Bench Mountcastle, start O’Hearn

[Tony-OH]

On 6/9/2023 at 10:07 PM, Billy F-Face3 said:

No, he's been playing a little bit of first base in the minors. Major difference. He's mostly been playing Left Field and Right Field. He hasn't played any first base in about a week and that was only for a half inning after a pinch runner made the outfield too crowded.

If Kjerstad is going to be dubbed the future first baseman, that will hold him down in the minors alot longer because a player should actually play / gain experience of the position you're asking to play before he's thrown into it in MLB.

Kjerstad needs a lot of work at 1B to become playable there. He's only made 15 starts at 1B all at Bowie. Since he's been at AAA he's been playing LF/RF and DH. 

I agree that he needs a lot more experience there and with the Orioles playing Lewin Diaz (who is a very good defensive 1B) at 1B in Norfolk, they don't seem to think too highly of Kjerstad's defense there. 

Santander is better defensive 1B with less experience.

[Billy F-Face3]

1 minute ago, Tony-OH said:

Kjerstad needs a lot of work at 1B to become playable there. He's only made 15 starts at 1B all at Bowie. Since he's been at AAA he's been playing LF/RF and DH. 

I agree that he's needs a lot more experience there and with the Orioles playing Lewin Diaz (who is a very good defensive 1B) at 1B in Norfolk, they don't seem to think too highly of Kjerstad's defense there. 

Santander is better defensive 1B with les experience.

I agree with you %.

[Mooreisbetter27]

5 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

No, he's been playing a little bit of first base in the minors. Major difference. He's mostly been playing Left Field and Right Field. He hasn't played any first base in about a week and that was only for a half inning after a pinch runner made the outfield too crowded.

If Kjerstad is going to be dubbed the future first baseman, that will hold him down in the minors alot longer because a player should actually play / gain experience of the position you're asking to play before he's thrown into it in MLB.

A little bit? I think both you and I are a little extreme on either side of what we re saying. A lot isn’t accurate and neither is “a little bit”. 

Of games in the field a AA he played 3 in LF, 17 in RF and 16 1B. And yes of his two games in AAA, he’s played LF. But he’s played a fair amount of first and clearly they were doing that for a reason. 

[Billy F-Face3]

2 minutes ago, Mooreisbetter27 said:

A little bit? I think both you and I are a little extreme on either side of what we re saying. A lot isn’t accurate and neither is “a little bit”. 

Of games in the field a AA he played 3 in LF, 17 in RF and 16 1B. And yes of his two games in AAA, he’s played LF. But he’s played a fair amount of first and clearly they were doing that for a reason. 

He's got 69 career minor league games started playing the corner outfield and only 15 games started playing 1B. That's a major gap in experience.

https://www.milb.com/player/heston-kjerstad-677008?stats=career-r-fielding-minors&year=2023

[Mooreisbetter27]

On 6/9/2023 at 10:23 PM, Billy F-Face3 said:

He's got 69 career minor league games started playing the corner outfield and only 15 games started playing 1B. That's a major gap in experience.

https://www.milb.com/player/heston-kjerstad-677008?stats=career-r-fielding-minors&year=2023

Well yeah, he was drafted as an outfielder. We know that. We were talking about this year where it seems obvious they’re trying him out at first more to potentially move him there. I don’t know why you think I don’t know he has played mainly corner outfield in his life when that’s what he was drafted as… but okay. 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Mooreisbetter27

[LA2]

In 61 AB, Ryan O'Hearn has knocked in 16 runs, mainly as a result of being 7 for 14 (plus 2 walks and just 2 Ks) with RISP. To put that into perspective, if Mountcastle were knocking in runs at the same pace, he'd have not the current team-leading 39 RBI (tied with Mullins), but 63. An unfair SSS comparison for sure, but still fun to note.

[Moose Milligan]

O'Hearn with a missile tonight that would have only been a homer in Houston.  

.294/.343/.524.  Reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

I get that he's not great against lefties, that's fine.  Let Santander start at 1st base when the opponent starts a lefty, especially now that Cowser is up and can play an outfield spot.

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

6 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

O'Hearn with a missile tonight that would have only been a homer in Houston.  

.294/.343/.524.  Reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

I get that he's not great against lefties, that's fine.  Let Santander start at 1st base when the opponent starts a lefty, especially now that Cowser is up and can play an outfield spot.

 

A Mountcastle/O'Hearn platoon works and combined together they put up the numbers of an all star first baseman. (Now watch Mountcastle stop bashing LHP when he returns from the IL.)

[Moose Milligan]

20 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

A Mountcastle/O'Hearn platoon works and combined together they put up the numbers of an all star first baseman. (Now watch Mountcastle stop bashing LHP when he returns from the IL.)

I get that, but I'd prefer to keep Mountcastle down, keep Cowser up and have Cowser in the outfield and Santander at 1st base when O'Hearn is on the bench cause a lefty is on the mound.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

4 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I get that, but I'd prefer to keep Mountcastle down, keep Cowser up and have Cowser in the outfield and Santander at 1st base when O'Hearn is on the bench cause a lefty is on the mound.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I just don't see Elias keeping Mountcastle at Norfolk for an extended stretch. It's too bad Mountcastle has nuked any of the trade value he had even if it wasn't much.

[Moose Milligan]

14 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Maybe I'm wrong, but I just don't see Elias keeping Mountcastle at Norfolk for an extended stretch. It's too bad Mountcastle has nuked any of the trade value he had even if it wasn't much.

I don’t see it either, which is unfortunate. 
 

Anyone can see that Mountcastle isn’t a future piece for this team. They’re gonna have to find a place for Mayo, 1B seems like an option for him or maybe Kjerstad. 

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I don’t see it either, which is unfortunate. 
 

Anyone can see that Mountcastle isn’t a future piece for this team. They’re gonna have to find a place for Mayo, 1B seems like an option for him or maybe Kjerstad. 

Kjerstad and Mayo are problems for next year.  As to Mountcastle, if he can return to his usual form, he can still play a role on this year’s team.  But he has to prove at AAA that he’s remotely ready to do that.  

Edited July 6, 2023 by Frobby

[Mooreisbetter27]

Who would we even send down for Mountcastle at this point??

[Billy F-Face3]

3 minutes ago, Mooreisbetter27 said:

Who would we even send down for Mountcastle at this point??

They might let Mountcastle play a while longer in Norfolk until the trade deadline and some moves are made. Just to make sure his vertigo is OK. And if it's not, they might send him back to the IL or they can still option him just to play him sporadically while hoping he feels better / plays more consistent.

[Ridgway22]

8 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Kjerstad and Mayo are problems for next year.  As to Mountcastle, if he can return to his usual form, he can still play a role on this year’s team.  But he has to prove at AAA that he’s remotely ready to do that.  

If these are 'problems', sign me up for the problem of the month club!

And I agree, O'Hearn / Mountcastle platoon at 1B makes sense, RM would be a nice bat to have off the bench, esp. v. wrong handers.