Heston Kjerstad 2024

[Malike]

Just now, emmett16 said:

What gets you to the show doesn’t keep you there.  His bat got him here and was very obviously his focus.  If he wants to stay and thrive his D will need to be a focus moving forward.  There’s no reason he can’t improve. 

Okay. It seems odd that he wouldn't have improved at all on defense playing every day in the OF in the MiL. I'm sure he wasn't just dogging it and they were like it's okay, he's mashing, let him dog it, he can learn to play D when they call him up. But if you think that's the case I'm okay with that.

[jabba72]

He's bringing the bat. 

The glove definitely stood out in a bad way last night, but, nowhere to go but up from that play.

[OriolesMagic83]

57 minutes ago, TopGunnar said:

That dropped fly ball last night was one of the funniest and most unathletic bloopers I have ever seen watching sports. Drops a ball and then slams his face and body into the wall lol.

Also, when is he going to start hitting home runs?

It's not really fair to base his whole defensive profile on that one play.  What I have seen, he is getting better defensively, but should probably not play LF in Camden Yards.  I don't ever see him being above average but he could average I think with work.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

It's not really fair to base his whole defensive profile on that one play.  What I have seen, he is getting better defensively, but should probably not play LF in Camden Yards.  I don't ever see him being above average but he could average I think with work.

That's pretty much what happened to DJ Stewart.

[Malike]

6 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

He's bringing the bat. 

The glove definitely stood out in a bad way last night, but, nowhere to go but up from that play.

He is but it's important to remember this is 38ABs, that is a really small sample size. Of course it's good that he's hitting but you can glean too much from 38ABs.

[emmett16]

4 minutes ago, Malike said:

Okay. It seems odd that he wouldn't have improved at all on defense playing every day in the OF in the MiL. I'm sure he wasn't just dogging it and they were like it's okay, he's mashing, let him dog it, he can learn to play D when they call him up. But if you think that's the case I'm okay with that.

Maybe he did improve? 
 

Im just saying he can continue to get better.  I also don’t think he’s an absolute hack out there, that was one play(albeit a very bad play).
 

If you can’t hit, you don’t get a chance to play LF or RF in MLB.  I’m guessing he put in little more time in the cage to get his shot.  Now that he’s here and the bat plays, he can switch priority to defense.  
 

He’s just 25.  He has a couple more years before any drop off in athleticism.  

[Malike]

12 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

He's bringing the bat. 

The glove definitely stood out in a bad way last night, but, nowhere to go but up from that play.

Statcast rated that play last night as a 99% catch probability. It's hard to get much better odds on a ball hit to you.

[Gurgi]

5 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

That's pretty much what happened to DJ Stewart.

DJ Stewart knocked himself out diving for a ball and ended up on the DL for a week or so.  It was a horrible play.  So bad that only that guy who rounded third and fell down two times in a run down had done anything as remotely moronic as that.  

Kjerstad was not as bad.  But I have my eyes on him now.  I think he cant play left field after this year and we let Santa go in Free agency.  If we extend Santa for three years then Kjerstad should be moved or made into a DH.  

[jabba72]

3 minutes ago, Malike said:

Statcast rated that play last night as a 99% catch probability. It's hard to get much better odds on a ball hit to you.

I agree it was pretty bad. 

[RZNJ]

11 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

That's pretty much what happened to DJ Stewart.

Comparing Kjerstad’s defense to D.J. Stewart?   Really?

[Can_of_corn]

10 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Comparing Kjerstad’s defense to D.J. Stewart?   Really?

No.

Talking about how the narrative of a person's defense can be defined by a single play.

Just like Jack Cust was defined by a stumble on the base paths.

[OnlyOneOriole]

12 minutes ago, Gurgi said:

DJ Stewart knocked himself out diving for a ball and ended up on the DL for a week or so.  It was a horrible play.  So bad that only that guy who rounded third and fell down two times in a run down had done anything as remotely moronic as that.  

Kjerstad was not as bad.  But I have my eyes on him now.  I think he cant play left field after this year and we let Santa go in Free agency.  If we extend Santa for three years then Kjerstad should be moved or made into a DH.  

I have said before that imo this is what should happen.  Extend AS.  Trade Heston for pitching this week.  He is a liability on D and while it looks like he can hit.....some.....he doesn't to me look like he is going to be an elite hitter.  And for certain is not elite athletically.  In general.  He looked like he had never played the outfield in his life on that flyball.   How does someone who has played 1000s of innings growing up in the OF make a play like that?  It was as far away from professional as you can get.    Keystone cops level bad. 

 

Something about him just seems 'off' to me.  He always seems to have this weird blank dumb stare on his face.  I am sure he is a very nice guy and obviously he can hit.  But I don't see star or even well above average.

 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, OnlyOneOriole said:

I have said before that imo this is what should happen.  Extend AS.  Trade Heston for pitching this week.  He is a liability on D and while it looks like he can hit.....some.....he doesn't to me look like he is going to be an elite hitter.  And for certain is not elite athletically.  In general.  He looked like he had never played the outfield in his life on that flyball.   How does someone who has played 1000s of innings growing up in the OF make a play like that?  It was as far away from professional as you can get.    Keystone cops level bad. 

 

Something about him just seems 'off' to me.  He always seems to have this weird blank dumb stare on his face.  I am sure he is a very nice guy and obviously he can hit.  But I don't see star or even well above average.

 

He's rocking a 153 OPS+ what does your scouting eye see that makes you think he can't be an elite hitter?

[emmett16]

16 minutes ago, Malike said:

Statcast rated that play last night as a 99% catch probability. It's hard to get much better odds on a ball hit to you.

Is catch probability based on EV and launch angle solely like xBA, or does it take into account the defenders location?
 

Not making excuses or saying it shouldn’t have been caught but that was a challenging play.  The ball was hit directly over his head, he didn’t take a deep enough drop step, looked at wall, and when he looked back up at ball above him, he lost his balance. If the ball was hit 10’ to his left or right it’s a simple play.  With that said, he needs to make that play. 

[OnlyOneOriole]

3 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

He's rocking a 153 OPS+ what does your scouting eye see that makes you think he can't be an elite hitter?

Well as I said I think he can be a really good hitter.  He is already on his way there.  But for as bad as his D is.....I don't think he would hit enough to make up for such an extreme deficiency.    He is still young so of course he could prove me wrong as far as being an elite hitter, but just going by eye test I just see very good as his ceiling.  We have enough guys like that.  We need pitching. 

Edited July 27 by OnlyOneOriole