114 replies to this topic

[mweb08]

Not necessarily. I would look to move Mounty over the next few years if his value is strong. I see Mayo much more than a strict 1B, more of a 3B/RF/1B/DH. I do think he’s ready to make a good run at that RoY draft pick and would be amenable to a long term deal right now.

That's cool. Now we've been through this before so forgive me, but how are you creating his opportunity plus the room for all the other young position players?

[BobPhelan]

That's cool. Now we've been through this before so forgive me, but how are you creating his opportunity plus the room for all the other young position players?

I think he’s close to the Adley/Gunnar/Holliday class where it’s bending other players to make it work. It’s hard to say before they make a trade for a pitcher or two but some rotation in the infield between him, Gunnar, Westburg, Ortiz, maybe Holliday. If you want to platoon Cowser early on, get Santander some time at 1B, etc.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

It will probably work itself out. But Mayo just turned 22 and only has 267 AAA PA. Its ok to bring him along slowly like they did with Ortiz and Cowser last year.  

[mweb08]

I think he’s close to the Adley/Gunnar/Holliday class where it’s bending other players to make it work. It’s hard to say before they make a trade for a pitcher or two but some rotation in the infield between him, Gunnar, Westburg, Ortiz, maybe Holliday. If you want to platoon Cowser early on, get Santander some time at 1B, etc.

Good deal. Now that bending needs to happen though to get he and Holliday into the lineup (plus the young outfielders).

[BobPhelan]

It will probably work itself out. But Mayo just turned 22 and only has 267 AAA PA. Its ok to bring him along slowly like they did with Ortiz and Cowser last year.

Certainly ok to do that. I’m just not sure he’s gonna need it. Team will know quickly enough once ST gets rolling.

[BobPhelan]

Coby’s last 37 games in Norfolk: .341/.480/.652/1.131. 11 bombs. 18.7/21.6 bb/k rate

[RichardZ]

I have never been a Mountcastle fan but he showed progress in the 2nd half, probably motivated to change by losing time to O’Hearn. He started working counts and using RF more than ever before. Here’s what I would do. Hold Mayo in Norfolk until you get the extra year. Same with Holliday. Hope for a good Mountcastle year so he can be traded next winter when Basallo is ready. By May 1:

1B Mountcastle
2B Holliday
SS Henderson
3B Westburg
C Rutschman
LF Hays
CF Mullins
RF Mayo/Santander
DH Santander/Mayo

If Cowser doesn’t get traded he is in a soft platoon with Hays. Meaning Hays still gets AB’s against RHP but can lose them if Cowser starts significantly outperforming him.

Ramon Urias or Ortiz start the year at 2B to keep it warm for Holliday. The other is utility IF.


Urias gets traded when Holliday comes up. Kjerstad? That’s a tough one. He could assume the Cowser role with Hays but getting more starts on the road due to defense at OPACY. If Mayo is in the RF mix, I don’t see both Cowser and Kjerstad on the ream. One is traded or waits it out in Norfolk.

13 Position Players to start the year

1) Mountcastle
2)Urias
3)Westburg
4)Henderson
5)Rutshman
6)Hays
7)Mullins
8)Santander
9)O’Hearn
0)McCann
1)Ortiz
2)McKenna
3)Cowser or Kjerstad

[Mackus]

You've still got Mateo and Hilliard currently on the 40-man without options.

They gotta do something. Wouldn't surprise me if Cowser, Kjerstad, Ortiz, Mayo, and Holliday all start at AAA.

[RichardZ]

You've still got Mateo and Hilliard currently on the 40-man without options.
They gotta do something. Wouldn't surprise me if Cowser, Kjerstad, Ortiz, Mayo, and Holliday all start at AAA.

Hilliard gets ourighted and either gets claimed or goes to Norfolk. I think his 800K is guaranteed so not a slam dunk that he’s claimed. No need to do that until late in ST. Mateo gets dealt for something. A couple of Dominican lottery picks or whatever. I wouldn’t be shocked by those guys all starting at Norfolk but I don’t believe it will happen. Ortiz and one of Kjerstad/Cowser are likely traded or make the OD Orioles.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Law:

 

Mayo hits the ball really, really hard, and he also hits it pretty often, which is a great starting point for any bat-first prospect; he drew 93 walks last year between Double A and Triple A to go with 29 homers and a 24 percent strikeout rate, which I think demonstrates his floor as “just” a three true outcomes hitter already. He’s 6-5 and listed at 230 pounds, so he’s got a big strike zone and some innate length to the swing just from the size of his arms. To his credit, he’s developed his eye at the plate over the last three years, with help from the Orioles’ staff, allowing him to make better swing decisions and look more for pitches he can drive to take advantage of that natural strength. There may always be some swing and miss here, notably on breaking stuff in the zone, due to his size and his wide setup at the plate, but a team could live with it because what he does on contact is so good — he hits it hard, and in the air, and can go the other way a little bit even though his power is mostly to his pull side. He’s got a 70 arm that would allow him to play anywhere, but third base is probably an uphill battle because of his size — he’s athletic enough for it, but it’s hard for guys that tall to stay on the dirt and consistently get down for groundballs. He could certainly play first right now and I’d like to see him in right field. The left side of the Orioles’ infield is the most densely populated place in America, so a position switch might serve everyone’s needs anyway. He probably won’t add much value on defense, but won’t hurt you, and a 30-homer, 80-walks guy who posts high BABIPs because everything off the bat is 90 mph or better is an above-average regular who plays for every team.

[BSLChrisStoner]

FanGraphs: Sunday Notes

https://blogs.fangra...tinues-to-mash/

[Nigel Tufnel]

Hopefully there's something to this, and it's not just Spring Training BS.

 

 

Coby Mayo changed the way he throws. Now his defense is changing minds. - The Baltimore Banner

 

He fielded grounders, then whipped throws over to first and second bases. He did it accurately, to the chest, managing his big arm in a way Tony Mansolino had never seen before. One year earlier, the Orioles’ infield coach doubted whether this tall slugger would be able to play third base for a Major League Baseball organization.

 

“If you had asked me last year, and mostly because of the throwing, I would’ve said no chance,” Mansolino said in an honest assessment of one of Baltimore’s top prospects.

 

No chance?“

 

Last year? Yeah.” Mansolino was frank.

 

But last year was last year, and in the time between then and now, the 22-year-old Mayo has taken leaps and bounds in the field. Seeing him then, on the first day of spring — and on each day since — has reversed Mansolino’s evaluation of Mayo’s ability to play third for the Orioles.

 

“This year? Big chance. He’s come a long way,” Mansolino said. “He’s doing great. He looks good. Now, we talk about him in the breadth of being a major league option at third base this year.”

 

[BSLSteveBirrer]

His bat may well be good enough to be fine at 3B even if hes average or slightly below defensively.

[BSLChrisStoner]

@SamDykstraMiLB

Don't want this getting lost in the Norfolk shuffle. Coby Mayo's first-inning single had an exit velocity of 111.3 mph. It's the highest EV in Triple-A so far today. The hardest-hit ball in the #Orioles opener yesterday: 107.9

[BSLSteveBirrer]

He sucks. Only 2 for 5.