So can we offically declare Mora as the worst 3B in the league yet?

by UMterp08 on Jun 28, 2008 10:59 AM EDT

Third base is typically a power position with those players expected to anchor their respective line ups. Teams are getting this average production out of their third base spot:

2006: .804 OPS

2007: .782 OPS

2008: .779 OPS

Mora on the other hand has given us the fantastic stats of:

2006: .733 OPS (18th out of 22 qualifed 3B)

2007: .759 OPS (14th out of 19)

2008: .691 OPS (21st out of 23)

I'm not an expert on fielding, but I believe it is the consensus here that hes on dreadful on defense. In fact in the latest Fielding Bible rankings, he got the second least votes in his position (only ahead of Chipper Jones).

This year, the only two 3Bs that are (barely) worse than MelMo is Jack Hannahan in Oakland and Bill Hall with the Brewers. Hannahan was simply filling in for Eric Chavez and no longer starts, and Hall was recently displaced by Russell Branyan. Due to that, and his 2/8 steals rate and terrible defense, we have the absolute worst 3B in the league on our hands. And this clown is our #3 hitter!!!!! Can't Trembly look past this respect/seniority bull crap and bat him lower in the line up or something? I would say bench him, but we know that won't happen. Mora, outside of a few big hits, has been killing this team in every plausable way and something needs to be done.

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I've been liking him less and less as the year crawls on

I met the guy a few years ago, and there was a time where he was a favorite. I liked him more than Tejada for a while.

His only redeeming quality this year is his average with RISP. And even that is starting to fall off. He grounds into too many double plays. He isn’t aggressive on the basepaths.

But I think he is alright defensively. I’d trust him more than a replacement.

The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST

by the fix is in on Jun 28, 2008 11:09 AM EDT 0 recs

He’s a pretty ho-hum defensive third baseman at best. Said it before—highlight reel plays, lowlight reel mistakes. Like Jeter without a good arm. Mora’s habit of hesitating once he’s fielded the ball with multiple runners on base is becoming the stuff of legends this season.

To be honest, considering everything, I’d rather see Huff over there every day. But that’s not going to work because this isn’t a team that can just sit Melvin Mora. For one thing, he’ll whine and bring up his playoff heroics.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 28, 2008 12:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

To be honest, considering everything, I’d rather see Huff over there every day.

Oh god no. Mora’s arm isn’t very good, but at least he has good hands. He can handle tough shots to thirds. Huff has hands of stone. He hates playing the field. DH is his best position.

Wolf, wolf, wolf.

by birdman on Jun 28, 2008 3:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

Huff outhits him by a substantial margin.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 29, 2008 4:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

sure, sure, i'm just talking about defense.

Although looked fine today.

Wolf, wolf, wolf.

by birdman on Jun 29, 2008 5:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

although huff looked fine today.

Wolf, wolf, wolf.

by birdman on Jun 29, 2008 5:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

the problem

with throwing MelMo away to the bottom of the lineup is someone still has to bat 3rd or 2nd or whatever. So then you get Roberts-Cintron-Markakis or Roberts-Payton-Markakis. Or, alternatively, you could go with Roberts-Markakis-Scott-Huff but then you’ve got 3 lefties in a row and the last 5 batters look helpless, it leaves a big gaping hole.

Some say he never blinks, and that he roams around the woods at night foraging for wolves... all we know is, he's called Luke Scott.

by elk on Jun 28, 2008 11:25 AM EDT 0 recs

Why not move Jones up?

He’s fast, he’d get better pitches to hit. If it doesn’t work, you move him back. The kid knows he’s got CF on lockdown for 10 years if he’s any good – I can’t imagine he’s worried about lineup position.

"I wasn't here for the losing years. But it feels a little like the days with Earl in charge and John Lowenstein smashing birthday cakes in the middle of the clubhouse with a bat." - John "T-Bone" Shelby

by duck on Jun 28, 2008 11:29 AM EDT up 0 recs

I'm guessing

that they’re grooming Jonesy for the 2 hole (he might’ve got in these once or twice already) so by mid August Mora and AJ might just switch places…but that bottom of the order is going to murder us. Why’d we lose yesterday: everytime we had something going, the bottom of the order came up and buzzsawed it with the remarkable Fahey-Cabrera duo!

Some say he never blinks, and that he roams around the woods at night foraging for wolves... all we know is, he's called Luke Scott.

by elk on Jun 28, 2008 11:36 AM EDT up 0 recs

It’s really not a problem if these guys outhit Mora. Or even if they don’t. Mora stinks, man. He’s really, really, really bad. The fact that his name is Melvin Mora should hold no bearing on where he hits in the lineup. He’s an awful player at this point. That’s not hyperbole; he is really terrible.

They’re playing him because they have to, or because they aren’t noticing that he doesn’t contribute anymore. I’m hoping it’s the former.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 28, 2008 12:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

It was absolutely unacceptable

That Huff was on the bench yesterday and Melvin was in the lineup.

"We’re not concerned about what other teams think. I know teams come in here thinking we’re playing the Orioles. And then 9 innings later, they got the loss, they know what we’re about." ~Adam Jones

by Stacey on Jun 28, 2008 12:24 PM EDT up 0 recs

Absolutely it was.

It really was. What a fucking horrendous lineup. Let us never speak of it again.

And SC – Mora’s going to play most of the time. So he’s going to bat somewhere. And Cintron and Payton aren’t going to be big improvements over him, and then you still have a shittastic lineup most of the time, because they won’t let Roberts, Huff, Scott, and Markakis bat every inning.

Some say he never blinks, and that he roams around the woods at night foraging for wolves... all we know is, he's called Luke Scott.

by elk on Jun 28, 2008 1:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

And Scott wasn't in the lineup either.

Dave really needs to sit Mora in favor of Huff for these interleague games but he’s too afraid to hurt’s Mora’s feelings.

Wolf, wolf, wolf.

by birdman on Jun 28, 2008 3:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

Mora

is clearly in his decline phase, and it’d be nice if the O’s would give some of his PT to Costanza or Moore.

But on a defensive note (haha), Revised Zone Rating at THT has Mora at abotu average defensively at third despite a below average arm. I think the ones he messes up are just more visible than the good range he has.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jun 28, 2008 6:47 PM EDT 0 recs

Stating the obvious...

Mora is on the decline. We wonder about the hole at SS. The O’s need a 3B coming up through the system as well. Rowell has been palaing there, but there was plenty of talk about his outgrowing the position. I wonder if he really belongs there, or if the O’s keep him there hoping he’ll be a replacement.

by drj on Jun 28, 2008 6:56 PM EDT 0 recs

Rowell

Chances are he either wont make it or he will move positions. Right now he isn’t looking so promising, but he’s still young. Either way we cant count on Rowell. So that means we have holes in the entire infield.

by Reddrummer9187 on Jun 28, 2008 11:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

Nothing sure coming up but a catcher?

That’s not counting there may be a pitcher or two crack the big leagues. Makes you wonder how this franchise will ever get out of the doldrums.

by drj on Jun 29, 2008 7:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

he's not really on the decline

He’s well past being on the decline. He was on the decline in 2005. He sucks now.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 29, 2008 4:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

bah...

...just sign Blalock to a low-risk deal in the off-season.

by oc on Jun 29, 2008 11:19 PM EDT 0 recs

Blalock’s a pud that disappears against left-handed pitching and can’t hit for beans outside of Arlington. Plus now he’s getting hurt all the time. I want nothing to do with him.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 30, 2008 12:25 AM EDT up 0 recs

ha...

...you don’t have very many options there, Slick…

Morgan Ensberg?
Casey Blake?
Nomah Garciaparra?
Shea Hillenbrand?
Pedro Feliz?

Blalock is young, sir… and his injuries with his wrist are the result of trying to come back too fast…

do your homework.

by oc on Jun 30, 2008 1:25 AM EDT up 0 recs

If those are the options,

we might as well play Scott Moore and Costanzo.

Wolf, wolf, wolf.

by birdman on Jun 30, 2008 1:55 AM EDT up 0 recs

uh

Yeah, I’ll do my homework.

Blalock v. RHP: .293/.359/.506
Blalock v. LHP: .224/.279/.345

Blalock at home: .304/.372/.525
Blalock away: .245/.302/.399

Young? He turns 28 in November, which really isn’t all that young, honestly, and hasn’t had a good full season since 2004.

His injuries with his wrist being the result of him trying to come back too fast don’t take him off the DL. Also forgive me if recurring wrist injuries - valiant or not - don’t excite me in a 28-year old third baseman with bad split numbers.

Adding Blalock when Mora is still under contract does not excite me. Mora is a FA after 2010. If the Orioles are any good by then, they can figure out where to find a third baseman.

But you’re right, I definitely said I want Morgan Ensberg, Nomar Garciaparra, Shea Hillenbrand, Pedro Feliz or Casey Blake. I didn’t just say I don’t want Blalock.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 30, 2008 2:55 AM EDT up 0 recs

suit yourself... that left side of the infield ain't getting any better...

by oc on Jun 30, 2008 12:16 PM EDT up 0 recs

"do your homework."

Wrong answer, dude. If ANYONE here does his homework, it’s SC. When he says someone can’t hit lefities, it’s not a hunch. Considered yourself schooled.

by duck on Jun 30, 2008 7:36 AM EDT up 0 recs