AnythingO's

Not until Super 2 date sometime in mid-June but I know you already know that. ME is playing some game we are not seeing with AAAA rehab guys not being promoted even when they are performing and there is need. He goes out and gets another. I wonder what the prospects are thinking?

Something wrong with Kjerstad's numbers. He finished April at: .284 .392 .612 His OBP never got below .371 (May 3) on any day in May. However, his May line is: .313 .364 .545 These are from Bowie site. Maybe I'm reading something wrong but if you start May at .392 OBP and never get below .371 OBP on any day, you can't finish at .364 OBP. Same thing with SLG, started at .612 and was never below .580 any day in May, he can't get to .545 overnight May 31 he was at: .301 .376 .572

OK call it a teeter totter or a see saw or better yet, a pendulum (this is B'More after all), then we can put the offender in the Pit but just until the blade grazes the City uniform enough that it can be destroyed.

I can't believe I (he) ate the whole thing.

That's a brave smile, thanks for the update.

Sorry for the late response but absent a "new" injury or setback, you are going to have to tell me how they could have kept him on the IL or extended his rehab period cause I really don't know how they could, absent pothole of course.

His time was up and there wasn't another injury setback. I don't think they had a choice, other than pothole IL injury.

So O'Hearn as PH and backup 1B vs Diaz who is good defensively, Frazier, Vavra, and O'Hearn as COF vs Cameron, even before the Hicks signing, not using the Norfolk shuttle to keep the BP fresh (Akin, Baker, Baumann, Irvin, Zimm, other 1-inning guys) with Capt. Hook's usage pattern. Kjerstad banging on Norfolk 1B-DH door is blocked, Westburg banging on MLB door is blocked. Why did we collect all these players if we won't use them when a need arises (Mullins, fried BP)?

I'm not trying to get out of paying him, I just want to get him off the roster so he can get in playing shape whether it is conditioning or shaking off the rust. If we can get him fixed in AAA he can be a valuable asset later this year.

So with decreased stuff and a $5M contract why not try to push him to Norfolk? If he clears he can get in shape there and we can promote another arm to eat innings, preferably with an option.

This captures my thoughts better than I could, "scattershot", undefined roles. Perez and Baker were used successfully to setup Bautista after Lopez trade. This year Cano steps up and we have 2 closers but Cano is used as setup role. Perez and Baker get pushed to earlier innings and are less effective. Coincidence or correlation? Baker, Bauman, Akin have options as do Irvin, Zimm, and other 1-inning guys at Norfolk but the Norfolk shuttle isn't being used despite Hyde burning guys up. You bring in Hicks when you have Cameron performing in AAA. You try a host of guys as backup 1B while you have Diaz performing at AAA. Vavra is redundant with Urias and is no COF. The roster construction is a quandary even before you get to the real prospects knocking on the door. Maybe ME is saving bullets for the trade deadline, maybe.....

OK, both you and Eddie read what I wrote as if I had a sense of urgency, that's not my point at all. I don't give a crap about Hicks vs Cameron or Diaz vs O'Hearn. I'm trying to figure out ME's "process". Why pickup and rehabilitate guys like Diaz and Cameron, both only age 26 with some MLB experience, if you aren't going to use them when a need arises? They want a backup 1B, have tried Santander, O'Hearn and others. They lack an OF and have used Frazier, Vavra, O'Hearn in COF spots. Why use misfit guys in places they have no experience when you have experienced guys for those positions in AAA and playing well? Mullins goes down they pickup Hicks, fine, but they were already talking to Hicks before Mullins went down, why? Is ME constantly trying to find rehab projects? To what end? Does ME want a juggernaut in AAA with productive vets showing the prospects how professionals prepare, kinda Crash for Nuke? I doubt Diaz and Cameron are thought of as prospects higher than Westburg, Ortiz, Cowser, and Kjerstad so are they trade bait if you are unwilling to promote them? I can't see the logic of Hyde playing Vavra and the vets out of position when you are trying to win while you have viable players at AAA.

I believe @Tony-OH described him as too cool for school, so yeah.

Agree, but are Cameron or a healthy Haskins likely to be better? Honest question, not a strawman. I'm just incapable of finding a logic for ME's roster moves (Hicks vs Cameron). Maybe he sees Cameron as the next McKenna so he doesn't want to chance losing him now?????

I agree but with a caveat, Hyde will make it worse by his mis-management using his vets in places they shouldn't be (Frazier RF, McCann DH, Hicks anywhere). Compounded by burning out the BP.

Or how about the 2nd game in ATL on Saturday, 8th inning, up by 1, but neither Bautista nor Cano were available because Hyde, pre-game, decided to save both for Sunday. Both had pitched Thursday, Bautista for 30+ pitches but he hadn't pitched in 4 days prior to that. Cano for 12 pitches I believe. Game in hand, don't use either of your best because of Hyde decision ahead of time. That's on Hyde, not the Sig-bot. The man treats everyone like a 1-ining pitcher and has no patience for his long men. Voth shouldn't be there because he takes too long to get going. He should start or be traded, that's on ME, but Hyde IMHO misuses Voth.

So CLE manager is as competent as Hyde with Vavra, Frazier in RF vs an actual COF?? I know, ME PROMISED during the negotiations so that's why Hyde does it, but that don't freakin explain Vavra.

Just watch, Hicks catches fire and Hyde will beg ME to keep him in 2024.

Yeah, you need to include O'Hearn (1B) vs Diaz (ME), McCann playing out of position (Hyde), making every reliever a 1-inning guy (Hyde), playing Vavra & Frazier in RF over Stowers (Hyde), you get the point. We have highly-ranked prospects banging on the door (Westburg) with no place to play because of ME & Hyde. We go out and give a MLB contract to frickin Hicks vs using Cameron. Ortiz can't stay up because of Vavra??? really???

Ok, I am not arguing your point, of course he needs depth, but to what end? Is Cameron a potential 4th or 5th OF for the O's but ME doesn't want to take the chance on losing him right now? ME said they were talking to Hicks before the Mullins injury, why? Is endless accumulation of AAAA players the end goal? He already had 4 getting significant ABs at Norfolk, one is 29, another is 28 (O'Hearn, Lester). That is almost 1/3 of the 13 position players. But Cameron and Diaz are only 26 so maybe ME sees more upside? O'Hearn as a PH works as he is fungible and 3B (Lester) is already covered. Those two I get, but giving ABs at 1B to Santander and others vs promoting Diaz makes no sense. Diaz is a plus fielder and you are grooming Kjerstad at AA for 1B. He has done everything with the bat you could ask starting with AFL thru ST, thru AA. Bringing in Hicks on a MLB contract vs promoting Cameron, makes no sense. Worst case Cameron fails and will pass thru DFA or you let him go. ME did that with Phillips last year. Does ME need to constantly try to find diamonds in the rough? How long before the real prospects get their chances, like Cowser, Ortiz, Westburg, not the marginal rookies like Vavra, Stowers? Kjerstad, Mayo, Prieto, Fabian, Wagner, Beavers are going to need a spot to move to before the year is out. Hording only works so long.

I get what you mean but why Hicks instead of Cameron who is playing well at Norfolk? Is his future value more than a 5th OF? If "Getting a chance to play" is a plausible selling point, don't you have to show current examples when the need arises?

Not really, but if Hicks sticks around after either Stowers or Cowser are ready, yeah maybe. Bigger question is why collect those ex-MLB guys at AAA if you are afraid to use them when a need arises? Is ME treating them like they have some future trade value, or does he really care about AAA record, or what? I truly have no idea but he went thru some serious gyrations the previous off season hording catchers and then gave almost 200 ABs to Chirinos and then gets McCann. He brings up Stowers last year, who was doing well, but then plays Vavra in RF over Stowers. He brings in guys like Aguilar and Phillips and gives them ABs at DH that could go to prospects. I don't see the process or end game in these moves, lots of movement but what is gained if you have Cameron but decide to get Hicks? What is gained when you have Diaz and try Santader at 1B, a position he had never played?

If you deliberately collect ex-MLB guys like O'Hearn, Lester, Diaz, Cameron, "rehabilitate" them so they are being productive at AAA, then why, when a need arises, don't you use your in-house option? Instead, you go out and collect another ex-MLB guy to further block your prospects and your already rehabilitated guys. If the answer is hire Hicks, then you are asking the wrong question. I fear the extent of this Mullins injury is unknown but far worse than they are letting on.

Right now Urias has more value to us and as a trade chip but IF, and it's a BIG IF, Mateo has another 4-6 week heater in June-July, that would be 3 heaters in basically 1 season. Combined with his defense and speed Mateo might have greater trade potential. As Palmer said, if Mateo could hit, the O's couldn't afford him. I don't think ME or Sig know which the real Mateo is yet. He is clearly trying to remake his bat, the end result is still in question, at least for me.

This exactly, that Hicks was even being considered at all before the injury says ME is still building the base, raising the floor, creating the depth. Why have Camerom and Diaz in Norfolk if you are afraid to promote them when they are going well? Haven't we been auditioning folks at 1B while an above average guy with MLB experience, is hitting in Norfolk? Why couldn't Diaz get O'Hearn-Santander 1B ABs? Now ME repeats the process with Cameron-Hicks.