Roch's Fascination with Ryan McKenna

[MCO'sFan]

This probably didn't need its own thread but I didn't really know what existing thread to post it in. I am the only person who has recognized Roch's strange promotion/fascination/affection for Ryan McKenna. He mentions him regularly in his blog as a potential call up. Rings the bell about his plus defense and speed and that he'd be a RHH off the bench. He had several blog posts last year about him missing the clinching games, and so on and so forth. It just seems a little weird that a guy who hung on as the 26th man on bad teams and is dropped from the 40 man and clears waivers when the team gets good, keeps coming up in blog posts and would be sought out for opinions and quotes so often. Just seems a little odd to me. 

 

Roch's 4/25 Blog Post

 

In McKenna’s favor were his speed, defense at every outfield spot and energy in the dugout. A team-first guy and positive clubhouse influence. And he had a strong, vocal supporter in manager Brandon Hyde. But McKenna went 5-for-37 in camp, the numbers mattering more for him than others, and running dry on options didn’t allow him to immediately stay.

Edited April 25 by MCO'sFan

[interloper]

It's Ryan. 

[DirtyBird]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_McKenna

[Tony-OH]

Is Brian, Ryan's brother?

[Fiver6565]

The guys been part of the team for a few years now at this point, do you really think his name is Brian?  Hell I'm guessing the story you linked mentioned his first name at least once.

 

Also who cares what Roch thinks?  If McKenna was coming back up, he would have a couple days ago instead of 'Silent J'.

[Tony-OH]

With Cowser hitting lefties ok so far, not a lot of reason for McKenna. Mateo has already played CF once as well, so they are covered down with defense in CF and Kjerstad brings a much better bat. 

[SteveA]

A few ideas:

1.  McKenna has been around for a long time, Roch probably knows him pretty well.   Maybe he likes the guy.
2.  It is a fact that Hyde (and likely Elias too) like to have a good mix of RH and LH bats, and take LH/RH splits very seriously.    We see it in their lineups, and in player moves, all the time.   It is clear based on the multitude of comments that come out each time a lineup is posted, that Hyde/Elias put a lot more stock in LH/RH splits than the majority of fans here do.   Whether you agree with them or not, the bottom line is it DOES matter to THEM, a lot.   And with Hays down, and now Burdick gone, our MLB/AAA pool of potential outfielders is VERY lefthanded, which means that McKenna probably has more value to them than he does in most our minds.   And Roch is just reflecting that value in his blog.   (When Hays got hurt, I wasn't 100% sure his replacement was going to be Kjerstad, I thought there was a chance, based on past behavior of Elias/Hyde, that it could be McKenna to get another RH bat in the mix).
3. Perhaps Cowser has, or will, convince them that he can be an adequate backup CF if something happens to Mullins.   I don't know if that has happened yet.   But with Hays out, and Mateo so far not passing the eye test as a CF, it's possible that McKenna is still the #1 answer if something were to happen to Cedric.   Which gives him more significance than some other 4A guy who can be DFA'd 3 times in a season like Banuelos and pass through waivers or be easily replaced.

[interloper]

Beat writers reuse narratives around players to provide context. He is not obsessed with the guy. McKenna was a logical choice to call on when Hays down, for the reasons Roch mentions, but the O's went with the more deserving player. 

Edited April 25 by interloper

[Gurgi]

I like Ryan but he isnt good enough to for me to worry about ever seeing his face again. 

[MCO'sFan]

1 hour ago, interloper said:

It's Ryan. 

Well that is embarrasing. I coached a kid named Brian McKenna. I guess I had that stuck on a loop. 

1 hour ago, interloper said:

It's Ryan. 

 

37 minutes ago, SteveA said:

A few ideas:

1.  McKenna has been around for a long time, Roch probably knows him pretty well.   Maybe he likes the guy.
2.  It is a fact that Hyde (and likely Elias too) like to have a good mix of RH and LH bats, and take LH/RH splits very seriously.    We see it in their lineups, and in player moves, all the time.   It is clear based on the multitude of comments that come out each time a lineup is posted, that Hyde/Elias put a lot more stock in LH/RH splits than the majority of fans here do.   Whether you agree with them or not, the bottom line is it DOES matter to THEM, a lot.   And with Hays down, and now Burdick gone, our MLB/AAA pool of potential outfielders is VERY lefthanded, which means that McKenna probably has more value to them than he does in most our minds.   And Roch is just reflecting that value in his blog.   (When Hays got hurt, I wasn't 100% sure his replacement was going to be Kjerstad, I thought there was a chance, based on past behavior of Elias/Hyde, that it could be McKenna to get another RH bat in the mix).
3. Perhaps Cowser has, or will, convince them that he can be an adequate backup CF if something happens to Mullins.   I don't know if that has happened yet.   But with Hays out, and Mateo so far not passing the eye test as a CF, it's possible that McKenna is still the #1 answer if something were to happen to Cedric.   Which gives him more significance than some other 4A guy who can be DFA'd 3 times in a season like Banuelos and pass through waivers or be easily replaced.

 

[MCO'sFan]

1 hour ago, DirtyBird said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_McKenna

Thanks for fixing that for me. 

52 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Is Brian, Ryan's brother?

 

[MCO'sFan]

53 minutes ago, Fiver6565 said:

The guys been part of the team for a few years now at this point, do you really think his name is Brian?  Hell I'm guessing the story you linked mentioned his first name at least once.

 

Also who cares what Roch thinks?  If McKenna was coming back up, he would have a couple days ago instead of 'Silent J'.

Yeah, brain fart. As I said elsewhere, I coached a player named Brian McKenna. I just didn't focus I guess when typing the name. 

[Fiver6565]

well, that's a fair excuse, knowing someone by that name I suppose.  Not that you needed one, brain farts do happen.  LOL.

[sportsfan8703]

I think that it would take a Mullins injury for Elias to call up Mckenna.  Having Mckenna in AAA as a CF insurance policy is a good thing.  I don't think Elias is going risk losing Mckenna again if we have a COF go down like Hays.  

[Too Tall]

Roch has an Orioles' "Fascination." That's his job. If he wants to write about McKenna - NBAD. Doesn't impact The Roch Meter for me. Then not much does.