Outfielder Yusniel Diaz, the prospect who headlined last month’s Manny Machado trade, has struggled since being dealt to the Orioles but is beginning to show signs of life in Double-A, writes Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun. The Orioles have made some alterations to Diaz’s stance at the plate that they feel will be beneficial in the long run, even if the early returns have been lackluster. Manager Gary Kendall spoke to Meoli about Diaz’s impressive tools even as he fights through a slump (perhaps partially due to a paltry .234 BABIP, Meoli notes), and the column is filled with quotes from Kendall on his overall impressions of the 21-year-old Diaz. Meoli also checks in on the progress of all four other players involved in the Machado trade.
A few more notes from the division…
- Didi Gregorius swung a bat Sunday for the first time since hitting the DL, writes George A. King III of the New York Post. The Yankees are optimistic about the outlook for both Gregorius and catcher Gary Sanchez, King writes, adding that Sanchez will head out on a Triple-A rehab assignment today. Sanchez will step right back into the lineup for regular work once healthy, manager Aaron Boone tells King. Boone wouldn’t commit to Gregorius being ready for activation when eligible but said he’s “optimistic.” Meanwhile, King notes that there’s still no meaningful update on Aaron Judge, who has yet to resume swinging as he waits for a chip fracture in his wrist to mend.
- Trade candidate Marco Estrada didn’t do much to impress other clubs with a short start this weekend, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. After Estrada failed to complete three innings against the Phillies, the Blue Jays righty acknowledged to Nicholson-Smith and others that he’s been pitching through ongoing back discomfort over the past couple of weeks. That’s hardly a new issue for Estrada, who has struggled with a herniated disk in his back in the past and spent time on the DL due to back issues. He’s allowed at least three runs in five of his past six starts, including four starts with either four or five runs allowed in that time.
Orioles love screwing with a players mechanics and lowering their effectiveness. see Arrieta, Bundy, gausman, Britton for most of his career, etc
Was laughing at the same thing.
Correct, it really makes you wonder how many prospects’ careers were ruined by Baltimore..They continuously rush their prospects through the MiL ranks, they consistently make unnecessary adjustments, and they currently have a ML pitching coach that’s unable to connect with younger pitchers..Couple all that with the fact they’ve avoided the International Amateur market, and it is no wonder their franchise has turned into such a disaster..
Also, I just can’t help but be curious if some of their lesser known prospects that flamed out as Orioles, if they could have made an impact elsewhere…
For the latest example of the Orioles even holding back veterans, just take a look at the success Gausman and Brach are having in Atlanta…
I mean of we fans are picking up on this, then surely other teams are as well..It might actually start to make their failed high-end prospects, or once promising players, eventually hot commodities..Which, I am laughing, but the sad part is I am also dead serious, and probably correct..
And look at how Schoop is hitting. Or how Britton is pitching. Or to a lesser extent the numbers Machado isn’t putting up. Still great but not the numbers he put up in Baltimore. Brach was having a down year but he’s thrived in Baltimore in the past. You don’t suddenly leave the orioles and become great. Don’t make it sound like that because there’s examples right there.
Looking forward to that lady dog pile Sanchez bringing his .188 BA & .5 WAR back to the lineup. LOL!!!
He also is bringing 14HR and 42RBIs in 62 games. He’s not feces, as you suggest, but he needs to work on his BA and no one should EVER score from second on a passed ball. Also, no more dogging it to 1st base either…
As a Red Sox fan, I like seeing this guy struggle, but I don’t care what he’s hitting when he bats against us in a big spot. This guy can hit the ball 500 feet regardless of the season he’s having.
I wonder to what extent his struggles this year are injury related or effort related. Girardi rode him hard and I think Boone’s laissez-faire approach has contributed to his poor season.
Check the ERA splits of all Yankee pitchers with Sanchez behind the plate from when he was called up in 2016 until today and then compare it to their ERA with Romine behind the plate. The difference is significant, and it’s no coincidence that Sevy’s struggles coincide with Sanchez hitting the DL the first time. But why don’t you tell us again about his batting average.
Wait, are you claiming that their was a drop-off in pitcher performance when Sanchez went on the DL? Clearly Severino has struggled, and Gray has been a mess when he doesn’t face the Orioles, but how do you explain this:
Sabathia
First Half: 3.51 ERA
Second Half: 2.49 ERA
Tanaka
First Half: 4.54 ERA
Second Half: 2.45 ERA
J.A. Happ:
with TOR: 4.18 ERA
with NYY: 2.37 ERA
Sanchez is a decent enough catcher, but his defense has been atrocious, and from these three pitcher’s stats I don’t think anyone can say Romine has been a step down in the game-calling department.
At worst I’d argue the performance of the pitchers haven’t really been affected by the switch at catcher. But Romine has been a reasonable fill-in. Power or not, he needs to start hitting more when he returns.
Don’t forget this POS likes to sucker punch people too.
Let’s not forget how Robertson and Betances performances have steadied, not to mention Cole’s.
He got plucked on purpose give me a break
Ehhh…different pitchers work better with different catchers..That’s just how it is always been, and often times it really has more to do with the duos chemistry, rather than which catcher is actually better..
Maddux often worked better with the Braves back-up catchers, and on his off-days you’d see Maddux talking and game planning with the back-up catcher during the game…
To be fair, Sanchez only loves to sucker punch people who deserve it.
“Lady dog pile”? Sounds like he’s the worst player out there. If so, name five catchers that you’d trade him for. Should be pretty easy since he’s feces.
I’ll get you started:
1) Realmuto
Now you just need four more.
Also, why did you add lady?
And great job quoting his batting average, shows you really know baseball.
I’m a Red Sox fan. Don’t let snide comments like this personally offend you.
You have your whole life ahead of you. Lol
Really…. Do like I do
Spend half an hour down voting everything anyone posts! It’s fun!
I even down vote myself so I’m first!!!
Barnhart, Contreras, Molina, and Perez.
maybe in ‘15
realmuto, Ramos, grandal, Barnes, healthy Posey. BOOM that’s 5
I got Austin Barnes confused with Austin hedges, and I completely forgot about Contreras. woe is me
Time to let Estrada walk off into the sunset. Thanks for ’15 and ’16, but time catches up to us all.
Time is just a frame of mind. Believe hard enough, and you can achieve the seemingly impossible
We heard in these very pages in spring training that signing Estrada was a very foolish decision by the Jays executive team. We knew that his back was wonky and wouldn’t see much success this year.
When Estrada is right, he can be a very good piece, but when he has the slightest injury it means his control is off and he gets hammered.
The move was to trade him last year as called by many in these pages.
Time to fire Atkins.
Why would the O’s try to change Diaz’s stance when it was obviously getting the job done? Have there been any split struggles or difficulty with a particular type of pitch?
Because it’s the Os. they did the same thing to Bundy, gausman, Arrieta and britton
Wait… They changed Arrieta’s batting stance!?!?
They mess with their prospects in general and it rarely works out