Questions that need to be answered during the 2024 season

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Semantics.  The other poster said defense and pitching were key with Hyde.   Sounds reasonable to me.   

I'm also pretty sure that scoring runs is a key.

What did Earl say?

Pitching

Defense

Three run homers.

 

[Safelykept]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

I am not sure Mountcastle belongs on that list.   He is playing the heck out of 1st base defensively and he looks good at he plate.

Neither does Mullins.

[Safelykept]

56 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

I’m confident Mayo can play above average defense at 1B

Above average? Thats Monty. Even if he could play average 1B thers already 2 at 1B / DH. Mayo needs an injury or 2 to get called up.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Roll Tide said:

I’m confident Mayo can play above average defense at 1B

Based on what?

[wildcard]

12 minutes ago, Safelykept said:

Neither does Mullins.

Mullins is interesting.   His defense is  his best feature.   His offense shows back to back 721 OPS season.  Well below what is desirable for a starter.    His leg injuries are concerning for a guy who makes his living with his legs.  

Hyde has lowered Mullins to the bottom half of the lineup.   That seems to be because his OBP was 318 and 305 in 2022 and 2023.

Then there is his contract status.   He is fine this year but next year he will be in his walk year.   Do the O's extend a player with a 3 or 4 year contract who is having trouble staying healthy?   Having players in their 20's  rather than their 30's has been why the O's have risen in the standings.    Do they trade Mullins over the offseason so they don't have to make a long term commitment to him?

A lot depends on whether the O's have a replacement is center.    Is Cowser capable of doing that.   That is one of the questions the O's will try to answer this season IMO.  EBJ is still in A+.

[RZNJ]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Mullins is interesting.   His defense is  his best feature.   His offense shows back to back 721 OPS season.  Well below what is desirable for a starter.    His leg injuries are concerning for a guy who makes his living with his legs.  

Hyde has lowered Mullins to the bottom half of the lineup.   That seems to be because his OBP was 318 and 305 in 2022 and 2023.

Then there is his contract status.   He is fine this year but next year he will be in his walk year.   Do the O's extend a player with a 3 or 4 year contract who is having trouble staying healthy?   Having players in their 20's  rather than their 30's has been why the O's have risen in the standings.    Do they trade Mullins over the offseason so they don't have to make a long term commitment to him?

A lot depends on whether the O's have a replacement is center.    Is Cowser capable of doing that.   That is one of the questions the O's will try to answer this season IMO.  EBJ is still in A+.

Theoretically, the Orioles had replacements for Santander.   There’s your answer.  Mullins is here thru next season.   

[Sports Guy]

10 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Mullins is interesting.   His defense is  his best feature.   His offense shows back to back 721 OPS season.  Well below what is desirable for a starter.    His leg injuries are concerning for a guy who makes his living with his legs.  

Hyde has lowered Mullins to the bottom half of the lineup.   That seems to be because his OBP was 318 and 305 in 2022 and 2023.

Then there is his contract status.   He is fine this year but next year he will be in his walk year.   Do the O's extend a player with a 3 or 4 year contract who is having trouble staying healthy?   Having players in their 20's  rather than their 30's has been why the O's have risen in the standings.    Do they trade Mullins over the offseason so they don't have to make a long term commitment to him?

A lot depends on whether the O's have a replacement is center.    Is Cowser capable of doing that.   That is one of the questions the O's will try to answer this season IMO.  EBJ is still in A+.

A 721 OPs is not below average for a CF.  In fact, I don’t think 721 is much below average for any position.(as a whole, obviously that’s low for first, DH, COF)

Average OPS across the board was 734 last year.  He is right there with many positions.

Edited April 6 by Sports Guy

[wildcard]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

Theoretically, the Orioles had replacements for Santander.   There’s your answer.  Mullins is here thru next season.   

The O's may be able to offer Santander a Quality Offer and get a draft choice for him.   I don't see that as possible for Mullins.   Elias is going to have to decide this off season to extend Mullins or keep him and let him go FA with no compensation.

[wildcard]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

A 721 OPs is not below average for a CF.  In fact, I don’t think 721 is much below average for any position.

For a team trying to win the World Series?

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

A 721 OPs is not below average for a CF.  In fact, I don’t think 721 is much below average for any position.

https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask/what-is-league-average-ops-this-season-by-position

 

[Sports Guy]

11 minutes ago, wildcard said:

For a team trying to win the World Series?

The laundry list to why this is a bad question is long but…

 

Last year, the Rangers starting CFer, who had over 550 PA, had a 733 OPS. They had a LF who had almost 300 PA have an OPS at 699.  Josh Smith had 233 PA and an OPS of 633.

You can’t find countless examples of this type of thing on every team that makes the playoffs and wins it all.

Edited April 6 by Sports Guy

[Fiver6565]

4 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The laundry list to why this is a bad question is long but…

 

Last year, the Rangers starting CFer, who had over 550 at bats, had a 733 OPS. They had a LF who had almost 300 at bats have an OPS at 699.  Josh Smith had 233 PA and an OPS of 633.

You can’t find countless examples of this type of thing on every team that makes the playoffs and wins it all.

The expectations people have for individual players and the numbers that put up is always so out of line with reality. Folks on this board think that every position player should have an 850 OPS or the team has no chance. 

[Matt Bennett]

4 minutes ago, wildcard said:

For a team trying to win the World Series?

You may be stuck in the 2019 juiced ball mentality. Mullins has been an above average hitter the past two seasons (107 and 102 OPS+). And that is playing outstanding defense at a difficult position while stealing bases and playing half the year in Camden. 6.01, 4.15, 3.91 162 game pace WAR's in 2021-2023. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Fiver6565 said:

The expectations people have for individual players and the numbers that put up is always so out of line with reality. Folks on this board think that every position player should have an 850 OPS or the team has no chance. 

With plus defense.

[Jagwar]

2 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Would you want Hays in CF full time?  I wouldn’t.  Cowser can play CF but I don’t think he becomes the regular CF.

I'm not sure I want Hays on the roster at all after this year.