Keep AAA stat inflation in mind when looking at our prospects

[Malike]

We're 8th in the league in runs scored. If the goal is to try to overpower every other team when we fail to hold 7-run leads or fail to keep games close when we're down 2 or 3 runs, then we're putting a bandaid on a bullet wound.

Fix the bullpen.

[deward]

4 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

C'mon.

Look, Frazier is a low bar to hurdle.  We have to be confident that one of these guys from our vaunted, hyped, #1 farm system has to be able to put up AT LEAST what Frazier is doing.

We have to be confident that one of these guys from our vaunted, hyped, #1 farm system has to be able to put up at LEAST what Mountcastle is doing.

Santander might harder to replicate, but my answer to that is that Santander isn't the lynchpin for this team.  If we can lose Mullins for 3+ weeks and not skip a beat, I would wager to believe we could replace Santander and not skip a beat, either.

I was only talking about Santander. Santander certainly isn't irreplaceable, my point is that it's a mistake to assume that Santander is the floor for those guys. Santander is a good hitter; if either one steps in an establishes himself as the same caliber of hitter, especially in the early phase of their career, then that's a successful transition. Expecting them to be better than Santander in any short-term scenario is a big ask.

They didn't skip a beat without Mullins because Hicks showed up and has played like an all-star for three weeks. 

[Baltimorecuse]

27 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Stowers has big AAA numbers too. 

I really thought Stowers would be a stud this year.  

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, deward said:

I was only talking about Santander. Santander certainly isn't irreplaceable, my point is that it's a mistake to assume that Santander is the floor for those guys. Santander is a good hitter; if either one steps in an establishes himself as the same caliber of hitter, especially in the early phase of their career, then that's a successful transition. Expecting them to be better than Santander in any short-term scenario is a big ask.

They didn't skip a beat without Mullins because Hicks showed up and has played like an all-star for three weeks. 

Correct, Hicks has been fantastic.  

But if we can not skip a beat with a perceived over-the-hill free agent acquisition like Hicks, I'm sure we can find a suitable replacement for Frazier, Mountcastle, Mateo and Mountcastle from our amazing farm system.

[Malike]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Correct, Hicks has been fantastic.  

But if we can not skip a beat with a perceived over-the-hill free agent acquisition like Hicks, I'm sure we can find a suitable replacement for Frazier, Mountcastle, Mateo and Mountcastle from our amazing farm system.

We could always get rid of the first Mountcastle and hope he's the one with Vertigo and hang on to the second!

[slakattack]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

Correct, Hicks has been fantastic.  

But if we can not skip a beat with a perceived over-the-hill free agent acquisition like Hicks, I'm sure we can find a suitable replacement for Frazier, Mountcastle, Mateo and Mountcastle from our amazing farm system.

I know that O'Hearn may come back to earth soon, but I still prefer his plate approach over Mountcastle. I have always liked Mounty, and would prefer to see him adapt and improve, but is he capable of becoming a disciplined hitter?

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, slakattack said:

I know that O'Hearn may come back to earth soon, but I still prefer his plate approach over Mountcastle. I have always liked Mounty, and would prefer to see him adapt and improve, but is he capable of becoming a disciplined hitter?

I'd say no.

[Malike]

1 minute ago, slakattack said:

I know that O'Hearn may come back to earth soon, but I still prefer his plate approach over Mountcastle. I have always liked Mounty, and would prefer to see him adapt and improve, but is he capable of becoming a disciplined hitter?

The way O'Hearn has been playing he absolutely needs to be in the lineup until he shows he's the guy he's always been. Ride the hot hands.

[Hank Scorpio]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I'd say no.

I second that.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

5 minutes ago, slakattack said:

I know that O'Hearn may come back to earth soon, but I still prefer his plate approach over Mountcastle. I have always liked Mounty, and would prefer to see him adapt and improve, but is he capable of becoming a disciplined hitter?

It's unlikely at this point with Mountcastle racking up 1,596 career plate appearances with no improvement at being more selective at the plate.

Mountcastle got away with swinging at everything in the lower levels, but you can't do that in MLB unless you are some kind of unicorn like Vlad Guerrero Sr. was. 

 

[ShoelesJoe]

Ryan McKenna went down to Norfolk last year for a week or ten days and put up an .888 OPS in 30+ ABs. Compare that to his .634 OPS for the Orioles in 2022, and his .622 OPS this year. 

[deward]

15 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Correct, Hicks has been fantastic.  

But if we can not skip a beat with a perceived over-the-hill free agent acquisition like Hicks, I'm sure we can find a suitable replacement for Frazier, Mountcastle, Mateo and Mountcastle from our amazing farm system.

Sure, they can replace Frazier, Mateo and both Mountcastles at their current level of production tomorrow. 

[2001OriolesFan]

14 minutes ago, Malike said:

The way O'Hearn has been playing he absolutely needs to be in the lineup until he shows he's the guy he's always been. Ride the hot hands.

"the guy he has always been?"    He really didn't get a good shot in his previous MLB stint. His first year was pretty good.   His 0.264 BA would make me the 6th highest on the O's. https://www.mlb.com/orioles/stats/batting-average?playerPool=ALL .     https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohearry01.shtml

 

[ArtVanDelay]

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Any thoughts on why the inflation?  Juiced ball?  More hitter friendly ballparks?  An .800 OPS in Norfolk used to mean a lot. Most certainly in Ottawa and Rochester. 

It’s the robo umps. 

[Malike]

19 minutes ago, 2001OriolesFan said:

"the guy he has always been?"    He really didn't get a good shot in his previous MLB stint. His first year was pretty good.   His 0.264 BA would make me the 6th highest on the O's. https://www.mlb.com/orioles/stats/batting-average?playerPool=ALL .     https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohearry01.shtml

 

He had over 1000 ABs on a terrible KC team and as bad as they are couldn't find a job there. He's been worth -2.0 WAR for his career and that's counting the .8 he's putting up this year. I stand by my statement.

Edit: Despite two huge years of OPS+ of 154 and a whopping 173 this year his career OPS+ in six seasons is only 90. 

Edited June 22, 2023 by Malike