The Orioles’ depth has typically prompted supervisor Brandon Hyde to say he has 13 place gamers he desires to play. But excluding the designated hitter, he can put solely eight on the sector at a given time.
Hyde, although, was not focused on dissecting which mixture of eight would signify his greatest defensive lineup.
“It’s like saying ‘Who do you like better?’” Hyde stated. “I acquired Gold Glovers far and wide.
“The four guys that are sitting today probably are going to be playing tomorrow. … Good problems to have. I feel comfortable with everybody, to be honest with you.”
That’s comprehensible. Hyde’s roster options two high quality catchers, a pair of succesful first basemen, 5 versatile infielders and 4 gifted outfielders. The flexibility all through creates questions of not solely who the Orioles’ greatest eight defenders are but additionally the place they need to play in that best alignment.
Take rookie infielder Jordan Westburg, who has made 22 appearances at second base and 18 at third since his debut in June and has impressed Hyde at every spot. He ranked because the Orioles’ chief in Statcast’s outs above common at each positions getting into Tuesday.
In spring coaching and this week, Westburg acknowledged that he feels extra snug at second than third; he performed the latter extra throughout his minor league profession, however he spent extra time at second rising up and finds that it’s extra much like his mostly performed place of shortstop.
With Gunnar Henderson and Jorge Mateo out there, Westburg hasn’t performed shortstop within the majors, flipping between its two neighbors with aplomb. Given that Hyde has 5 infielders for 3 spots, Westburg isn’t within the lineup every single day, a task the 2020 first-round decide described as “different than anything else I’ve had in my career.”
“I think that’s fair to say,” Westburg stated. “It’s additionally truthful to say that everyone in right here contributes and deserves to play each single day, so it’s a type of issues the place it’s not possible to be upset about.
“It’s easy to understand the days that you’re not playing and the days that you are playing because whether it’s a matchup thing or whether it’s a guy that’s swinging a hot bat or whatever. I think this clubhouse is just built in a way that nobody has an ego about playing time.”
Hyde has capitalized on that mindset amongst his gamers to present them frequent relaxation days and piece collectively lineups for optimum offensive matchups. Late in video games, he’s at occasions used his bench to deploy higher defenders, typically changing Anthony Santander in proper area, however except an offensive alternative forces a change, he’s sometimes let his beginning infield end video games.
In that sense, Hyde has not typically proven his hand on what defensive combine he considers Baltimore’s greatest. At many positions, it’s not clear-cut.
The Orioles have been happy with what they’ve gotten from backup backstop James McCann. In Sunday’s series-clinching victory towards Seattle, his Tenth-inning mound go to with Shintaro Fujinami introduced the dynamic right-hander into the strike zone to earn his first profession save. But younger star Adley Rutschman charges because the superior blocker, framer and thrower, in response to Baseball Savant.
Ryan Mountcastle joins Rutschman and middle fielder Cedric Mullins because the Orioles’ solely place gamers who haven’t appeared at a number of defensive positions, turning into a primary baseman with a fall down the defensive spectrum that included stops at shortstop, third base and left area. Advanced defensive metrics are cut up between him and O’Hearn as Baltimore’s prime defensive first baseman, however Hyde has probably hinted at his desire when placing each within the lineup.
O’Hearn hasn’t DH’d with Mountcastle at first since June 6, whereas Mountcastle has been the DH in eight of O’Hearn’s previous 9 begins at first base. In 31 second-half video games, O’Hearn has began 16 video games at first to Mountcastle’s 14, with Santander additionally drawing one.
But that may very well be a product of placing O’Hearn at DH being a waste of his skill to play the nook outfield if wanted. His skill to take action has helped to additionally get Mountcastle into the lineup, give Santander partial days off at DH and permit Rutschman to DH on days he doesn’t catch.
“Being versatile and being able to get your name in the lineup in any way possible is valuable,” O’Hearn stated.
The Orioles’ different infielders agree. Henderson had defensive points to begin his rookie yr, however for the reason that begin of May, he’s tied with Westburg as Baltimore’s greatest infielder by being price 5 outs above common for his work at shortstop and third; he has the third-strongest throwing arm of any second baseman, third baseman or shortstop within the majors, in response to Baseball Savant. His elevated enjoying time on the final of these positions has led to a while in middle area for Jorge Mateo, who led American League shortstops in OAA final season and gained the Fielding Bible Award.
Ramón Urías’ fielding was additionally acknowledged final season, as he joined Brooks Robinson and Manny Machado as Baltimore third basemen to win a Gold Glove. After being price 7 OAA there in 2022, he’s at minus-6 this yr, and has additionally seen time at first and second. Adam Frazier’s protection has fallen off, too, along with his minus-15 OAA being the third worst of 155 certified infielders after score positively at second base every season since 2018. But the veteran has additionally offered his share of clutch highlights whereas sporadically enjoying the outfield.
There, the Orioles have 4 trusted defenders. When wholesome, Mullins has offered elite protection in middle area, greatest evidenced by Sunday’s theft of what would have been a game-tying house run in Seattle. Austin Hays ranks second amongst left fielders in defensive runs saved, providing a robust arm and the vary required to deal with Camden Yards’ expansive left area.
A Gold Glove finalist in 2020, Santander is probably an underrated defender, score positively in defensive runs saved and impartial in OAA over the previous two seasons. Signed as a substitute for Mullins after his preliminary proper quad pressure, Aaron Hicks arrived with a fame as a stable defender, bringing certainly one of baseball’s greatest outfield arms and the potential of dealing with all three positions.
Hyde has cause to belief all of those gamers, a truth that ought to assist the Orioles to maintain them contemporary as they put together for a postseason run.
“We have a lot of roster flexibility and versatility and guys that can play a lot of different spots,” Hyde stated. “Every night time, good gamers are on the bench.
“It’s nice to have that luxury.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com