MCO'sFan

He is so streaky that when he is in his funk he will be worse than the MIF we run out there.

I completely agree that scoring runs can help limit the high leverage situations and I am not suggesting that offense isn't important. I am just suggesting that I want MIF placeholders to be plus defenders above all else. If they hit well even better. But I'd have to say that watching the MIF guys we had last year (when Iggy wasn't playing SS) boot balls and sail throws had to pretty frustrating for the pitchers. Again, it comes down to one thing for me this year and that's to develop the young pitchers.

I am not much into oWAR but this is pretty interesting and easy to understand. Thanks for posting and congratulations, that must be very validating!.

That's not a bad comp as to the type of player I'd like to see acquired. But iirc his defense here wasn't great?

While I would agree under normal circumstances. I am not expecting this team to be exciting other than to see the progression (hopefully) of the young players and more specifically the pitchers. I completely agree that his offense stinks and I won't be watching this team to see Sanchez hit. I don't care about that until they are ready to compete. He IS a placeholder. Since we need placeholders at in the MIF I want them to be plus defenders above all else.

I really don't care how the SS hits. I want a plus (if not plus, plus) defender at SS to help our young pitchers. I was really looking forward to Iggy and SS and Sanchez at 2B. I am okay with the trade because it's the right long-term move. But I want great defense up the middle.

Not a bad idea. From the baseball side of things. I am not sure from the $ side of it. Depends on where his salary lands. I still would like to see Bannon get a shot.

Totally unrelated and unimportant side note. I had a guy named Eddie Rosario who played for me a few years ago. He was not good so for that reason alone, I say no!

IIRC his defense was pretty good over there at least average. His arm look a little suspect to me this year but to be fair, I got used to seeing Schoop and his cannon at 2B.

I agree that I would rather see Alberto there than Ruiz. My hope is that Bannon earns the job and they leave him there in order to see what they have. The more questions they can answer this year the quicker the rebuild will progress.

I really like this deal. As I have said many times, this you should be about the young pitching and GG caliber defense up the middle is a big plus. I hope they keep him at 2B and come up with an acceptable player for 3B. This is what they should've done a catcher. Sign a plus defensive catcher and dumped Severino.

I have no issue with the DH being rotated through. My issue is that Severino for 1.8M is not a good decision either from a baseball sense or a $ one. He is inconsistent offensively and defensively. You never know what you are going to get on any given day. This year should be mainly about establishing the young pichers which is primarily how the Os will be successful in the rebuild. You can get a really good defensive catcher for 1.8 and they would actually help the pitchers and not hurt them. While overall Severino's defense may be average but when he's bad... he's extremely bad. That's not a good way to support the young pitchers. My point regards to Nunez is that the Severino decision seems inconsistent with it.

I agree with everything here... it must be that they have little to no confidence in Sisco. Assuming that is correct then I would have rather had them release/non tender both of them and sign a low dollar defense first guy who could actually help the young pitchers. They could've signed a really good one for 1.8M. Wynns would be fine as a back up for now. If it is truly a gap to AR then it's a waste of money. This year (IMO) should be all about establishing the young pitchers and figuring out who will stick in the outfield. They've done a good job with the MIF defense (assuming they hang on to Sanchez and dump Alberto). I like offense as much as anybody but, to me it is a secondary concern to the pitching.

I am pretty disappointed with this decision. I also think it is inconsistent to some degree with the Nunez decision. I guess his defense is okay overall but I am just tired of watching him sleep behind the plate and miss pitches that rookie ball catchers should be blocking. Heck, when he is in his funk he even wiffs on strikes. I was hoping to give Sisco more ABs and going with a cheap catch and throw guy as a backup. 1.8M is fine but he is easily replaced for league minimum IMHO.

These are decent/realistic projections.

You are probably correct in saying that the slash lines are pessimistic but call it the "Crush Davis" or "true outcome" effect but I have the sinking feeling that these guys will sacrifice contact for power. I think we saw that this past year in a SSS. I hope I am wrong because both have the potential to be exciting players. If everything clicks for them they could be 5 tool guys to some degree. I just feel like the hit tool isn't going to develop as the defense, arm and speed tools have.

I guess I just see them both guys that get hurt pretty regularly and I've seen enough of those guys who continue to be guys who get hurt pretty regularly. I hope that I am wrong because they both could be solid players who can be used in a trade or make other prospects/players available to be used.

I don't mean to be a downer but I expect Hayes to play good defense, hit .250/.310 OBP with 9 HR's before getting hurt and missing a large part of the season. I expect Santander to play good defense, hit .225/.275 OBP with 25 HR and miss about 4-6 weeks with various injuries.

From a baseball perspective cutting Nunez before Davis is maddening and stupid but, there is a big difference. They can't get out of paying Davis but, they can Nunez. If fact, without having to pay Davis they may have kept Nunez. The O's are still feeling the sting of PA's mismanagement of the team and they will until 2037 or whenever they finish off paying Davis.

I would like to see Sanchez stay and have a strong MIF for the young pitchers. Like Frobby said, there's no way he gets 4M in arbitration. I want Severino, Ruiz and Alberto gone. I've seen enough of them. Keep Sisco and Wynns or some other catch and throw guy. This year should be about establishing the young pitchers. You need good defense in order to do that. Having Alberto, Severino, Stewart, Ruiz etc on the field will be a detriment. Second priority should be figuring out which of the young outfielders are legit and using the others as org depth or trade for anything you can get. I would like to see them add International slots, competitive balance picks or young international players.

We agree on something!

Don't get me wrong... I think he was a terrible owner when looking at his time as a whole. But there have been worse. Frank McCourt - Dodgers, Fred Wilpons - Mets, Mecom - Saints Culverhouse - Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I would argue that Jacobs was a worse owner for the O's he just didn't own them long. IMHO

PA spent plenty of money especially early on in his ownership. They were consistently top 10 in payroll until the money just got hughly stupid and the Albert Belle injury. Dan Snyder is BY FAR the worst owner of a sports franchise in the last quarter century. PA has not been great but I am not sure he even makes my top (or bottom, depending upon one's perspective) 5

I like the idea of signing one low end guy for a little bit of a safety net but the lion's share of the innings needs to go to our prospects.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out with Appy league and NY Penn league moving to college summer ball. What influence will MLB have on college coaches and players steering them to these new leagues and how they will respond. I coach in the Cal Sr. league and while we get some really good young players most players jump to the cape as soon as they can.