Heston Kjerstad 2023

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Yeah it was clearly the instruction of the Royals that led to O'Hearn's success.

Santander owes it all to Cleveland.

Development and homegrown are 2 different things.

[Just Regular]

16 minutes ago, Malike said:

Someone posted a lineup with nothing but prospects saying that was our future lineup. That's not how baseball works. Show me one team since the advent of free agency that was successful with a 100% homegrown roster. You can't, yet you're going to argue semantics.

I'm not saying we need huge FA guys, I'm just stating it's not realistic that the entire team is coming from the farm, it just doesn't work that way. I think we're on the same page, but might just be crossed up.

It'll be interesting to watch it play out.     I'd mentioned the main eight in the Basallo thread - Adley, Basallo, Holliday, Gunnar, Mayo, Cowser, Mullins, Kjerstad.

I think Elias regards each of those as a cut above even the Santander-Hays-Westburg level player.    Today perhaps its Cowser who looks shakiest to take hold of his role, but as many small things as Elias has gotten right, each of those are first tier talents/big things.    Even though Mayo/Basallo are smaller bonuses than Westburg/Beavers, big bets on kids that young have bigger payoffs.    Inevitably he will get a big thing wrong.

Roster Resource's tracker today has the roster 11 homegrown, 3 free agent, 8 trade, 6 waivers/rule 5.

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/breakdowns/active-roster

Chances are 12 months from now one or more of those players is injured, as is true of any group eight big, but next fall that could be what age 41.5 Justin Verlander is looking at.

[btdart20]

2 hours ago, Malike said:

I said no lineup is 100% homegrown on any team. You said ours is, right now. No. It's not. DFA's, Rule 5's etc, do not count as homegrown players.

Drafted and developed, show me a starting lineup on any successful MLB team that is 100% homegrown. Just one. You can't. It doesn't happen.

It's nice penciling in all these prospects but the reality is many will not be good MLB players.

SigBot says:

[AnythingO's]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Development and homegrown are 2 different things.

While I agree with you generally, for guys like Santander and Wells, who have ben in the O's system for so long, it get a little fuzzy for me. They are different than a Cano or O'Hearn where we "fixed" them. Maybe the separation should be drafted and developed vs homegrown?

[Sports Guy]

31 minutes ago, AnythingO's said:

While I agree with you generally, for guys like Santander and Wells, who have ben in the O's system for so long, it get a little fuzzy for me. They are different than a Cano or O'Hearn where we "fixed" them. Maybe the separation should be drafted and developed vs homegrown?

I’m actually ok with saying Santander is homegrown even though he’s technically not.

But yes..fixing someone isn’t the same as homegrown.

 

[Pickles]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Development and homegrown are 2 different things.

Eh.  A distinction without a difference imo.

While I agree with Malike's larger point, I just want to point out that while you will need to acquire pieces from outside the organization, they won't necessarily need to be expensive, costly, or in demand.

[Pickles]

This boy good.

[RZNJ]

They forgot to tell him about the learning curve.

[larrytt]

They have Kjerstad at DH and Santander in RF. Is Santander better defensively?

[EddeeEddee]

1 hour ago, larrytt said:

They have Kjerstad at DH and Santander in RF. Is Santander better defensively?

It doesn't appear the powers that be think that Kjerstad is ready to play in the field at the MLB level yet.  Not really a problem while Mountcastle is out but could be a problem soon enough.

[Malike]

Can of corn in any other ballpark, but he's hit other balls hard to the deepest part of the park. Seems to have some nice bat-to-ball skills.

[Roy Firestone]

3 minutes ago, Malike said:

Can of corn in any other ballpark, but he's hit other balls hard to the deepest part of the park. Seems to have some nice bat-to-ball skills.

This kid is going to be a keeper...he's rarely overmatched, and hits the ball with authority. He's poised, seems up for the task...I think he's going to be a weapon. I only wish he could pitch too...Man, is THIS team gonna be loaded with talent . Were going to be good...REAL good. I think we are...already.

[Ridgway22]

8 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

This kid is going to be a keeper...he's rarely overmatched, and hits the ball with authority. He's poised, seems up for the task...I think he's going to be a weapon. I only wish he could pitch too...Man, is THIS team gonna be loaded with talent . Were going to be good...REAL good. I think we are...already.

Best in the AL, I'll take it on the 19th of September, plus beating Tampa Bay and Houston four in a row.....

[PsychoBird68]

I'm taking bets .... We will have a all homegrown lineup on the field next year at some point, it may not be our everyday lineup but it will happen.....I should get 50 t0 1 from the nae sayers  

[ShoelesJoe]

Per 600 ABs Kjerstad is on pace to hit .308 with 90 HRs. Still can't believe we passed on Austin Martin to draft this guy.