Trey talk: Mancini looks to improve on his leadership

While some fans around Birdland often wonder if Trey Mancini will be involved in trade talks this winter, we seem to be getting a different message from the team.

The Orioles are obviously thrilled with the season Mancini has had and they respect his leadership. But even though he's had such a strong year, there is a thought that he may even be capable of more, both on offense and with his leadership in the clubhouse.

Manager Brandon Hyde has talked with Mancini recently about hitting the ball less on the ground and driving more balls in the air to do even more damage. This year, per Fangraphs stats, Mancini has hit the ball in the air 32.1 percent compared to 26.5 last year and 29.7 in 2017.

"You can misconstrue that we mean to lift the ball or try to hit a fly ball," Hyde said. "It means getting a pitch you can drive in the air on a line. Or that he can stay behind and not get jammed (to hit a grounder) to the shortstop or third baseman. Or chase a slider down and away that you can't do anything with. But a mindset of going gap-to-gap and trying to hit a three iron over the center-field wall naturally puts you in a mindset of 'These are pitches I can do that with and I'll lay off anything you can't.' So the Trey-getting-the-ball-in-the-air thing is more of an approach. Not trying to lift the ball, but getting pitches that he can drive. Going forward into spring training, this is a 40-plus home run guy, especially in our ballpark if he is just able to lay off the pitcher's pitches, especially early in the count."

Mancini is batting .291/.362/.535 with 38 doubles, two triples, 34 homers, 104 runs, 172 hits, 94 RBIs and with an OPS of .897.

In the American League through Wednesday's games, he ranks 11th in runs and doubles, tied for 11th in homers, 12th in hits and tied for 12th in RBIs. He's 14th in both slugging and OPS.

Mancini has been a strong leader on the team but said he wants to expand his mode of leadership to include being more vocal if he feels it's needed.

"I'm definitely more a lead-by-example type," Mancini said during the Toronto series. "I'll say some things if I really need to. But moving forward, I think I can take on more of a vocal role. I did that before, in high school my senior year. Same thing my junior year in college. I've done it before. Obviously, this is a much bigger stage than that, but I do have experience doing that, and I'm not afraid to be a little more vocal. That is my goal, really, going into next year, to try to develop in that role."

Mancini said he has done some learning on the fly during his three seasons in the majors about leadership.

"A little bit. We all know it has happened quick for me. I was rookie two years ago and now we have so many guys getting their first taste of the majors or they came over from other teams and haven't been here as long as I have. I kind of realized, especially recently here in September, with 36 guys here, I probably need to step up even a little bit more.

"I think it's sometimes having difficult conversations with guys if you really need to. Which hasn't been the case this month - nothing really I needed to say or have any uncomfortable talks with guys. You know, throughout the whole season, I'm sure at some point you will. So you have to step out of your comfort zone a bit and not be afraid to speak up if you need to."

Mancini disagreed with one take, that maybe Hyde wants him to be more vocal because there is a void for that on the Orioles.

"No, I think, C.D. (Chris Davis), especially this past month with a lot of guys coming up, has been very vocal. You know, we definitely have a vocal presence on the team. (Mychal) Givens and (Richard) Bleier, with the bullpen especially, but the pitchers in general, they are pretty vocal. So, I don't think there is that void on the team."

Mancini sees the prospect of becoming more outspoken not as changing anything drastically about his role or trying to be something he is not or can't be.

"I still want to be the same guy," he said. "Want all my teammates to respect me and think highly of me. That should be anybody's goal as a teammate. You know, that is what I'm hoping to do going forward."