How much longer can we endure Mountcastle's and Mateo's OBP?

[panick]

Why do people keep referring to Mateo's great speed? Who cares how fast he can run if he can't get on base?

In a game last week, one of our broadcasters said that Mountcastle said he doesn't want to walk. That would probably explain why he swings at so many bad pitches. Maybe playing fewer games and batting toward the bottom of the order might be the attitude adjustment he needs to be more selective at the pitches he swings at. Does anyone think that either of the hitting coaches have ever said anything to Mountcastle about his pitch selection?

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, panick said:

Why do people keep referring to Mateo's great speed? Who cares how fast he can run if he can't get on base?

In a game last week, one of our broadcasters said that Mountcastle said he doesn't want to walk. That would probably explain why he swings at so many bad pitches. Maybe playing fewer games and batting toward the bottom of the order might be the attitude adjustment he needs to be more selective at the pitches he swings at. Does anyone think that either of the hitting coaches have ever said anything to Mountcastle about his pitch selection?

I'm sure that the only person to ever communicate anything about being more selective at the plate to Mountcastle was Buck publicly calling him out when he was still a minor leaguer.

Before or after that, nothing.

Just Buck and yahoos on a message board.

[Spy Fox]

21 minutes ago, tntoriole said:

.102/.143/.119  in May for Mateo’s 64 plate appearances.    A .262 OPS .

Mateo's April was the best month by OPS that any Oriole starter had posted in a couple years. 

Mateo's May may be the worst month by OPS that any Oriole starter has posted in years. 

The on/off switch was drastic and sudden.

[jabba72]

4 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'm sure that the only person to ever communicate anything about being more selective at the plate to Mountcastle was Buck publicly calling him out when he was still a minor leaguer.

Before or after that, nothing.

Just Buck and yahoos on a message board.

And Buck was right. Look at Mountcastle 5-6 years later. Could have been even longer than that.

[btdart20]

13 minutes ago, panick said:

In a game last week, one of our broadcasters said that Mountcastle said he doesn't want to walk. That would probably explain why he swings at so many bad pitches. Maybe playing fewer games and batting toward the bottom of the order might be the attitude adjustment he needs to be more selective at the pitches he swings at. Does anyone think that either of the hitting coaches have ever said anything to Mountcastle about his pitch selection?

For Mountcastle/MOOs, I think the goal is putting the ball in play hard somewhere and are ok with a higher than average K% (and lower than average BB%) if the ISO/SLG is sufficiently high enough.  That could amount to not looking for walks and swinging at pitches out of the zone that he thinks he can damage.

That said, I think Mountcastle is testing the cost/benefit limits.  And yes, they have swing decision/pitch selection post-game report cards for the hitters.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

And Buck was right. Look at Mountcastle 5-6 years later. Could have been even longer than that.

Buck was wrong to do it the way he did it.

He had some players he'd bully in front of the media and others that he coddled.

But sure, being more selective would be beneficial to his game.  Even then everyone understood that (I think even Mountcastle).

It just isn't as easy as "Well I guess I won't swing at these bad pitches anymore".  Or everyone would do it.

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Can_of_corn

[tntoriole]

8 minutes ago, Spy Fox said:

Mateo's April was the best month by OPS that any Oriole starter had posted in a couple years. 

Mateo's May may be the worst month by OPS that any Oriole starter has posted in years. 

The on/off switch was drastic and sudden.

Guess which one i think is more likely in June .. sadly.. i think he now has a huge hole in his approach that every pitcher knows about .. 

[SemperFi]

18 minutes ago, panick said:

Why do people keep referring to Mateo's great speed? Who cares how fast he can run if he can't get on base?

In a game last week, one of our broadcasters said that Mountcastle said he doesn't want to walk. That would probably explain why he swings at so many bad pitches. Maybe playing fewer games and batting toward the bottom of the order might be the attitude adjustment he needs to be more selective at the pitches he swings at. Does anyone think that either of the hitting coaches have ever said anything to Mountcastle about his pitch selection?

That's a fair point and it's very difficult to defend Mateo now but speed changes the game.  Pitch patterns change (stretch, accelerated pitch count, better pitches to hit, IF has to cover).  His defense and speed unfortunately give him a long leash.

    

[turtlebowl]

Urius is going to be back soon and I could see him getting some more run at first base.  You have him at first along with Ortiz at SS and you add a lot more contact in your everyday lineup. 

I still would be curious to see Westburg at first.  He is a guy without a true lockdown position within the organization but by all accounts he has a decent glove.  The bat looks to play so wouldn't that be a possible immediate upgrade? 

 

[sportsfan8703]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

Can't really disagree with anything you said here. Mountcastle is miscast as a middle of the order hitter which is why I was championing the Orioles need for a MOO this offseason. If Mounctastle is batting 6th in a lineup, that's ok if you are willing to live with the bad OBP and those bad streaks.

 

Hays should be batting 4th right now.  Hopefully by the end of the season Gunnar puts it all together.  I wouldn't count out Gunnar's talent.  

[Aristotelian]

By the way, Rizzo made some tremendous picks at 1B last night. Just another aspect of Mountcastle's game that could be improved but I don't see it changing. Only question is do we have a better alternative. We haven't seen enough to know but I have a feeling Santander to 1B is more of a band aid than a long term solution. I guess the idea would be Cowser brings enough extra OF production that we could live with Santander at 1B. 

[Moshagge3]

31 minutes ago, tntoriole said:

Guess which one i think is more likely in June .. sadly.. i think he now has a huge hole in his approach that every pitcher knows about .. 

I think it's become something more than the book being out on him. He's missing fastballs and breaking pitches. He's chasing pitches outside the zone and swinging through mistakes down the middle. It has to be at least partly in his head right now.

[Sanfran327]

My hope is that the only thing keeping Cowser and Westburg down at this point is the schedule. We're home against Texas and Cleveland after the Yankees series, and I've been hoping that Elias will make the call for them when we come home. I probably wouldn't ask even two blue chippers to make their MLB debuts on the road against good Toronto and New York clubs.

[maybenxtyr]

Just now, Sanfran327 said:

My hope is that the only thing keeping Cowser and Westburg down at this point is the schedule. We're home against Texas and Cleveland after the Yankees series, and I've been hoping that Elias will make the call for them when we come home. I probably wouldn't ask even two blue chippers to make their MLB debuts on the road against good Toronto and New York clubs.

Cowser is on the MiL IL. I don't think we see him in Baltimore anytime soon. Westburg, who knows what they're waiting on for him. 

[Can_of_corn]

10 minutes ago, Moshagge3 said:

I think it's become something more than the book being out on him. He's missing fastballs and breaking pitches. He's chasing pitches outside the zone and swinging through mistakes down the middle. It has to be at least partly in his head right now.

Two-thirds of the Hangout:

Just so many folks that are experts in sports psychology and Kinesics here.  It's a truly amazing community Tony has put together.