Does Mountcastle have any trade value?

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, interloper said:

The Orioles wouldn't want to trade for him, but maybe some team who is contending with a weak 1B or who needs a bat vs LHP. I could also see a rebuilding team who thinks they are ready to pop trading for him since he's still plenty young. 

I guess so, but I think you could find a bat against lefties in any system, no matter how weak.  

[sportsfan8703]

I think we just ride it out with him until the offseason. The only move to completely take him off the roster would be for Westburg. Other than that we need the potential of his bat versus LHP. 

[Sanity Check]

12 minutes ago, oriole said:

I don’t think you’re gonna get much for a first basemen that can’t hit righties, get on base, or play good defense. You may as well keep him to fit the role he is in. But a semi-permanent move has to be made. He can’t be in the lineup every day anymore. It’s beyond “bad luck”

I don't think semi-permanent is a thing.

[HOF19]

Boy ......... If they could find a GM that loved Mountcastle ( I am probably dreaming) what the heck .......... Have a conversation with that GM ..... AT LEAST ! .......... As Always GO O's !

[wildcard]

I would not trade Mountcastle now.   

Get him healthy.   Hyde can platoon him with O'Hearn.   At some point he can be optioned if he is not hitting.  He has 2 options.    He can work on his swing decision and plate discipline  at AAA.   He is making  738K this year and probably makes less in the minors.  He is not a financial burden.

Long term Elias may want a left-handed power hitter at 1B.   Kjerstad?  Or maybe its just a spot for Mayo though he is right-handed.

But for now I would keep him and work with him.   He is a better player than what he is showing right now.

[interloper]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I would not trade Mountcastle now.   

Get him healthy.   Hyde can platoon him with O'Hearn.   At some point he can be optioned if he is not hitting.  He has 2 options.    He can work on his swing decision and plate discipline  at AAA.   He is making  738K this year and probably makes less in the minors.  He is not a financial burden.

Long term Elias may want a left-handed power hitter at 1B.   Kjerstad?  Or maybe its just a spot for Mayo though he is right-handed.

But for now I would keep him and work with him.   He is a better player than what he is showing right now.

A calm, reasoned take that I can get behind. 

I definitely can see a scenario where Mountcastle goes god-mode for a month or two at the exact right time that we need him to. And if he doesn't, there's no reason we can't option him. Especially for an organization with very little true 1B depth, it makes sense to keep him in the organization. 

Edited June 13, 2023 by interloper

[Moose Milligan]

7 minutes ago, wildcard said:

He is not a financial burden.

He's just a burden everywhere else when not in the batter's box against a pitcher who happens to throw with his left hand.

[ArtVanDelay]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Mounty doesn’t need to be dealt to a contender. 
 

If I were a team in need of a first baseman for a few more years and I had a more favorable park, I would inquire.

He’s got a lot of power and until he gets into his arb 2 season, he should be worth the money. Beyond that season depends on his performance.

A team like Cincinnati makes a lot of sense imo. Actually, 2 other teams in that division, the Cubs and Brewers make some sense too.

Cincinnati already has an IF logjam.  Spencer Steer is better than Mountcastle, Joey Votto is coming back, and they have one of the best 1B prospects in baseball who has a 1.162 OPS in AAA (Christian Encarnacion-Strand). 

[wildcard]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

He's just a burden everywhere else when not in the batter's box against a pitcher who happens to throw with his left hand.

Not if he is at AAA.  What do you think he makes at AAA.  300/yr.   So maybe 180K for the rest of the season if he is at AAA.   If  he hitting lefties I am fine with him platooning with O'Hearn for now.

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, ArtVanDelay said:

Cincinnati already has an IF logjam.  Spencer Steer is better than Mountcastle, Joey Votto is coming back, and they have one of the best 1B prospects in baseball who has a 1.162 OPS in AAA (Christian Encarnacion-Strand). 

Does Steer also play third though?

They have one of the worst 1B productions in the league, so I assumed Steer was mainly at third.

Strand could make it irrelevant though. I know he’s a top 10 prospect for them. 

Cinci has awful production from DH too.

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Not if he is at AAA.  What do you think he makes at AAA.  300/yr.   So maybe 180K for the rest of the season if he is at AAA.   If  he hitting lefties I am fine with him platooning with O'Hearn for now.

Good, then send him to AAA.  I doubt that goes over well but I also don't care.

I'd rather just give the job to O'Hearn full time, let Tony start at 1B vs LHP if O'Hearn can't hit it and bring up Cowser.

 

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

Does Steer also play third though?

They have one of the worst 1B productions in the league, so I assumed Steer was mainly at third.

Strand could make it irrelevant though. I know he’s a top 10 prospect for them. 

Cinci has awful production from DH too.

I can't imagine a team with terrible 1st base production thinking that Ryan Mountcastle is some sort of an upgrade.

[ArtVanDelay]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Does Steer also play third though?

They have one of the worst 1B productions in the league, so I assumed Steer was mainly at third.

Strand could make it irrelevant though. I know he’s a top 10 prospect for them. 

Cinci has awful production from DH too.

Yeah Steer can play second and third.  I believe he’s at first out of necessity right now.  The problem is that they also have Jonathan India, Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain in the IF.  I assume Votto DHs and Steer stays at first.

[Sports Guy]

6 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I can't imagine a team with terrible 1st base production thinking that Ryan Mountcastle is some sort of an upgrade.

Mounty has been an 800ish OPS 30 homer guy recently and without the wall, my guess is that he would be approaching those numbers again.

A lot of his statcast numbers are very good. He’s an ideal change of scenery guy and other teams know this.

Most other parks he would be doing a lot better. A rebuilding team who needs some power and a first baseman could definitely view him as a higher upside play.

Edited June 13, 2023 by Sports Guy

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, ArtVanDelay said:

Yeah Steer can play second and third.  I believe he’s at first out of necessity right now.  The problem is that they also have Jonathan India, Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain in the IF.  I assume Votto DHs and Steer stays at first.

I did forget about India.