Developing situation with Mountcastle?

[Tony-OH]

8 minutes ago, 24fps said:

If that's the case, then there have been several missed opportunities with recent thread titles.  Some proposed revisions:

 

There's a developing situation with Jackson Holliday.  Mike Elias' biggest failure?

Michael Kopech could be an Oriole by Memorial Day.  The situation is still developing.

Jim Bowden has made a semi-rational trade proposal.  No word yet on a possible identity theft.

...

Fun.

 

You point? Not sure what the issue is here honestly.

 

[Frobby]

wildcard has always been kind of obsessed with single season (or partial season) platoon splits.  But first of all, in the context of 2024 so far, Mountcastle’s “bad” .711 OPS vs. RHP is still good for an above average 104 sOPS+.   Second of all, I consider his career split of .740 vs. RHP over 1,344 PA to be a more meaningful indicator of how Mountcastle is likely do going forward, compared to the 87 PA he’s had this year.   So I’m not in any hurry at all to change his role.  Does it bear watching?  Only if it goes south of where things are now for a significant period of time, IMO.

[24fps]

18 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

You point? Not sure what the issue is here honestly.

 

My point is that several posters, including myself, found the thread title misleading.  A lot of us know that the OH can be trusted as a source of credible news and opinion.  If you want to erode that trust, one really good way to do it is to slant your thread titles as a cheap attention grab which is clearly the case here.  In the end it's an annoyance and little more, but you got some worthwhile feedback on this.

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

I had waffles for breakfast today.  It’s a developing situation.   I may have scrambled eggs or pancakes tomorrow.  It depends how I feel.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Don’t forget your omelettes!

[Greg Pappas]

One interesting career stat is Mounty's notable difference when batting clean-up. 

Batting 2nd   (303 PA's) .271/.340/.487/.827 
Batting 3rd    (448 PA's) .273/.315/.488/.803
Batting 4th   (670 PA's) .230/.297/.383/.680
Batting 5th    (306 PA's) .312/.356/.520/.876
Batting 6th    (145 PA's) .289/.317/.504/.821

[NashLumber]

2 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

LMAO with the thread title @wildcard I read it and was like holy ****, he's got a DUI or something and he's gonna have to miss some time for something he did off the field, this ain't good.

And then I saw who authored it and started laughing before I opened it.  Sure enough...

Breaking story: 
 

 

 

[Spy Fox]

1 hour ago, vab said:

I think Kjerstad's going to be headed down when Hays gets back which should be soon. I see he had a rehab start last night. 

I'd guess it's McKenna down. McKenna is playing the Hays role and Kjerstad does something different, even if it's just the role of... DUMPH (Designated Urias/Mateo Pinch Hitter). 

[Sports Guy]

59 minutes ago, Frobby said:

wildcard has always been kind of obsessed with single season (or partial season) platoon splits.  But first of all, in the context of 2024 so far, Mountcastle’s “bad” .711 OPS vs. RHP is still good for an above average 104 sOPS+.   Second of all, I consider his career split of .740 vs. RHP over 1,344 PA to be a more meaningful indicator of how Mountcastle is likely do going forward, compared to the 87 PA he’s had this year.   So I’m not in any hurry at all to change his role.  Does it bear watching?  Only if it goes south of where things are now for a significant period of time, IMO.

Everything you say here is true and I would still plan on Mounty being a 550ish PA guy.  Right now, he’s on pace to be more like 625.

The OPS isn’t awful, as you point out but would it be surprising if Kjerstad could do better?  No, not at all.  So, I think Mounty needs to sit a little more.

[vab]

2 minutes ago, Spy Fox said:

I'd guess it's McKenna down. McKenna is playing the Hays role and Kjerstad does something different, even if it's just the role of... DUMPH (Designated Urias/Mateo Pinch Hitter). 

I think they're going to be looking at getting the Cowser/Hays platoon going and the RH pinch hitting/late inning defense Hays can provide. We'll see. 

[Spy Fox]

4 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Everything you say here is true and I would still plan on Mounty being a 550ish PA guy.  Right now, he’s on pace to be more like 625.

The OPS isn’t awful, as you point out but would it be surprising if Kjerstad could do better?  No, not at all.  So, I think Mounty needs to sit a little more.

Just curious since you make the distinction often, what's your full season PA threshold to call someone an "everyday" player?

[Aristotelian]

I'd say Adley's splits vs RHP are far more troubling. His job isn't threatened though so I guess it is not a developing situation?

[Sports Guy]

6 minutes ago, Spy Fox said:

Just curious since you make the distinction often, what's your full season PA threshold to call someone an "everyday" player?

You know what, I actually mess that up.  I always say at bats and that’s really not right..it should be PA but anyway, my threshold is more of a games started type of thing.

for me, the Os only have 1 everyday player and that’s Gunnar.  Everyday being defined as 155+ games. Adley, being a C, should rest (as in a full game off) more often imo.

After that, it just varies.

I think yon could say a guy playing 135 games is an everyday guy.  I’m not trying to nitpick on semantics.  I look at it more as, take away PA from someone.  
 

I have said I think this will be one of, if not the best, year of Mounty’s career. I don’t want him sitting too much but I don’t see anything wrong with saying he’s a 550ish PA guy vs 650ish.

Now, if he’s on fire and hitting all pitching, that plan can obviously be altered but the current plan for me would be to target 550ish PA..so, 135-140 games. 

It’s not a huge difference but you do that with him, with Santander and with Hays and all flan sudden, you find a bunch of at bats for a young hitter with bigger upside.  
 

That’s really what all of this is about.  I have never once said I want Cowser and Kjerstad playing everyday. They aren’t Gunnar.  They aren’t Holliday or Mayo either, 2 other guys I expect to be true everyday guys.

But they can play 135-140 games, just like Mounty and be really good imo.  

Right now, there are vet bats here stopping that. For me, I’m looking for ways to get the bats in the young guys hands as much as possible and I don’t feel sacrificing at bats from a good but not great player is some tragic way of doing that.

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I'd say Adley's splits vs RHP are far more troubling. His job isn't threatened though so I guess it is not a developing situation?

He had a 777 OPs vs righties last year and just under 900 the year before.  Right now, the struggles are nothing more than a SSS.

That said, he was terrible vs lefties his first season. You wonder if he has concentrated more on hitting lefties vs righties?  
 

[Rbiggs2525]

I thought he was in a white bronco for a second. I think Mounty will always be LHP dominant hitter. He brings good balance to the lineup on days like today. Crazy to think he’s one of the 10 best hitters in baseball vs LHP. 

[Aristotelian]

15 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

He had a 777 OPs vs righties last year and just under 900 the year before.  Right now, the struggles are nothing more than a SSS.

That said, he was terrible vs lefties his first season. You wonder if he has concentrated more on hitting lefties vs righties?  
 

I really have no explanation but it is really striking. Hopefully just a SSS thing. The crazy thing is he is absolutely on fire batting RH to more than make up for his struggles on the LH side. Can't recall seeing anything like it.