Orioles West

I'm definitely going to watch these, thanks for the heads up. Although, the weak catchers and report is probably one of my favorite weeks of the year, despite no stats to look at. Something about those first images of dudes playing catch that make my happy, happy.

Work kept me offline most of last season, so this was a really fun thread to catch up on and read all of the way through. Comparing reactions people initially had to the first post, and then the reactions as Gunnar picked up the pace. The funny part is, from my fandom corner, I was one who was worried Henderson wasn’t quite ready for the Bigs. Glad I missed out on disagreeing with your initial post!

This is how I voted, but I can see him losing AB's to younger guys as well.

You also asked for clarification from Mr. Linguist. While I appreciate the sentiment, I don't think I've earned the title, after reading the Hangout for a while, there are far better linguists and wordsmiths than me here in the forum. I'm a former editor, which only sets me up for trouble in the future with any typos or miscues or helping someone with semantics.

To boil it down, as I understand it, - foreordained is more secular, allowing for individual agency while preordained is divine plan of creation, a synonym of predestination. I just don't know if I have been preordained or foreordained as Mr. Linguist.

While I don't know any of us can truly know Elias thoughts, it is a smaller leap and a solid bet he sure hopes Westburg and Holliday meet or exceed predictions or expectations. Although I understand Frobby's caveat, that nothing is foreordained (which, to me is also a better word in this case than preordained) for our young Orioles. I guess I've been a fan long enough to have a hopeful side and still be able to rely more on cautious optimism. This is Baltimore and sometimes even our best and brightest let us down or take longer to develop than we want.

It sounds a little bold, but I like it. And I’d much rather see Kjerstad get a shot at it than spending money on JD.

I’m sure JD has some big hits left him, although the idea isn’t especially exciting to me. I can’t see it as an Elias move either, not with this roster.

Tim insights are always interesting to me. As for Woodruff, even if Elias is looking at finding a way to add him, I can’t see an offer going out until the new ownership group is in place.

I’m not quite ready to hand him 2B on Opening Day. I’m as fired up as any O’s fan to see the kid everyday — but he just turned 20 two months ago, the most games he has played in a year is 125 and he only had 18 games at Norfolk, where his numbers were human in that small sample size. He could absolutely help the Orioles this season, and could muscle through playing 150+ games, and yet the MLB grind can get to some younger players. I hope he exceeds all expectations and I loved watching his Dad play here in Colorado. I’ll also be fine if he gets a little more time at Norfolk before he has to deal with Jeter comps. Kid loves the game, lives the game, he will be fine either way.

I'm holding out hope that as long as Jim Palmer is on the MASN roster, that we still have a shot at another WS title. As wiser people than me have said, I'm stitious, but not superstitious. That said, I do love the classic cartoon bird and yet, I have an undiagnosed Orioles' hat addiction. Thus, I will also buy any baseball hat remotely connected to my baseball team. Apologies in advance if anyone sees me with a non-Disney cartoonist designed bird on my bill.

I don't hate cheap extra infield depth, but I'm still hoping Elias is going to take more chances adding bullpen depth over the spring.

Cash deals for depth are rarely sexy — but welcome to the organization Nick Maton.

Great topic, but I don’t know enough about the new ownership group yet to set my expectations. I have hopes that ownership is competitive — that winning will be as important versus simply growing their investment. And that hope doesn’t mean spend like the Dodgers, it means being smart and then spending a bit more in those years a championship is in reach. If we outspend our market to just above league average, St. Louis Cardinals range, it will exceed my current new owner daydreams.

I can understand a more cynical take, that he would go elsewhere with stronger stats — but I am sticking with the idea Hays is asking to stay with a team he likes to be on. And again, I agree with Frobby, I like Orioles who like to be Orioles. Although, I can’t say for certain what his motivation is more than any of us, unless you’re his agent.

In this era of baseball, I really like that Hayes wants to stay in Baltimore. If it takes longer to develop some of the younger OF this year or injuries and setbacks, maybe he can pull off a reasonable extension.

Solid. I saw Hilliard play here in Colorado, so inconsistent at the plate -- unless he has a magical spring, I don't see him making the trip from Sarasota to Baltimore.

I think this made me realize that most of my Angelos animosity is aimed at JA's father or at least most of my ill will should be focused on the elder. I suppose we may never know how serious JA was about going full Irsay on the Birds and stealing them for Nashville. However, if Nashville was only an OPACY negotiation tactic, then I have to agree with your take. The Elias hire is starting to look historic, in a good way and then backing the Elias rebuild of the farm, signing some form of extended OPACY lease and selling to a group with superior resources go a long way to leaving the Orioles in better shape than he found them.

I used to be more concerned about exacting service time. And it's still great info to have -- but with the potential new ownership group presumably becoming official sometime this season, I'm more at ease with whatever Elias decides. In general, I think a player should be on the roster if he is one of our best 25. While we aren't sure the new ownership will spend more, there is at least a chance the Orioles can keep the home grown talent at home. Just by the way JA talked about it last year, there was no chance to keep or extend our talented base of players.

I need to see more of Cowser until knowing whether to move him. And Hays is a keeper for the last two years of control, regardless. So, yeah keep them both and let it play out a bit.

Weird! A world’s colliding montage…and yet…if this is real I’m buying one. It will go with my other 95+ O’s hats. I have a problem. But I’m okay with it.

I don’t see a “mental shift” either. Elias has had to do a lot of his work with very finite resources (particularly with total team payroll). So he rebuilt the farm and now has more than one way to improve the big league roster. He built up to this opportunity versus a perceived ‘shift’ or change of heart — to get a chance to trade for needs without having to tap into long term FA contracts. It’s also why Elias is a GM and I’m a fan — because I love having the best minor league system on the planet and I would probably be overprotective of those ‘potential’ resources. However, I did know this day was coming, and I think we will see more trades over the next couple of years to grab needed veteran help, as was always intended.

That looks like a solid call, as of today. I’d put the O’s in the Top 5 overall, but will need some growth to take on those Trillion Dollar Dodgers.

Agreed. And I know Elias always keeps on the lookout, but I think they need to address this sooner than hoping to find a clutch arm for the 6-7-8 innings by the end of their spring in Sarasota. Hate to lose a few early games ‘experimenting’ with relievers.

The ChiSox were asking way too much for Cease, so I think Elias was looking for other quality pitching that wouldn’t cost the O’s two Top 100 MLB Pipeline players. JA is a lot of things, but he has given Elias a lot of room to build the roster, as long as it didn’t include a substantive extension.