Tony-OH

Let's be clear here, until they came to Baltimore, they didn't ship off or trade anyone. They were not in anything other than advisory positions to the GM who made the trades in the other organizations. Saying that, I do think Sig is on record as saying he's a hoarder of minor league talent.

Not EVERYONE is saying it's terrible. I think he some throwing accuracy issues. So did a lot of players early in their careers.

Steve, always @Tony-OH me if you want my attention, especially if in another less used forum.

Anyone else getting 403 errors?

Well what do you know, I have them turn off all the advertising and suddenly no 403 errors. Ugghh

Perhaps an adjustment to the mean? Perhaps just a bad start?

Oy Westy... C'mon man.

Actually they stopped for about week and came back today. Trust me I'm not happy either and I'm working again to solve.

That was about a foot or two to the right of being a 3-0, 6-4-3 DP. Thankfully made it through.

Ok, fair, but tell me why. So you are telling me a team with Mayo at 3B, Westburg at 2B and Skubel as part of a rotation this year, next year, and the year after does not give the team better chance than Westburg at 3B, Holliday at 2B, and Kremer or Suarez on the mound for game 3? I'm sorry, I like me some Holliday, but the Orioles have internal assets that can make up for Holliday while they have no one to make up for Skubel unless they plan to make significant trades and sign an impact starter this offseason, which of course will be too late for this year. Now, in the same vain, would I trade Basallo instead of Holliday in a trade for Skubel. Yes, yes I would for the same reasons. Mayo is the one that gives me pause, but I could not say I would either I guess. Skubel makes this organization better and gives them a better chance to win the World Series over the next three years. More of a chance than the Big-3, even if none of us want to see any of them go.

You can hate, but its true. You trade from your strength for your weaknesses. Holliday is not the best prospects in baseball anymore and that nomenclature means nothing in reality. I know it's tough for some of you to let go of your heart strings and think that it might be in the best interest of the team to let a top prospects be moved, but you move them for young retainable IMPACT players/pitcher when you re ready to compete for a World Series. We have to HOPE Holliday is an impact player. We know Skubel is already.

He's capable of playing 2B. He's going to be a great player. He's not the difference between this current team or the next few years of teams winning a World Series or not. Skubel could be.

I'm not saying it's not a valid way to go, but are you saying that you are ok with not acquiring an impact arm at the trading deadline? You are fine with rolling what they got?

Of course, as always, take these stats with a giant grain of salt. we've seen guys put up good stats in the DSL only to absolutely crap the bed in the states in the FCL or usually, in Delmarva where you really can start determining who the prospects are out of the group. They are fine to follow, and the good ones will be in the 75 list because a prospect with no true evaluation marks and good stats is always better than a guy you've evaluated at higher levels and know they are not going to be anything but an up/down guy at best. I will say that it's nice to see Stiven Martinez doing well. The Orioles have not had a great record of their high bonus guys getting off to good starts. Martinez though has the frame to drool over at 16-years old, so if he can pick up spin at higher levels, I think that power has a chance to develop as he gets older.

That is what I get for looking at Frobby's weird combination of stats by putting K/BB after K/9 instead of the commonly used BB/9.

There is always risk in trading. The better the player a team wants, the more risk they have to incur.

Very true. Pitchers are always big injury risks.

I begrudgingly would because the Orioles are in a World Series or bust window and Skubel is more of a need than Holliday. I also think the Orioles can internally replace Holliday easier than a ace-type pitcher which they don't have in the system currently.

I agree. I have no desire to move Holliday, but I realize it will hurt to get a Skubel. I think the Orioles are happier with Westburg at 3B and Holliday at 2B vs Mayo at 3B and Westburg at 2B defensively and that could allow them to let Mayo go in Skubel trade. But I tell ya, I think Mayo is going to a very special power bat and would much rather give up a Kjerstad (plus much better additional prospects) or damn, I don't want to say it, a Basallo instead. The Orioles though have a huge need for starting pitching this season, and ESPECIALLY the next few seasons and Skubel helps that if he stays healthy.

Personally I think this is to give McDermott a look at the major league level to know how bad of a starting pitching need they have.

Yeah, I tried to delete the Povich thing but was getting the dreaded 403 errors again.

I think Holliday is going to be an excellent player. I don't want to trade him. However, I would consider trading him for Skubel because Skubel brings something this teams needs now and will need over the next two years when he's team controlled. It has NOTHING to do with his 34 plate appearances. That gets overused as an excuse as to why people would be willing to trade him. What team is better this year? The one with Skubel in the rotation starting game 2 or 3 in the playoffs with Mayo at 3B and Westburg at 2B. Or the one with Kremer starting game three with Westburg at 3B and Holliday at 2b? I'll take the team with Skubel. I'm only trading Holliday for young controllable ace because it fits a bigger need. It does not mean I don't like Holliday as a player. I just realize you have to give up something special to get something special. The real question is in what order are your willing give up of the Big-3 or IF you are willing to move one of the big-3? I'll be honest, I think Basallo is going to be a special hitter and I KNOW Mayo is going to be one. I think Holliday is going to be a Adley Rutschman type hitter more than a Gunnar type because he's not as physical as Gunnar. So the question is what can you do without? If the team sees both Basallo and Mayo as first baseman, then you move one of them since they become redundant. If they think Mayo will be fine at 3B, then Westburg moves to 2B which means Holliday becomes redundant unless he moves to CF. No one should be off limits for a young controllable ace, but clearly there are layers to this due to how they access the eventual defensive home of Mayo and Basallo.

Chayce McDermott was placed on the Orioles taxi squad and the Orioles have Wednesday's starter down as TBA. I imagine this is a good indication he'll start Wednesday.

Very interesting. Most of the Taxi squad pitchers have typically been promoted to the 26-man shortly thereafter. The Orioles have a TBA for the starter on Wednesday. Looks like that could be his debut.

They seem to be babying Morfe a bit. The command must not be very good with the 5.8 BB/9, but he's clearly got some stuff or velocity to work with due to the K/9. I agree though, Morfe is the best pitching prospects down there and his numbers were better.