2016 25th Round Pick - Will Toffey - 3B - Vanderbilt

Holy Rio Ruiz, Batman!

Well good thing I didn’t say he had great command every time. That said, he’s not going to have that level of success (and I don’t just means runs allowed) without having good to great command most of the time.

Sophomore slump deemed rough enough for Jordan Walker to need a reset even after a pretty good 2023.  

I want to answer this with a caution that I am not an agent or an executive with actual contracts and how they work.  My understanding comes from reading on line with the recent CBA and how MiLB contracts work... but my understanding may not be 100% correct but I think I am in the right room... Couple clarifications:  MLB roster is the 26 man.  Not the 40 man.  My understanding is players that get added to the 40 Man do not get the automatic minimum salary until they are placed on the 26 man.  When a player (Banuelos) in this conversation was added last week to 26 man roster (he was added because he was in town on Taxi Squad... not because he was/is next man up... but this is my opinion).  As a result, he was 'selected' from Norfolk and it is a different/new contract than his MiLB contract and likely at minimum salary of $740,000 per season or $4,568 per game (162 games).  He actually got the 1 AB so if he never plays in an MLB game again, he is one of a small number that can actually say he played in an MLB game.  When the O's DFA'd him, they basically released him from his contract.  Since no other team selected him to add to their 40 man roster, he in essence became a free agent again.  The O's offered him a spot back on Norfolk which he accepted.  This would be a new contract at the $60,300 minimum salary.   Instead of being sent to Norfolk, he is assigned back to the Taxi Squad and flies to LA.  Hays goes down.  Again... he is there so the O's select him and add him to the 26 man roster for Monday's game.  He earns his 2nd game pay day and 2nd MLB contract. This time... they Option him back to Norfolk.  So he is on the 40 man.  But now his minimum salary is $120,600.   More than likely when the O's need a pitcher that isn't on the 40 man or another position player, Banuelos will be DFA'd to make room again because the likelyhood he gets selected by another team is low.  This happened with Bemboom, Godoy, Kolosvary all last year.  They all came back to the Tides after DFA until end of year.  A couple other catchers that were selected off of other DFAs and then were bumped of 40 man chose Free Agency before they even showed up to Baltimore or Norfolk. For Banuelos... he goes from making $1200 a week in season to roughly $5,480 a week.  This is a serious case of right place right time and also likely a 'financial thank you' for not complaining about being on the taxi squad rather than getting playing time in Norfolk.  Any team that signs Banuelos moving forward will have to pay this minimum salary if/when they sign him. I don't know the exact formula but for players that had good time in the majors the season before signing an MilB contract get a guaranteed minimum based on what they earned the previous year.  So players have a good chance of making more than $120K while they look for next opportunity to play in MLB. My gut is telling me that Perez was Taxi the first week because McCann had a something tweek at the end of ST.  in 2023, Bemboom got about a month in the majors while McCann worked back from a ST injury.  This was likely the plan if McCann couldn't work thru it (which he did) so Perez went to Norfolk the following week when D.B. took the taxi spot. So at this point, Perez is earning his $120K+ minimum and likely has an Opt out at some point this year.  Likely around the July 30 trade deadline.  Banuelos is earning his $120K minimum and will be patient.  Handley is earning AAA minimum and is under control thru next year.  I don't believe that the O's are going to be put in a short term situation that puts Handley on the 26 man that may result in a DFA and exposure.

I hope Elias and Adley have as much success together as Belichick and Brady before in the long run of time baseball probably creates some data what happens with one but not the other. I do really enjoy Elias having grown up with OPACY before the Nats, and hope he'll be around for the long haul.   I think chances are at least decent there, but I do also think Mike Elias vs. the field might be an interesting prop bet if Hal Steinbrenner ever lets go of huckleberry Brian Cashman. From Sig interviews, I'm pretty sure he'll stick with Elias as long as he is able. I guess POBO Eve Rosenbaum here could be fun if succession ever became necessary.

And, the Opening Poster was clearly rushed to this message board, had a huge swing and a miss, and needs to be sent down to reset.

Lost in the cut play was that HJ got no help from Holliday who hesitated as if he had to cover the bag (he's not a 2b yet).   HJ made a poor throw but Holliday has to be in the correct position for the cut-not running and expecting the RF to pick him up.  Palmer thought they had a play at second but with Holliday hesitating and not lined up he would have to catch the ball then set and then throw against his momentum which isn't easy.  Not excusing the poor throw but the execution of the throw is a lot easier if the first cut in lined up correctly and not still moving.