129 replies to this topic

[BaltBird 24]

I don't care how great the defense and speed are, if you are striking out about 45% of the time and have a .559 OPS in A+, you probably don't have a chance to stick as even a 4th/5th OF.

[RichardZ]

 
  Nobody can stop you from playing great defense or keep you off base if someone is already on base.

I believe a strikeout will keep Honeycutt off base even if someone else is already on base.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I believe a strikeout will keep Honeycutt off base even if someone else is already on base.

ROFL

[BaltBird 24]

I believe a strikeout will keep Honeycutt off base even if someone else is already on base.

It's really tough to keep a guy on the 26 man roster who's a complete non-factor at the plate except as a pinch runner, which is what I believe dude was referring to.

Jarrod Dyson is the closest comparison I could come up with, but even he received pretty significant ABs and was a slightly below average offensive player. Unless Honeycutt improves dramatically, I'd be shocked if he could put the ball in play against major league pitching.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

No one exclusively carries a guy to play defense and pinch run. BTW do we know what the thoughts were on his D in 2025. 

[Mackus]

I believe a strikeout will keep Honeycutt off base even if someone else is already on base.

Yeah but what if the catcher drops it? Didn't think of that, did ya!

[makoman]

Myles Straw was worth 2.7 bWAR one year with a .564 OPS, 65 OPS+. He doesn’t strike out though, just a ~.070 ISO, probably more of a Bradfield comp. Just showing how low the bar is with great CF defense. And of course everyone’s favorite Brenton Doyle had positive value even when he had a 53 OPS+. But you need to be like best defense in the game for that kind of bat to play at all.

[RichardZ]

Yeah but what if the catcher drops it? Didn't think of that, did ya!

Can’t go to 1B on a 3rd strike that gets passed the catcher if 1B is already occupied. Only if there are two outs I think.

[dude]

I believe a strikeout will keep Honeycutt off base even if someone else is already on base.

 

I don't think anyone ever PRs for a guy that struck out (dropped 3rd strike aside). 

 

By definition, if you are PRing, [someone] is on base. Of course, you know that.....but don't let that stop you.

[RichardZ]

Myles Straw was worth 2.7 bWAR one year with a .564 OPS, 65 OPS+. He doesn’t strike out though, just a ~.070 ISO, probably more of a Bradfield comp. Just showing how low the bar is with great CF defense. And of course everyone’s favorite Brenton Doyle had positive value even when he had a 53 OPS+. But you need to be like best defense in the game for that kind of bat to play at all.

Honeycutt is a premium defender. Keith Law thinks he’s better than Bradfield. But with Doyle and Straw you’re talking about guys who are offensively challenged at the ML level. Vance Honeycutt is offensively challenged at the A+ level.

[BaltBird 24]

Even Doyle managed a .737 OPS in AA.

[RichardZ]

A .556 OPS and 41% K rate in A+ and someone is figuring out a ML role where he doesn’t have to bat.

[makoman]

Honeycutt is a premium defender. Keith Law thinks he’s better than Bradfield. But with Doyle and Straw you’re talking about guys who are offensively challenged at the ML level. Vance Honeycutt is offensively challenged at the A+ level.

Right, he needs monumental improvement just to make MLB.

I do think dude is right though that this should always have been viewed as like a 3 year project. Other than George, who should get priority at this point, he’s not really in anybody’s way that I know of.

[dude]

Vance Honeycutt is offensively challenged at the A+ level.

 

Think we should give him more than one season or just release him now?

[RichardZ]

Think we should give him more than one season or just release him now?

Of course, you give him another season. In fact, the Orioles can give him 5 more seasons if they want. That being said he had one of the worst, if not the worst, full season debuts of any college player, 1st round pick or not.

The Orioles invested 4 million in Honeycutt. They’re not about to throw in the towel. However, if you take a step back and look at his offensive ineptitude, objectively, the rope will get pretty short if all he can do is replicate last year. Everyone, including the Orioles, knew they were taking a chance on a premium athlete with big contact problems. He stunk at Delmarva in 2024 in a SSS but he had a winter to work on adjustments. He just had his second winter, after a full season, to work on adjustments. He’s got a long way to go.

Maybe you can show me someone in the history of baseball who had a season similar to Honeycutt’s at age 22 in A+ who made the majors, let alone had any kind of career.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Maybe im wrong, my assumption is he would have posted decent numbers overall last year (with a lot of ks), had he made no change from college....but they knew that approach wouldn't work as he progressed...so he spent 25 trying to forgoe muscle memory and adjust.

Leaving him with somewhat artificially extremely low numbers production wise, but hopefully closer to finding an approach which can work as a pro.

Even jf I have that right, the numbers were absolutley horrific.

He has to produce in a major way this year to be interested in him at all going forward.

[RichardZ]

Maybe im wrong, my assumption is he would have posted decent numbers overall last year (with a lot of ks), had he made no change from college....but they knew that approach wouldn't work as he progressed...so he spent 25 trying to forgoe muscle memory and adjust.

Leaving him with somewhat artificially extremely low numbers production wise, but hopefully closer to finding an approach which can work as a pro.

Even jf I have that right, the numbers were absolutley horrific.

He has to produce in a major way this year to be interested in him at all going forward.

That’s a pretty big assumption. I doubt they messed with his swing at all after he was drafted. He had 20 plate appearances at Aberdeen and struck out 11 times with two singles. That was after getting his feet wet at Delmarva and doing poorly there.

If the Orioles can get Honeycutt to AA ON MERIT it will be one of the best stories of the year but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

P.S. Honeycutt was so bad, I wonder if they have considered making him a SH or lefty only. Sounds crazy but desperate times ………

[TwentyThirtyFive]

A few of us agreed that he was already the worst 1st round pick this century. Book not finished but it feels like it would take a massive plot twist to make him a good minor league hitter. Let alone a productive major leaguer

[RichardZ]

A few of us agreed that he was already the worst 1st round pick this century. Book not finished but it feels like it would take a massive plot twist to make him a good minor league hitter. Let alone a productive major leaguer

He was the 22nd pick in the draft. I’m sure we can find a few top 5 picks who were just as bad. The Nationals took a kid #3 or #4 in the Holliday draft who strikes out as much as Honeycutt, although he’s a couple of years younger.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

He was the 22nd pick in the draft. I’m sure we can find a few top 5 picks who were just as bad. The Nationals took a kid #3 or #4 in the Holliday draft who strikes out as much as Honeycutt, although he’s a couple of years younger.

Worst pick of the Os