I don’t want this to seem like I’m picking on Jonathan Schoop. This post isn’t intended to do that. It’s more just a testament to how spoiled we Orioles fans got by watching Manny Machado man the hot corner.
As I wrote on Monday, Schoop has committed four errors this season — all four have come at third base. On Patriots Day in Boston, the 22-year-old was back at third base in the Orioles finale against the Red Sox. While he didn’t commit an error, he did have three plays that stuck out to me.
Bottom 5th – 2 Outs – Orioles 6, Red Sox 2
Dustin Pedroia doubles down the line to score Jackie Bradley Jr. Schoop leaps to his right to make a catch, but the ball just skims by his glove. It’s a difficult play, but one that we’ve seen Machado make in his highlight reel of catches.
Bottom 7th – 2 Outs – Orioles 6, Red Sox 4
Brock Holt goes the opposite way and singles over a jumping Schoop and into left field. The tying run comes to the plate, but the O’s escape. Did Schoop jump a little too soon or was there no way he could have stopped the ball from traveling into left field?
Bottom 8th – 2 Outs – Orioles 7, Red Sox 5
Xander Bogaerts hits a grounder between shortstop and third base, just slightly out of Schoop’s range. Perhaps a dive could have knocked the ball down, but based on where he was positioned, maybe not. Again, this play allows the tying run to come to the plate (and later reach first base).
None of these plays are particularly easy, but how many does Machado, or any above replacement level defender at third for that matter, make on them?
Schoop reminds me of that little kid who is on every little league team only because his mommy and daddy are making him play and promising him that if he wins or loses as long as he plays he’ll get a free snowcone after the game or they’ll take him to pizza hut for lunch or dinner. That same kid ends up making dumb “errors” which cost the rest of the team the game, such as attempting to run for the ball and then stopping to let it pass them by. To put it nicely, HE SUCKS and doesnt belong out there.simple as that.
If you look at his minor league record, Schoop’s always made a lot of errors, at second as well as third. Send him down and retool as an outfielder. We sure could use a left fielder who can hit.
mIKA a SAYS “Schoop’s always made a lot of errors, at second as well as third. Send him down and retool as an outfielder. We sure could use a left fielder who can hit”… Really Mike A? You do know Schoop is hitting .242 with 1 dinger, 9 ribbies and 18 strikeouts in 62 at bats… Not exactly a left fielder who can hit type. It’s typical Orioles blabber. They make their own players out to be great yet how many homegrown Orioles are on the team that are good? Markakis, Wieters (Yet I know Oriole fans who say to let Wieters go when his contract is up) and Machado. Not exactly a good track record for all these years with high #1 draft picks.
I guess you haven’t noticed that left fielder David Lough is hitting .146.
So since Lough is hitting .146 you want to convert Schoop to a left fielder? Typical stupid move that an Oriole fan would suggest but worse is that the Orioles would do that instead of going out and getting a true left fielder!
Schoop, Lough, Pearce (since designated), Reimold, Clevenger, Flaherty, all bums that the Orioles acquire on the cheap instead of getting a true left fielder. Left Field has been a problem for years just like the pitching staff yet the Orioles keep patching it with retread, designated for assignment bums!
With the good players this team does have, all the Orioles needed to do was acquire some “B/C” type players to help, not “E/F” type players.
Look at last night, their backup for Davis is Flaherty! This team has the talent to go to the playoffs if the Orioles would acquire real players and not one’s from the junkpile!
Going to be interesting after this year and next when Markakis, Hardy, Davis and Wieters contracts are up. Will the Orioles lowball them and let them walk (which it looks like they are doing with Hardy) or pony up the money? I see 3/4 walking and the Orioles replacing them with cheap players.
Nelson Cruz is the left fielder. He gets rest from time to time as the DH like last night. When Texeira went down in New York they had Kelly Johnson and other bums playing first. Only your fantasy baseball team has All Stars as their back ups.
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