Mullins and Mountcastle back soon?

[Fiver6565]

This shows how disconnected MASN's own reporters are.  Here's a quote from Roch, from this 4AM post this morning - essentially a full contradiction to this news about Norfolk tonight:

 

The Orioles lost their leadoff hitter and one of their best players at the plate and in the field when Cedric Mullins strained his right groin. He’s on a running and hitting progression in Sarasota, but it’s going to be a while before he’s back with the team.

[Fiver6565]

6 minutes ago, Fiver6565 said:

This shows how disconnected MASN's own reporters are.  Here's a quote from Roch, from this 4AM post this morning - essentially a full contradiction to this news about Norfolk tonight:

 

The Orioles lost their leadoff hitter and one of their best players at the plate and in the field when Cedric Mullins strained his right groin. He’s on a running and hitting progression in Sarasota, but it’s going to be a while before he’s back with the team.

Just noticed that the tweet is from Roch, so I guess he's just contradicting himself, LOL.  Anyway, if true, that's great news about Ced, as a return appears to be much more imminent than we thought.

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, HelenaEngineer said:

I know Santander has some limitations defensively and is likely to be supplanted fairly soon defensively by Cowser, but I think the Orioles still consider him a "real outfielder". You have Mullins, Hays, Hicks and Santander with Frazier and O'Hearn able to play corner spots if absolutely needed which seems to make McKenna the likely odd man out to me. If the Orioles preferred McKenna to Santander in the OF, he would be getting more at bats in that role, which makes him at best the 5th outfielder.

While it's hard to "guess" along with Elias' roster construction because it often head scratchingly weird, but I think this is on. I really think Hicks took McKenna's job as the 4th outfielder once Mullins comes back though he could slide over to RF with Santander at DH and O'Hearn at 1B. 

We all agree Lester goes when Mullins returns, but once Mountcastle is ready, who goes? 

I think you have to look at the likely starting lineup vs lefties:

1B: Mountcastle
2B: Urias
SS: Mateo
3B: Henderson (L) 
LF : Hays
CF: Mullins (L)
RF: Hicks
DH: Santander
Rutschman

Bench:
O'Hearn - (L) 1B/RF
Frazier - (L) 2B/corner OF
Backup catcher (take your pick)

Last guy on the bench either Ortiz or McKenna
McKenna - All 3 OF positions (Let's you rest Any outfielder including CF, but Hicks can now fill in there)
Ortiz - All three infield positions (Let's you potentially rest Henderson against tough lefty)

To me, having Ortiz makes more sense but they also may not at some point want Ortiz sitting so much. 

[NCRaven]

19 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

To me, having Ortiz makes more sense but they also may not at some point want Ortiz sitting so much. 

For me, this is the best, maybe only, reason to send Ortiz down - so that he can get everyday at bats.  Personally, I hope we eventually end up with Mateo and Frazier filling utility infield roles with Urias and Henderson starting and either Westburg (my choice) or Ortiz starting in the infield.

[jamalshw]

I wonder if the limitations on how many times you can send someone down in a year will play a role in the decision of McKenna vs. Ortiz. 

[RVAOsFan]

4 minutes ago, jamalshw said:

I wonder if the limitations on how many times you can send someone down in a year will play a role in the decision of McKenna vs. Ortiz. 

This is a good point. Limit is 5 per season? Ortiz has already been sent down 3 times? McKenna has not been sent down yet.

[Tony-OH]

15 minutes ago, jamalshw said:

I wonder if the limitations on how many times you can send someone down in a year will play a role in the decision of McKenna vs. Ortiz. 

Potentially, for sure. A wild card in all of this would have been Mountcastle getting optioned if McCann was healthy.

[Aristotelian]

Between Lester and McKenna I would probably keep McKenna. But between McKenna and Hicks, Hicks is a no brainer. He has clearly outperformed McKenna and if Hicks is the 4th OF there is no role for McKenna. Lester may be the first to go but ultimately McKenna serves no purpose once Mullins is back.

Whichever is left of McKenna and Lester will probably be the next to go.

[Moose Milligan]

Happy to have Ced almost returning.  

Don't feel the need to see Mountcastle back.  

[jamalshw]

23 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Happy to have Ced almost returning.  

Don't feel the need to see Mountcastle back.  

This depends on how he looks at AAA. I wouldn't mind if they took all the time possible for him on his rehab to help see if they can get him right and his bat going. 

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I figure they are back for the homestand, assuming all goes well.

Hicks has likely cemented himself as a player to stay on the roster, at least for the foreseeable future but with the lack of a third real OFer, I think McKenna could stay at your 4th OFer.

Ortiz is likely the guy to go down.

 

The truth is, Santander has played pretty well in RF.  He’s +2 Rtot, +2 Rdrs, +0.5 UZR, -2 OAA.   Even if you favor the latter, -2 is not awful.   The results were similar last year: -1 Rtot, +3 Rdrs, +0.8 UZR, 0 OAA.

He’s played very poorly in LF for whatever reason.  

I’d keep Hicks and Ortiz, and option McKenna.  
 

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, jamalshw said:

This depends on how he looks at AAA. I wouldn't mind if they took all the time possible for him on his rehab to help see if they can get him right and his bat going. 

That's fine.  

Two things:

I don't think he's going to get more selective at the plate anytime soon.  And I'm not saying he needs to have Rutschman or Henderson plate discipline, he'd just need to be like, 25% better than what he is.

Selfishly, I find the excuse making for him to be absolutely exhausting.

[Billy F-Face3]

7 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I figure they are back for the homestand, assuming all goes well.

I hope Mullins gets a standing ovation from the home crowd when he finally takes the field again in Oriole Park.

[RVAOsFan]

19 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

That's fine.  

Two things:

I don't think he's going to get more selective at the plate anytime soon.  And I'm not saying he needs to have Rutschman or Henderson plate discipline, he'd just need to be like, 25% better than what he is.

Selfishly, I find the excuse making for him to be absolutely exhausting.

We have been praising the player development guys in the minor leagues endlessly over the past couple years for what they have done with our young hitters.  I don't see why Mountcastle couldn't improve his approach and swing working with them for a bit while we ride the O'Hearn hot streak.  I see no reason why we don't let Mountcastle take his time to rehab and potentially option him if it makes sense when the rehab period is up.

[justD]

Mullins with a really sweet 3-run HR after going o-fer for the first 7 innings of the game tonight.  What a relief to see that, even if it was only 365-ft per the announcer.