From DFA’d to producing like one of MLB’s best hitters: Ryan O’Hearn has found his groove in Baltimore

[LA2]

Analysis of the MLB-leading near-.500 xwOBA of Turn & Burn O'Hearn*:

https://www.mlb.com/news/ryan-o-hearn-is-one-of-best-hitters-in-2024?game_pk=747044

*Epithet from Ben McDonald

Edited May 4 by LA2

[sportsfan8703]

Elias getting O’Hearn to agree on that team option for next year at $3 million was a savvy move. We didn’t fight him as much in arb for this season, so he gave us a FA year for only $3 million.

Elias’ first extension. 

Edited May 3 by sportsfan8703

[Mooreisbetter27]

4 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Elias getting O’Hearn to agree on that team option for next year at $3 million was a savvy move. We didn’t fight him as much in arb for this season, so he gave us a FA year for only $3 million.

Elias’ first extension. 

The team option is 7.5m. His salary this year is 3.5m. 

[sportsfan8703]

1 minute ago, Mooreisbetter27 said:

The team option is 7.5m. His salary this year is 3.5m. 

Thanks for the correction. Still a fair price for a MOO bat.  

[wildcard]

I hope O'Hearn plays a big role in the O's winning the World Series this season.

But IMO there is a decision to be made between O'Hearn and Mayo this off season.  O'Hearn will turn 31 in July.   His option for 2025 is 7.5M.     Mayo will be 23 next  season.  He will make the minimum salary.   

Elias probably has an opportunity to traded O'Hearn this off season for a good prospect.

Holliday at 2B,  Westburg at 3B,  means there is not much room for Mayo at 3B.   Instead he can be a 1B/DH/3B to get his at bats in 2025.  I don't think Mayo has the speed to play the OF for the O's.  MLB.com rates Mayo's speed as 40 (below average).

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I hope O'Hearn plays a big role in the O's winning the World Series this season.

But IMO there is a decision to be made between O'Hearn and Mayo this off season.  O'Hearn will turn 31 in July.   His option for 2025 is 7.5M.     Mayo will be 23 next  season.  He will make the minimum salary.   

Elias probably has an opportunity to traded O'Hearn this off season for a good prospect.

Holliday at 2B,  Westburg at 3B,  means there is not much room for Mayo at 3B.   Instead he can be a 1B/DH/3B to get his at bats in 2025.  I don't think Mayo has the speed to play the OF for the O's.  MLB.com rates Mayo's speed as 40 (below average).

We should be able to fit both on the roster if we want.  

[wildcard]

7 minutes ago, Frobby said:

We should be able to fit both on the roster if we want.  

Where would the at bats be for both?

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Where would the at bats be for both?

O’Hearn just doing what he does now.  Mayo in Urias’ spot.  Admittedly it will be crowded if Holliday is back up. 

[wildcard]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

O’Hearn just doing what he does now.  Mayo in Urias’ spot.  Admittedly it will be crowded if Holliday is back up. 

Crowded?   How about the at bats would be almost nonexistent with Holliday at 2B and Westburg at 3B.

[interloper]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

Crowded?   How about the at bats would be almost nonexistent with Holliday at 2B and Westburg at 3B.

Mayo's only use to the big league club right now would be against LHP, where we are kind of struggling (disregarding Mateo and McKenna's outlier home runs for now). 

So if we wanted to have Mayo in a strict platoon against LHP, here's a potential lineup:

Henderson - SS
Adley - C
Mountcastle - 1B
Santander - RF
Westburg - 3B
Mayo - DH
Hays - LF
Mullins - CF
Mateo - 2B
 

[Safelykept]

16 minutes ago, interloper said:

Mayo's only use to the big league club right now would be against LHP, where we are kind of struggling (disregarding Mateo and McKenna's outlier home runs for now). 

So if we wanted to have Mayo in a strict platoon against LHP, here's a potential lineup:

Henderson - SS
Adley - C
Mountcastle - 1B
Santander - RF
Westburg - 3B
Mayo - DH
Hays - LF
Mullins - CF
Mateo - 2B
 

No, McCann would catch Adley would DH. Somebody suggested this as potential role ( a platoon DH ) for Norby. The dedicated DH is as dead as the 4 man rotation, if you want to get him ABs, he needs to be on the field somewhere.

[NCRaven]

I still believe Mayo would be best used by the Orioles in RF.

[Warehouse]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

I hope O'Hearn plays a big role in the O's winning the World Series this season.

But IMO there is a decision to be made between O'Hearn and Mayo this off season.  O'Hearn will turn 31 in July.   His option for 2025 is 7.5M.     Mayo will be 23 next  season.  He will make the minimum salary.   

Elias probably has an opportunity to traded O'Hearn this off season for a good prospect.

Holliday at 2B,  Westburg at 3B,  means there is not much room for Mayo at 3B.   Instead he can be a 1B/DH/3B to get his at bats in 2025.  I don't think Mayo has the speed to play the OF for the O's.  MLB.com rates Mayo's speed as 40 (below average).

I don’t think one isolated 40 speed rating that could be driven by stereotyping based on frame is enough to completely write off the possibility Mayo could be an effective outfielder. 

[interloper]

8 minutes ago, Safelykept said:

No, McCann would catch Adley would DH. Somebody suggested this as potential role ( a platoon DH ) for Norby. The dedicated DH is as dead as the 4 man rotation, if you want to get him ABs, he needs to be on the field somewhere.

That's an option, too. I don't think the O's are married to McCann facing 100% of LHP at the expense of someone like Mayo. 

Edited May 3 by interloper

[bpilktree]

28 minutes ago, interloper said:

Mayo's only use to the big league club right now would be against LHP, where we are kind of struggling (disregarding Mateo and McKenna's outlier home runs for now). 

So if we wanted to have Mayo in a strict platoon against LHP, here's a potential lineup:

Henderson - SS
Adley - C
Mountcastle - 1B
Santander - RF
Westburg - 3B
Mayo - DH
Hays - LF
Mullins - CF
Mateo - 2B
 

 

4 minutes ago, Safelykept said:

No, McCann would catch Adley would DH. Somebody suggested this as potential role ( a platoon DH ) for Norby. The dedicated DH is as dead as the 4 man rotation, if you want to get him ABs, he needs to be on the field somewhere.

McCann gets at bat vs lefties because there is no other right handers on current roster.  Who do you want hitting Mayo or McCann.  You can get Mayo at bats by sliding Mullins out vs a lefty and letting Mateo play center with Westburg moving to 2nd and Mayo at 3rd.  Then you can give Henderson a two or three days off a month moving Mateo over to SS.  I think some of the guys wore down at the end of the season as they hadn’t played this long last year.  I would like to see a few more days off for our starters and we have the depth to not see a big drop off.  Henderson can hit lefties but does he do it better than Mayo would?  I hope Henderson gets a day off this weekend.