JD Martinez

[RVAOsFan]

I like the idea of a veteran bat like this on the roster but I don’t want to block the youngsters from getting at bats. 
If O’Hearn could be moved for a BP piece this signing could make some sense. 

[Sanity Check]

32 minutes ago, oriole said:

Ok, I’m okay with a JD Martinez signing. But only if the following criteria is met

Trade Kremer/Mountcastle to Mets for Alonso

Trade Santander/Norby to Guardians for Bieber/Barlow

Then sign Martinez

Obviously I’m messing around. But I don’t see how Santander and Martinez can really be on the same team considering that Rutschman will also be getting a ton of DH time.

Saying the Rutschman will get a TON of DH time is the equivalent of saying the McCann will get a TON of time starting behind the plate, and I don't think that will be the case. 

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

Dude, you’re starting to scare me.  Mullins hasn’t been a switch hitter since 2020 and he was so bad RH that’s why he stopped.

Lol brain freeze! He's an every day player though, at least for now.

[Winter]

No thanks lets see what we have in Kjerstad before he's near 30.

[Sanity Check]

17 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

Right handed power hitters without elite power are not likely to perform at OPACY quite like folks want them too. Projecting JD to have 30 HRs as the, likely part-time, DH for the O's is pure fantasy. Look at the effect Mt. Walltimore has had on Mountcastle over the last couple of years. Now imagine that effect on 36 yo J.D. Martinez.  It won't be pretty.

I am in no way endorsing the signing of JD Martinez, but his spray chart suggests he hits way more fly balls, and about half of his home runs to right and right-center.  That's where he has a lot of power, and I think he would have put up some pretty good numbers at Camden last year assuming he hit the way he did for LA.

 

 

[interloper]

7 minutes ago, Winter said:

No thanks lets see what we have in Kjerstad before he's near 30.

I am pretty comfortable going on record to say that Kjerstad will have a better year than JD Martinez, if we give Kjerstad the ABs. 

[Billy F-Face3]

If you're looking for a RH power bat, then Jorge Soler might be a better fot for the Orioles because he can play right field and split some time with others at the DH position. Plus he's younger than Martinez and not as big of a risk for an age crash of production.

[Frobby]

41 minutes ago, Sanity Check said:

Saying the Rutschman will get a TON of DH time is the equivalent of saying the McCann will get a TON of time starting behind the plate, and I don't think that will be the case. 

I guess the two of you define “a ton” differently.  It’s a vague word.  Adley had 200 PA at DH last year - is that “a ton” or not?  Hell if I know.   

[Jim'sKid26]

23 minutes ago, Sanity Check said:

I am in no way endorsing the signing of JD Martinez, but his spray chart suggests he hits way more fly balls, and about half of his home runs to right and right-center.  That's where he has a lot of power, and I think he would have put up some pretty good numbers at Camden last year assuming he hit the way he did for LA.

 

 

30 Hrs in limited action as a DH? at OPACY? Really?

My point is that one of the posters on this board had endorsed the acquisition of Martinez by quoting his projected HR total for 2024 at 30. I see that as highly unlikely as he will be playing half his games at a park that suppresses HR for RHH. 

Now if we are using this spray chart: https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/j-d-martinez-502110?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

I count 17 HRs to right and center field. So let's say half of the other 16 are hit in OPACY, they are likely outs. He's now about a 25 HR guy if he hits as well as he did in 2023 and he gets 430 ABs. How likely is that? And this is also not accounting for the fact that the opposing team will be pitching in such a manner as to encourage him to pull the ball. I could be very wrong but I don't think he is worth the money Boras is likely to extract as a part-time RHH DH for the O's. 

[waroriole]

2 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

What’s the upside is the better question. 

He’s one of our best hitters. Had a .893 OPS last year. 

[Orioles West]

46 minutes ago, interloper said:

I am pretty comfortable going on record to say that Kjerstad will have a better year than JD Martinez, if we give Kjerstad the ABs. 

It sounds a little bold, but I like it. And I’d much rather see Kjerstad get a shot at it than spending money on JD.

[jabba72]

The O's have a number of position players they will need to rotate into the DH spot. Maybe if Martinez was 2-3 years younger, but then he wouldnt be available. Elias says probably no more big moves are coming, so I take that to mean Martinez as well. 

[jabba72]

1 hour ago, Winter said:

No thanks lets see what we have in Kjerstad before he's near 30.

Yeah I think its time to sink or swim, but the O's are playing for the division this year. Not exactly a great time to ease in prospects, but it is what it is, kind of.

[Just Regular]

Walltimore practically begs the parlor game with medium power right-handed Bats for Arms to just jam them and dare them to try.    Bats in recent years have basically been training for Pull and Lift, and for some its nearly all they can do.    In Houston you can't give Alex Bregman that pitch, or he'll homer with his A, B, C, D and F swing.

A league average RH power hitter who just flies to the warning track in OPACY has a tough path to run producing usefulness, and frankly this is a concern I have for Westburg entering 2024 too.     Hays I think of as more a line drive hitter by nature, and Mountcastle's moonshots tend to go more towards CF (call that badly aimed, if you will).

Orioles PD and mental skills coaches I think have an ongoing job helping guys to embrace the doubles and not sweat the HR's.    If things go well for Coby Mayo, he might have 10 batted balls in a season the Statcast HR widget says 29/30.     His SLG and Arb payouts will lag, but all the Sigbots will reward him in the end.

[Frobby]

48 minutes ago, Orioles West said:

It sounds a little bold, but I like it. And I’d much rather see Kjerstad get a shot at it than spending money on JD.

I would not bet on Kjerstad having a better year than JD, but he needs to break in sometime.  This is a year to find out what we have in some of these young players so we can set our plans accordingly.   If they flounder, we have enough veteran talent on hand to right the ship, and we can add at the deadline if needed.