LookinUp

Take a different look at this. Should you throw away the opportunity to get an extra year of control for a pitcher who might in theory one day make $40 million/year, particularly if you only lose ~1 month of struggling time with him on the major league team, just because of his reputation? I know nobody likes to play service time games, but Elias would almost be derelict in his duties not to in this situation, IMO. If personalities are hurt, he'll have to prove it with guys like Gunnar/Adley by finally paying someone who's earning it.

If it's not primary, isn't it secondary?

Sure it did, but it wasn't the primary motivation. I think they'd rather Rodriguez look like the #1 pitcher prospect and force his way into the rotation.

Nope. It's a happy byproduct.

Yeah, but your rationale was that Elias was going to try to gain another year of control, not that he simply wouldn't earn a spot yet.

Mountcastle wouldn't be the worst outcome in the world, for sure. He rakes. Just isn't a great OBP guy. Plus being a LHH, that will play up in Baltimore. But yeah, the OBP is something to watch. I suspect he won't have walk numbers as low as Mountcastle.

Love his approach at the plate. I definitely think he can be a valuable ML hitter. Unfortunately, I also thought his defense was below average (eye test) last year. We have a roster jam of infielders. I really hope it's very different by about August 1.

Be honest. You already have major concerns. We all do. They're going to give Frazier way too many innings for most of our tastes. Last year you could kind of argue that the young guys weren't ready to play the infield yet. But Stowers was ready to play outfield and they still didn't play him much. And this year, you really can't argue that the infielders aren't ready. I hated the Odor situation, but I think I hate the Frazier situation even more already. They should pay $5 million of his salary and trade him to the Astros or Dodgers for 17 year olds.

Shohei against Trout. Epic.

Stowers, Cowser and Kjerstad all have serious LH power. This team is going to be so fun to watch over the next few years.

Nice threads. I'm guessing you're mostly accurate. Very interesting to see talent at all levels. So many interesting guys to watch this year.

That wasn't just a bp fastball. It was slightly above the belt and cutting in on him. Nice to turn on that, even if it wasn't 100 mph.

I remember thinking they were all overused. Johnson had 3 years in a row with something like 70 appearances. I could be wrong, but I thought Buck needed to leverage other guys more often, even in save/hold games. But this isn't the thread for that.

Buck didn't abuse bullpen arms? I think he ran through them like a rented mule, which is part of the reason why JJ and Britton weren't the same by the end of their competitive seasons.

I've enjoyed a ton of your takes over the years, especially the sober take on prospects, but this might be your best post ever.

@glenn__davis isn't SG's point kind of the point? If the O's make more money, some of it will certainly go to John Angelos. But that's a given. Doesn't a healthier top line give more options to run the team? Personally, I think "[Insert Sponsor Name] Park at Camden Yards" would be a minor change, and we'd all still call it Camden Yards for the most part.

Stepped out a bit, but this is fun to see...

Yeah. I see your logic, but at the same time I'd want guys who might have a chance to be ML starters to get priority. I also personally don't see Hall going to AAA. A guy like Zimmerman OTOH, is hanging by a thread. Baumann could easily be in the bullpen. Watkins too, really. Going solely by Tony's list + age/level/experience argues for Denoyer as a starter at AAA.

I was under the impression that Denoyer and Armbruester would start in AAA. I feel like people sleep on Denoyer. As a reminder, he was #20 on Tony's list. Four spots ahead of Rom. Also ahead of most of the rest of our pitching prospects save for Johnson, Povich, Hall and Rodriguez.

I think the contact and L/R split issues are real and hopefully he'll figure them out, but the power started to emerge last year and I really like that about him. Unless you count Markakis's doubles, he wasn't really a power guy. Cowser was originally supposed to be a lot like Markakis, but I think we're seeing a different prospect emerging. One with more power, similar BBs, and worse contact.

I think the sports landscape in general is not looking as lucrative as it once was. We all know about MASN, but attendance and viewership are struggling across many sports. I know we also have the Angelos issue, but I think there are more substantial unknowns even than those two.

But not for the right reasons. And I like Hayes, and Mountcastle, and Mullins, but none of them have the on-base percentage profile that the new guys do.

A .036 spread between BA and OBP is a problem.

So Bautista might not be ready. Tate is out for god knows how long. Krehbiel is getting shelled. Baker hasn't looked good. I sure hope this early spring training turns around for our bullpen.