T-Rat Talk: Robert Moore

In this edition of T-Rat Talk, Kyle Lobner's subject is infielder Robert Moore. Topics include the difference between college and pro baseball, staying ready to play every day, and what to do with a game after it's done.

A year ago at this time Timber Rattlers infielder and 2022 second round pick Robert Moore was starring in the College World Series, batting .353 with a .476 on-base and .529 slugging in five games for Arkansas on amateur baseball’s biggest stage. A year later, Moore has become one of Wisconsin’s most reliable contributors.

Moore endured a rough start at the plate with the Timber Rattlers but his bat has warmed up with the weather. He hit .278 with a .370 on-base percentage and .433 slugging in 24 games in June, and after Sunday’s game he had reached base safely in 20 consecutive contests.

“I think just the consistency of the season, you get more and more at bats every single day and you figure things out as the season goes on. It also helps that the weather is warm now,” Moore said. “But I think you just go through 100 at bats in the season where everything’s really good, 100 where everything’s really bad and then you get a couple hundred where you just have to grind it out.”

Through his first few months at the High-A level Moore has nearly always been on the field. He played in 68 of Wisconsin’s first 72 games, nine more than any other Timber Rattler.

“The biggest challenge I’ve learned in professional baseball is doing things each day to make sure your body’s ready to go and you can continue playing. The best ability is availability, so trying to make sure that all the soft tissue in your body is working so you’re not out a couple of weeks,” Moore said.

Being on the field as often as possible is nothing new for Moore, who played in 126 out of 130 possible games during his final two seasons at Arkansas. Last year he played 65 games for Arkansas in the spring, 31 more across two professional levels after being drafted, then went to Australia and played in 40 more during the winter. He said leading the Timber Rattlers in games played is “100%” a point of pride for him.

“I try to never ask for an off day or have my body need an off day. I am young, I’m 21 years old, so that helps a lot, but it takes a lot of discipline to make sure you’re ready to go. That’s something you can control. There are a lot of things in baseball you can’t, but you can control your routines and making sure that unless it’s a freak accident, that your body is healthy,” Moore said.

While playing nearly every day, however, Moore is adapting to a new style of baseball. Despite having played at the highest level in college, Moore described the professional game as being “completely different from college baseball in every way possible.”

“You get no breaks,” Moore said. “There’s no, ‘Ok, well tomorrow we’re facing a mid-week pitcher so we can pad our stats.’ There’s none of that. Everyone’s good. Everyone’s competitive. No matter where you’ve come from, it doesn’t matter anymore whether you’re the first rounder or the free agent signing, everyone has an equal playing field to get to the major leagues now.”

Bah gawd that's Bob Moore's music! pic.twitter.com/ABVAMcq7mz

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) April 15, 2022

While the schedule and depth of talent on professional teams has been a new experience for Moore, the style of play is also different. During Moore’s final season at Arkansas SEC teams averaged 7.08 runs per game and an .857 on-base plus slugging. Through Sunday’s games Midwest League teams were averaging 4.48 runs per game in 2023 with a .688 OPS.

That difference in run environment creates openings for a different strategy at the professional level. In a lower-scoring offensive environment, each extra base is worth a little more and taking a chance is worth the risk more often.

In his first few months with Wisconsin Moore has been much more likely to try to use his speed to challenge opposing defenses, both by stealing bases and attempting to advance further on balls in play. Across 142 games at Arkansas Moore attempted just 17 steals. He’s tried 22 in his first 68 games with Wisconsin.

“In college it’s a lot of base-to-base, kind of like micromanaging a little bit. So this is the first time where you can like, get out and try things for yourself. I’ve had some success, I’ve had some not so much success doing it, but it’s all learning right now,” Moore said.

Even if the game is different, however, Moore’s college career gave him lots of opportunities to play in high stakes environments in front of large crowds.

“College baseball is really fun, especially when you get to play in Friday night games in the SEC or regionals or super regionals or even Omaha,” Moore said. “There’s a lot of really fun moments. There’s a lot of things in college that are kind of ‘sink or swim.’ There’s a lot more leniency in professional baseball, at least in lower levels. But college baseball had a lot of fun moments and all experiences are probably good experiences when it comes to baseball, so I enjoyed my time.”

Robert Moore of @RazorbackBSB with the cycle! pic.twitter.com/kRDjkNQeW8

— College Baseball Hub (@CollegeBSBHub) March 31, 2021

When the time came to transition to the professional game, however, Moore also had significant experience in his family. His father, Dayton, is the former longtime general manager of the Kansas City Royals and now serves as a Senior Advisor of Baseball Operations for the Texas Rangers. As a child the younger Moore used to come to spring training and hit on the minor league fields with his dad after everyone else had gone home for the day.

“I never really took the time to really take it in as a kid. I probably wish I did a little bit. There’s a lot of things going on in baseball right now that I’m learning for the first time,” Moore said.

Moore said he talks to his dad on the phone “a couple times a day,” including nightly discussions of the day’s game.

“At the end of each day he’ll call and ask about our game, I’ll ask about his game, and we’ll talk through that, but most of the time it’s father-son conversation,” Moore said.

Moore has already experienced significant success in the first half with Wisconsin, but said the biggest thing he needs to work on in the second half is evening out the highs and lows.

“Just continue trying to find ways to be consistent, not having great weeks and bad weeks, trying to find a middle ground and just ride that out,” Moore said.

This ball is gonna get out of here! A home run for the Rattlers from Robert Moore! ⚾️🔥 #homerun #tratnation pic.twitter.com/RH0Qw9r6I1

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) May 21, 2023

During his 20-game on-base streak Moore has reached safely 39 times for a .419 on-base percentage. That roughly matches the goal he’s set for himself the rest of the way.

“Keep having good at bats, getting on base. I’m trying to get on base twice a game, whether that’s two hit by pitches, two walks or two hits, just get on base twice a game,” Moore said.

Next week a new crop of professional baseball players will follow in Moore’s shoes as they’re selected to teams in the MLB Draft. Looking back, Moore says the biggest piece of advice he would give himself for the first year of his pro career is to move on once each day is over.

“Don’t take your games to bed with you. That’s probably my one piece of advice,” Moore said.