Ryan Mountcastle 2024

[Bahama O's Fan]

3 hours ago, terpoh said:

He would be a pretty valuable 1B platoon guy with O'Hearn, and even starting SOME games vs right handed pitching, but not most. Instead he is our every day cleanup or #5 hitter. 

This is what I was expecting and hoping for at the beginning of the year, but then Mountcastle started hot and here we are. 

[Can_of_corn]

17 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

This is what I was expecting and hoping for at the beginning of the year, but then Mountcastle started hot and here we are. 

With a guy that is 8th on the team in rWAR?

[Ripken]

We know his plate discipline is poor.  Beyond that, earlier in the season, I thought he was just coming in too steep.  As in, he's late and/or his arms get too far behind his body so his hands then go directly to the ball.  He's still hitting the ball hard but the launch angle isn't there to create HRs. 

What I think now is that he's letting the ball travel too far because he's focusing too much on right field.  His Pull% is below 2020-21 (though it is = 2022-23).  His Cent% is below his career average (47% vs. 55%) and his Oppo% has climbed every year (19%, 24%, 26% and now 32%). 

In other words, the stupid eyesore wall is probably part of the overall power shortage, which seems to come from bad luck (many top-of-wall doubles) and an increased approach to right center.  We have seen him use right field when he's going well but maybe that approach has become excessive.  There have been many times where he's hit an inside pitch, off the plate even, to the right side. 

It's also true he'd have 20 HRs playing for many other teams, so we wouldn't be having this conversation.  I always coached my kids to work away, but when I had a kid letting the ball travel too far, or who wouldn't even pull an inside pitch, I'd try to reset them a bit by having them focus on hitting the ball in front of them more.  We don't know what the O's and Mounty are teaching and working on but I'd love to see him try pulling some inner half pitches for a few games.

[bpilktree67]

21 minutes ago, Ripken said:

We know his plate discipline is poor.  Beyond that, earlier in the season, I thought he was just coming in too steep.  As in, he's late and/or his arms get too far behind his body so his hands then go directly to the ball.  He's still hitting the ball hard but the launch angle isn't there to create HRs. 

What I think now is that he's letting the ball travel too far because he's focusing too much on right field.  His Pull% is below 2020-21 (though it is = 2022-23).  His Cent% is below his career average (47% vs. 55%) and his Oppo% has climbed every year (19%, 24%, 26% and now 32%). 

In other words, the stupid eyesore wall is probably part of the overall power shortage, which seems to come from bad luck (many top-of-wall doubles) and an increased approach to right center.  We have seen him use right field when he's going well but maybe that approach has become excessive.  There have been many times where he's hit an inside pitch, off the plate even, to the right side. 

It's also true he'd have 20 HRs playing for many other teams, so we wouldn't be having this conversation.  I always coached my kids to work away, but when I had a kid letting the ball travel too far, or who wouldn't even pull an inside pitch, I'd try to reset them a bit by having them focus on hitting the ball in front of them more.  We don't know what the O's and Mounty are teaching and working on but I'd love to see him try pulling some inner half pitches for a few games.

This is the way I see it too.  He has good power but not great power so the wall affects him for sure.  He hits better when he uses left center to right center and is driving the ball now it seems he is hitting right center to right field line and not driving it as much.  He is hitting it pretty hard still but nit driving it in the air.  Everytime he hits a deep fly ball that doesn’t go out you can see the look and he is just like why am I trying to hit it that way.  I think the wall was a good idea in theory but I think the went to far and too high especially with offense and homers down in general this year.  

[OriolesMagic83]

22 minutes ago, bpilktree67 said:

This is the way I see it too.  He has good power but not great power so the wall affects him for sure.  He hits better when he uses left center to right center and is driving the ball now it seems he is hitting right center to right field line and not driving it as much.  He is hitting it pretty hard still but nit driving it in the air.  Everytime he hits a deep fly ball that doesn’t go out you can see the look and he is just like why am I trying to hit it that way.  I think the wall was a good idea in theory but I think the went to far and too high especially with offense and homers down in general this year.  

When Frank Robinson played in Baltimore, center field was 450 ft.  https://www.retroseasons.com/library/sporting-news-dope-book/1956-01-01/4000/    If only social media was a thing, instead Frank Robinson had to cry himself to sleep after hitting fly balls into that canyon.  Meanwhile, Jim Palmer gleefully talked about pitching to the "big part of the ballpark."

[gtman55]

44 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

When Frank Robinson played in Baltimore, center field was 450 ft.  https://www.retroseasons.com/library/sporting-news-dope-book/1956-01-01/4000/    If only social media was a thing, instead Frank Robinson had to cry himself to sleep after hitting fly balls into that canyon.  Meanwhile, Jim Palmer gleefully talked about pitching to the "big part of the ballpark."

That's totally incorrect. When Frank played here it was 410 feet to straight away center. It was only 450 ft or so in 1954 and 1955.

[OriolesMagic83]

7 minutes ago, gtman55 said:

That's totally incorrect. When Frank played here it was 410 feet to straight away center. It was only 450 ft or so in 1954 and 1955.

I had read that it was 440+ until the 1970's and I guess the source I read was wrong.  Power alleys were 370-385 from mid 60-s to mid 70-s, so I guess not too extreme, 

[Roy Firestone]

I'm no longer a believer that Mountcastle is much more than an average hitter and first baseman.I'd try and move him in the offseason. He's just too streaky.

[wildcard]

4 hours ago, Frobby said:

Interestingly, Mountcastle has now played exactly the same number of games as he played last year, and has 3 more PA than last year.  He batted .270 last year and is batting .270 this year.  He had a 117 OPS+ last year, and is at 112 this year, 2 ticks below his 114 career figure.  

He’s been cold of late, but we know he’s capable of turning hot very suddenly.  So, I’m not going to guess what his final numbers will look like.  
 

This.   When Mountcastle gets hot his numbers jump.   We will have to wait to see if that happen between now and when the O's stop playing this season.

[Can_of_corn]

1 hour ago, Roy Firestone said:

I'm no longer a believer that Mountcastle is much more than an average hitter and first baseman.I'd try and move him in the offseason. He's just too streaky.

Oh please, you've been anti Mountcastle for quite some time.

Anyone that visits a game thread knows that.

I also find it funny that somehow being an average ML player is an issue.

He's tied for fifth in position player rWAR for the O's (7th overall).

 

I have no problem at all moving him for an upgrade, but the idea that he's somehow the problem is laughable.

[Frobby]

54 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Oh please, you've been anti Mountcastle for quite some time.

Anyone that visits a game thread knows that.

I also find it funny that somehow being an average ML player is an issue.

He's tied for fifth in position player rWAR for the O's (7th overall).

 

I have no problem at all moving him for an upgrade, but the idea that he's somehow the problem is laughable.

I’d really like to replace Mountcastle with Mayo, who I believe will be not only a superior hitter overall, but also a more consistent one, once he gets over his rookie adjustment period.   I think Mountcastle would have decent trade value and we’d be better off cashing in that chip rather than holding it and letting its value decline with the remaining service time.  

The big hiccup in my plan - and I do mean big - is that Mayo has played terribly at 1B this year when given the opportunity.   It’s a much easier position than 3B, as Mountcastle himself knows, but for some reason Mayo has struggled mightily there.  I still think I’d risk trading Mountcastle and putting Mayo there, sharing time with O’Hearn next year so that he’s not our only option  if the defense remains really rough.  But I acknowledge there’s some risk there, both offensively and defensively.  
 

[sportsfan8703]

3 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

I'm no longer a believer that Mountcastle is much more than an average hitter and first baseman.I'd try and move him in the offseason. He's just too streaky.

Mayo is Mountcastle’s replacement next year. Maybe some Offense starved cheap team gives us a bullpen arm for him ala the Hays trade. 

[Sports Guy]

Definitely disappointed in this season for Mounty. I thought this would be his career year type season. I’m sure he will still pop 1 or 2 seasons where he makes you wonder if this is the “new him” but I don’t think we see that happen here.

[ShoelesJoe]

 

[Fiver6565]

Why Soto instead of Mayo?  Hell I'd rather see NIco Goodrum for a RH 1B option - and I do NOT want to see NIco Goodrum.  Is that even his first name?  Who cares, I'm not going to bother looking it up.

 

Jesus its like watching a replacement level team now, with Valdez, Soto, Slater, Urias (not really fair to list him here, but lets face it, he wasn't really in the plans).  Holliday still acclimating.  Eloy hitting ground balls every AB.  This position player group is so much worse than it used to be, its ugly