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Is McKenna's spot in jeopardy?

interloper

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Tony-OH Hangout Grand Counsel

Tony-OH

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McKenna has several things going for him that would make it hard for him to not make the team. 

1) He's the best defensive CF on the team not named Mullins
2) He may be the 2nd fastest player o the team behind Mateo which makes him a good PR late in games.
3) With Mullins, Stowers, Vavra and Frazier left-handed, he makes for a good handicap as a right-handed hitter late in games.

I do see some of your points, but I think they want that right-handed CF/5th outfielder and the only competition for him was Daz Cameron who has not hit well this spring. 

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btdart20
btdart20

My theory:  I do think the intent is to get some AAA injury depth.  The mad scramble claiming any "body" who checked various boxes was basically stacking odds of a) someone sticking and b) actually am

Tony-OH
Tony-OH

McKenna has several things going for him that would make it hard for him to not make the team.  1) He's the best defensive CF on the team not named Mullins 2) He may be the 2nd fastest player o

Can_of_corn
Can_of_corn

More like the battle of the Titians, am I right?  

interloper Hangout Grand Counsel

interloper

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24 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

McKenna has several things going for him that would make it hard for him to not make the team. 

1) He's the best defensive CF on the team not named Mullins
2) He may be the 2nd fastest player o the team behind Mateo which makes him a good PR late in games.
3) With Mullins, Stowers, Vavra and Frazier left-handed, he makes for a good handicap as a right-handed hitter late in games.

I do see some of your points, but I think they want that right-handed CF/5th outfielder and the only competition for him was Daz Cameron who has not hit well this spring. 

And for the record, I hope this is the case. For one of these LH 1B types to make the team, someone more deserving has to get cut (barring injury). I've warmed up to McKenna these days as a bench guy. And certainly guys like Vavra and Stowers deserve to make this team. 

I just have this feeling that Elias has a weird roster decision in store for us involving one of the NRIs. 

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oriole Veteran All-Star

oriole

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If the team is managed to win as much as possible (not a guarantee) then Mullins needs a platoon partner. McKenna is Mullins-lite in that he plays good defense and has some speed so he seems like a natural platoon partner. 
 

Honestly, the Frazier signing is probably going to end up being one of the worst things to have happened to the O’s this year. He’ll be taking at bats away from Vavra and Stowers and leaving the bench short handed considering if we wanted a lefty off the bench then guys like Cordero and O’Hearn will be in AAA in lieu of Adam f’in Frazier. Granted, all three are all likely to be non-consequential in any meaningful way anyways so the nihilist in me says it really doesn’t matter. But I’d like to have McKenna AND a power lefty off the bench but it seems we will have to choose one or the other. 

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interloper Hangout Grand Counsel

interloper

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9 minutes ago, oriole said:

If the team is managed to win as much as possible (not a guarantee) then Mullins needs a platoon partner. McKenna is Mullins-lite in that he plays good defense and has some speed so he seems like a natural platoon partner. 
 

Honestly, the Frazier signing is probably going to end up being one of the worst things to have happened to the O’s this year. He’ll be taking at bats away from Vavra and Stowers and leaving the bench short handed considering if we wanted a lefty off the bench then guys like Cordero and O’Hearn will be in AAA in lieu of Adam f’in Frazier. Granted, all three are all likely to be non-consequential in any meaningful way anyways so the nihilist in me says it really doesn’t matter. But I’d like to have McKenna AND a power lefty off the bench but it seems we will have to choose one or the other. 

At the risk of turning this into another Frazier thread, I just have to say that he has been - by an overwhelming margin - the most boring player in spring training. He's 4-25 with 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B, and 1 HR. At least 2 of his 4 hits were extra bases? Lol. 

Unless he proves otherwise, it unfortunately appears he is a $8 million Chris Owings. And Owings could at least play SS. The only thing to hope for is that the lights come on and he's a decent line drive hitter and defender. The signing reminds me less of Odor and more of the 2010 MacPhail classic: Garrett Atkins, who was an instant $4 million sunk cost and removed from the team after 152 PA. 

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btdart20 Hangout Veteran Council

btdart20

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5 minutes ago, oriole said:

If the team is managed to win as much as possible (not a guarantee) then Mullins needs a platoon partner. McKenna is Mullins-lite in that he plays good defense and has some speed so he seems like a natural platoon partner. 
 

Honestly, the Frazier signing is probably going to end up being one of the worst things to have happened to the O’s this year. He’ll be taking at bats away from Vavra and Stowers and leaving the bench short handed considering if we wanted a lefty off the bench then guys like Cordero and O’Hearn will be in AAA in lieu of Adam f’in Frazier. Granted, all three are all likely to be non-consequential in any meaningful way anyways so the nihilist in me says it really doesn’t matter. But I’d like to have McKenna AND a power lefty off the bench but it seems we will have to choose one or the other. 

At the end of the day, I'm glad they have other options ahead of O'Hearn's and Cordero's career OBPs of .293 and .290 respectively.  Their sub-.400 SLG doesn't bring the power to justify the OBP lack either.  They are good dice-rolls/insurance policies.  Nothing more at this point. 

I tend to think the lefty bench bat will be whoever sits (Adley, Santander, Frazier, Stowers, Mullins, Vavra).

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rm5678 Major Leaguer

rm5678

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7 hours ago, interloper said:

At the risk of turning this into another Frazier thread, I just have to say that he has been - by an overwhelming margin - the most boring player in spring training. He's 4-25 with 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B, and 1 HR. At least 2 of his 4 hits were extra bases? Lol. 

Unless he proves otherwise, it unfortunately appears he is a $8 million Chris Owings. 

Owings is 6 for 23 this spring with an OPS of .892, so you might be right.

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wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

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Elias' former 1st round pick Daz Cameron may be making a run at McKenna's backup outfielder job.  Both are fast.   Both can play all three outfield positions.  And Cameron is beginning to hit.    Just something to watch.

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wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

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20 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Nothing to see here.

Im not sure why so many people are in such a hurry to move on from McKenna. 

McKenna has options so I am not sure moving on is the right way to think of it.   Its competition that hopefully makes the team better.   Whoever offers more to the team gets more playing time.

The last 9 days of ST could be interesting.  Because both can play defense very well its kind of if you hit you stay.

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