Brooks The Great

Ump squeezed him a couple times, too. Ball 4 to the leadoff batter should have been called a strike.

I'm really hoping the trade deadline works out so that we never have to see Mateo and Frazier regularly in the lineup again. We're probably stuck with Frazier for the rest of the year, but hopefully Mateo gets traded or DFA'd.

I think that's a great guess at the lineup.

I bet you were questioning Adley after his first month in the majors, and Gunnar after his April and May this season. Cowser and Westburg need time to adjust. They'll both be fine, but it may take another few weeks for both. Also, Cowser has never been projected to be a big bopper. What he should - and I believe will - be is a great hitter who's an OBP machine. And the Orioles' future regular leadoff hitter, probably in 2024.

Thanks in advance for the good ole' Roy Reverse Jinx!

Another classic Hangout argument made with no context. Do you know why I say that Law is biased against the Orioles? I'll explain it to you. Because of Law's history of dimissing O's prospects, as well as dismissing the organization under Elias in general before it's become clear that Elias is a great GM and has built a winner from scratch. MLB Pipeline is also too low on Mayo. But, no, I don't think they're biased because they're low on Mayo. They're just too low on him because they're off on their evaluation on him, and late. Law is biased because of his history evaluating the O's. They both got to the same fairly inaccurate and tardy conclusion, but for different reasons. Way to contort my statements into a point that I didn't make.

No one will know for sure, but Mayo has had one of the very best seasons of any prospect - period. He'll be a consensus Top 25 prospect by the time the 2024 lists come out. Law is too late and too low on him.

That's something I'm confident the O's development will help Fabian with, even if it's not this season. Overall I think it's been a great year for Fabian, even if he finishes the season struggling at AA. The A to AA jump is one of the toughest in pro baseball, if not the toughest minor league adjustment.

I'm not. Law is too contrarian of an evaluator and also has been biased against the O's in general.

Agreed. Frazier is also the team's worst defender. He's a liability at this point - it's time to call Ortiz back up and give him regular PT at 2B and 3B along with Westburg. Gunnar has really settled in at SS and should stay there for a while.

Those same people are all worried about Colton Cowser now.

Injury is chronic enough that he's had to exit games two different times this season because of the shoulder. But he's been able to come back quickly both times. I'd be terrified of the shoulder if I'm the Dbacks. But I hope Carroll stays healthy, I love watching great talents like him (and Gunnar) play. It's a shame guys like Mike Trout and Ken Griffey Jr. have dealt/dealt with so many injuries in their careers.

I'd take a SP prospect in low A or rookie ball for him. I don't think it would be hard to get a prospect in the lower levels for him. O'Hearn could also be a third or fourth piece in a bigger trade with teams like the Mariners or Guardians that have pitching depth but have a glaring need for offense.

On the same page with you on all the trade pieces and what the O's are targeting, but I'd sell high on O'Hearn. Not only does he not have a place on the team long-term with so many elite prospects getting close to the majors, but Kjerstad is ready and should be called up right before the roster expansion deadline (like Gunnar was last year). That would push Santander to 1B/DH pretty much full time, or Kjerstad would get most of the DH at bats when he's not playing RF or 1B. O'Hearn reminds me of Gerardo Parra when the Orioles traded for Parra. Older player having a career year who never came close to replicating it again, but a team desperate for offense overpaid. Unfortunately it was the Orioles who overpaid for Parra, but there will be a team in need of a lefty bat like O'Hearn.

I agree with you, but to nitpick, we have ALL of our trade ammunition still. No other teams were going to be asking for Easton Lucas. This is a great low risk, high reward move.

If Gunnar keeps producing, the O's winning the AL East would help his case a lot.

DFA. Not sure why Elias is dying on this mediocre hill.

I think this will go down as one of the worst takes on this thread. Maybe of the whole season. Posters on this board have questioned Cowser every step of the way - including me. I didn't like passing on Lawlar for Cowser on draft night. People have questioned Cowser for lack of power, too many strikeouts (at times, especially at new levels for him), his success from previous levels not translating to a new higher level - Cowser has proven them/me wrong every step of the way. And I think he'll prove you wrong that he doesn't have any power. He clearly does based on his minor league track record. If you're convinced his power from the minors won't translate to the majors, you're entitled to your opinion. But I think you'll be wrong. He has a great swing, hits both lefties and righties well, and Oriole Park will play to his power as well. And he's been an OBP savant throughout his minor league career, and that's already translated a little bit to the majors despite Hyde not allowing him to get steady playing time when the team has been at full strength. Cowser's been a slow starter for the most part, not unlike Gunnar Henderson. And I think a slow start is what we're seeing now. I think Cowser will eventually be this team's leadoff hitter. It might not be until next season, but I'm excited to have him on the roster and I hope Hyde wisens up and stops deferring to Aaron Hicks instead of developing a key piece of this team's future. Sorry to go off-topic on Ced, but I vehemently disagree with that post.

I just think Norby is going to be used in a different trade. If you think Stowers and Hall is worth more than Norby (I'm not disagreeing there), then I think that reflects upon how that offer is reasonable and why Stowers and Hall would actually get us ERod. Stowers obviously has nowhere to play in this organization, but he has value and he can be a productive regular with playing time. He's a fit for Detroit. I think Hall's ultimate role is as a reliever, but he'd be a good 2nd piece in an ERod deal because Stowers alone wouldn't get you ERod. I think trading Hall now is selling high because of the reliever risk, and his prospect stock has been plummeting this season as it becomes obvious to everyone that he's not fulfilling his potential/projection as a TOR starter. It's a fair deal, and I'd love to see it happen.

I actually think Norby would be giving up too much for a couple months of ERod. If I give up Norby straight up or as part of a package, I'd want a controllable asset past this season. It also wouldn't be Elias's style to trade Norby for a rental. He got Irvin for multiple years for a lower-tier prospect. Elias not only wants value, he wants players he can keep, develop, and/or flip. I'd offer Stowers and Hall, and I think that could get it done.

He's there. But not hopeful. Elias and his staff just have way different priorities this draft it looks like.

Would absolutely love Cooper Pratt here.

Not really, he was selective at the plate. Whereas Mateo swings at pitches 2 feet outside of the zone and rarely walks.

Anyone like Houck here?

Those stats for Hicks and Cowser are both SSS. Evaluate talent and play your best guys. Hicks is getting too much playing time. Just like Mateo was and Frazier has. McKenna too earlier in the season. Hicks isn't a good hitter. Hyde needs to stop treating him as such.