245 replies to this topic

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Santander doesn’t have the best range either but he knows how to take a route to make plays easier. Hays also let runners advance in the same game overthrowing the cutoff man. I know you don’t love Cowser but he gets great reads and takes great routes as well.

Cowser is playing much better D than he showed last year in his SSS. A refreshing revelation. In my evaluation on whether I'd trade Cowser or Kjersted if I had to make a choice, Cowser's D and more specifically if I think he can remain a solid CF, is the biggest thing that gives me some pause. Do I think Cowser can continue to be a plus defender for 4 or 5 more years is one of the biggest questions I have to answer. 

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Wheres Mayo? This team is in a rut. Get him up here for crying out loud.

[BSLChrisStoner]

0 for 13 start, 2 bb's, 8 k's. 

Obviously tough sledding, but it's 13 ab's and 5 games. 

It's the same point I made with Holliday's initial promotion and the 10 games, and 35 or so ab's then. 

 

The sample size is so small it tells you nothing.
All you can say is that the player is struggling right in that moment. 

Maybe it's the pressure.
Maybe it's the improved competition.

Maybe it's a fluke slump.

Maybe it's everything. 

 

But there shouldn't be any worries about him hitting. 
It's going to come.
He just needs to settle in. 
Find some green, get a couple to fall in, and he'll be fine. 

 

If I was going to counter my point at all, I'd say this... 

They did apparently tweak Holliday mechanically back at AAA.
If they think Mayo needs further mechanical tweaks, okay.
The only thing I've seen jump out to me over these initial 13 ab's is that he's not covering the plate, and he's pulling off.
He's supposed to have pole to pole power.  Take what you are given, and to go right. 

[BSLSteveBirrer]

He did smoke the ball in his last at bat last night.

[Mackus]

Haven't gotten to watch him much.  I'm more worried about the defensive miscues than the 0-13.  He's gotta get it going a tiny bit within the next 4-5 games, can't have another week of 0-fer or 1-fer, but he can struggle at the plate for the next few weeks.  But I've heard like 3 errors or bad plays from him in the limited time I've been able to listen this week, which is too frequent and that's without knowing he's made any more "not error but could/should have been" type of bad plays.  Some grace will be given there, too, just like at the plate, but he's gotta clean stuff up.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I haven't seen enough to have any real definitive thoughts, but my impression is that he's not a ML 3rd baseman.
He can hide there right now out of necessity, especially when you have a defensive option available off the bench for close and late.... but I think you have to expect his future is 1st / DH... maybe RF with the arm.

[weird-O]

I've seen most of his ABs. He was very impressive in his 1st game. He took some pitches that were close, and got a couple of walks (definitely 1, but I think he got a 2nd BB) that's were the good eye ended. To be fair, the O's have had 3 games where the home plate umps were calling a 27" wide strike zone that went from the eyes to the shoelaces.

 

Ageism be damned, that ump last night needs to be sent to immediate retirement.

[BobPhelan]

I've seen most of his ABs. He was very impressive in his 1st game. He took some pitches that were close, and got a couple of walks (definitely 1, but I think he got a 2nd BB) that's were the good eye ended. To be fair, the O's have had 3 games where the home plate umps were calling a 27" wide strike zone that went from the eyes to the shoelaces.

Ageism be damned, that ump last night needs to be sent to immediate retirement.

Yeah, he had a bunch of good at bats in the first game then started pressing. Same old story, has to adjust and regain some confidence. Everyone calls for him to come up, calls him a bust, then loves him when he inevitably breaks out.

[You Play to Win the Game]

It's easy to see the talent. He'll be fine. Not sure if he'll get it going during this stint, like many other guys we've brought up over the past few years. And we are in a pennant chase. He looks completely baffled right now. I have no idea what I'm talking about - I don't know him personally and his makeup - is it better to keep him up and have him fight through it here, or is the pressure of the current situation going to make it worse?

[mweb08]

He did smoke the ball in his last at bat last night.

 

Indeed. That's a good sign.

[weird-O]

It's easy to see the talent. He'll be fine. Not sure if he'll get it going during this stint, like many other guys we've brought up over the past few years. And we are in a pennant chase. He looks completely baffled right now. I have no idea what I'm talking about - I don't know him personally and his makeup - is it better to keep him up and have him fight through it here, or is the pressure of the current situation going to make it worse?

The JD Davis signing probably means they're not going to give Mayo a long rope. Otherwise, why bring in that guy?

[TwentyThirtyFive]

He looks quite uncomfortable at 3b to me.. Im not worried about him as a hitter long term. I do understand why there were questions about the glove at 3b.

[BSLMikeLowe]

The JD Davis signing probably means they're not going to give Mayo a long rope. Otherwise, why bring in that guy?

 

I suspect we'll be seeing Davis if Mayo doesn't do an about-face within the next few games. Who knows, maybe he will be this year's Aaron Hicks.

[Mackus]

If Mayo does what Holliday did in April then you gotta send him down for a refresh, but I think the bar is fairly low for him to be passable for the time being up here with hopes that he figures it out and is a thumper by late September rolling into the postseason.  Defense could tick up as he gets comfortable as well and maybe can be less hyper focused on getting that first hit.

 

Davis seems like the "break in case of emergency" option in case Mayo needs to be demoted.  Don't think he really projects as better than either Mayo or Urias, but that's gonna be the expectation for anyone freely available in August.  Maybe he can get hot if needed.

[BSLChrisStoner]

First hit last night. Back to AAA today.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Good with it. Just too unstable defensively. He will be good longterm. Just not sure its at 3b

[You Play to Win the Game]

Standard operating procedure for most of our prospects. I'm OK with it. He was clearly pressing. 

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Little surprised it wasnt JD Davis but they can demote Soto anytime

[Nigel Tufnel]

They still have 20 games in the next 21 days, so maybe they're worried about basically having no backup middle infielders with Mayo on the team.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

They still have 20 games in the next 21 days, so maybe they're worried about basically having no backup middle infielders with Mayo on the team.

This prob plays some part too. Could slide Holliday to SS and Urias to 3b if needed but thats not ideal.