What do we do about Jorge Mateo?

[RVAOsFan]

Mateo played a big role in turning the team around, he gave them a solid option at SS last year when they had no one else.  I think he will still go on to play in the MLB for at least a few more years.  He will get on with another rebuilding club and do what he did here. 

Unfortunately we probably will not get back much if anything of value for him when he is released / traded, but hey its not like he costed us anything to begin with. 

[Jim'sKid26]

7 minutes ago, foxfield said:

I feel bad for Jorge Mateo.  This was always the outcome.  He was given the job outright last year and to his credit he was a phenomenal defender and on a few brief occasions he showed signs of coming around with the bat.

Coming into this year he was provided with the same opportunity as Frazier.  Hold down the middle infield until the young guns are ready.  Mateo came out of the gate on fire.  But he has been caught and he now plays like a player who knows his time, with this team, has passed.  

It really does appear that not being the everyday guy messes with his head.  IDK, but wether he goes to IL or DFA, I am going to miss him, but the time has come.

This is, in a nutshell, what happens in professional sports. It is a viciously competitive environment where performance dictates opportunity.......except maybe if you are a middle infielder in the Orioles system.

[Pat Kelly]

Just now, Jim'sKid26 said:

This is, in a nutshell, what happens in professional sports. It is a viciously competitive environment where performance dictates opportunity.......except maybe if you are a middle infielder in the Orioles system.

This is 100 percent the right perspective.  Time to determine if Ortiz is an upgrade over Mateo and Urias. 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, baltfan said:

You IL Mateo if you are going to do something.  Let him get healthy.  He has value healthy and it might allow for a reset.  A guy like him could be valuable in the playoffs as a pinch runner and also defensive replacement (if he is healthy and gets over his latest issues).

He could step in a Ubaldo pothole, and have him in case of emergency. But he may not allow that since somebody will take him off waivers and he'll get to stay in the big leagues. 

[LA2]

Don't look now, but even Mateo has been on the rise: 6 hits and a walk in his last 19 ABs, and the sparkling defense has returned for good, it seems. As for his speed, he was already digging around 3rd base from first for the O's first run by the time Grichuk got hold of the ball on Hays' double to LF.

Edited September 5, 2023 by LA2

[Moose Milligan]

If he’s getting into one of his big heaters where he looks like a totally different dude, he’s picked a very good time to do it. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

If he’s getting into one of his big heaters where he looks like a totally different dude, he’s picked a very good time to do it. 

Yeah, that would work!  I’m not betting on a big heater, but if Mateo can just be non-embarrassing at the plate, that will help.  

[glenn__davis]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

If he’s getting into one of his big heaters where he looks like a totally different dude, he’s picked a very good time to do it. 

I'd prefer he wait another month.

[MCO'sFan]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Yeah, that would work!  I’m not betting on a big heater, but if Mateo can just be non-embarrassing at the plate, that will help.  

He did look good last night. As long as he is only starting 1 or 2 times a week

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, MCO'sFan said:

He did look good last night. As long as he is only starting 1 or 2 times a week

He looked good against the LH starter.  He looked pretty awful against the RH reliever Reyes, though me did walk against Barria later.   

[spiritof66]

Mateo's future with the O's (or lack of it) was doomed when Henderson, Westburg, Holliday and Ortiz entered the system and performed well. (You can add Mayo and Norby if you want.) There's not going to be much room for a defense -and-speed-only only backup with those guys and Urias around.  If Mateo had sustained his offensive production a little better, he might have bought more time and would have brought something back in a trade, but IMO that's all his offensive fade changed. 

[The B&G]

32 minutes ago, spiritof66 said:

Mateo's future with the O's (or lack of it) was doomed when Henderson, Westburg, Holliday and Ortiz entered the system and performed well. (You can add Mayo and Norby if you want.) There's not going to be much room for a defense -and-speed-only only backup with those guys and Urias around.  If Mateo had sustained his offensive production a little better, he might have bought more time and would have brought something back in a trade, but IMO that's all his offensive fade changed. 

I was going over next years roster in my head and there's clearly only room for one veteran bench infielder imo, so the front office will be deciding between Mateo and Urias. Both can help a team win, and have specific skillsets. Mateo is an above average defender who's one of the fastest players in the league, whereas Urias is a Gold Glover who can hit for average but not much else. It seems like fans overwhelmingly prefer Urias but I am curious to see if the FO agrees. 

 

Elite Speed with good defense vs. decent bat with elite defense. 

 

Also seems like most people think Urias would be more valuable in a trade, which I think is correct, that Gold Glove is a big deal, but I'm curious to see what value, if any, Mateo would have. 

[RZNJ]

This is a vent.  It seems any ball hit to Jorge Mateo’s right requires the 2-3 steps and the obligatory off balance throw.   Last night he gets a grounder he didn’t even have to range very far for but had to go for style points and one hopped a throw to Santander.  To top it off it was an in between hop that Santander couldn’t come up with.  Thankfully, Santander was alert and threw out the lead runner attempting on advance to third.   I feel there are just too many plays where Mateo goes out of his way to make the off balance throw instead of simply planting and using his strong arm to make a difficult but pretty routine ML play.   Rant over.

[AdamK]

3 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

This is a vent.  It seems any ball hit to Jorge Mateo’s right requires the 2-3 steps and the obligatory off balance throw.   Last night he gets a grounder he didn’t even have to range very far for but had to go for style points and one hopped a throw to Santander.  To top it off it was an in between hop that Santander couldn’t come up with.  Thankfully, Santander was alert and threw out the lead runner attempting on advance to third.   I feel there are just too many plays where Mateo goes out of his way to make the off balance throw instead of simply planting and using his strong arm to make a difficult but pretty routine ML play.   Rant over.

Had similar thoughts as the play was unfolding. I could see the short throw coming.

[MurphDogg]

Mateo has a roster spot in the playoff secured due to his speed, but his defense has been a little shaky lately so I no longer think he is a defensive upgrade in the late innings.

I don't think he should be on the roster next year. There are enough options at short and it doesn't make sense to pay arbitration prices for a backup shortstop and a pinch runner.