Jordan Westburg 2024

[Moose Milligan]

7 hours ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Wait we still hate O’Hearn?

The O’Hearn hate around here is weird. It’s as if people are actively rooting for him to go back to his KC production so he can be released and we can get on towards exciting prospects. 
 

Anyway, glad to see Westburg with the game winning homer last night. Hope this is a turning point for him and that he can get into a groove at the plate. 

[sportsfan8703]

 

[Sports Guy]

2 hours ago, Since1984 said:

Do not have to do it now and I understand the point about age. Would you extend Bregman this offseason?

No

[emmett16]

3 hours ago, Since1984 said:

Do not have to do it now and I understand the point about age. Would you extend Bregman this offseason?

Are you comparing a guy that put up 7.9 WAR in his age 24 season after putting up 6 WAR in less than a season and a half before that to a guy that played 68 games at a 1.2WAR pace in his age 24 season? 
 

I love Westy but I don’t think his comp is a guy who has an outside shot at the HOF. 

Edited April 2 by emmett16

[TheWall]

3 hours ago, emmett16 said:

Are you comparing a guy that put up 7.9 WAR in his age 24 season after putting up 6 WAR in less than a season and a half before that to a guy that played 68 games at a 1.2WAR pace in his age 24 season? 
 

I love Westy but I don’t think his comp is a guy who has an outside shot at the HOF. 

We don't know if Westburg is an everyday player in 2 years (a lot depends on Mayo's 3B defense). I hope he turns into Bregman, but I'm not even sure if his own family is expecting that. 

[Since1984]

3 hours ago, emmett16 said:

Are you comparing a guy that put up 7.9 WAR in his age 24 season after putting up 6 WAR in less than a season and a half before that to a guy that played 68 games at a 1.2WAR pace in his age 24 season? 
 

I love Westy but I don’t think his comp is a guy who has an outside shot at the HOF. 

I have said this in other Westburg threads, I think he is a good but lighter version of Bregman. Bregman typical year ranges around an OPS+ of 120-130. I see Westburg hitting close to 120 OPS too, but he most likely will not have the 2-3 stellar seasons Alex has had

[CaptainRedbeard]

Great to see Westburg hit a ball hard and in the air. It was to the opposite field and he hasn’t pulled one yet, but I’ll take it. He’s continued his trend from last year of running good exit velos and hard hit rates but not at the right launch angles. Feels like he’s right on the cusp of making an adjustment that will allow him to tap into his power more effectively.

[Frobby]

13 hours ago, Brooks The Great said:

I love Westburg, and it's a travesty that he was screwed over each of the last two seasons by Elias and Hyde and not given a chance at everyday playing time when he's been our best 2B option both seasons (starting in the summer of 2022).

Spare me the drama over 2022.  The guy was promoted to AAA in June and had 228 PA there.   It’s hardly a travesty that he wasn’t promoted to the majors that season.  

As to last year, I would have liked to see him promoted sooner, but “travesty” is a bit much.  
 

[OriolesMagic83]

7 hours ago, Since1984 said:

Do not have to do it now and I understand the point about age. Would you extend Bregman this offseason?

I think you posted in the wrong thread.

[interloper]

[JimGinSP]

Two nights after the walkoff HR, the successful sacrifice bunt moving Mountcastle to 3rd and Mullins to 2nd was clutch.  All the while Kevin Brown was commenting how few times in MLB and Milb he’s been asked to sacrifice!

[Brooks The Great]

On 4/2/2024 at 11:05 AM, Frobby said:

Spare me the drama over 2022.  The guy was promoted to AAA in June and had 228 PA there.   It’s hardly a travesty that he wasn’t promoted to the majors that season.  

As to last year, I would have liked to see him promoted sooner, but “travesty” is a bit much.  
 

Completely disagree. Westburg was easily the organization's best option at 2B starting in July of 22, and Odor was awful the entire season. The team was in playoff contention until the final week - Westburg could have easily made a difference in the team potentially making the playoffs. 

The way Elias handled Odor in 2022 and Frazier last season was terrible. It was losing baseball roster management with both of those guys from the time those contracts were signed until the final day of the season, when both should have been benched/released much sooner.

Cowser is being handled in the same irresponsible manner in favor of inferior vets. Norby is also being wasted in Norfolk when he could be helping the major league team right now. Play your most talented players available. 

Edited April 4 by Brooks The Great

[Frobby]

42 minutes ago, JimGinSP said:

Two nights after the walkoff HR, the successful sacrifice bunt moving Mountcastle to 3rd and Mullins to 2nd was clutch.  All the while Kevin Brown was commenting how few times in MLB and Milb he’s been asked to sacrifice!

I had the utmost confidence that Westburg would get that bunt down.  He’s just fundamentally sound in all respects.  And his form was perfect on that bunt.  

[yark14]

47 minutes ago, Brooks The Great said:

Completely disagree. Westburg was easily the organization's best option at 2B starting in July of 22, and Odor was awful the entire season. The team was in playoff contention until the final week - Westburg could have easily made a difference in the team potentially making the playoffs. 

The way Elias handled Odor in 2022 and Frazier last season was terrible. It was losing baseball roster management with both of those guys from the time those contracts were signed until the final day of the season, when both should have been benched/released much sooner.

Cowser is being handled in the same irresponsible manner in favor of inferior vets. Norby is also being wasted in Norfolk when he could be helping the major league team right now. Play your most talented players available. 

The reasoning is simple: aligning a player's peak years to fall under arbitration.  Most players peak years are between 25 and 30.  The closer to 25 Elias can start the service clock, the easier it is to discard the player around age 30 when *most* players start declining rapidly.  That's why Adley and Westburg were both called up a year (or two) later than they should have.  I doubt Elias has any motivation to extend either of them into their 30's, unless the new ownership directs him to spend away regardless of risk.

Hays and Mullins are perfect examples.  They are getting into their late 20's and clearly diminishing.  (most) of us love them both and want to see them succeed, but the declining data the last few years when it comes to their sprint speed is a clear indicator that their athleticism is waning, which they both rely on to be productive players.

Cowser, Stowers, etc., are in the same boat as Westburg and Adley.  They'll replace Hays and Mullins and have a nice 5-ish year window before being replaced by the next crop.

It's cheaper to build a world-class player development program like we have done than it is to spend tens to hundreds of millions of dollars on extensions and free agents that are likely not in their peak years.

Elias then has that ROI on his resume and is guaranteed a lifetime cushy job, like Billy Beane.

Edited April 4 by yark14

[DirtyBird]

It appears that he is getting pretty unlucky.