The Orioles DFA’d first basemen Joe Mahoney after their acquisition of Danny Valencia yesterday. Today we have learned that the Marlins claimed Mahoney off waivers. With this move, the Orioles 40-man roster stays at 38.
I saw Mahoney play quite a bit the past few years. He stands a tall 6’6” and has the looks of a MLB first basemen. The main problem with Mahoney was the lack of power.
Fair or not, power is a necessity at the first base position. Mahoney still has the ability to hit for raw power, but there are a few reasons why it has not come to fruition.
1. His ability to hit for contact has worsened with each year.
2. He has a little hitch in his swing, which leads to this lesser amount of contact and some loopy fly balls without much “oomph”.
3. He has average plate discipline.
Mahoney still has a smooth swing and can still hit with some pop, but the contact concerns have really grown. He is also fairly athletic for his size. The Marlins have nothing to lose by bringing him in, while the Orioles are probably not in the position to hold a spot on the 40-man for a player who needs to work out some kinks still. I am sad to see Mahoney go, but this could be a good thing for him. There is always an opportunity in the Marlins organization to find time at the MLB level.
Tucker Blair was born and raised in the Baltimore area and currently lives in Elkridge, Maryland. He graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a B.S in Entrepreneurial Studies and is currently a Project Analyst for a Management Consulting Firm in Federal Hill, Baltimore. Tucker was previously the Managing Editor at Orioles Nation, where he worked on prospect lists, reports, and analysis on the Orioles minor league system. He also previously wrote his personal blog, The EntreprenOriole.