Jorge Mateo 2024

[Sports Guy]

40 minutes ago, interloper said:

I think it's basically that neither he nor Urias are going to hit much, so you might as well play the guy who makes insane plays at 2B like he did today. 

Urias is solid enough defensively and his bat (especially OBP) has always been better.  He also hits righties better than lefties, so that platoon works.

The point is, Mateo shouldn’t be playing as much as he is and Urias shouldn’t be buried because of him. Urias can’t start hitting like he always has if he doesn’t play.

[Hallas]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Urias is solid enough defensively and his bat (especially OBP) has always been better.  He also hits righties better than lefties, so that platoon works.

The point is, Mateo shouldn’t be playing as much as he is and Urias shouldn’t be buried because of him. Urias can’t start hitting like he always has if he doesn’t play.

Funny you mention Urias, I feel almost as strongly about Urias as you do about Mateo.

 

Urias had a massive outlier year in 2022 defensively and he's been a hugely negative defensive player by the metrics every other year of his career.  Mateo has had 1 defensive outlier season (2022) but his other seasons have been more or less average by OAA, and this season he's looking like a positive defensive player.  On top of that, Mateo closes the gap offensively because he has been worth 5+ runs a year as a baserunner every year since 2022 and he's on pace for like 10 runs this year.  Even if Urias gets back to the low-700s in OPS as a player the gap between Urias and Mateo, even one that regresses down to his usual mid-to-high-600 OPS level, is not very big.  While Mateo is on a heater, the question is pretty clear.  On top of that, there are signs that Mateo has figured something out, while Urias has lost some skill.

 

If/when Holliday figures it out ideally Mateo goes back to a super-sub role and maybe plays 5-10% at CF, and 5-10% at 2B, pretty much exclusively against LHP.  But I'm not sure why you're so eager to give Mateo's playing time to Urias when Mateo is playing well and Urias isn't.  Let him fall on his face a little bit, and then act quickly if/when he does.

Edited May 22 by Hallas

[Sports Guy]

Saying Mateo is on a heater is hysterical.

[Sports Guy]

Excellent game by Mateo tonight.

 

[sportsfan8703]

May-teo 

.836 OPS this month. Incredible range at 2B. Strong arm too. 3 HR, 5 SB, 3 2B, 1 3B. 

[Yossarian]

I must say - when Mateo is hitting like has been lately and getting on base, he is as dynamic as anyone in the league and changes the complexion of this team.   He has been barreling up pitches and the defense is well above average. It's been a joy watching him play. 

Can he keep this up all year?  I would love to see Jorge maintain this level of play - both offense and defense,  for the season.  He is a difference maker.  Keep it up,  Jorge!!

[EddeeEddee]

Mateo's offense has made up some of the difference of Mullins' awful slump and Santander's near disappearance of plate discipline.

[Yossarian]

There MAY be a half dozen guys in the league that stretch that single to left into a double.

[AlbNYfan]

Very disappointing day for the Mateo haters.

[Frobby]

Mateo is so puzzling.  I’ve never seen a guy who’s capable of hitting so well and so poorly.  If he could figure out how who limit his slumps to one month of .550 OPS, he’d be a very good player.   But his slumps have been so long and so bad.   I’m just hoping we can ride this wave a while longer.  

[Natty]

Right now Mateo is hitting better than ever in his Oriole career.

He is playing damn near Gold Glove 2B.

And he is one of the best baserunners in MLB. 

 

[Aristotelian]

Pretty nice when you can play a GG level SS at 2B and he can put up league average offense while stealing 30 bases.

[Grt 2BA FL Gator]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Mateo is so puzzling.  I’ve never seen a guy who’s capable of hitting so well and so poorly.  If he could figure out how who limit his slumps to one month of .550 OPS, he’d be a very good player.   But his slumps have been so long and so bad.   I’m just hoping we can ride this wave a while longer.  

Every time I’ve started to believe in Mateo’s “improvement”, it’s felt like the next day he craters. 
 

I thought I would be done questioning myself about who he is as a player. But here he goes again. 
 

Ride the wave! 

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, Grt 2BA FL Gator said:

Every time I’ve started to believe in Mateo’s “improvement”, it’s felt like the next day he craters. 
 

I thought I would be done questioning myself about who he is as a player. But here he goes again. 
 

Ride the wave! 

My question about Mateo isn’t why he he can’t do this all the time.  My question is, how can a guy who’s capable of this also be capable of putting up a sub-.500 OPS for 6-8 weeks at a time, or longer?  Hopefully that won’t happen this year, but given his track record, I’ll be waiting all year for that shoe to drop.   But by all means, play him while he’s on a heater.  

[forphase1]

11 minutes ago, Frobby said:

My question about Mateo isn’t why he he can’t do this all the time.  My question is, how can a guy who’s capable of this also be capable of putting up a sub-.500 OPS for 6-8 weeks at a time, or longer?  Hopefully that won’t happen this year, but given his track record, I’ll be waiting all year for that shoe to drop.   But by all means, play him while he’s on a heater.  

That's just it.  He's SO talented, I simply can't figure out why the slumps are SO bad and SO long.  I know that all players have hot streaks and cold spells, and while I largely rather have players who are more consistent, even if it means they may not have the insane highs that some have, the ups and downs are part of baseball.  But the peaks and the valleys are just so bloody extreme with Mateo it's hard to wrap my mind around it.  A Mateo hitting like he has this year is extremely valuable.  While I'm the #1 member of the 'Mateo haters' fan club, I'm an Os fan first and foremost.  If he can help the team win, then I'm all for it, and so far this year he certainly has.  I hope his cold spell is a long way away, and when it inevitably happens, I hope it is milder than it has been in the past, and lasts for a much shorter time.  With the way some of the rest of the lineup has been hitting, we need production out of Mateo, and fortunately we've been getting it so far.