The best development of 2024 so far?

[Frobby]

Every year a couple of things happen that you hoped for, but didn’t really expect. 

2022: Gunnar goes from lower top 100 prospect to best prospect in the game.

2023: Bradish goes from mid/back of rotation starter to no. 4 in the Cy Young voting.  

This year, for me it’s Jordan Westburg going from looking like a decent major league starter into a star player.  It’s still early, and Westburg could hit some cold spells, but as I watch him play every day, I don’t think there’s anything flukey going on here.  He hits the ball hard almost every time, he’s very fundamentally sound, and he’s mentally tough.   I think we have a long time star on our hands.

I’m also a starting to think Cole Irvin is a big story for 2024.   But I’m not as sure about that one.  

 

[RZNJ]

Westburg but also Cowser.   Cowser is just as, if not more, talented but he can’t grind AB’s the way Westburg can and doesn’t seem as instinctual defensively or on the bases.   Westburg for sure.  Cowser too.

[Sanfran327]

11 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Every year a couple of things happen that you hoped for, but didn’t really expect. 

2022: Gunnar goes from lower top 100 prospect to best prospect in the game.

2023: Bradish goes from mid/back of rotation starter to no. 4 in the Cy Young voting.  

This year, for me it’s Jordan Westburg going from looking like a decent major league starter into a star player.  It’s still early, and Westburg could hit some cold spells, but as I watch him play every day, I don’t think there’s anything flukey going on here.  He hits the ball hard almost every time, he’s very fundamentally sound, and he’s mentally tough.   I think we have a long time star on our hands.

I’m also a starting to think Cole Irvin is a big story for 2024.   But I’m not as sure about that one.  

 

I think a lot of us are waiting for Irvin to have some regression, but I’m with you. I’m officially on Irvin Breakout watch. Had the same thought yesterday myself. 

100% agree about Westburg. He’s fantastic and looks like he’s got staying power. What a great development. 

[Aristotelian]

Honestly, Gunnar could repeat here. He is starting to get MVP mentions and not just from Baltimore press.

Suarez is a great story, and I would also offer Webb as a kind of unsung hero. 

Bradish coming back healthy is arguably exceeding expectation in itself. 

Westburg and Irvin are great choices as well. 

[CaptainRedbeard]

Here’s my top 10:

1. Gunnar to MVP levels, crushing lefties and potentially even improving at SS

2. Westburg to all-star levels

3. Bradish completely healthy (knock on wood)

4. Cowser to above-average regular levels

5. Ryan O’Hearn to ??? levels? Still absurdly high xwOBA

6. Cole Irvin settling into a solid rotation guy rather than swing man, potentially more

7. No steps back for Cano and Coulombe anchoring the pen

8. Cade Povich step forward, potentially already pushing for a rotation spot

9. Mountcastle mini-breakout, putting him as more of a solid/plus regular than borderline platoon guy, with 2 years of control after this one given we need the righty bat and not sure who the first baseman “of the future” will be

10. Plenty of others worthy (Suarez, Webb, Akin, Means, Mayo, Kjerstad), but I’ve already convinced myself Kade Strowd is going to be the next out-of-nowhere bullpen guy to emerge and be a big part of the pen by end of year

 

[Bemorewins]

Gunnar going to the level of MVP caliber player and Jordan Westburg developing into a star type player are the best developments of this season thus far.

After that, it would be Cole Irvin's performance. I expected us to have a top 5ish rotation, but I did not think that he would be amongst our best performers.

[Frobby]

I feel like Gunnar’s ascent was pretty foreseeable, which is why I didn’t mention it.  Over his final 100 games last year, he hit .276/.322/.535 with 23 HR and 68 RBI.  He’s definitely stepped it up a little more this year (.278/.355/.583 with 12 HR and 27 RBI in 38 games), but you could kind of see it coming.  The homers are a bit higher than I expected.

I like the fact that Gunnar’s OBP is up significantly from the final 100 games of last year.  He sacrificed some OBP last year when he started getting more aggressive (which he needed to do), but now he’s eating his cake and having it too.   As we watch his career arc from here, I think his OBP will continue to creep up.  

Edited May 12 by Frobby

[glenn__davis]

Westburg was my initial thought but O'Hearn would be a very close 2nd.  Guy just kills the ball. 

[Too Tall]

Agree with all the above. Mateo settling into his part time role at second mostly and contributing on offense has been nice to see as well. Westburg is quickly becoming a favorite - just beyond Gunnar!!!!! Palmer said yesterday that they should name the left field alley as a strret after Westburg. Westburg Alley!!!!

[Oriole1940]

Many of my thoughts on the young Orioles this morning. Westberg and Moo Cowser now 2 of my favorites to root for, however Cowser seems to have the emergency brake partially engaged  yet.   Hope he sheds that sometime this year  and really blossoms into a star.    

[owknows]

So far for me, it's Irvin

[Otter]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Every year a couple of things happen that you hoped for, but didn’t really expect. 

2022: Gunnar goes from lower top 100 prospect to best prospect in the game.

2023: Bradish goes from mid/back of rotation starter to no. 4 in the Cy Young voting.  

This year, for me it’s Jordan Westburg going from looking like a decent major league starter into a star player.  It’s still early, and Westburg could hit some cold spells, but as I watch him play every day, I don’t think there’s anything flukey going on here.  He hits the ball hard almost every time, he’s very fundamentally sound, and he’s mentally tough.   I think we have a long time star on our hands.

I’m also a starting to think Cole Irvin is a big story for 2024.   But I’m not as sure about that one.  

 

Agreed on Westburg.  I see him as a more athletic JJ Hardy.  He's extremely reliable, consistent, good defense without being flashy, humble, hard-working, and someone who hits a home run but never watches it or showboats and just puts his head down and jogs quickly around the bases.  He's the kind of player Cal Sr. would have loved.

[Roy Firestone]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

Westburg but also Cowser.   Cowser is just as, if not more, talented but he can’t grind AB’s the way Westburg can and doesn’t seem as instinctual defensively or on the bases.   Westburg for sure.  Cowser too.

I loved Cowser early in his blistering hot streak, but the league is pitching him differently now and he hasn't seemed to make the adjustment.I hope he can. He's dropped about 100 points since the scouts figured him out.

[RZNJ]

4 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

I loved Cowser early in his blistering hot streak, but the league is pitching him differently now and he hasn't seemed to make the adjustment.I hope he can. He's dropped about 100 points since the scouts figured him out.

He definitely needs to adjust to the changeup but he’s been hitting the ball hard this past week.   A couple long flies to Death Valley and the line out to RF yesterday.   He’ll be fine but he’ll be great if he ever learns to stay back and hit the changeup.   

[dystopia]

Elias definitely knew what he was doing by not trading Westburg.