Adley Rutschman 2023

[dystopia]

I think it’s fine to be a bit disappointed given the expectations, but players having a downturn in their second year as the league makes their adjustments is not uncommon. 

[clapdiddy]

I voted 4 to 5 WAR.   I could definitely live with that for him over the next 4 seasons.   I would hope he'd have some 6 or 7 WAR seasons, but he rarely gets days off and I think that's tough on a catcher, even if he's "just" DH'ing.    

[glenn__davis]

I had made the point earlier, look at Posey's career.  His 2nd year was cut short by the big injury but he was relatively "average" (by his standards) that year.  Then took off for the rest of his career.

Not trying to compare Rutschman to Posey, that's not a fair comparison, but that Sophomore Slump is real for a lot of guys.  And his slump is still a really good year.

Agree with SG that's fair to be a bit disappointed in his offense, but easy to forget he's still in his first full MLB season.

[Sports Guy]

7 minutes ago, glenn__davis said:

I had made the point earlier, look at Posey's career.  His 2nd year was cut short by the big injury but he was relatively "average" (by his standards) that year.  Then took off for the rest of his career.

Not trying to compare Rutschman to Posey, that's not a fair comparison, but that Sophomore Slump is real for a lot of guys.  And his slump is still a really good year.

Agree with SG that's fair to be a bit disappointed in his offense, but easy to forget he's still in his first full MLB season.

Of course it’s fair. Zero people were expecting him to be a worse player in 2023. Again, you are a liar is you say you did.

For whatever reason, Os fans don’t want to criticize Adley because of how important he is and how well liked he is. It’s ok to acknowledge how good he is and still be disappointed.

As I have said, he shouldn’t be judged vs catchers..he should be judged vs franchise players. He was the first pick of the draft and he was picked to be the franchise cornerstone building block for this organization. He should be judged vs those players.

Last year, he was a top 10 MVP guy in 70% of the season. Most, if not all, expected that again. The defense has taken a big step back and the power drop off is obvious. 
 

Now, what is interesting and what i do wonder how much it has hurt him is the amount of bad calls he has experienced. Obviously, that changes at bats and for whatever reason, he is being picked on by umps more than almost everyone in the league. Why that it is, I have no idea but it’s certainly not helping him.

[Jim'sKid26]

40 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Peak Varitek, which isn't anything to sneeze at.

Ironically his "off" season this year is essentially "peak" Varitek.

So Jason Varitek peaked 2003-2005 which were his age 31-33 seasons. He won a GG and a SS and was an allstar 2 of those 3 years. He has bWars of 3.9, 4.8 and 4.8. He never had another season above 4 bWar after 2005 when he hit .281/.366/.489 with 132 hits. 22 Hrs and 70 RBI. 

2023 Adley:  3.2 bWar, 132 hits 16 Hrs, 61 RBI;  .274/.366/.423 age 25 season.

[MarCakes21]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I’m not fine with the big power drop especially since the OBP is essentially the same.

 I do think his approach at the plate is too much “just try to get on base” since he is hitting at the top of the lineup and I do wonder if he would look to drive the ball more if they would hit him a little further down in the lineup.

But based on what he has done and taking maybes out of the equation, I’m not happy about much of what we have seen from him this, at least relative to my preseason expectations.

I understand why the addition as the leadoff hitter, but I still think he'd be better in the 2 or 3 hole.  If Mullins can regain something the rest of the way, moving him up and Adley back down helps.

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, MarCakes21 said:

I understand why the addition as the leadoff hitter, but I still think he'd be better in the 2 or 3 hole.  If Mullins can regain something the rest of the way, moving him up and Adley back down helps.

For me personally, I think I would have Adley batting second vs righties and 4th vs lefties.

Gunnar would bat 4th vs righties and 5th vs lefties.

I’m good with Mullins batting lead off vs either. His OpS is 779 vs lefties or righties this year and he has been very good with the bat this season outside of those few weeks after coming back from injury each time.

 

[Chaka Garcia]

1 hour ago, glenn__davis said:

I had made the point earlier, look at Posey's career.  His 2nd year was cut short by the big injury but he was relatively "average" (by his standards) that year.  Then took off for the rest of his career.

Not trying to compare Rutschman to Posey, that's not a fair comparison, but that Sophomore Slump is real for a lot of guys.  And his slump is still a really good year.

Agree with SG that's fair to be a bit disappointed in his offense, but easy to forget he's still in his first full MLB season.

Maybe be an unpopular opinion and I’m an Adley fan- I doubt he will even match Posey’s career. BP’s career- 8x allstar, MVP, gold gloves and career 300 BA.

Sad part -Posey isn’t a shoe in to be in the HOF. So, I don’t believe the talk Adley is a future HOFer.

[glenn__davis]

13 minutes ago, Chaka Garcia said:

Maybe be an unpopular opinion and I’m an Adley fan- I doubt he will even match Posey’s career. BP’s career- 8x allstar, MVP, gold gloves and career 300 BA.

Sad part -Posey isn’t a shoe in to be in the HOF. So, I don’t believe the talk Adley is a future HOFer.

I don't think that's unpopular at all. And saying you doubt he will "even" match Posey's career - I mean, Posey was one of the best players in baseball for the better part of a decade.  That would be a terrific outcome for Rutchsman.

[Tony-OH]

4 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

https://x.com/codifybaseball/status/1694103559338656083?s=46&t=G3On-_LleGmZce-r3ClVZA

Apparently umpires hate him!  

Pretty nuts how many bad calls he gets. Umpires should know by now if he holds up on a borderline call it's a ball.

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Apparently umpires hate him!  

Pretty nuts how many bad calls he gets. Umpires should know by now if he holds up on a borderline call it's a ball.

That’s what I don’t get Tony. He already has a rep for having a good eye. He’s a “good guy” in that he doesn’t argue, he doesn’t complain, etc…why would he be the guy that “gets picked on”?

Just seems very odd to me.

 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

That’s what I don’t get Tony. He already has a rep for having a good eye. He’s a “good guy” in that he doesn’t argue, he doesn’t complain, etc…why would he be the guy that “gets picked on”?

Just seems very odd to me.

 

My first instinct is he's getting more improper calls against him because most players swing at those pitches so the umps don't have to make a decision on them.

I would think that a Adley or Gunnar would get a lot more balls called strikes against them than someone like Mountcastle.

[OriolesMagic83]

1 hour ago, Chaka Garcia said:

Maybe be an unpopular opinion and I’m an Adley fan- I doubt he will even match Posey’s career. BP’s career- 8x allstar, MVP, gold gloves and career 300 BA.

Sad part -Posey isn’t a shoe in to be in the HOF. So, I don’t believe the talk Adley is a future HOFer.

I wouldn't be upset if Adley falls short of Posey's career.  Posey is at least a borderline HOF player.  If Adley has the career of a Posada or Varitek, who were both cornerstone of perennial playoff  teams and WS winners, I would be more than happy. 

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, Chaka Garcia said:

Maybe be an unpopular opinion and I’m an Adley fan- I doubt he will even match Posey’s career. BP’s career- 8x allstar, MVP, gold gloves and career 300 BA.

Sad part -Posey isn’t a shoe in to be in the HOF. So, I don’t believe the talk Adley is a future HOFer.

I think Posey is a Hall of Famer, fairly easily.  

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Moose Milligan said:

I think Posey is a Hall of Famer, fairly easily.  

He'll get in at some point.