Jordan Westburg 2024

[OriolesMagic83]

I definitely had Westburg marked down as a trade chip as I thought others like Holliday and Mayo would be too good for him to snag a full time position and thought it was a better use of talent to trade him than turn him into a utility player.  Wow, was a wrong.  Looks like Westburg will be around for a long time.

[Pickles]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

That was Cowser and Ortiz.  

It was still too much.

[Filmstudy]

4 hours ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I definitely had Westburg marked down as a trade chip as I thought others like Holliday and Mayo would be too good for him to snag a full time position and thought it was a better use of talent to trade him than turn him into a utility player.  Wow, was a wrong.  Looks like Westburg will be around for a long time.

His power is the real thing, even though it may be marginalized by OPACY to some degree.  I am loving the gap and off-field power to date.

Westburg's success is part of the reason I really want Norby to get a shot.

Norby in 167 AAA games: .296/.363/.504/.867 over ages 22-24

Westburg in 158 AAA games: .283/.366/.533/.899 over ages 23-24

I'm aware Westburg is (especially with information we have now) the better defensive prospect, which makes a lot of difference, but with the organization short on RHBs who can actually hit, Norby would more likely than not be a nice role player/4th OF/emergency IF/PH at a min. His L/R splits are not much different over the last 3 years, which I would take as a good thing.  He can relieve LHB of big platoon disadvantages and stay in the game with minimal matchup risk if that holds at the MLB level.

[Sports Guy]

5 hours ago, Pickles said:

It was still too much.

That’s fine for you to think that but if you are going to rant on it and attempt to bash a section of the board, you could at least get your rant correct.

[Bemorewins]

2 hours ago, Filmstudy said:

His power is the real thing, even though it may be marginalized by OPACY to some degree.  I am loving the gap and off-field power to date.

Westburg's success is part of the reason I really want Norby to get a shot.

Norby in 167 AAA games: .296/.363/.504/.867 over ages 22-24

Westburg in 158 AAA games: .283/.366/.533/.899 over ages 23-24

I'm aware Westburg is (especially with information we have now) the better defensive prospect, which makes a lot of difference, but with the organization short on RHBs who can actually hit, Norby would more likely than not be a nice role player/4th OF/emergency IF/PH at a min. His L/R splits are not much different over the last 3 years, which I would take as a good thing.  He can relieve LHB of big platoon disadvantages and stay in the game with minimal matchup risk if that holds at the MLB level.

1) What position is Norby going to play at the MLB level?

2) What LHH is he going to regularly sub for?

3) It seems that you really value the idea of platooning players. But wouldn’t he be more valuable to the club to include as part of a trade? Our offense seems fine and will likely be good to great for a long time (given the draft capital/prospect investment). However, I SP throughout the org is thin. And looks even thinner for next year, if/when Burnes walks in FA.

[Just Regular]

Kansas CIty series in the books, fWAR has him leaving town tucked between Bobby Witt and Salvador Perez 5-6-7 among MLB Bats year to date.

20 percent K and 6 percent BB rates in both Westburg's and Witt's cases.    Ramirez and Bregman both very slow starts for the AL's traditional 3B All-Stars.

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Bemorewins said:

1) What position is Norby going to play at the MLB level?

2) What LHH is he going to regularly sub for?

3) It seems that you really value the idea of platooning players. But wouldn’t he be more valuable to the club to include as part of a trade? Our offense seems fine and will likely be good to great for a long time (given the draft capital/prospect investment). However, I SP throughout the org is thin. And looks even thinner for next year, if/when Burnes walks in FA.

If he hits as well as some think, finding 300-400 at bats for Norby won’t be difficult.

 

[Bemorewins]

36 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

If he hits as well as some think, finding 300-400 at bats for Norby won’t be difficult.

 

Are those ABs for the Orioles or another MLB franchise? Because the only ABs that I can see for him right now is as a RH DH or to take Hays’ role (temporarily) if there is an injury and that makes the assumption he can cover the OF in a competent way defensively.

I am not trying to besmirch Norby’s talent. I think he is absolutely a big leaguer, who has earned a promotion. I just don’t see it being with this org, given the shape/tilt of the roster and makeup of talent throughout the org.

The fact is that we have graduated 5 prospects (not including Holliday who still has prospect status) to the Majors. - 5 position players (1 traded away) and 1 pitcher. And we have what, another 4 top position player prospects ahead of Norby (including Holliday). And ZERO top pitching prospects.

I get that some (not saying you) have this notion that all our prospects MUST one day play for the Orioles. But with the lack of top end pitching prospects combined with Burnes pending FA and the iffiness of Bradish’s health, we are going to need the pitching to come from somewhere.

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Bemorewins said:

Are those ABs for the Orioles or another MLB franchise? Because the only ABs that I can see for him right now is as a RH DH or to take Hays’ role (temporarily) if there is an injury and that makes the assumption he can cover the OF in a competent way defensively.

I am not trying to besmirch Norby’s talent. I think he is absolutely a big leaguer, who has earned a promotion. I just don’t see it being with this org, given the shape/tilt of the roster and makeup of talent throughout the org.

The fact is that we have graduated 5 prospects (not including Holliday who still has prospect status) to the Majors. - 5 position players (1 traded away) and 1 pitcher. And we have what, another 4 top position player prospects ahead of Norby (including Holliday). And ZERO top pitching prospects.

I get that some (not saying you) have this notion that all our prospects MUST one day play for the Orioles. But with the lack of top end pitching prospects combined with Burnes pending FA and the iffiness of Bradish’s health, we are going to need the pitching to come from somewhere.

He can be traded or he can play here but if he stays here, they will find him the at bats. Every team every year has guys getting several hundred at bats that aren’t very good.

Norby is good, so you can find those at bats.

[Bemorewins]

11 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

He can be traded or he can play here but if he stays here, they will find him the at bats. Every team every year has guys getting several hundred at bats that aren’t very good.

Norby is good, so you can find those at bats.

The issue for me is not his ability with the bat in his hands. It is the lack of starting pitching talent/depth throughout the org. And what that will look like if/when Burnes leaves via free agency.

When you have this many good young players but they all are position players; you have to at least seriously consider who you can trade to help balance the talent. 

Sure we can get Norby some platoon ABs this year. But what happens next year when Holliday will be planted at 2B, Mayo will need a regular spot, and so will Kjerstad? And then there is Basallo who will be ready to make the jump at some time next season.

IMO it seems short sighted to try to force him on to the MLB roster this year when you know the situation that lies ahead. 

Now maybe we trade 1 or 2 of the other guys, that I mentioned, and then this is no longer a conversation? Who knows how things will ultimately play out?

[sportsfan8703]

At what point do our bats start to get a little added bump in value given the success of our recent hitting prospects?

Also, we’ll start to build a playoff bullpen at the deadline. It’s better to start the year with some flexibility so that we can rotate fresh arms. 

Remember that it took Cole Ragans for Texas to get Chapman last year. 

[Bemorewins]

12 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

At what point do our bats start to get a little added bump in value given the success of our recent hitting prospects?

Also, we’ll start to build a playoff bullpen at the deadline. It’s better to start the year with some flexibility so that we can rotate fresh arms. 

Remember that it took Cole Ragans for Texas to get Chapman last year. 

Umm, Cole Ragans wasn’t this Cole Ragans when the Royals acquired as he was coming back from 2 major arm injuries.

Remember many here panned that trade because “the Royals didn’t get back enough”?

No an Aroldis Chapman level reliever will not cost a top prospect normally. I am sure if TEX had to do that over they would not. They probably wound up giving up more for a mediocre Chapman than they did for Montgomery or Scherzer.

[Sports Guy]

27 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

The issue for me is not his ability with the bat in his hands. It is the lack of starting pitching talent/depth throughout the org. And what that will look like if/when Burnes leaves via free agency.

When you have this many good young players but they all are position players; you have to at least seriously consider who you can trade to help balance the talent. 

Sure we can get Norby some platoon ABs this year. But what happens next year when Holliday will be planted at 2B, Mayo will need a regular spot, and so will Kjerstad? And then there is Basallo who will be ready to make the jump at some time next season.

IMO it seems short sighted to try to force him on to the MLB roster this year when you know the situation that lies ahead. 

Now maybe we trade 1 or 2 of the other guys, that I mentioned, and then this is no longer a conversation? Who knows how things will ultimately play out?

You worry so much.  Lol

Yes, the team needs to make moves to acquire pitching.  Yes, Norby can be part of that.  No, he doesn’t have to be part of it.

It depends on how he is valued. 
 

He makes sense to move on from…he also makes sense to keep given how many lefties we have in our lineup.  
 

Elias has to do what is best for the team and for the value he receives and that’s exactly what he’s likely to do.

[Bemorewins]

12 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

You worry so much.  Lol

Yes, the team needs to make moves to acquire pitching.  Yes, Norby can be part of that.  No, he doesn’t have to be part of it.

It depends on how he is valued. 
 

He makes sense to move on from…he also makes sense to keep given how many lefties we have in our lineup.  
 

Elias has to do what is best for the team and for the value he receives and that’s exactly what he’s likely to do.

Lol... I'm not a worrier. But I do a lot of forecasting/future planning/visioneering by profession so it's kind of the lens that I look at sports through. I'm trying to learn how to live in the moment more...lol

I agree with you though, it's all about the value.

[Tony-OH]

12 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

 

With his success this year, Westburg seems so much more relaxed and affable. This was a great interview between the two of these guys.