Jorge Mateo 2024

[TommyPickles]

Mateo and Gunnar turned a show stopping double play yesterday. Love the finnese and confidence from them both.

[Sports Guy]

Mateo does seem to be that “outsider” guy that a lot of the young guys seem to have good chemistry with.

And by outsider I mean, player they didn’t play with in the minors.

[Frobby]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The point is a 299 OBP blows.

I appreciate that he’s doing a good job hitting the baseball right now but I think people are, yet again, overreacting to SSS and making over the top comments about things.

When Mateo is hitting well, he really makes you wonder why he can’t do it all the time.   He looks really balanced at the plate, he uses all fields, etc.  He doesn’t look like a bad hitter who happens to be on a heater.   But that’s what his track record shows he is, until proven otherwise.  I remember that Fangraphs article last year about how Mateo had changed his approach and the improvement seemed real.  Well, no it wasn’t.  But maybe his issues are more psychological than physical?   He’s just a guy who when he slumps, quickly loses confidence and starts pressing and makes it worse?   I don’t know.   

As to your point about OBP: in 2024, a .299 OBP is below average but I might not say it blows.  The MLB average is back down to .312 after a spike last year after the rule changes.  Of 312 players with 80+ PA, Mateo’s .299 ranks 191st, or 39th percentile.   Honestly, in this environment, if Mateo could stay at .299 OBP he’d be a very credible player.  
But he’s a .272 career OPS guy who’d been at .267 the last two years, so I’m not expecting he’ll be able to stay at .299.   I’ll enjoy it while he’s hot though.  

And he is playing a mean 2B.   Took him a couple of weeks to settle in there, but he’s looked great for the last month.  
 

[FlaO'sFan]

Nothing earth shaking here, but Jorge has earned some praise...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/orioles-shortstop-turned-super-utility-man-thriving-in-new-role/ar-BB1mNwen?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=76a29c9120d14d3da11c2fa271d34ac9&ei=19

Edited May 21 by FlaO'sFan

[yark14]

24 minutes ago, FlaO'sFan said:

Nothing earth shaking here, but Jorge has earned some praise...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/orioles-shortstop-turned-super-utility-man-thriving-in-new-role/ar-BB1mNwen?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=76a29c9120d14d3da11c2fa271d34ac9&ei=19

I didn't know MSN still was in existence...

[FlaO'sFan]

14 minutes ago, yark14 said:

I didn't know MSN still was in existence...

I usually check it out everyday while I'm listening to my Def Leppard and Styx music..

[Malike]

18 minutes ago, FlaO'sFan said:

I usually check it out everyday while I'm listening to my Def Leppard and Styx music..

Don't forget to check your AOL email using Netscape browser.

[forphase1]

I'm an official Mateo hater, advocating for him being traded, cut or whatever it took to get him off of the roster in the offseason.  And while I completely expect him to revert back to his normal self,  I'm greatly enjoying his season so far.   Obviously a Mateo who is playing well is a benefit for the Os, and while I'm afraid this decent start will have him playing much more than he should when the inevitable carriage turns back into a pumpkin, I'm going to enjoy the ride while it lasts.  I hope he proves me wrong and is able to maintain this level of production all year long. 

[sportsfan8703]

He’s been the engine at the bottom of the lineup. 1.2 WAR. .746 OPS

[emmett16]

Last year through May 8th (the day he entered his slump) Mateo was OPSing .901.  We are now two weeks past May 8th this year.  
 

Through May 8th 2204 he was OPSing .758 (propped up by two early May HR) & since he’s OPSing .645.  
 

This will be interesting to monitor and see how he trends over the next month. 

[sportsfan8703]

Last April/May we let Mateo and Mullins run wild. Both suffered leg injuries and we backed off of that. However, I think we need to get back to everytime that Mateo is on base he needs to be stealing. Whether that is 2nd or 3rd. 

Sometimes perfect throws don’t even nail him. There’s more likelihood that the catcher air mails a throw and Mateo gets an extra base than throws him out. Especially when stealing 3rd.  

Edited May 22 by sportsfan8703

[DrungoHazewood]

12 hours ago, Malike said:

Don't forget to check your AOL email using Netscape browser.

I lost the installation CD but that's okay, another one will come in the mail tomorrow.

[DrungoHazewood]

54 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

Last year through May 8th (the day he entered his slump) Mateo was OPSing .901.  We are now two weeks past May 8th this year.  
 

Through May 8th 2204 he was OPSing .758 (propped up by two early May HR) & since he’s OPSing .645.  
 

This will be interesting to monitor and see how he trends over the next month. 

Hint: He's 29 and has a .641 career OPS in over 1200 plate appearances spanning five seasons. Good chance it'll be around .641.

[Moose Milligan]

Echoing @Frobby's thoughts, last year MLB Network did that whole thing with DeRosa analyzing his swing, the toe-tap, whatever....everyone thought that the breakout was real. 

Fool me once, shame on me...I'm not getting fooled again though.  It's nice to watch him hit when he's on a heater but there's no doubt in my mind he'll revert back to form at some point in the near future.  

I do love watching him in the field though.  He's picked up second base really quickly and plays very well.

[RZNJ]

This is as good a spot as any to mention how analysts like McDonald and Palmer while very good, just over do it.   Mateo, first AB with Stowers on 2B with no outs.  Fouls off a bunt attempt.  Gets a curve on the inside corner and pulls it 20 feet foul past 3B.  Gets a fastball on the outside corner and fouls it down the RF line.  Here’s Big Ben’s analysis.  Paraphrasing “You can see Jorge’s approach this at bat.  He just wants to move the runner to 3B”.  Huh?   The last swing resulted in a pulled foul ball.  Granted, it wasn’t an easy ball to hit oppo but there was no attempt to inside out the ball.  He turned on it and pulled it foul.   So on the very next swing you’re telling me his whole approach has been trying to hit the ball the other way.   Good grief!