Meoli on the 1st base situation

[LookitsPuck]

11 minutes ago, 1fingerwillie said:

Yes. I think it is nuts to compare him to Norby.

Think you missed the point. The point is Mayo doesn't have a position. Not that I think Mayo's bat is that of Norby (clearly his upside is much higher). He's a DH. So, unless you jettison Mounty and O'Hearn and just hope that Mayo is serviceable at 1B, he's going to be taking ABs from the DHs on the club. As things stand, the OF is Cowser, Mullins, Kjerstad. I reckon they're going to bring in a replacement for Santander. Which means DH time is going to be Kjerstad, Adley. 

What's your plan to give Mayo enough ABs to fully feel comfortable for him? Is it 1B or DH? 

 

Edited Monday at 16:02 by LookitsPuck

[1fingerwillie]

1 hour ago, LookitsPuck said:

Think you missed the point. The point is Mayo doesn't have a position. Not that I think Mayo's bat is that of Norby (clearly his upside is much higher). He's a DH. So, unless you jettison Mounty and O'Hearn and just hope that Mayo is serviceable at 1B, he's going to be taking ABs from the DHs on the club. As things stand, the OF is Cowser, Mullins, Kjerstad. I reckon they're going to bring in a replacement for Santander. Which means DH time is going to be Kjerstad, Adley. 

What's your plan to give Mayo enough ABs to fully feel comfortable for him? Is it 1B or DH? 

 

Why would you think I missed the point. You asked and I will quote it (again):

"So the question becomes: are you comfortable starting Mayo each and every day and having him play a position he's never played before (1B) knowing that he hasn't shown a proclivity for anything defensively yet *and* have to work through the offensive struggles?"

My answer is yes.

[LookitsPuck]

16 minutes ago, 1fingerwillie said:

Why would you think I missed the point. You asked and I will quote it (again):

"So the question becomes: are you comfortable starting Mayo each and every day and having him play a position he's never played before (1B) knowing that he hasn't shown a proclivity for anything defensively yet *and* have to work through the offensive struggles?"

My answer is yes.

I said you missed the point about Mayo being a DH similar to that of Norby, at least in the O's system.

I know the O's don't give much credibility to 1B defense since they've tried Santander, Urias, and gave extended time to O'Hearn there, so maybe they'll try what you're asking here, but it feels unwise. 

[OriolesMagic83]

2 hours ago, LookitsPuck said:

Think you missed the point. The point is Mayo doesn't have a position. Not that I think Mayo's bat is that of Norby (clearly his upside is much higher). He's a DH. So, unless you jettison Mounty and O'Hearn and just hope that Mayo is serviceable at 1B, he's going to be taking ABs from the DHs on the club. As things stand, the OF is Cowser, Mullins, Kjerstad. I reckon they're going to bring in a replacement for Santander. Which means DH time is going to be Kjerstad, Adley. 

What's your plan to give Mayo enough ABs to fully feel comfortable for him? Is it 1B or DH? 

 

I guess my disappointment is it took  4 years to find out he can't play 3B.  He might be a competent 1B by now if he had been playing 1B for a couple of years.

 

[LookitsPuck]

3 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I guess my disappointment is it took  4 years to find out he can't play 3B.  He might be a competent 1B by now if he had been playing 1B for a couple of years.

 

Sometimes it takes time. They tried a different arm slot last year, and it looked like it improved things somewhat, but still has a ways to go. And there's no harm especially since Mountcastle isn't some schlub out there. He's been pretty solid, tbh. 

[Pickles]

I think  there's a profoundly flawed idea on this board that the only way a guy can break into the majors is to be handing a 700 PA role his rookie year.

I'd argue that's actually the opposite of what should be the plans for rookies.

[Sports Guy]

41 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I guess my disappointment is it took  4 years to find out he can't play 3B.  He might be a competent 1B by now if he had been playing 1B for a couple of years.

 

He can play third…he just won’t be playing it here.  Not sure why the Os took to long to figure out that obvious point.

[Sports Guy]

11 minutes ago, Pickles said:

I think  there's a profoundly flawed idea on this board that the only way a guy can break into the majors is to be handing a 700 PA role his rookie year.

I'd argue that's actually the opposite of what should be the plans for rookies.

I haven’t seen one person say bring up player X and play him 160 games his first season.

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

I haven’t seen one person say bring up player X and play him 160 games his first season.

So when people say trade the starting first baseman and give the rookie the role, what do they mean?

[1fingerwillie]

Just now, Pickles said:

So when people say trade the starting first baseman and give the rookie the role, what do they mean?

I think they want to platoon him with O'Hearn.

[Pickles]

Just now, 1fingerwillie said:

I think they want to platoon him with O'Hearn.

So they want him to be a short side platoon and get 30% of the abs?

What about all the people saying trade Mountcastle and O'Hearn?

[LookitsPuck]

32 minutes ago, Pickles said:

I think  there's a profoundly flawed idea on this board that the only way a guy can break into the majors is to be handing a 700 PA role his rookie year.

I'd argue that's actually the opposite of what should be the plans for rookies.

Especially since he'll only be 23 at the start of next season.

[Sports Guy]

49 minutes ago, Pickles said:

So when people say trade the starting first baseman and give the rookie the role, what do they mean?

That he should enter the year with the thought that he plays more at first than anyone else.

If he poops the bed, that changes.  If he tears it up, he plays even more. 
 

But he should absolutely be handed the job coming out of ST and let him play 4-5 days a week and see what he does with it for at least a few months.

[Pickles]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

That he should enter the year with the thought that he plays more at first than anyone else.

If he poops the bed, that changes.  If he tears it up, he plays even more. 
 

But he should absolutely be handed the job coming out of ST and let him play 4-5 days a week and see what he does with it for at least a few months.

But if Mountcaste and Santander, and maybe O'Hearn are all gone, and he poops the bed, what's the fall back option?

[Sports Guy]

20 minutes ago, Pickles said:

But if Mountcaste and Santander, and maybe O'Hearn are all gone, and he poops the bed, what's the fall back option?

Well, first of all, I don’t think you get rid of OHearn and Mounty, so one of them gets time.

You also make sure Kjerstad keeps working at first base all offseason and ST.  And you have AAA guys like a Garrett Cooper.  And, in season long term, you potentially can turn to Basallo.

There is absolutely no intelligent reason to spend other money/waste roster spot on a first baseman. You have 2 on the team to start the year, another potential back up on the roster (and that doesn’t even include Urias btw) and you have your MiL options.