization develops are things I hope the front office is proactive about/mindful of as they handle these promotions.

[orioles22]

11 hours ago, Alasdaire said:

So because one minor league player came up and didn't tear the cover off of the ball in his first 25 plate appearances, it's a foregone conclusion that a different minor league player will do the same?

Westburg's OPS has been almost .200 higher than Joey's.

What does Westburg get by playing six days a week at Norfolk when he has absolutely zero left to prove there? Does it not send the wrong message to other guys in the org?

That wasn't my point at all. I thought Ortiz showed promise, but he didn't get enough playing time with Urias, Mateo, Frazier and Henderson around. There is always something to prove. He can continue to put up good numbers and be ready when he can play every day or is traded as part of a package for a starting pitcher.

[Alasdaire]

6 hours ago, orioles22 said:

That wasn't my point at all. I thought Ortiz showed promise, but he didn't get enough playing time with Urias, Mateo, Frazier and Henderson around. There is always something to prove. He can continue to put up good numbers and be ready when he can play every day or is traded as part of a package for a starting pitcher.

What exactly does Westburg have to prove?

He has had a .900+ OPS over 625 PAs at AAA across two seasons. His strikeouts have come down considerably at AAA. This against the best pitchers not on major league rosters.

If you think front offices should be encouraged to manipulate service time/maximize trade value at the player’s expense then fine. But there’s nothing left for him to prove; he has done everything the O’s have asked of him since he was drafted out of college as a guy who was already polished.