Is Santander dinged up? Why is Vavra starting RF?

[Tony-OH]

Anthony Santander is having one of his best defensive seasons in several years in RF this season and has been hitting the ball well in May, so why has he started just one game in RF over the last six games? 

I get getting Mountcastle a break and him getting start at 1B, but why is Vavra starting in RF while he's at DH? Vavra is a well below average outfielder with a -5.6 ft/sec jump and his 29.7 ft/sec covered is well below Santander's 2.1 ft/sec above avg jump and 34.3 ft/sec this season. 

Did I miss something about Santander being nicked up? 

I much rather see Santander in RF and O'Hearn at DH against righties for now, at least until the Orioles pull the trigger on Westburg or when Cowser heals up. 

Vavra just started 3 straight games in RF and while the Orioles have won 2 of 3 of those games, I'm struggling to see why he's getting starts in RF over Santander unless Santander is nicked up.

 

[interloper]

Well he's back in RF today.

I think they are protecting his health mostly. Wouldn't be surprised if he's a little sore or banged up. But it also gives them an opportunity to find out about his 1B skills to eventually make O'Hearn expendable and call up Cowser, although that's put on hold for the foreseeable future with the Cowser quad injury. 

It's also one of the only ways to get Vavra ABs right now. He either has to spell Hays or Santander, and Hyde would of course rather play Hays in Camden LF. This team needs a LH outfielder, but they appear to like Vavra's ABs more than Stowers right now. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by interloper

[TommyPickles]

I went to two games this week (my first two of the year!).

Two takeaways I had:

1. Santander looked surprisingly good at 1B. Even in warm-ups, he was picking everything out of the dirt.

2. Vavra didn't look great in RF. That one fly ball he missed near the scoreboard cost Kremer a run. 

 

Also, according to Fielding Bible, of the 32 players who have logged at least 150 innings at first base this season, Mountcastle has been the second worst defensively (31st out of 32).

 

[vab]

Santander did foul a ball off his foot last night or the night before. May have tightened up on him after the game. 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, interloper said:

Well he's back in RF today.

I think they are protecting his health mostly. Wouldn't be surprised if he's a little sore or banged up. But it also gives them an opportunity to find out about his 1B skills to eventually make O'Hearn expendable and call up Cowser, although that's put on hold for the foreseeable future with the Cowser quad injury. 

It's also one of the only ways to get Vavra ABs right now. He either has to spell Hays or Santander, and Hyde would of course rather play Hays in Camden LF. This team needs a LH outfielder, but they appear to like Vavra's ABs more than Stowers right now. 

Oh, I'm not arguing for Stowers over Vavra with the at bats he was having. Stowers well earned that demotion and needed a reset. 

i just wondered if I missed something with Santander physically. He's a better defensive outfielder than Vavra so if one should be in RF, it should be santander unless he's dinged up. Then the decision is Vavra vs O'Hearn for DH and occasional 1B.

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, TommyPickles said:

I went to two games this week (my first two of the year!).

Two takeaways I had:

1. Santander looked surprisingly good at 1B. Even in warm-ups, he was picking everything out of the dirt.

2. Vavra didn't look great in RF. That one fly ball he missed near the scoreboard cost Kremer a run. 

 

Also, according to Fielding Bible, of the 32 players who have logged at least 150 innings at first base this season, Mountcastle has been the second worst defensively (31st out of 32).

 

Mountcastle has certainly regressed this year defensively and have no issues with Santander getting some time over there.