Orioles calling up Westburg.

[Tony-OH]

56 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I think you left out the word “never.”  But you put your finger right on it.  You can throw Vavra on the Stowers-Ortiz side too.   I do think there might be room for something in between with Westburg, but who knows?

I did, thanks. Made the correction. I'm just hoping to see him given a legitimate everyday chance regardless of where he plays.

[Explosivo]

Perhaps the play is, build buzz in hopes in small sample size he hits a homer or two. Then as his stock is highest, play that strength into a trade. If he really is Mateo with more power and less speed, I’d take Mateo.

[interloper]

1 hour ago, Hank Scorpio said:

I just expect him to be a much better offensive option than Frazier.... eventually. Maybe not right off the bat, but eventually.

Also, despite him not being billed as a defensive wizard, Westburg should easily out-class Frazier defensively. He's had some sick plays for Norfolk this year. 

Although, we know the same is true of Ortiz and they didn't play him, so... Westburg is going to have to hit almost immediately to keep playing. And god save him if he makes a single bad defensive play in the infield. Hyde will go right back to the guys he "trusts". Vavra knows all about that. 

Edited June 26, 2023 by interloper

[sportsfan8703]

28 minutes ago, interloper said:

I refuse to believe this ISN'T the plan until it's proven otherwise, based on track record:

• Westburg provides more pop than Ortiz against the two LH SPs in the Reds series, and he's been playing consistently at AAA unlike Ortiz. Therefore, the Orioles are more comfortable having Westburg in the lineup. 
• Ortiz goes down for now.
• Westburg is only here until Mountcastle returns. 
• Westburg is ultimately treated as another option in the rotating matchup roster spot (Ortiz, Vavra, Stowers, Lester, etc.). 

I've been fooled too many times to really believe that Westburg will truly supplant one of the IFers until there's an injury or trade. Right now, he's basically going to replace Mountcastle because they want someone with pop vs these LH SPs. Once Mounty remembers how to hit, he'll be back up and Westburg will go back down. 

As it stands, I don't really buy that the O's think of Westburg like they do Adley and Gunnar. I just don't. I hope I'm wrong! 

Most don't consider this a "chance".  However, Westburg is getting a chance.  He's in the lineup.  Now he just needs to hit the ground running.  Stowers, Vavra, and Ortiz, did not seize their opportunities.  This is what winning baseball looks like.  Gotta produce.  I know, I know, but Mateo... well he has elite defense and elite baserunning, both of which don't slump.  

[deward]

4 minutes ago, Explosivo said:

Perhaps the play is, build buzz in hopes in small sample size he hits a homer or two. Then as his stock is highest, play that strength into a trade. If he really is Mateo with more power and less speed, I’d take Mateo.

Do you think teams are making significant adjustments in their evaluation of a player based off a homer or two?

[Tony-OH]

30 minutes ago, interloper said:

I refuse to believe this ISN'T the plan until it's proven otherwise, based on track record:

• Westburg provides more pop than Ortiz against the two LH SPs in the Reds series, and he's been playing consistently at AAA unlike Ortiz. Therefore, the Orioles are more comfortable having Westburg in the lineup. 
• Ortiz goes down for now.
• Westburg is only here until Mountcastle returns. 
• Westburg is ultimately treated as another option in the rotating matchup roster spot (Ortiz, Vavra, Stowers, Lester, etc.). 

I've been fooled too many times to really believe that Westburg will truly supplant one of the IFers until there's an injury or trade. Right now, he's basically going to replace Mountcastle because they want someone with pop vs these LH SPs. Once Mounty remembers how to hit, he'll be back up and Westburg will go back down. 

As it stands, I don't really buy that the O's think of Westburg like they do Adley and Gunnar. I just don't. I hope I'm wrong! 

Mountcastle hasn't gotten a hit since he's been playing with Nrofolk and does not look good at the plate. I don't know if the vertigo is still bothering him, but he looks nowhere near a guy ready to come off the IL. I honestly could see them putting him back on the IL or demoting him (He has options). 

I do think Ortiz may get sent back down. Similar to Stowers, Ortiz has not been used like a top prospect but like a fill in guy. Disappointing. Like I've said previously, we just don't know how the Orioles will handle this with rookies. 

There are plenty of opportunities for Westburg to play regularly between 2B/3B/ and even SS where he's not really that bad but definitely a step down from Mateo/Ortiz/Henderson.

[deward]

2 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Most don't consider this a "chance".  However, Westburg is getting a chance.  He's in the lineup.  Now he just needs to hit the ground running.  Stowers, Vavra, and Ortiz, did not seize their opportunities.  This is what winning baseball looks like.  Gotta produce.  I know, I know, but Mateo... well he has elite defense and elite baserunning, both of which don't slump.  

If all Westburg gets is the same 30 AB audition that Ortiz and Stowers got this year, then he isn't being given a real chance. 

[interloper]

4 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Mountcastle hasn't gotten a hit since he's been playing with Nrofolk and does not look good at the plate. I don't know if the vertigo is still bothering him, but he looks nowhere near a guy ready to come off the IL. I honestly could see them putting him back on the IL or demoting him (He has options). 

I do think Ortiz may get sent back down. Similar to Stowers, Ortiz has not been used like a top prospect but like a fill in guy. Disappointing. Like I've said previously, we just don't know how the Orioles will handle this with rookies. 

There are plenty of opportunities for Westburg to play regularly between 2B/3B/ and even SS where he's not really that bad but definitely a step down from Mateo/Ortiz/Henderson.

I think we'll know a lot more when the O's are back to facing RH SPs. In those scenarios, it would make sense for Mateo to transition to a late-game defensive guy and Gunnar to play SS with Westburg at 3B and likely Frazier at 2B.

But now you're benching Urias with O'Hearn likely at 1B and Santander at DH. Which is where I worry because I find it hard to believe Hyde will choose to play Westburg over the gold glover Urias vs RHP in a pennant race. 

Edited June 26, 2023 by interloper

[Tony-OH]

3 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Most don't consider this a "chance".  However, Westburg is getting a chance.  He's in the lineup.  Now he just needs to hit the ground running.  Stowers, Vavra, and Ortiz, did not seize their opportunities.  This is what winning baseball looks like.  Gotta produce.  I know, I know, but Mateo... well he has elite defense and elite baserunning, both of which don't slump.  

The only real chance Stowers ever got was when he came back up the second time and something was off. I honestly don't even know what he's on the IL for now but I have to wonder if it was bothering him when he was up, but no way Stowers is that bad of a hitter. As for Vavra and Ortiz, when did they get a legitimate chance to start everyday? Ortiz got one week of regular starts. That's a real chance?

Over Adley's last seven games he's slashing .111/.226/.259/.485. Do we sit him because we're trying to win games? 

Rutschman and Henderson are the only two rookies they have brought up the last two years who have gotten every day jobs. The rest were platooned or used sparingly (Vavra is a different category for me because he probably is a bench guy if he can learn to produce without regular playing time).

The hope is that the Orioles will treat Westburg more like Adley/Gunnar but that will come from the playing time of Frazier and Mateo mostly. The question is are the Orioles ready to take that playing time away?

 

[Bemorewins]

10 minutes ago, interloper said:

Also, despite him not being billed as a defensive wizard, Westburg should easily out-class Frazier defensively. He's had some sick plays for Norfolk this year. 

Although, we know the same is true of Ortiz and they didn't play him, so... Westburg is going to have to hit almost immediately to keep playing. And god save him if he makes a single bad defensive play in the infield. Hyde will go right back to the guys he "trusts". Vavra knows all about that. 

Westburg and Varva aren’t really in the same class in terms of the level of talent that they have and the prospect status that they hold. 

Westburg is a legit top 50 MLB prospect who was picked #30 in the draft I believe? Varva was not ever seen as a top prospect and was not drafted by the club. Westburg has a real plus power tool, what plus tool does Varva have?

[deward]

2 minutes ago, interloper said:

I think we'll know a lot more when the O's are back to facing RH SPs. In those scenarios, it would make sense for Mateo to transition to a late-game defensive guy and Gunnar to play SS with Westburg at 3B and likely Frazier at 2B.

But now you're benching Urias with O'Hearn likely at 1B and Santander at DH. Which is where I worry because I find it hard to believe Hyde will choose to play Westburg over the gold glover Urias vs RHP in a pennant race. 

I don't think Hyde is making a ton of playing time decisions without input from the warehouse. He didn't get hired to defy Elias on how many ABs to give top prospects.

[interloper]

5 minutes ago, deward said:

I don't think Hyde is making a ton of playing time decisions without input from the warehouse. He didn't get hired to defy Elias on how many ABs to give top prospects.

This is the same Elias that recently lauded praise to Frazier and signed him to start at 2B with 1,000 infield prospects at his disposal. 

So, it depends on how Elias views Westburg. We just don't know. Westburg's playing time will come at the expense of Frazier vs LHP, which is nice, but what about vs RHP? Now you're looking at Westburg vs Urias, and that's a much tougher decision. 

vs RHP

Mullins CF
Adley C
Henderson SS
Santander DH
O'Hearn 1B
Hays LF
Hicks RF
Frazier 2B
Urias/Westburg 3B

Edited June 26, 2023 by interloper

[connja]

still waiting to hear on corresponding move?

 

 

[owknows]

Just now, connja said:

still waiting to hear on corresponding move?

 

 

nothing on the transaction wire yet

 

[TopGunnar]

27 minutes ago, Explosivo said:

Perhaps the play is, build buzz in hopes in small sample size he hits a homer or two. Then as his stock is highest, play that strength into a trade. If he really is Mateo with more power and less speed, I’d take Mateo.

Lol. Come on. Mateo is no exaggeration maybe the worst hitter in the MLB right now.