There is an adjustment, though with shifts these days it seems you have to be comfortable playing 3B, SS, & 2B, and RF. I think when the Orioles called up Machado, he had been a full-time SS the whole way and then was asked to play 3B in the majors.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Orioles have left 44 runners on and struck out 37 times in two <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> wins.</p>— PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/735671153696509952">May 26, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That was because they had a gold glove SS already at the position in Hardy.... also he became a gold glove 3B almost instantly, without extra reps in the minors. Now, with Hardy hurt, he's back to being the SS. Its a little different to ask Correa to switch for a minor leaguer vs. asking Machado to switch due to a gold glove MLB player.
Yes, but rather than bring him up and immediately put him at a position he did not play in high school, college or the minors, it would be a good idea to get him some experience. The ball gets at you quicker. Angle of most throws is different. Postioning is different. Foot work is different. Mental approach is different.
I heard he'd played 3B before... and so far hasn't really shown much of a learning curve issue. And with the shifts they employ, the 3B finds himself as the SS often enough. Also, the Machado example above counters this line of thinking... as he stepped in, never having played 3B before, and became a gold glove 3B.
Machado did get 2 games at 3B in the minor leagues. Regardless, it is not unusual to get a guy some reps at a position he hasn't played before throwing him into a major league lineup.
Seems he has a lengthy slump every year. He has hit a number of balls right on the nose, but right at fielders. In addition he drove a ball to deep center field as well as deep right center field.
If he were striking out more I would, but as already mentioned, he has made some good contact that has found fielders. I will say that he has looked a little less patient recently - more first pitch swinging. We saw that a lot last year but not so much this year.
The biggest reason he's not up? He doesn't even have 400 professional at bats yet. We promoted Altuve straight from AA, but he had over 1,300 pro at bats before he came up to the show. Yes, he's crushing AA pitching and needs to be called up to Fresno. But I think we should let him get a little more used to the daily grind of pro ball before we call him up the show.
