197 replies to this topic

[You Play to Win the Game]

https://blogs.fangra...d-a-gold-glove/

That's a fun read. What a total stud. It was a lot of fun to watch. 

[makoman]

https://blogs.fangra...d-a-gold-glove/

I didn’t realize Bichette was possibly the worst SS in the league. Good to see, cause his bat sure was annoying.

[Old Man]

He hits good.

So give him a Silver Slugger aware.

[Old Man]

https://blogs.fangra...d-a-gold-glove/

That was a nice article, thanks for posting.

 

Best fielder on the team and doesnt even get mentioned.

 

It all about the popularity, instead of what the award is supposed to be for.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Mateo wins the Fielding Bible award at SS.  Not as prestigious as a Gold Glove, but actually a much better reflection of a player's fielding ability.  And there aren't separate Fielding Bible awards for each league, so this an award for best defensive SS in MLB.

[BaltBird 24]

I'm not expecting it, but he's showed some improved plate discipline early and the speed/power plays. We know what he can do with the glove.

Having Jorge Mateo as your SS isn't the worst thing.

[BSLChrisStoner]

@masnRoch

Mateo has a sore ankle. Been getting treatment last few days. But available tonight #orioles

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Mateo's start has been good to see. Seems to have a little better eye and contact so far. Early though

[BobPhelan]

Takes ~60 plate appearances for strikeout rate to stabilize and 120 for walk rate, want to see how he looks at those points before getting too excited. But he's been great. Leads the team with 0.5 fWAR.

[Mackus]

Every flash you get from him, even if just for a week, helps build confidence that he might be able to start doing it often enough to reach higher levels.

I don't think last year's offense is worst case for him, that would be last year minus the hot month, but last year was good enough to start on a good team. If he can build on that and have fewer (or lower) lows and more frequent highs, then he can become even more valuable.

[BSLRoseKatz]

On-pace for 87 steals which might not be sustainable but if his OBP stays above .300...maybe

[makoman]

This is kinda nuts. 

 

Orioles Fan Ryan (formerly Probz)
@OriolesFanRyan
Jorge Mateo has put 547 balls in play since his MLB debut in August 2020. These are the hardest-hit by exit velocity:

 

112.4 MPH (Sat)
111.3 (5/30/2022)
111.0 (Sat)
111.0 (Sun)
110.8 (Wed)
109.6 (Thurs)
109.6 (8/1/2022)

 

5 of his 7 hardest-hit balls have come in his last 4 starts

9:17 PM · Apr 16, 2023

 

Orioles Fan Ryan (formerly Probz)
@OriolesFanRyan
Another way to put this, which makes it sound even crazier:

 

Of Jorge Mateo’s first 532 balls in play, 2 of them were hit harder than 109.5 MPH.

 

Of Jorge Mateo’s last 15 balls in play, 5 of them were hit harder than 109.5 MPH.

9:27 PM · Apr 16, 2023

 

https://twitter.com/...773696029802496

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Mateo still has flaws but IM comfortable saying he/ they have figured something out with the stick. Approach will never be great but its clearly better. Hitting balls harder when he makes contact. Making more contact. I said this offseason that he had more offensive upside vs downside compared to last year. Most disagreed. 

[Pedro Cerrano]

He’s perfect low order hitter. Plays good D. Fast as hell. Can get hot in spurts.

[BobPhelan]

Mateo still has flaws but IM comfortable saying he/ they have figured something out with the stick. Approach will never be great but its clearly better. Hitting balls harder when he makes contact. Making more contact. I said this offseason that he had more offensive upside vs downside compared to last year. Most disagreed. 

 

Strikeout rate stabilizes at 60 PA, he has 53 and is sitting at 17% which puts him in the top 25% of the league. 70th percentile in chase rate, 56th in whiff rate. I was one that disagreed with your take and I'll happily eat crow, I'm starting to be a believer.

 

Seems like the hitting coaches having a full offseason + spring training is working wonders. Hays and Mullins also vastly improved at chasing bad pitches.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I just like this guy. And so glad to see speed back as a major part of baseball.

[Mike B]

I thought all last year, that there was more to Mateo that he was showing us at the plate.  The swing does not look all that different, but he is using more of the field this year.  I have said a couple of times, if he could hit .260 to .270 and get on base at a .330 clip, he could be one of the better players on the team.  The glove is real and the speed and base running is past elite.  

[Mike B]

I just like this guy. And so glad to see speed back as a major part of baseball.

Nothing disrupts a game or a pitcher more than speed on the base paths.  Baseball got away from it, and like you I am glad it is back.

 

Mateo and Mullins, both are terrific on the base paths, and others make speed a big part of the Orioles offense.  

[Mackus]

Last year he had a 964 OPS from July 10-Aug 23, and ~540 OPS the rest of the season.  I think he only had one other week to ten-day type good stretch outside of that. 

 

So him doing it again for a few weeks this year, about half as long as his big hot streak from last season, is a really good sign, IMO.  Whether he can sustain the hot streaks longer, make them more frequent, or limit the depths of the lows remain to be seen, but any of those methods lead to him being a serviceable everyday regular and if he can really keep it up and approach a league average OPS, then he goes from serviceable to an actual weapon.

 

One thing to keep in mind for all player comparisons, is offense is up quite a bit this year from last season.  Leaguewide 732 OPS compared to 707.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Mateo has some real under the hood changes so far. Maybe he reverts back but it feels different. I also take some issue with calling him just "servicable" last year.