September Roster Expansion

[bpilktree]

I would claim Grichuk if it was up to me as the extra man as a right handed bat off the bench who plays solid defense.  His OPS this season vs lefties is .980.  Hicks just doesn’t do much for me offensively or defensively.  

[Moose Milligan]

It's amazing that it took two games for McKenna to get back in the good graces of posters on here.  

[Sports Guy]

9 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

It's amazing that it took two games for McKenna to get back in the good graces of posters on here.  

It’s amazing people turned on him to begin with.

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

It’s amazing people turned on him to begin with.

Turned on him?

LOL.  Do you mean to act as if you weren't banging the drum for Cowser for months who would have taken McKenna's roster spot?

[Pickles]

11 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

It's amazing that it took two games for McKenna to get back in the good graces of posters on here.  

I think it's more of getting a look at Cowser.  McKenna is currently more valuable to this team.  That's pretty clear now.

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Pickles said:

Turned on him?

LOL.  Do you mean to act as if you weren't banging the drum for Cowser for months who would have taken McKenna's roster spot?

I have zero issue with McKenna being here or being in the minors.

I think he’s a very solid bench player for us but if he is the one who needs to get sent down to make room for a superior player who is going to get a lot more at bats, I’m fine with that.

That doesn’t mean I think he sucks or anything like that. He’s just a victim of the numbers game and he has options.

[Pickles]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

I have zero issue with McKenna being here or being in the minors.

I think he’s a very solid bench player for us but if he is the one who needs to get sent down to make room for a superior player who is going to get a lot more at bats, I’m fine with that.

That doesn’t mean I think he sucks or anything like that. He’s just a victim of the numbers game and he has options.

Ok, by that same token, when others have wanted him in the minors or criticized that isn't an example of "turning on him" either.

He's had a solid season for what he is: A 5th outfielder.  

I suspect he won't occupy that role next year though as one thing that makes a 5th outfielder valuable is options, which he'll be out of.

[Bahama O's Fan]

30 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

It's amazing that it took two games for McKenna to get back in the good graces of posters on here.  

I wouldn't say the last two games, but it "seems" since the All Star Break (roughly) that he is seeing the ball better, making better contact and is no longer an "automatic out" in the lineup.

[banks703]

13 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

It's amazing that it took two games for McKenna to get back in the good graces of posters on here.  

Recency bias is a cruel mistress

I've been as strong of a critic of McKenna as we've had on this board. If I have to choose between the two of McKenna and Hicks, it largely depends on the health of the rest of the roster. If all of Ced, Hays, Ant and Hicks are healthy, McKenna is redundant. He doesn't hit well enough to be marginally better defensively than Hays (who I don't think McKenna is better than) or Ant. Hicks adds the element of working counts and getting on base from both sides of the plate that McKenna doesn't and can't equal. If Cowser hadn't struggled so much, even with injuries to the other guys, McKenna is probably down in Norfolk. I'd suggest that ROH getting time in the OF over McKenna supports that.

These last two weeks McKenna has performed just well enough that he does probably make it through Hicks's return from the IL but at that point he's a fifth outfielder whose roster spot might be better used on a Joey Ortiz or Cowser (if my math is right and they want to burn his rookie status).

In scenarios where you are having to go to your fifth outfielder (or beyond) McKenna provides that depth but that's probably all that he can provide in short amounts. He's not a regular ML player so I expect a guy like him to be well-versed in strategy and fundamentals and play with his hair on fire, like it's the last inning in the OF or AB that he will ever have ... but he doesn't. He's too absentminded for a guy in his position and he doesn't always hustle, which bothers me because as a player, I was very much like McKenna - kinda good at some things, would have my moments but not more talented than some other guys so I had to outwork them. I don't see that with him and that gets under my skin every time I watch him play. 

[Jammer7]

1 hour ago, rm5678 said:

I completely agree with you that McKenna would be more valuable than Hicks during the stretch run. I'm sure others on here feel differently, but McKenna has shown the past 2 nights exactly what he is capable of (timely late-game hits, stolen bases, defense, etc.).

Yeah, I always thought McKenna could hit in this role. A simple swing, doesn’t try to do too much. The past two games have shown that ability. It’s hard to play a part time role and produce. 

[Jammer7]

1 hour ago, banks703 said:

I think that it's completely possible that when Hicks comes off of the IL that he does in fact get DFA'd. I'm not advocating for it and I don't actually think that they will do it but given that both McKenna (and I shudder to write this) and ROH have performed admirably, perhaps they can get by without that fifth outfielder. I don't see them bringing back Cowser to burn his rookie status and service time and I don't see them adding HK as it requires a 40 man move.

Hicks's value is definitely that he hits from both sides of the plate but he also gets on base. Let's not overlook that. Plus, he works counts better than anyone (this includes Adley) so I think there's still value in a guy like Hicks but it certainly has its limit, especially if he can't stay healthy. 

I forgot about Cowser’s rookie status. That may well be a factor, though it probably should not.

The thing with Hicks, is just the injuries and the frequency of them. I agree with everything you wrote on him, but what good is it if he is always hurt? If we get into a good rhythm as a team and he goes down again in the playoffs, then we have to call someone up again who maybe has not been playing. I like what Hicks can do, absolutely. He just cannot stay on the field to do it.

[Sports Guy]

44 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Ok, by that same token, when others have wanted him in the minors or criticized that isn't an example of "turning on him" either.

He's had a solid season for what he is: A 5th outfielder.  

I suspect he won't occupy that role next year though as one thing that makes a 5th outfielder valuable is options, which he'll be out of.

 No but when people have said he sucks, that he’s worthless, etc..that is, in fact, turning on him. And yes, there has been plenty of that and you still have the nimrods who want to say he’s not a good fielder because of the dropped ball. (Again, I’m not just talking here)

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

It's amazing that it took two games for McKenna to get back in the good graces of posters on here.  

It took two hits for some apparently..  

[Malike]

I've always been neutral on McKenna. I've never had a problem when he's been brought up to the team or sent back down. He's quite useful and has shown that over past couple of seasons he can be a good utility guy off the bench. He brings solid D and good speed and he hits a little. Some of our A list guys in the minors are likely to have a similar career trajectory, they aren't going to hit on all of them.

[dzorange]

You can do far worse than McKenna has a depth OF piece. The O's just have a lot of depth and exciting talents at both the major league and minor league level.