How Orioles Rookies Have Performed in 2023

[johnrambo]

I know some is small sample size. I'm only going off of the sample size thus provided. It's not the end of the line for these guys. That said, performance on a contending team matters no matter how small the sample size. You still have to win more games than the other teams. 

 

Bad 

-Josh Lester

-Joey Ortiz

-Colton Cowser 

-Kyle Stowers 

-Grayson Rodriguez

 

Decent

-Jordan Westburg

 

Good

-Gunnar Henderson

-Yennier Cano

 

Takeaways. Baseball is really hard. Even top prospects usually struggle. Veteran big leaguers are veteran big leaguers for a reason. It's not a random coincidence. You dont rack up years in the MLB just cuz you feel like it. 

[Billy F-Face3]

If I was running the organization, for the moment, I would be focusing on Westburg getting acclimated and up & running in the Big Leagues. I really feel that he has All Star potential.

With Cowser, he flew through the minor leagues so fast that I think it might be beneficial to him and the organization if he had seasoned a little bit more in AAA until Westburg is up and running, then once Westburg got really going it could be the right time to call up Cowser. And so on and so forth through the organization.

I just don't like keeping these guys on the bench too much. They learn through muscle memory and that takes getting consistent game reps and plate appearances. And in order to minimize risk at the big league level, I think it's better to focus on getting one rookie at a time comfortable.

It's been core Vets (and sophmores) that have been the catalysts to the winning streaks while the rookies figure things out to the best of their ability.

[johnrambo]

1 minute ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

If I was running the organization, for the moment, I would be focusing on Westburg getting acclimated and up & running in the Big Leagues. I really feel that he has All Star potential.

With Cowser, he flew through the minor leagues so fast that I think it might be beneficial to him and the organization if he had seasoned a little bit more in AAA until Westburg is up and running, then once Westburg got really going it could be the right time to call up Cowser. And so on and so forth through the organization.

I just don't like keeping these guys on the bench too much. They learn through muscle memory and that takes getting consistent game reps and plate appearances. And in order to minimize risk at the big league level, I think it's better to focus on getting one rookie at a time comfortable.

It's been core Vets (and sophmores) that have been the catalysts to the winning streaks while the rookies figure things out to the best of their ability.

Agreed. Most rookies take time to acclimate to MLB. I agree. Let Westburg get acclimated to MLB pitching. And then worry about getting Cowser right. Too many rookies in the lineup or rotation is tough.

[Billy F-Face3]

Also, I feel it should be pointed out that Cowser has been contributing by walking and scoring runs alot like Gunnar was doing at the start of the season, plus Cowser has been playing good defense.

So in all fairness, it's not like he's been bad per say. He's just taking time with getting used to the quality of Big League pitching.

[spiritof66]

Cowser needs to stay up (or be replaced by our old pal Mckenna) until Hicks or Cedric can return to everyday duty. I'd give him some more ABs anyway. He's looking a little more comfortable to me.

[btdart20]

Nothing is over.

[Orioles0615]

Cowser has played in 7 games how is he bad? 

[Mooreisbetter27]

1 minute ago, Orioles0615 said:

Cowser has played in 7 games how is he bad? 

And his OBP is .357 despite not hitting yet. 

[SilverRocket]

29 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

Also, I feel it should be pointed out that Cowser has been contributing by walking and scoring runs alot like Gunnar was doing at the start of the season, plus Cowser has been playing good defense.

Good defense? I do like the OBP but it is night and day when Cowser is in CF instead of Cedric. 

[yark14]

Cowser and Ortiz have played just fine given their incredibly small sample size.  They both have shown that their best skills translate to the next level.

[geschinger]

48 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

If I was running the organization, for the moment, I would be focusing on Westburg getting acclimated and up & running in the Big Leagues. I really feel that he has All Star potential.

What do you see with Westburg that makes you think All-Star potential but not Ortiz or Cowser?  I look at all three and their offensive production in AAA and it's very similar.  I'm not ready to say any of them have all-star potential but I do think all three would have better than even odds of being more productivethan Mateo or Urias if given a few hundred ABs. Why prolong the inevitable instead of getting them those ABs now?  

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

44 minutes ago, Orioles0615 said:

Cowser has played in 7 games how is he bad? 

Thank you. Give the guy a few weeks of playing games before passing judgement.

[owknows]

1 hour ago, johnrambo said:

I know some is small sample size. I'm only going off of the sample size thus provided. It's not the end of the line for these guys. That said, performance on a contending team matters no matter how small the sample size. You still have to win more games than the other teams. 

 

Bad 

-Josh Lester

-Joey Ortiz

-Colton Cowser 

-Kyle Stowers 

-Grayson Rodriguez

 

Decent

-Jordan Westburg

 

Good

-Gunnar Henderson

-Yennier Cano

 

Takeaways. Baseball is really hard. Even top prospects usually struggle. Veteran big leaguers are veteran big leaguers for a reason. It's not a random coincidence. You dont rack up years in the MLB just cuz you feel like it. 

Is there a point here?

Is it really your contention that these players are bad?

-Josh Lester

-Joey Ortiz

-Colton Cowser 

-Kyle Stowers 

-Grayson Rodriguez

Most of 'em barely had a cup of coffee.

 

[Can_of_corn]

2 hours ago, johnrambo said:

I know some is small sample size. I'm only going off of the sample size thus provided. It's not the end of the line for these guys. That said, performance on a contending team matters no matter how small the sample size. You still have to win more games than the other teams. 

 

Bad 

-Josh Lester

-Joey Ortiz

-Colton Cowser 

-Kyle Stowers 

-Grayson Rodriguez

 

Decent

-Jordan Westburg

 

Good

-Gunnar Henderson

-Yennier Cano

 

Takeaways. Baseball is really hard. Even top prospects usually struggle. Veteran big leaguers are veteran big leaguers for a reason. It's not a random coincidence. You dont rack up years in the MLB just cuz you feel like it. 

You do know that even "Veteran big leaguers" can and often do show wild variances in performance from one year to the other right?

Cal's a great example since he had so many seasons at 161-162 games.

His rWAR dropped by 7.4 between 1991-1992.  If you want to say it was because he was over 30 he dropped 10.0 to 5.6 from 1984-1985.

Lots of guys just have a random down year or career years that they never get close to again.

[emmett16]

I like the idea of this thread and think it will be fun to follow and see how all our rookies stacked up at the end of the year.  The OP was a bit overly simplistic and it’s hard to draw any conclusions.  Gunnar and Cano have been given the longest runs.  We saw Gunnar take a while to get acclimated.  I imagine Cowser & Westburg struggle a bit for the next 4-6 weeks.  I think they will both start to put it together by the end of September.  Ortiz & Stowers likely don’t get much run this year.  Lester is an afterthought.  I imagine GRod will finish the year on a high note.   It will be fun to come back and look at this at the end of the year.