MLBTR Chat Transcript

Hello Mark;

Came back for a little bit. A few insights I got from the Rays radio team (they’re among the best) doing the Orioles-Rays game today that you might find interesting……

All the O’s position players are encouraged to hit with power. They seem to be trained to hit the bottom half of the ball and get it in the air. This makes it very difficult for opposing pitchers to get out of jams, as the O’s put so few balls on the ground during rallies limiting double plays.

I looked up the O’s (offensive) K’s as a team. They’re 22nd in MLB,

The broadcasters also like them far more than the Yankees, as the O’s power – especially HR’s – are spread throughout the lineup. (O’s and Yankees are #1-2 in team HR’s). Whereas the Yankees have 3 power hitters – Judge, Soto, Stanton – while the remainder of the line-up has a lot of outs.
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As you know, I pushed the O’s and Phillies since a bit after Dombrowski took over (3 years?). Both organizations have a way of playing baseball that they expect from their players. Their scouts go out and find players that can be developed that way, and their coaches at all levels make those players better. Those 2 organizations have a plan as to the sort of baseball they want their ML team to play, while the majority of teams I see in MLB lunge this way and that depending on what players they can get that will fit into their budgets.

Anyway, I’ve always enjoyed your insights, especially the Chats. Will be reading for a while.