They're not going to do it but if Westburg and Urias come back soon we'd be better playing them and benching Holliday. Hopefully Mountcastle can make it back too.
Bench Adley while your at it. Kidding mostly, but dang he's struggling
Posted 09 September 2024 - 09:15 AM
They're not going to do it but if Westburg and Urias come back soon we'd be better playing them and benching Holliday. Hopefully Mountcastle can make it back too.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 09:19 AM
Said it several times already. Westburg is the key to turning this offense around. Other than that there isn't anybody.
One guy can't fix this. The key isn't getting Westburg back, though that can help, the key is the guys that are here hitting better as a group.
Drop in Westburg as a 900 OPS bat (which he isn't, but can be for a stretch) and the offense is still abysmal. And frankly, other than Mayo, the replacements for Westburg since his injury have been good. 765 OPS for the team since August 1st at 3B, including Mayo's 2/30 or whatever he is. It's entirely plausible that the Westburg replacements have hit better than Westburg would have had he not gotten hurt, he only had a 744 OPS in July.
There is no one key. Whole team needs to do better, regardless of who comes back.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 09:34 AM
There's Mountcastle, too. If he, Westburg, and Urias can come back healthy, the lineup vs LHP will suddenly look a lot better.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 10:05 AM
I agree Westburgs bat alone doesn't fix this mess. But I think he's the key.One guy can't fix this. The key isn't getting Westburg back, though that can help, the key is the guys that are here hitting better as a group.
Drop in Westburg as a 900 OPS bat (which he isn't, but can be for a stretch) and the offense is still abysmal. And frankly, other than Mayo, the replacements for Westburg since his injury have been good. 765 OPS for the team since August 1st at 3B, including Mayo's 2/30 or whatever he is. It's entirely plausible that the Westburg replacements have hit better than Westburg would have had he not gotten hurt, he only had a 744 OPS in July.
There is no one key. Whole team needs to do better, regardless of who comes back.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 10:20 AM
A lot of these guys are pretty streaky too. Postseason is 23 games max, and Santander, Mountcastle, Cowser, have all shown they can have a 20 games stretch of 1.000 OPS. Gunnar too obviously, though his lows seem higher. Urias and Mullins have been pretty hot the second half. When they're all going bad at once it's real bad, but it's not set in stone that everybody is suddenly a .650 OPS player at best.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 10:25 AM
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:06 AM
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:11 AM
Not gonna lie I kinda checked out on them over the weekend. They'll make the playoffs but even the division race isn't much fun to watch when the only reason it's still a race is because neither of them are playing very well.
Plus, a team scuffling this much on offense is just tough to follow.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:24 AM
Apparently Adley was hit on the hand on June 27 and has hit .176 since.
He claims to be healthy, although he admitted that, by playing catcher, he is “getting beat up every day.” The lower back discomfort that forced him out of the lineup once in August hasn’t recurred, he said, and although Rutschman was hit on the hand June 27 (and has since hit .176), he said there are no lingering effects from that.
Adley Rutschman badly wants to get back to his best for the Orioles - The Baltimore Banner
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:33 AM
I would be very unsurprised if Adley has some sort of low grade shoulder issue. His throwing has been awful as well.
His arm strength overall is fine, though down from previously. He was 5th at C in 2022, 10th last year, 14th this year. I have no idea if it is worse recently. It has felt more inaccurate, and seems like a lot of hoppers, though that could be by design. I posted around a week or so ago, not sure where, that he was essentially league average at CS if you take out Burnes, who for whatever reason everyone can just run at will on, so it's not like he's terrible there, although not good either.
All that said, I'd also be unsurprised if he's banged up, regardless of what he or Hyde says. If so I wish he'd take two weeks off, if that would help, and be better for October.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:37 AM
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:45 AM
IF Adley has an injury AND IF 2 weeks off would get him healthy then I would IL him in heartbeat and hope for the best come October. Not like we'd be missing him from the lineup.
Yep, I agree. Adley saying he's healthy means nothing to me, because what else would he say? And maybe it's something that would take longer than 2 weeks, who knows. But having a healthy-as-possible Adley for the postseason is the most important consideration.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:51 AM
Not gonna lie I kinda checked out on them over the weekend. They'll make the playoffs but even the division race isn't much fun to watch when the only reason it's still a race is because neither of them are playing very well.
Plus, a team scuffling this much on offense is just tough to follow.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:58 AM
Yep, I agree. Adley saying he's healthy means nothing to me, because what else would he say? And maybe it's something that would take longer than 2 weeks, who knows. But having a healthy-as-possible Adley for the postseason is the most important consideration.
Even if he's completely healthy he could probably use some time off. Catching is draining, and being in a long slump has to be draining. I understand you have to get there first, and hell they still somehow control their own destiny for the bye, but a fresher Adley improves the October chances.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 11:58 AM
Hitters only have to miss 10 days on the IL. I doubt that is enough time to recover much physically for Rutschman, but might be as useful for a mental break. He'd have to be on board, but a ten day break sounds like a good idea to me. Not a whole lot to lose, McCann's been out-producing him for a while now.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 01:25 PM
I agree Westburgs bat alone doesn't fix this mess. But I think he's the key.
1. Potentially best rh bat.
2. Allows Adley to move out of the 2 hole.
3. Much better infield defense.
The pieces fit together a lot better if he's available.
So today if I could pick one guy to be back and performing well I want Westburg. Even over GRod.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 01:29 PM
I would be surprised.I would be very unsurprised if Adley has some sort of low grade shoulder issue. His throwing has been awful as well.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 02:25 PM
Posted 09 September 2024 - 02:44 PM
He's on pace for 149 games played and 104 games caught. The games caught isn't so bad, less than Mauer and Posey did several times. Mauer never reached that total while he was a catcher, Posey only did once, but both were in the 140s a number of times. The number isn't inherently bad, but all that really matters is how he feels, and none of us really know that.
Posted 09 September 2024 - 02:59 PM
He hit two homers in July, one in August, and none so far in September. He's slugging .398, and his OPS has dropped 100 points since June 30. I really hope it's an injury, because he's 26 - this is supposed to be his prime.
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