We may have entered Mountcastle’s full blown platoon era.
June 13, 2023
We may have entered Mountcastle’s full blown platoon era.
10 comments
Thanks for pointing this out, I always think true platoon situations are very interesting. I’ll definitely keep an eye on those going forward, nice catch. 👌
Doubt.
1B will be his again soon enough. The leash though for him to turn around his season will be pretty short.
Could be wrong, but I don’t think the Orioles are ready to give up on him to that extent, at least not yet.
I really hope so. Dude is not good enough to be an everyday 1B.
It’s more the era of everyone realizing Mountcastle kinda stinks. He’s barely above replacement level, his OPS’s have declined every single year, and he’s by no means a fabulous defensive 1B.
After 200ish games between 2020 and 2021, we cut Renato Nunez at 26 years old after he put up a slash line of .247/.314/.469/.783 with an OPS+ of 105. Good for 1 win above replacement.
Between last season and this season, ~200ish games, Mountcastle has slashed .243/.293/.423/.716 with an OPS+ of 101 and total of 1.4 WAR… this season he is also 26 years old.
They’re not that different of players and Nunez was out of baseball entirely two seasons after we cut him.
Mountcastle hasn’t had huge righty lefty splits in prior years has he though? Maybe lean into it now but I don’t expect it’ll last for good. Sample sized and all. But setting him up to succeed by letting him focus on what is working lately (a la Henderson) isnt a bad idea.
Between Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, and Coby Mayo, and possibly O’Hearn if he can prove this hot streak isn’t a flash in the pan, we’ve likely got the future of 1B covered. Mounty would need to be putting up 3 WAR numbers to warrant retaining him through arbitration when any of those guys could likely play 1B competently on three years of league-minimum salary.
He just doesn’t walk, though. Someone who gets on base at least has a decent floor; when Gunnar was cold to start the season, his OBP still never dropped below, like, .325 due to his eye at the plate. He’s still providing some value at the plate when the bat is cold. Mountcastle, though… His 4.5% walk rate is appallingly bad.
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O’HEARN is killing it…..I am okay with Mounty riding the pine for now anyway 💁
Just hasn’t played the Blue Jays often enough yet this season
Looking at 1/3 of a season for stuff like this isn’t the best idea for stabilization reasons… better to look at career numbers.
Mounty career OPS vs RHPs: .737
O’Hearn career OPS vs RHPs: .736
Much closer… obviously most important is how they see things going forward, but I really doubt they will truly platoon him yet. Nor do I think it would be a wise thing to do – my hunch is a bunch of people on this sub are going to regret all the Mounty bashing eventually, but we’ll see.
That said, O’Hearn has earned more playing time for now… and he’s looked decent defensively in the OF so they can work him in there a bunch without always benching Mounty vs RHPs. Although I definitely see them benching Mounty vs tougher RHPs until he starts showing some signs of life.
Platoon stats take a while to stabilize. I wouldn’t put much weight into only 82 PAs vs lefties this year. Going back further shows a platoon split, but no where near as dramatic. In fact, last year, he was worse vs. lefties.
10 comments
Thanks for pointing this out, I always think true platoon situations are very interesting. I’ll definitely keep an eye on those going forward, nice catch. 👌
Doubt.
1B will be his again soon enough. The leash though for him to turn around his season will be pretty short.
Could be wrong, but I don’t think the Orioles are ready to give up on him to that extent, at least not yet.
I really hope so. Dude is not good enough to be an everyday 1B.
It’s more the era of everyone realizing Mountcastle kinda stinks. He’s barely above replacement level, his OPS’s have declined every single year, and he’s by no means a fabulous defensive 1B.
After 200ish games between 2020 and 2021, we cut Renato Nunez at 26 years old after he put up a slash line of .247/.314/.469/.783 with an OPS+ of 105. Good for 1 win above replacement.
Between last season and this season, ~200ish games, Mountcastle has slashed .243/.293/.423/.716 with an OPS+ of 101 and total of 1.4 WAR… this season he is also 26 years old.
They’re not that different of players and Nunez was out of baseball entirely two seasons after we cut him.
Mountcastle hasn’t had huge righty lefty splits in prior years has he though? Maybe lean into it now but I don’t expect it’ll last for good. Sample sized and all. But setting him up to succeed by letting him focus on what is working lately (a la Henderson) isnt a bad idea.
Between Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, and Coby Mayo, and possibly O’Hearn if he can prove this hot streak isn’t a flash in the pan, we’ve likely got the future of 1B covered. Mounty would need to be putting up 3 WAR numbers to warrant retaining him through arbitration when any of those guys could likely play 1B competently on three years of league-minimum salary.
He just doesn’t walk, though. Someone who gets on base at least has a decent floor; when Gunnar was cold to start the season, his OBP still never dropped below, like, .325 due to his eye at the plate. He’s still providing some value at the plate when the bat is cold. Mountcastle, though… His 4.5% walk rate is appallingly bad.
​
O’HEARN is killing it…..I am okay with Mounty riding the pine for now anyway 💁
Just hasn’t played the Blue Jays often enough yet this season
Looking at 1/3 of a season for stuff like this isn’t the best idea for stabilization reasons… better to look at career numbers.
Mounty career OPS vs RHPs: .737
O’Hearn career OPS vs RHPs: .736
Much closer… obviously most important is how they see things going forward, but I really doubt they will truly platoon him yet. Nor do I think it would be a wise thing to do – my hunch is a bunch of people on this sub are going to regret all the Mounty bashing eventually, but we’ll see.
That said, O’Hearn has earned more playing time for now… and he’s looked decent defensively in the OF so they can work him in there a bunch without always benching Mounty vs RHPs. Although I definitely see them benching Mounty vs tougher RHPs until he starts showing some signs of life.
Platoon stats take a while to stabilize. I wouldn’t put much weight into only 82 PAs vs lefties this year. Going back further shows a platoon split, but no where near as dramatic. In fact, last year, he was worse vs. lefties.