Jorge Mateo 2023

[LA2]

Mateo has 20 stolen bases despite a weak .276 OBP.

I'm looking forward to the base paths glowing white-hot once his bat heats up in July/August.

[BRobinsonfan]

2 hours ago, LA2 said:

Mateo has 20 stolen bases despite a weak .276 OBP.

I'm looking forward to the base paths glowing white-hot once his bat heats up in July/August.

It's incredible to think how many bases he would steal if he could just get his OBP up to a league average of .312 OBP.  

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

3 minutes ago, BRobinsonfan said:

It's incredible to think how many bases he would steal if he could just get his OBP up to a league average of .312 OBP.  

It's also incredible to think how does Mateo not know how to bunt? Mateo can barely execute a sacrifice bunt. Mateo would boost his OBP by bunting for base hits with his speed.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

It's also incredible to think how does Mateo not know how to bunt? Mateo can barely execute a sacrifice bunt. Mateo would boost his OBP by bunting for base hits with his speed.

It's just not that easy.  The all time leader in bunt hits had fewer than 190 over 17 seasons.

[emmett16]

My fear with Mateo is that he gets white hit in July/August and then goes right back into his dormant cycle as the playoffs begin. 

[BRobinsonfan]

14 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

It's also incredible to think how does Mateo not know how to bunt? Mateo can barely execute a sacrifice bunt. Mateo would boost his OBP by bunting for base hits with his speed.

Can't argue with you when you're right.  If I'm remembering correctly when Mullins made it back to the majors after his disastrous 2019 season, he dropped a fair amount of bunts that helped boost his batting average as well as his confidence.  

[OriolesMagic83]

2 hours ago, BRobinsonfan said:

Can't argue with you when you're right.  If I'm remembering correctly when Mullins made it back to the majors after his disastrous 2019 season, he dropped a fair amount of bunts that helped boost his batting average as well as his confidence.  

I remember some brutal takes on Mullins hitting ability.  Basically Mullins is a .200 hitter if he couldn't bunt.

[Bahama O's Fan]

Mateo just needs to work on being an average bunter. Once that happens, the defense has to shift to respect it and then holes open up for other hits

[HakunaSakata]

8 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Mateo just needs to work on being an average bunter. Once that happens, the defense has to shift to respect it and then holes open up for other hits

So he's going to bunt his way into offensive relevance again? 

[forphase1]

12 minutes ago, HakunaSakata said:

So he's going to bunt his way into offensive relevance again? 

Maybe, as he certainly isn't hitting his way there!

[maybenxtyr]

29 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Mateo just needs to work on being an average bunter. Once that happens, the defense has to shift to respect it and then holes open up for other hits

Perhaps he's just not ever going to be consistent. He was perfect for a rebuilding team that had an opportunity and a need, but I don't expect him to be any better than what he's shown so far.

[Jammer7]

20 minutes ago, maybenxtyr said:

Perhaps he's just not ever going to be consistent. He was perfect for a rebuilding team that had an opportunity and a need, but I don't expect him to be any better than what he's shown so far.

I am beginning to think you might be right. There is upside there, but he hasn’t shown the aptitude to improve in his shortcomings. I should say he has improved, at times, and then shown an unexpected regression to the bad habits. It really can be maddening as a fan, and even worse as a coach. Hyde, Borgshulte, Fuller and Ashe have to be pulling their hair out at this point. They get him to do the things they teach, he has success, and for some reason he goes back to the old way of doing things. His process is all over the place. 

For me, he has just about gone from a guy that we needed to see get everyday at bats, to someone we can move on from as the starter at SS. If this was 2021, no problem. It’s 2023 and we are trying to win. 

[Roll Tide]

18 hours ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I remember some brutal takes on Mullins hitting ability.  Basically Mullins is a .200 hitter if he couldn't bunt.

All I remember is him being a poor switch hitter. Once he gave that up he became a MLB prospect 

[Sanity Check]

18 hours ago, HakunaSakata said:

So he's going to bunt his way into offensive relevance again? 

Hey, you never know.  Many on here thought it might work for Chris Davis 

[Sanity Check]

18 hours ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Mateo just needs to work on being an average bunter. Once that happens, the defense has to shift to respect it and then holes open up for other hits

I think defenses are already respecting the "chances" he might bunt.....I don't think the 3rd basemen are laying back early in his counts.