Travis Snider and the 2016 Roster

While the Travis Snider acquisition is not a major move, it's one that has the potential to pay off big in 2015. One underrated aspect of this move is what it does for us in 2016. Many have mentioned is two years of control as a plus, but I wanted to dive a little deeper into what that second year of control means for the club moving forward. It's pretty clear that DD values roster flexibility in a big way. After next year, it is very likely that we will lose a bunch of guys to FA, many of them getting a QO:

Davis

Wieters

Chen

Norris

Pearce

Similarly, if the Orioles stink in 2015, those guys might be traded at the deadline for a pretty good return. I certainly hope we are in contention, and believe that this team is a 90-win-caliber team, so I'm thinking more in terms of losses to FA here. Anyway, if we hypothetically lose all of these guys, the FO should have a fair amount of money to play with, but the addition of Snider really rounds out a potential 2016 OD roster so that we would not HAVE to make a move if there is nothing of quality available.

OF: Travis Snider

CF: Adam Jones

OF: Dariel Alvarez

4OF: David Lough

C: Caleb Joseph

1B: Christian Walker

2B: Jonathan Schoop

3B: Manny Machado

SS: JJ Hardy

UT: Ryan Flaherty

SP: Chris Tillman

SP: Kevin Gausman

SP: Dylan Bundy

SP: Miguel Gonzalez

SP: Ubaldo Jimenez

CL: Zach Britton

Obviously, we do not know what Alvarez and Walker will bring at the MLB level, but both are at AAA and knocking on the door. I hope we are able to bring back one (or both) of Davis/Wieters, as I really like both of them. Similarly, I'm not praying that we do not do anything and keep the roster above for 2016 OD. That being said, there really isn't any glaring hole that jumps out at me and causes panic. We should be able to supplement that with one big signing and have a team that can continue to compete in 2016 and beyond.

Even if they let everyone go, that's not too bad a roster. I would hope in that situation that they look for a starting catcher and a big bat that can DH. The Orioles are in good shape for a couple years at least.

Even if they let everyone go, that's not too bad a roster. I would hope in that situation that they look for a starting catcher and a big bat that can DH. The Orioles are in good shape for a couple years at least.

Not that I'm disagreeing or anything. But it's ironic how some (myself included) think the current roster while getting healthier might not be "good enough" yet, the possibility of losing that list of guys and still having a good roster that is still able to contend with just a couple of right moves is funny and sexy. I do like the way the team is set up/built.

With that being said, I still feel Cruz should be an O. But I guess it's time to stop talking about water under the bridge.

Even if they let everyone go, that's not too bad a roster. I would hope in that situation that they look for a starting catcher and a big bat that can DH. The Orioles are in good shape for a couple years at least.

Yea DH was the one thing that popped out at me, but a guy like bay leaf should suffice at the very least.

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The A.L. East is certainly up for grabs this year. I think we have a shot with the team we have now. It should be an exciting year.

The A.L. East is certainly up for grabs this year. I think we have a shot with the team we have now. It should be an exciting year.

If we can avoid injuries, I think we have the best team in the AL East from top to bottom.

I'm super excited about this year. My OP was thinking about the potential impacts on 2016 of this move, that it gives us a roster that we could pretty easily field a team without additional moves having to be made.

I think that Travis Snider is a great addition to our team. I looked at his numbers and I think that he may be worth more than many of those expensive FAs. Plus he's younger.

I, much like you, am intrigued by that potential 2016 roster. I certainly would want DD to do his best to add to that and retain one of MW/CD but at the same time, I see an offense that appears to be built on the solid core of Adam, Manny and Schoop and a rotation led by Tillman and two very high ceiling young guys.

I've always been a fan of teams that are built with a window that never closes and I think this is a classic example (getting way ahead of myself here because this is 2016 we're talking about).

If we can avoid injuries, I think we have the best team in the AL East from top to bottom.

I'm super excited about this year. My OP was thinking about the potential impacts on 2016 of this move, that it gives us a roster that we could pretty easily field a team without additional moves having to be made.

Not that I'm disagreeing or anything. But it's ironic how some (myself included) think the current roster while getting healthier might not be "good enough" yet, the possibility of losing that list of guys and still having a good roster that is still able to contend with just a couple of right moves is funny and sexy. I do like the way the team is set up/built.

With that being said, I still feel Cruz should be an O. But I guess it's time to stop talking about water under the bridge.

Hah its people just drinking the Kool-aid. Serioulsy - Losing Davis, Wieters, Pearce, Norris, O'Day, etc. and we are OK... We are going to take a huge hit and it will take a few years to really recover from it.

Hah its people just drinking the Kool-aid. Serioulsy - Losing Davis, Wieters, Pearce, Norris, O'Day, etc. and we are OK... We are going to take a huge hit and it will take a few years to really recover from it.

Who is drinking kool-aid...? I think it's been mentioned multiple times that the roster above isn't ideal as the final 2016 OD roster, it simply appears to be a solid code that could be supplemented.

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Who is drinking kool-aid...? I think it's been mentioned multiple times that the roster above isn't ideal as the final 2016 OD roster, it simply appears to be a solid code that could be supplemented.

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No. I don't know if you can compare the core of: Jones, Davis, Wieters, Machado, and Hardy we have had the past seasons to just Jones, Hardy, Schoop, and Machado.

You can't lose that many guys and still expect to be a contendor. Not to say thats a bad thing - the younger guys (Bundy, Alvarez, and Walker) will need to develop into quality major leaguers which will be exciting to watch but they will all have some growing pains.

Hah its people just drinking the Kool-aid. Serioulsy - Losing Davis, Wieters, Pearce, Norris, O'Day, etc. and we are OK... We are going to take a huge hit and it will take a few years to really recover from it.

It's going to be interesting to see how we fill all those holes. There are not a lot of free agents out there who are as good or better than the guys we'll be losing. So yes, I think it is likely we will be downgrading at several spots. I still think we can be competitive with a rotation of Tillman, Gonzalez, Jimenez, Gausman and Bundy, a bullpen anchored by Britton, and a lineup that includes Jones, Machado, Hardy and Schoop. But there will be a lot of work to do to fill in at the other spots.

It's going to be interesting to see how we fill all those holes. There are not a lot of free agents out there who are as good or better than the guys we'll be losing. So yes, I think it is likely we will be downgrading at several spots. I still think we can be competitive with a rotation of Tillman, Gonzalez, Jimenez, Gausman and Bundy, a bullpen anchored by Britton, and a lineup that includes Jones, Machado, Hardy and Schoop. But there will be a lot of work to do to fill in at the other spots.

Yes. Exactly. I am not trying to be a Debbie Downer and all. The lineup is going to have a lot of turnover. We may even make some moves for some guys at the deadline too. I think we def try to find a young good catcher if we can't extend Wieters.

You can't compare the core of AJ, CD, MW, Manny and JJ to the 2nd group. When the first group is firing on all cylinders, it's even harder to make an intelligent comparison. But many of those guys were injured and/or underperforming last season and they still managed to put together above average offensive output.

I guess the only thing you said that I really take objection to is "You can't lose that many guys and still expect to be a contender." I think as long as Manny and Schoop continue along their career trajectories, the loss of CD, MW, and Pearce can be offset by growth of the young guys and a bump in the rotation strength. Obviously this is an optimistic view. Some could certainly make a case that there's just too much talent departing to overcome.

No. I don't know if you can compare the core of: Jones, Davis, Wieters, Machado, and Hardy we have had the past seasons to just Jones, Hardy, Schoop, and Machado.

You can't lose that many guys and still expect to be a contendor. Not to say thats a bad thing - the younger guys (Bundy, Alvarez, and Walker) will need to develop into quality major leaguers which will be exciting to watch but they will all have some growing pains.

There is a boatload of TOR SP in next year's FA. Maybe that would be the time to sign one and trade some of our young SP for a bat or two?