JD Martinez

[oriole]

1 hour 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. 

Over 25% of his games played was at DH. Frobby already said it, but we probably define “a ton” differently. How many times in the past have we seen a catcher lead the team in games played? 
 

If Rutschman plays 45 games at DH, that leaves 117. Santander should be at DH more times than not. Not just for health reasons but because there are better right fielders on the team. Also I highly doubt that Mountcastle and O’Hearn will on a strict platoon. So one of them will have a lot of time at DH. Then there’s Kjerstad, who was at DH exclusively while he was in Baltimore. Is that a sneak peek into how the O’s plan to use him? I dunno. But it’s worth mentioning.

All of that to say, there’s not a lot of availability at DH as currently constructed. Elias already said he won’t be “re-imagining” the roster so adding someone like JD is pretty pointless and a waste of resources. If they’re spending more money, there’s a lot better spots to put it.

[Malike]

33 minutes ago, oriole said:

Over 25% of his games played was at DH. Frobby already said it, but we probably define “a ton” differently. How many times in the past have we seen a catcher lead the team in games played? 
 

If Rutschman plays 45 games at DH, that leaves 117. Santander should be at DH more times than not. Not just for health reasons but because there are better right fielders on the team. Also I highly doubt that Mountcastle and O’Hearn will on a strict platoon. So one of them will have a lot of time at DH. Then there’s Kjerstad, who was at DH exclusively while he was in Baltimore. Is that a sneak peek into how the O’s plan to use him? I dunno. But it’s worth mentioning.

All of that to say, there’s not a lot of availability at DH as currently constructed. Elias already said he won’t be “re-imagining” the roster so adding someone like JD is pretty pointless and a waste of resources. If they’re spending more money, there’s a lot better spots to put it.

Who are the better RF defenders on the team? Kjerstad? O'Hearn? They aren't better RF than Santander right now.

[Aristotelian]

24 minutes ago, Malike said:

Who are the better RF defenders on the team? Kjerstad? O'Hearn? They aren't better RF than Santander right now.

I don't think Santander is better than Kjerstad or Cowser. He is probably a bit worse. Santander had -1 OAA last year. He had some good plays but also some brutal ones. His defense really shouldn't be a reason keeping him in RF, and he probably should have been DHing more last year.

[Malike]

1 minute ago, Aristotelian said:

I don't think Santander is better than Kjerstad or Cowser. He is probably a bit worse. Santander had -1 OAA last year. He had some good plays but also some brutal ones. His defense really shouldn't be a reason keeping him in RF, and he probably should have been DHing more last year.

There aren't a lot of advanced stats in MiL but Kjerstad had a .958 FP in RF last year in AAA. He was put in the outfield for 21 innings last year, I'm sure he'll get some looks in the spring, hopefully he'll be capable out there, he has the arm. Saying he's the better RF right now isn't a hill I'd stand on. Santander is not a sexy defender, but he knows how to play that corner, which has its quirks.

[LTO's]

3 hours 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. 

I’m as big of a Kjerstad guy as anyone but that seems pretty unlikely to me. At least at the plate. I’d much rather have Martinez for next year than Mountcastle or O’Hearn but there are better ways to upgrade this team.

[Aristotelian]

24 minutes ago, LTO's said:

I’m as big of a Kjerstad guy as anyone but that seems pretty unlikely to me. At least at the plate. I’d much rather have Martinez for next year than Mountcastle or O’Hearn but there are better ways to upgrade this team.

What about Mayo?

[Just Regular]

A wildcard in the race for RF defensive quality on the roster is Jordan Westburg.     He was 5 RF, 1 LF when dabbling at Norfolk.

Cue the regular Earl classic, "give me all the bleepin' shortstops, etc".

Not that Westburg is as tooled up as Fernando Tatis, but that's an ex-shortstop who took a 2023 Platinum Glove in RF after having only played about 20 minutes there professionally prior to the 2023 season.

Defense will be one of the separators as Sigbot basically has to pick one between Kjerstad and Cowser, if it wants both to play most days.     Westburg could enter that fight with them if Mayo ever becomes the 3B.

[oriole]

3 hours ago, Malike said:

Who are the better RF defenders on the team? Kjerstad? O'Hearn? They aren't better RF than Santander right now.

I was referring to Cowser, but you could include Hays and maybe Kjerstad. I don’t know enough about his defense to say one way or the other tbh. 

[OriolesMagic83]

7 hours ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

What's the downside? Our youngsters have to begin the year at AAA and only come up when Hays gets his annual injury?

He would block Kjerstad from playing in the majors.  Kjerstad is probably just as good with the bat in 2024 and he can also play RF. 

[sportsfan8703]

I’d like to see us use 3 OF to cover the two COF spots, similar how we used 3 IF to cover 2B/3B last year. Rotate them. With Cowser in the Westburg role. Hays and Santa can DH when not playing. 

So that would be my plan. Develop Cowser. His upside as a hitter and defender in RF is more important than what O’Hearn brings as a matchup DH. If you want to argue that Cowser and Kjerstad should both be on the OD roster then I want them playing. Kjerstad and Cowser start 4-5 days a week. O’Hearn is traded.

After thinking about it and Hyde saying the team was “banged up” at the end of last year, we really need to rotate the OF the way we have done the IF. Hays and Santa avoided the IL, but they need some rest.  

Edited February 11 by sportsfan8703

[Roll Tide]

8 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

The downside is we have far too many players that he would take at bats away from. If the Os all of a sudden traded multiple bats or we have a rash of injuries in ST, that changes the equation but right now, it doesn’t make any sense from a roster standpoint.

On the flip side …..very little chance any of those guys your mentioning could be counted on for a .900 OPS 33 homers and 103 RBIs.

[Sports Guy]

Just now, Roll Tide said:

On the flip side …..very little chance any of those guys your mentioning could be counted on for a .900 OPS 33 homers and 103 RBIs.

Very little chance we can count on JD to do that too.

[Can_of_corn]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Very little chance we can count on JD to do that too.

According to Statcast he would have had 29 last season.  (Statcast includes post season numbers which is where the 34 comes from)

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/j-d-martinez-502110?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

[Roll Tide]

8 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Very little chance we can count on JD to do that too.

If you drop the Covid season he’s done that 4 out of 5 seasons. I mean the lowest of the 4 is 99 RBI. He had an off year in 2022….so when you say very little you’re wildly exaggerating. Homers 28, 33, 36, and 43. 
 

 

[Roll Tide]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

According to Statcast he would have had 29 last season.  (Statcast includes post season numbers which is where the 34 comes from)

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/j-d-martinez-502110?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

And if he signs with us he’s very likely in the post season again.