50 replies to this topic

[BSLMikeLowe]

It wouldn't be the worst addition they've made this offseason, so there's that at least. Plus he's getting paid $13M each of the next 3 seasons from SD/BOS, so he'll probably come cheap....he has Oriole written all over him.

[dude]

But he is a good defender, so they probably want that glove out there playing. So maybe it would be Hosmer 1B RM DH against RHP and RM 1B and TBD DH against LHP.

 

So I agree with this (but you suggested taking playing time away from 'namely Mountcastle')

 

I think there are a number of options that could be the LHed platoon with McCann...in your scenario above, either Stowers or Santander or Hays lose most of their ABs.....which is ok, but trade them instead of sit them.

[BobPhelan]

I would honestly be shocked if we signed him. And I would hate it.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Has nothing to do with anything I’m talking about, which is a platoon.

Hosmer has a career OPS of .810 against righties, and as a lefty, would play better in Camden than Fenway. Mountcastle doesn’t have wild splits, so he doesn’t need to be in a platoon. But as the 1B, his playing time would be affected. I guess Hosmer could DH against RHPs. But he is a good defender, so they probably want that glove out there playing. So maybe it would be Hosmer 1B RM DH against RHP and RM 1B and TBD DH against LHP.

Are there enough DH at bats to go around if you want Mountcastle, Hosmer, Santander, and Rutschman to share DH at bats? Especially when I want Rutschman and Santander in the lineup most every day, and frankly Mountcastle too.

[makoman]

Hosmer seems like a poor to terrible defender based on the various flavors of advanced stats, but I'll admit I haven't watched him much at all. I have no interest. Hope Bob is right.

[mweb08]

They could use a bat to be in the mix for 1B/DH/corner OF, especially to push Hays and provide Stowers insurance. That makes a lot more sense than a Frazier acquisition. Ideally though the bat would have been better than Hosmer, but even the bargain basement version of this player profile makes some sense imo.

[Mike B]

I would rather have Brandon Belt.  Hosmer is cheaper though.  The Orioles would only have to pay Hosmer the veteran minimum 

[Mike in STL]

Are there enough DH at bats to go around if you want Mountcastle, Hosmer, Santander, and Rutschman to share DH at bats? Especially when I want Rutschman and Santander in the lineup most every day, and frankly Mountcastle too.

Thats why I think RM would be the odd one out more often if Hosmer were signed. Hosmer would play 1B when he plays, and yeah DH could be anyone on a given day.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Rutsch would DH a bit vs RHP but not much. Mostly behind the plate. Hosmer at 1b or DH. Mount at the other. Santander in RF. Figure it out between Hays and Stowers in LF. When Rutsch does DH whoever the better olay is between Hosmer and Mount at 1b.

[dude]

I would rather have Brandon Belt.  Hosmer is cheaper though.  The Orioles would only have to pay Hosmer the veteran minimum 

 

I forgot to add Belt to that list, but he'd be another one, but the fact that he'll cost some salary makes him less likely that the min options.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Thats why I think RM would be the odd one out more often if Hosmer were signed. Hosmer would play 1B when he plays, and yeah DH could be anyone on a given day.

I agree with this which is exactly why I do not want to see us sign Hosmer. No one questions that Hosmer is any kind of longish solution. So give this season to Mountcastle to see if he is or is not a long term fixture. If he has a poor year then fine move on. But what is the point of bringing in a player who neither moves the needle  or is a long term potential? All Hosmer does is to make it harder to figure out what Mountcastle has or doesn't have while not really improving the teams chances in 2023 much.

[dude]

Sub plot here, but I'd also prefer not to have any veteran Boras clients on the roster until after Adley extends.

[dude]

If he has a poor year then fine move on. But what is the point of bringing in a player who neither moves the needle  or is a long term potential? All Hosmer does is to make it harder to figure out what Mountcastle has or doesn't have while not really improving the teams chances in 2023 much.

 

Did Mountcastle have a poor year last year? ....because his OPS+ was 105.  In fact, the only starters that weren't over 100 OPS+ was Odor and Mateo and we accept the other things that Mateo does to compensate there.  Hays gets beat up and he was 103.  Mancini is discredited and he was 113 and all 3 of those guy lost 4-5-6 HRs to LF. We still need RHed bats, but RHed bats are going to suffer in some HR totals with what they did.

 

I'm not saying you can't play your way out of a job, you can.  If he's OPSing .650 next year and looks bad doing it, look for other options....but he's probably a .775-.800 OPS bat (so it Hays) so anything over .700 likely keeps them in play (for the most part).  Go look at Jon Schoop's track record and tell me when we knew something.

 

If we had traded Mountcastle in a package to get Matt Olson and then did exactly what the Braves did extending him, I'd be good with that, there's risk in doing everything, but you manage your risks and do what you can....but Mountcastle could still blow up (in a good way) look at what Christian Walker or Mike Yastrzemski have done.  You will always make choices.  If you are winning, nobody really worries about when you were wrong, because you're winning.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Did Mountcastle have a poor year last year? ....because his OPS+ was 105.  In fact, the only starters that weren't over 100 OPS+ was Odor and Mateo and we accept the other things that Mateo does to compensate there.  Hays gets beat up and he was 103.  Mancini is discredited and he was 113 and all 3 of those guy lost 4-5-6 HRs to LF. We still need RHed bats, but RHed bats are going to suffer in some HR totals with what they did.

 

I'm not saying you can't play your way out of a job, you can.  If he's OPSing .650 next year and looks bad doing it, look for other options....but he's probably a .775-.800 OPS bat (so it Hays) so anything over .700 likely keeps them in play (for the most part).  Go look at Jon Schoop's track record and tell me when we knew something.

 

If we had traded Mountcastle in a package to get Matt Olson and then did exactly what the Braves did extending him, I'd be good with that, there's risk in doing everything, but you manage your risks and do what you can....but Mountcastle could still blow up (in a good way) look at what Christian Walker or Mike Yastrzemski have done.  You will always make choices.  If you are winning, nobody really worries about when you were wrong, because you're winning.

I think we are on the same page here. No I don't think he had a poor year last year but it certainly wasn't a good year either. But he might well blow up in a good way as you say and that's why I want him in the lineup everyday this year.

[makoman]

Results matter, but Mountcastle's batted ball data was really good last year, he hit the ball hard as well as almost anyone. He'll always be limited by chasing too much and hurting his K and BB rates, and perhaps forever will be hurt by the wall, but I'd rather not make him the short end of a platoon yet.

[mweb08]

Thats why I think RM would be the odd one out more often if Hosmer were signed. Hosmer would play 1B when he plays, and yeah DH could be anyone on a given day.

If they sign Hosmer, he shouldn't be penciled in as an everyday starter. He and others would compete within four positions. Hosmer, Mountcastle, Hays, Stowers, and Santander would be the primary competitors with an understanding that Adley would crash the party and DH from time to time. This would also allow Hyde to better matchup against starting pitchers and have stronger pinch hitting options

[Mike in STL]

If they sign Hosmer, he shouldn't be penciled in as an everyday starter. He and others would compete within four positions. Hosmer, Mountcastle, Hays, Stowers, and Santander would be the primary competitors with an understanding that Adley would crash the party and DH from time to time. This would also allow Hyde to better matchup against starting pitchers and have stronger pinch hitting options

I wasn't saying Hosmer should start every day. Just that he should start at 1B against RHP. Call it 90-100 games? And if he sucks in the first 50 of those, hopefully you signed him cheap enough to move on. 

[BobPhelan]

I wasn't saying Hosmer should start every day. Just that he should start at 1B against RHP. Call it 90-100 games? And if he sucks in the first 50 of those, hopefully you signed him cheap enough to move on.

Wherever he goes he’ll get the league minimum from the new team until his original contract runs out. Similar to Odor with us last year.

[mweb08]

I wasn't saying Hosmer should start every day. Just that he should start at 1B against RHP. Call it 90-100 games? And if he sucks in the first 50 of those, hopefully you signed him cheap enough to move on. 

 

He shouldn't even be penciled in as a starter at 1B against RHP.  He and 4 other guys should compete for 4 spots. That leaves plenty of time for Mountcastle and everyone else. One of them could become the odd man out if their performance dictates it or of course if there's an injury, but I don't see why a Hosmer signing should lead to Mountcastle being relegated to short end of a platoon status. 

 

However, they did sign Frazier to apparently start at 2B, which is presumably at the expense of better, more intriguing players, so I can see why people would be worried. I believe they think of Mountcastle differently than Urias though and they're probably happy to play the service game with Westburg.

[dude]

I think we are on the same page here. No I don't think he had a poor year last year but it certainly wasn't a good year either. But he might well blow up in a good way as you say and that's why I want him in the lineup everyday this year.

 

Agreed.  The one thing I'll add, more to the general you than just you, is I think many think we're looking for an All-Star team.  I mean, cool if it happens, but that's likely an impossible team to keep together.  Find the right fits, lock into guys that want to be here and build a versatile offense and dynamic defense that encourages quality pitchers who attack the zone (you can give up runs, we'll catch the ball) and a bullpen that protects and doesn't squander wins. 

 

The Mets are going to take a different approach, good for them.  The Braves aren't scared.