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I think the left handed power bat that had a mildly successful taste of MLB can take the next step. Some of the other guys that came up and played a little this year all seemed lost. I also don’t expect Holliday to come up until maybe late August/September so he can hold onto rookie status. Otherwise I’d probably pick him since he seems to be Superman and all.

It depends on how you’re valuing guys, for sure. Povich is generally well regarded it seems, despite his not so great numbers. But Cowser is a top prospect, so he’s the main piece by a large margin. I feel like both Hays and O’Hearn have zero value. Urias probably does too, now that he is hiring arbitration. Ortiz is the only player you mentioned that is worth anything, and really he is likely a solid utility guy more than a starter on a good team.

Unless you feel like you’re giving up too much, it’s not a realistic trade suggestion. Ortiz, Hays, and O’Hearn doesn’t get you anything. For both Miller/Woo and Brash you’d have to be giving up something like Cowser, Urias, and Povich. Something substantial

This makes me less inclined to hold GG awards as any evidence of actual defensive prowess than it is to make me believe that Mountcastle is a good first baseman

My best guess is 3B Henderson, SS Holliday, 2B Westburg with Ortiz as the utility infielder and Mayo at 1B. Both Ortiz and Mayo might be better suited as trade chips, but assuming Elias doesn’t trade any top chips (since he has yet to ever do that) I’m going with this alignment. Norby seems to be the odd man out and is probably set up to get the Prieto/Hernaiz treatment…traded for an inconsequential piece.

I agree that Mayo is a good player, but that’s what would give him value in trade. Unless he is able to commit to 1B full time, there isn’t really a spot for him. He’s not gonna push Holliday or Henderson off 3B. He isn’t going to play a LF in Camden built for a center fielder. His best attribute, power, will be squashed playing at home. His second best attribute, his arm, would be squashed playing 1B. I think he’s gonna be good, he just doesn’t really fit. It doesn’t mean I’d be trading him just to trade him either.

I’m not even asking to go back to the Buck years payroll levels. It feels silly that its such an insane suggestion that I’d like to see a mid-market FA signed. They’ve done it before plenty of times. Unfortunately it doesn’t usually end up great, but that doesn’t make failure definite.

It’s true that neither are actual prospects anymore. But they both have had good recent success at AAA, still relatively young, and have yet to have a real good look at the MLB level. They still have enough value that can be solid throw-ins to make a deal happen IMO

I don’t know what kind of constraints he is working with. But assuming no Frazier and Gibson salaries, a slight bump in payroll, plus hopefully some guys getting into arbitration are traded or DFA like Mateo, Urias, or a couple bullpen pieces…that should leave some room to make a move. Im very aware that Angelos is gonna cry poor, but I have hope that he’ll do right and give the green light to dip into the mid-market of free agency. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if this doesn’t happen, but it’s early in the O’s offseason and I’m not totally jaded yet. Then there are the prospects…Cowser, Kjerstad, Stowers, Beavers, Bradfield…that’s a lot of left handed outfield options that’ll be up in the next 2-3 years (sooner for some). That’s redundancy and a perfect way to make some upgrades. That’s not even counting some other prospects that don’t really have a spot here like Norby, Ortiz, Mayo, and Vavra. Obviously I’m not saying trade all of these guys, but it’s a list for clubs with some controllable pitching to pick from and it wouldn’t hinder the O’s big league club much whatsoever. Anyways, a mid market free agent pitcher and a trade for a mid rotation guy. Totally doable.

Expectations rely heavily on what is done during the offseason rather than what they did during the regular 2023 season. If they go in without upgrading the rotation in any way and still throwing Mateo/Urias out there on a semi-regular basis then it’s hard to realistically expect them to win the division. Then it’s another year of “rebuilding” from my perspective. IMO the rebuild is over and multiple proven players should be added to supplement the young guys and we should have expectations of a division title repeat. But that’s totally unfair to expect that from the current roster.

My assertion that Kremer should be the 6th starter isn’t a knock on him. He’s a good back end guy. I think he should be the 6th starter because there is room for improvement and the team has the means to do so. There is no true ace on this team so I think having a rotation full of mid-rotation guys is a similar balance as having your typical ace and a #5 type of rotation.

Hell no, they should be adding towards the top of the rotation, not the bottom. Kremer should be rotation depth, not Irvin. 2 front line starters are necessary IMO. Every single team in the East will take a step forward, now is not the time to get complacent just because the big spenders had down years and the O’s lucked out on avoiding major injuries for the most part.

I like the idea of blowing it up in CF prior to first pitch on opening day.

Very good point. Stowers has unfortunately found himself in tier B as far as prospects go. Technically, I don’t even think he is a prospect anymore. I still think he can be a really good player in MLB and it seems like such a waste to overlook him. Personally, I think guys like Cowser or Kjerstad should be made available for trade for a SP since they have the higher value. Hays and Santander are usually injured (2023 was a good year for health for both of them) so that could open up spots. Mullins is also becoming more and more average as time goes on, so I could see his playing time get reduced if that continues. Obviously Stowers isn’t anywhere near the CF that Mullins is, but I’d bet his offense can be significantly better than what we got from Mullins in 2023.

I think two spots need to be filled. Kremer isn’t a bad option, but there’s room for improvement and they’ve got the means to do it. Just a couple example moves I’d make is something like Montgomery in FA and Gilbert traded for. Put something like Kjerstad, Urias, and Norby on the table and they might bite. Injuries/ineffectiveness will get someone like Kremer plenty of starts. But he should not be handed a spot.

I’ll go with Kyle Stowers and DL Hall. Stowers has shown he can really hit in the minors…given a chance, I feel like he could be a very solid bat. I think Hall just showed what he’s capable of out of the pen towards the end of the year and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him get even better. It might be an interesting idea to consider him as closer next year and then revisit the idea of him in the rotation once Bautista is back.

I’d definitely keep him in the bullpen. He has shown that he can be an asset there and this team is light on relief without Bautista. Cano just seems like an aberration so I don’t think I’m willing to count on him to be quite as dominant next year. On that note, I’d keep Wells in the bullpen too. Both Wells and Hall can be 2+ inning type of relievers, which can be really helpful since the starters aren’t going deep into games.

Brandon Fahey without a doubt

I’d rather see Ortiz in there as the defensive backup and keep Mateo for pinch running. Then designated for assignment in the offseason. Time to move on.

Norby should be trade bait. There is no room for him anywhere on this club. Maybe a Cowser/Hays platoon in LF.

Wow

At least Peter spent money during the Buck years. After what John has alluded, a chance at being around the middle in terms of payroll are a pipe dream…despite the club having done it in the recent past. And honestly, not to speculate too much but it’s more like John hasn’t meddled yet. Just give it time and when it’s time to make a big move (whatever that means with John clutching the checkbook), I’d bet that John will have a hand in it and it probably won’t be good. Though you’re right, he has hasn’t meddled…yet.

Not sure I said punt, actually I’m completely sure I did not insinuate that. I think when you’ve got too many valuable prospects for too little positions then you’ve got to figure out which ones are a fit contextually with the players they’re competing with for spots AND how they fit in the overall demand of that team. Mayo doesn’t have a clear path to the majors and his best offensive attribute would be flattened by the park he’d play in for half his games. I think it’s a stretch to call it punting on him with all that considered.

A right handed pull side power hitter at a crowded position is not really in demand on this team in this ballpark. Count me as one that would like to see what’s out there that he could be traded for. I won’t cry about it if they keep him though, the prospects are heavily left handed so a good right handed bat would help balance that. But as a 3B he’d have to supplant to Henderson or Holliday. He could play 1B but that’d mean replacing our only other right handed power hitter. DH is a cop out, especially with Rutschman needing a lot of at bats there and Kjerstad possibly being a full time DH. And LF is too big for someone who hasn’t played the outfield. I don’t know about RF, his arm could work there but again…he doesn’t have any OF experience. it just seems easier to package him for a trade for a solid SP.

If we’re just talking internal candidates then I think it’s pretty easy to put something accurate together. Personally, I don’t believe for a second that Holliday has a real chance at breaking OD. I think Urias at 3B, Henderson at SS, and Westburg at 2B is the most likely every day configuration if they’re not adding anyone significant from outside the organization. If we start talking about potential moves for outside players then this gets a lot more dicey, but fun. Personally, I’d like to see two mid-rotation starters added. Give me something like Jordan Montgomery and Logan Gilbert. Tell me that a rotation of Rodriguez, Bradish, Montgomery, Gilbert, and Means is not one of the most balanced rotations in baseball. Insert similar names for the additions, I’m not particularly hung up on specifics right now. That’d push Wells and Kremer to the BP full time. Id probably resign both Fuji and Hicks, if he’s interested. That leaves a bullpen with something like Cano, Fuji, Webb, Coulombe, Hall, Wells, Kremer, and Perez. I gotta agree about Bautista, unfortunately. Big if, but if we are thinking that Holliday is a legit consideration then I’d be moving Urias. Mateo seems like a easy DFA. Ortiz can be the backup infielder. I may even consider moving Urias anyways and slotting Ortiz at SS until Holliday is ready. Anyways, that’s really just an addition of a couple mid rotation starters (one through FA, one through trade), an okay bullpen addition, and possibly a veteran presence if Hicks is okay with a backup role in the OF. I don’t really feel the veteran presence is totally necessary, but judging by offseasons of the past, Elias finds it very necessary no matter how redundant the piece may be. Also, there’s no room for all of Hays, Mullins, Santander, Cowser, Kjerstad, and Stowers. I’m thinking at least one of these OF guys can be part of the aforementioned trade for a mid rotation starter. Does something like Kjerstad, Basallo, and Urias get Gilbert? I dunno…getting too specific now.