254 replies to this topic

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Im already annoyed that we dont have a stronger offensive bench. As much as Hyde likes playing platoons and PHing I'd prefer our bench had better bats right now. The last thing I want is 2 uti spots put aside for C on a normal day when Adley catches. Yuck 

[Grindelwald]

Im already annoyed that we dont have a stronger offensive bench. As much as Hyde likes playing platoons and PHing I'd prefer our bench had better bats right now. The last thing I want is 2 uti spots put aside for C on a normal day when Adley catches. Yuck 

Agree. Urias and Mullins are not major league caliber players offensively. Mateo can be but seems to have trouble maintaining over the course of a season.

 

McCann is just slumping.

[BaltBird 24]

Hays, Urias, Stowers is a pretty decent offensive bench. Stowers is unproven, but Hays and Urias are both starter capable bench players.

Urias and Hays have had rough starts offensively in 2024, but I'd say both are capable of league average offensive performance.

[BaltBird 24]

Salvador Perez is probably an equal comparison to Adley in terms of a starting catcher getting more days off than normal to keep his bat in the lineup, granted Perez spends the majority of his non catching days at 1B.

Adley has C 24 games and 16 at DH.
Perez has C 27 games, 10 1B, 5 DH.

Rutschman likely won't see much time at 1B with Mountcastle and O'Hearn on the roster.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Hays, Urias, Stowers is a pretty decent offensive bench. Stowers is unproven, but Hays and Urias are both starter capable bench players.

Urias and Hays have had rough starts offensively in 2024, but I'd say both are capable of league average offensive performance.

Urias isnt capable of being a league avg bat . Unlikely Stowers is either. I get that you arent gonna have 4 killers on the bench. Would like to have one solid bat to work not just off the bench but into the lineup at times. The bigger point is another C makes all of this  even worse.

[mweb08]

Perhaps Vavra can become a solid bench player once he gets back up and running as he recovers from an injury.

[Slidemaster]

Perhaps Vavra can become a solid bench player once he gets back up and running as he recovers from an injury.

I seem to remember his defense being literal trash. Maybe it was just a SSS but it was really bad.

[BaltBird 24]

Urias isnt capable of being a league avg bat . Unlikely Stowers is either. I get that you arent gonna have 4 killers on the bench. Would like to have one solid bat to work not just off the bench but into the lineup at times. The bigger point is another C makes all of this even worse.

Urias has been terrible this year in a SSS. He was a 99 OPS+ last year, 103 OPS+ for his career. Maybe he totally fell off a cliff at 29, but I'd say he'll probably be closer to league average than his current if given ABs.

He's not a complete hole.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Sigh.

 

And like I said last year, once Adley learns to play 1B enough where he can back up the O's starting 1B, then the problem mostly goes away so long as Adley doesn't DH. 

 

It's just a senseless vulnerability that pops up its head every month or so. 

Having Adley being a backup for 1B does nothing to improve the lineup. We already have a load of guys who can backup 1B and be DH.

 

Mountcastle, O'Hearn, Santander, Mayo soon. And I suspect Coswer and Stowers could do 1B in a pinch. The team needs less guys headed to be 1B/DH not more. I have complained about this for years. Defense and having a position on the field is important. Shoot the only reason Mayo isn't up right now is because of that very thing.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Urias has been terrible this year in a SSS. He was a 99 OPS+ last year, 103 OPS+ for his career. Maybe he totally fell off a cliff at 29, but I'd say he'll probably be closer to league average than his current if given ABs.

He's not a complete hole.

He did fall off a cliff. He is a hole. Offensively anyway

[Mackus]

I think Urias can get back to about league average but I also don't think he's gonna get the chance here. Mateo playing better currently and Holliday, Mayo or Norby are all gonna play at some point. I'd rather have Mateo as a utility guy than Urias, so he'll be on the way out soon.

[Mike B]

I think the Orioles are concerned with how their defense plays out.  I think the decision to try to improve the offense with guys like Mayo, Holliday, Kjerstad and Stowers probably comes down to what they can provide with the glove.  We can say Cedric, and Urias are weak spots right now, but they both are plus defenders.  

I think Urias, will eventually be replaced because Westburg and Mateo are both good defensively.    The issue is the Orioles really do not have another good defender in CF.  I saw Stowers played 13 games in CF at Norfolk.  Maybe he plays there while Cedric is struggling.

[russsnyder]

I assure you there is a guy on the roster who can be the emergency C.

They shouldn't be DHing Adley as much as they do IMO. But Im fine with having to risk turning into an old NL team and losing the DH later in games. A couple of reasons why. There is little risk anymore that there is some 14 or 15 inning game with the new Extra inning rules. Therefore, you're not likely to burn through all of your bench options in a game even if you do lose the DH. Have to remember that if you double switch after PH for the pitcher's spot you can keep moving the new pitchers spot down towards the bottom of the lineup. So again, the chances a game goes long enough where you are at risk of having a pitcher hit is very low. Could happen in certain scenarios but highly unlikely. The likeliest way is if the C for the day, in this case McCann, were to have to leave the game early. All risks Im willing to take over having either a 3rd C on the roster or setting aside a bench spot for some uti player that has some experience catching. Like you said that's very rare anyway.

Great post.

Baltimore Bird mentioned the new rules as well. You just don't have 14 or 15 inning games anymore. Personally, I'd rather see straight baseball, but this is the way the game is being played. Good point about the double switch, I kind of forgot about that aspect of lineup manipulation .
I agree, they have a crash catcher. The guy probably catches a bullpen once or twice a week and sits in on some sessions when they are reviewing opposing hitters

I get the concern Adley Dhing too much, but He seems to like it. I also get that it's like giving him a half day off. I'm pretty certain that the team's analytics department has all kinds of equations and probabilities about playing McCann and Adley in the same lineup.

[russsnyder]

I seem to remember his defense being literal trash. Maybe it was just a SSS but it was really bad.

He's not a real good defender.

Not very good at turning a DP as a second baseman.

Also, I don't think he can play a major league shortstop. This is probably why he was getting some work in behind the plate

[russsnyder]

Having Adley being a backup for 1B does nothing to improve the lineup. We already have a load of guys who can backup 1B and be DH.

Mountcastle, O'Hearn, Santander, Mayo soon. And I suspect Coswer and Stowers could do 1B in a pinch. The team needs less guys headed to be 1B/DH not more. I have complained about this for years. Defense and having a position on the field is important. Shoot the only reason Mayo isn't up right now is because of that very thing.

Good points.

As I understand it, Rutschmann played some first in college and was passable the position.

You nailed it, the Orioles don't need him to play there.