Ryan McKenna 2023

[interloper]

34 minutes ago, InsideCoroner said:

McKenna deserves a bit of respect from last night’s game. He made a couple solid plays in left (even though I cringe every time he one-hands catch that doesn’t land squarely in the webbing), and that drag bunt single directly after the Mullins no-doubt homer was a great idea. 

Loved that bunt. The more he can do stuff like that the better IMO. 

[Aristotelian]

Glad we didnt instant-DFA like many wanted. He is a prototypical 5th OF with a good track record. Perfect platoon partner to spell Mullins or anyone with an injury. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

Glad we didnt instant-DFA like many wanted. 

Yes, there were literally some people calling for that. 

[Billy F-Face3]

I just remembered: If the team needs someone to pitch to save the bullpen in a blow out, McKenna can pitch mop up. McKenna has more value as a bench player than we fans realize.

[Brooks The Great]

16 hours ago, Frobby said:

Yes, there were literally some people calling for that. 

I was calling for it and I still want him DFA'd. Jordan Westburg should take his spot on the roster. The team shouldn't keep using McCann as a DH against lefties, and a situational fifth OF doesn't have as much value to this team as Westburg would.

[seak05]

46 minutes ago, Brooks The Great said:

I was calling for it and I still want him DFA'd. Jordan Westburg should take his spot on the roster. The team shouldn't keep using McCann as a DH against lefties, and a situational fifth OF doesn't have as much value to this team as Westburg would.

McKenna fills a different role on the team than Westburg would. If they call up westburg, they’re not going to dfa mckenna. Also guy is hitting over .300. People’s desire around here to dfa productive players, just bc they’re tired of them seems weird

[Frobby]

4 hours ago, Brooks The Great said:

I was calling for it and I still want him DFA'd. Jordan Westburg should take his spot on the roster. The team shouldn't keep using McCann as a DH against lefties, and a situational fifth OF doesn't have as much value to this team as Westburg would.

I’m fine with a general argument to replace McKenna with someone who had more value.  But the thought that he should be released for dropping one fly ball - which some people literally advocated - was silly and reactionary.  

Fast forwarding to today, McKenna has hit .306/.350/.472 and has been worth 0.3 rWAR, 0.2 fWAR in his part time role.  For the second year in a row, he’s hitting lefties very well, posting a .918 OPS against them after putting up .794 last year.  So, I don’t think he’s going anywhere if he continues to perform at that level.  I was skeptical of last year’s numbers vs. LHP, but it’s looking more like it’s real now.

 

[sportsfan8703]

.810 OPS overall

.892 OPS vs LHP

[Tony-OH]

According to rWAR, he's been more valuable than Ryan Mountcastle. 

Nothing will excuse that drop in Boston, but I do subscribe to the theory that Gunnar running out like a madman in a short outfield may have threw him off a bit. Not blaming Gunnar, but that is inexperience because an experienced infielder who had played in Fenway, knows the left fielder will get to that ball easily. 

McKenna is doing well in the role he's been given. He still strikes out too much, and you don't want to expand his role, but he's doing what he's here to do against left-handers (.345/.375/.517/.892 in 32 PAs.

 

 

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

According to rWAR, he's been more valuable than Ryan Mountcastle. 

Nothing will excuse that drop in Boston, but I do subscribe to the theory that Gunnar running out like a madman in a short outfield may have threw him off a bit. Not blaming Gunnar, but that is inexperience because an experienced infielder who had played in Fenway, knows the left fielder will get to that ball easily. 

McKenna is doing well in the role he's been given. He still strikes out too much, and you don't want to expand his role, but he's doing what he's here to do against left-handers (.345/.375/.517/.892 in 32 PAs.

I’m not sure I’m reading the data correctly, but it seems to show that McKenna is hitting fastballs much better this year than in the past.   He’s historically had trouble with high velocity but not so much this year, it seems.  I don’t know where to find those stats about how a hitter does against pitches above a specific velocity.   

[Tony-OH]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

I’m not sure I’m reading the data correctly, but it seems to show that McKenna is hitting fastballs much better this year than in the past.   He’s historically had trouble with high velocity but not so much this year, it seems.  I don’t know where to find those stats about how a hitter does against pitches above a specific velocity.   

If you go into the "illustrator" portion you can go down to the velocity slider and pick any MPH.

Here's what he hits against velocity:

96 or more: 0-for-3 (.000)
95 or more: 1-for-5 (.200)
94 or more: 1-for-7 (.143)
93 or less: 3-for-7 (.429)

So he's hitting better against "fastballs", but its because Hyde has done a good job of giving him matchups against guys without the big fastball.

[Just Regular]

He's one Austin Hays owie away from being the next contestant in Leads Off against LHP.

I wonder in 2026 if Adley-Gunnar-Kjerstad-Cowser-Holliday monopolize all ~3500 of the plate appearances for the top five lineup slots.    Every Jim Poole in the universe will be an opener.

 

[maybenxtyr]

I haven't watched very many games on TV over the last couple of years, but because they are a better team than years past I've been able to catch a couple of nationally televised games...has he always looked like he does this season? He's a decent sized guy compared to what I had in my mind.

[Frobby]

16 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

If you go into the "illustrator" portion you can go down to the velocity slider and pick any MPH.

Here's what he hits against velocity:

96 or more: 0-for-3 (.000)
95 or more: 1-for-5 (.200)
94 or more: 1-for-7 (.143)
93 or less: 3-for-7 (.429)

So he's hitting better against "fastballs" better, but its because Hyde has done a good job of giving him matchups against guys without the big fastball.

Thanks for the info - that’s why we pay you the big bucks!    I’m still not sure why 5 for 22 gives him a positive rating against fastballs on Fangraphs, but this information is enough for me.  

[Just Regular]

4 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

So he's hitting better against "fastballs" better, but its because Hyde has done a good job of giving him matchups against guys without the big fastball.

I think Gary Rajsich was decent at his job, and in 2015 DJ Stewart was understandable as a patience power slugger.

Stewart is one of the poster children for me of the kinds of players McKinsey Driveline pitching maths have pushed towards extinction, along with the Jordan Lyles Kyle Gibson type pitcher.   The improvement in league average Stuff+ type metrics last 5-10 years has I think just overwhelmed some skilled batters like Stewart who can command the strikezone and their talent, but their talent just isn't enough to keep up.

McKenna like Gibson can be an okay tool for all year long, but I don't mind if he's somewhat shoved aside soon because everyone in the tournament has the big fastball, and Cowser or even Stowers could really use the skill acquisition time.

Having grown up on McGregor, Boddicker, etc, I am somewhat on the side of those (Theo Epstein?) who are I believe advocating for tightening the Arms carousel rules, something that would help keep Kyle Gibson relevant.    It doesn't help MLB grow stars if any Kevin Kelly in the world can blow away Ryan Mountcastle, Anthony Santander and Jorge Mateo.

Aaron Judge getting that 3rd look at Shane McClanahan in October has a little marketing edge there.