Orioles acquire Nick Maton

[Sports Guy]

17 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

It's just lefties in general with OPACY.  Adley, Kjerstad, Cowser, Holliday, and EBJ, with our first picks. Urias, and Mateo, are the only righties that we've picked up and given ABs too, and that was out of desperation.  McCann as a backup C.  Hicks was a SH.  

We have plenty of lefties…no need to square peg/round hole anything.

[Tony-OH]

3 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I have zero issue with this deal but I do wonder why Elias has a blind spot for a lefty hitting second baseman. He mentioned it the other day w/r/t Holliday.  What is it about that position and wanting a lefty hitter so bad?  It’s like an irrational obsession. It’s his TTP.

Probably because his projected starters at 2B and 3B are RH hitters so he would like a left-hander to throw in there on a day off. Whether that's Maton or not will probably depend on how he looks, and also how Holliday plays, though I think Holliday is going to minors no matter what to start the year. 

[sportsfan8703]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

We have plenty of lefties…no need to square peg/round hole anything.

Just pointing out that when Elias has brought in offensive talent since he's been here that it's been LH.  Maton seems to be similar to the Hilliard move.  LH bat with a big frame, that has pop.  

We traded Ortiz so we had an opening for a AAA/MLB IF.  So we chose to go with a guy with some experience over a project like Smith-Ngigba that was on waivers.  

[interloper]

I don't see Holliday going back to AAA. Elias' comments point to the fact that he only needs to hit in the spring to make the team. Maton is insurance in case he doesn't, or he's just here to provide a little competition and make sure Holliday knows he still has to earn it. But Holliday's mindset is going to be that he knows he's the best option and he will show that and probably obliterate the spring. 

Maton will hit the waiver wire, almost guaranteed. IMO. 

Edited February 8 by interloper

[Just Regular]

Looking back at Maton's fuller minor league seasons:

In the Sally in 2018, his 109 wRC+ fell between Trevor Craport and JC Encarnacion off the Orioles affiliate.

In the FSL in 2019, that was a top year.    10th league wise in wRC+, and right next to Jonathan India.

But then he was below the Mendoza Line in AAA in 2021.     Maybe fair to say a player whose development covid detonated more than most.

2022 AAA the wRC+ came out near Rylan Bannon.

2023 AAA (and he's Crash Davis there by now), he had about same OBP as Colton Cowser

[sportsfan8703]

6 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

We have plenty of lefties…no need to square peg/round hole anything.

We love lefties and SH. Another pick up today. Whether it’s the FO’s preference, or our ballpark factors. 

[Billy F-Face3]

17 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

It's just lefties in general with OPACY.  Adley, Kjerstad, Cowser, Holliday, and EBJ, with our first picks. Urias, and Mateo, are the only righties that we've picked up and given ABs too, and that was out of desperation.  McCann as a backup C.  Hicks was a SH.  

Quite frankly, we need more balance in the roster or left handed pitchers will frustrate us just like what happened in the playoffs. I mean, even Drew Rom dominated us when he got a chance.

[Billy F-Face3]

Just now, Billy F-Face3 said:

Quite frankly, we need more balance in the roster or left handed pitchers will frustrate us just like what happened in the playoffs. I mean, even Drew Rom dominated us when he got a chance.

*To clarify, Drew Rom was a regular season game.

[sportsfan8703]

3 hours ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

Quite frankly, we need more balance in the roster or left handed pitchers will frustrate us just like what happened in the playoffs. I mean, even Drew Rom dominated us when he got a chance.

I agree. That’s why I’m in favor of swapping out O’Hearn for JD Martinez. There’s no other move to make right now. Norby?  Our 4th bench bat doesn’t change things. If it did, then you’ll see Nevin win the gig. It’s something we can address at the deadline. The only LH SP in our division are Kikuchi, Cortes, and Rodon. 

Edited February 9 by sportsfan8703

[waroriole]

22 hours ago, Orioles0615 said:

I bet this guy gets more Roch articles about him than Burnes 

Roch is still grounded I guess. Maybe he doesn’t get to write any spring articles. 

[RZNJ]

18 minutes ago, waroriole said:

Roch is still grounded I guess. Maybe he doesn’t get to write any spring articles. 

He posted an entry this morning.

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/a-recap-and-review-of-recent-orioles-activity

[Orioles0615]

53 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I agree. That’s why I’m in favor of swapping out O’Hearn for JD Martinez. There’s no other move to make right now. Norby?  Our 4th bench bat doesn’t change things. If it did, then you’ll see Nevin win the gig. It’s something we can address at the deadline. The only LH SP in our division are Kikuchi, Cortes, and Rodon. 

JD Martinez is the guy i want now

[RZNJ]

27 minutes ago, Orioles0615 said:

JD Martinez is the guy i want now

And you think there’s a chance that could happen?

[Ripken]

9 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

And you think there’s a chance that could happen?

There isn't.  I really don't get this one.

[Frobby]

5 hours ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

Quite frankly, we need more balance in the roster or left handed pitchers will frustrate us just like what happened in the playoffs. I mean, even Drew Rom dominated us when he got a chance.

Have you looked at our splits last year?  We were much better vs. LHP than RHP.   The fact that we had a few bad games against certain LHP last year is fairly meaningless.  We don’t have a problem with LHP.