Can someone tell me what Cowser needs to do better?

[Hallas]

14 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

It’s like people here don’t learn.  I swear, 2.5 months ago people here were losing their minds because Gunnar Henderson didn’t start fast out of the gate. 
 

“He can’t hit ML pitching!”

”He can’t hit a breaking ball!”

”He’s only looking to take walks, he’s not aggressive enough!”

And on and on and on and on and on and on…

And then he figured it out. And now he’s a darling. 
 

AND THEN LATE JULY ROLLS AROUND AND ITS THE EXACT SAME THING. 

And it’s been pointed out SEVERAL TIMES that he’s struggled when making the jump from one level to the next and that explanation isn’t good enough. As a matter of fact, the self proclaimed minor league expert can’t help himself by saying he’s hitting like Tom Shopay. 

No one learns! We just went through this with a highly touted prospect and here’s another one going through the exact same thing!  

I think there is a big difference between what Gunnar did in April vs what Cowser is doing now.  Gunnar OPSed .659 in march and april. Cowser is at .422.  It could be a slump that he can work out of, but at the same time it's tough to let him work out of it in a pennant race. 

[Malike]

4 minutes ago, Hallas said:

I think there is a big difference between what Gunnar did in April vs what Cowser is doing now.  Gunnar OPSed .659 in march and april. Cowser is at .422.  It could be a slump that he can work out of, but at the same time it's tough to let him work out of it in a pennant race. 

This is basically it. The other players that struggled showed glimpses. Nobody is freaking out, but if you guys think every top prospect is going to not be a miss, you're going to be disappointed. We will have guys who don't make it.

[Rbiggs2525]

55 minutes ago, Malike said:

Welcome to the big leagues. They can all pitch.

It’s is also the entire team struggling as a whole. We are scoring more than a run less per game since the ASB. I could point to Hays, Mullins, Santander and say they were all struggling. 

[Malike]

2 hours ago, Rbiggs2525 said:

It’s is also the entire team struggling as a whole. We are scoring more than a run less per game since the ASB. I could point to Hays, Mullins, Santander and say they were all struggling. 

If you are going to compare what Hays and Santander are doing compared to Cowser and pretend there is a comp there, then we don't have much more to discuss.

[LA2]

I hope that Hicks is back soon (I'm assuming Cedric is away longer). Wd have loved to have seen him wreak more vengeance on the Y's this weekend....

[orioles22]

9 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Just to avoid this false narrative that Cowser has struggled at the beginning of each level, it’s simply not true.  He hit right away at Delmarva, had a .780 OPS at Aberdeen last year without a terrible start, clobbered the ball right away with Bowie.   The only level he struggled even close to what’s happening now was Norfolk this April when he started 2-26 with 8 k’s

I don't know the numbers, but I knew I had read about Coswer starting slow at Norfolk and somewhere else:  Once in professional ball, he started to produce almost immediately. He compiled a .375/.490/.492 line in 149 plate appearances split between Orioles Orange at the Florida Complex and Low-A Delmarva following the draft. Most evaluators were unsurprised by his ability to get on base at a high clip – he walked more than he struck out in college, always with great batting averages – and the level of competition was perhaps the weakest it’s been in years following the loss pandemic season. 2022 proved more challenging as he got off to a slow start with High-A Aberdeen, considered to be his first real challenge since his college tenure.

[baltfan]

3 hours ago, Rbiggs2525 said:

It’s is also the entire team struggling as a whole. We are scoring more than a run less per game since the ASB. I could point to Hays, Mullins, Santander and say they were all struggling. 

They are playing better teams. 

[kidrock]

5 hours ago, Malike said:

I don't think the point of the discussion is not to be patient, it's whats going on and it's just being pointed out here, stat wise.

Yes, that was the intent by posting this thread.  I am totally fine to be patient.  Just wanted to discuss what wasn’t working yet.

[HakunaSakata]

23 hours ago, kidrock said:

Is he not making hard contact, swinging at bad pitches, not seeing the ball well?

I’m not worried about his production as I think he will adjust.  I am more so just trying to understand what he did so well in the minors that hasn’t yet translated.

 

thanks!

I think he just needs to get in the (batter's) box and try to love someone. 

[banks703]

That’s two batted balls tonight for CC that the defender made really good plays to take away would-be hits.

I’d like to see him not fall behind in the count so much but he’s looked better tonight. 

[Baltimorecuse]

12 hours ago, baltfan said:

They are playing better teams. 

Which is why I called July a meat grinder.  We are doing great.  I think the pitching picked us up.  

[Frobby]

While we are piling on, I thought Cowser was super slow reacting to Judge’s fly ball that fell in for a single in the 6th inning.  84.3 mph off the bat, .210 xBA.  Mullins would have had it in his hip pocket; Cowser didn’t even try to reach it.  I think Hays is a much better CF than Cowser and would switch them when they’re both in the lineup.   

I do think Cowser has had some bad batted ball luck in a few games this week.  He still needs to start hitting the ball with more authority.  
 

[Sports Guy]

Cowser has plenty of upside and plenty of value.

As Hallas said, not everyone is going to make it. Players will fail.

Is Cowser slumping? Is he going to fail? Should the Os try to trade him for a young controllable starter? 
 

I would be shopping him…not because I don’t believe in his talent but because other options do exist and if he can be the guy who brings back a young controllable starter, that would be worth it to me. There isn’t much I would trade him for but that is where I would be exploring opportunities.

Otherwise, be patient. He will be fine.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Sports Guy

[Billy F-Face3]

Just out of curiosity I looked at Steve Finely's career start through 62 platd appearances  to compare with Colton Cowser. People look back and wonder why we ever traded guys like Finley and Schilling, so I wanted some type of reference to avoid a similar mistake.

Fo anyone who wants to look at Finley's career start through about the same number of plate appearances, here ya go...

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/steve-finley/54/game-log?position=OF&season=&gds=1989-03-01&gde=1989-05-19&type=0

[Can_of_corn]

18 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

Just out of curiosity I looked at Steve Finely's career start through 62 platd appearances  to compare with Colton Cowser. People look back and wonder why we ever traded guys like Finley and Schilling, so I wanted some type of reference to avoid a similar mistake.

Fo anyone who wants to look at Finley's career start through about the same number of plate appearances, here ya go...

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/steve-finley/54/game-log?position=OF&season=&gds=1989-03-01&gde=1989-05-19&type=0

I still remember the blurb about Finely in the Elias Baseball Analyst.

I think his overall career is very..as the kids would say...sus.