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O's wanna move Ayala

Greg

By Greg
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LookinUp Hangout Grand Counsel

LookinUp

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I was going to start my own thread, but I think it would be duplicative. I would have written more, but not in a post. So I'll just say this...

My oh my how things have changed. Thread after thread on this site are dedicated to figuring out which good players to keep and which ones to trade away. Whereas Betemit was our starting 3B for some of last year, now he really doesn't even belong. Whereas we used to rely on Reimold. Now he's a luxury with replacements who can do the job. Whereas Casilla was generally expected to be the starting 2B, now we're wondering if the guys behind him are too good to hold back. Whereas as recently as 2011 we had one of the worst pitching staffs in MLB, now we're trying to find space for a promising rookie and demoting guys who might be 3-4 of the best pitchers in the entire organization come June/July (depending on who is demoted).

This is bizarro world.

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bird watcher Major Leaguer

bird watcher

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Optimally, you want Matusz and Patton available virtually every night to face anywhere from 1 batter to go 1 or even 2 innings. Now, when you need a long reliever is pretty unpredictable. IF Patton or Matusz pitched the night before, do you want them coming in a game in the 2nd inning and trying to go 3-4 innings? Or suppose they go 3-4 innings. Then they aren't avaiable for what you really need them for, for 3-4 days. Patton won't be streatched out beyond 2 innings going into the season. Matusz will be, but again, he'll start going 1 inning at a time mainly. Why not have McFarland available for those rare nights (hopefully) when you need 4-5 innings to save the rest of the bullpen? There won't be much pressure on him in those situations and it will be a great testing ground for him to get his feet wet at the ML level. Dennis Martinez did it, Scott McGregor did it. Mike Flanagan did it. It's not a bad thing.

Of course you are right but I suppose it depends on which eventualities you want to guard against the most. I would imagine that if we had multiple days in a row of starters failing which required us to use both Matusz and Patton, DD would most certainly bring up someone to fill the lefty role for a night or two. I doubt that situation happens more than a few times in the season. Tradeoffs. I actually think we have several guys in the pen, either way, capable of going multiple innings. In Buck we trust!

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MurphDogg Hangout Grand Counsel

MurphDogg

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A good question to ask is would you trade Ayala for McFarland? Because we aren't getting much, if anything, for Luis.

Yup, this is the bottom line. And there is no way you make that trade if you think the Orioles have a chance to contend this year. Guys like McFarland simply aren't valuable enough to take a hit in the bullpen this year.

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Bradysburns All-Star

Bradysburns

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A good question to ask is would you trade Ayala for McFarland? Because we aren't getting much, if anything, for Luis.

Man, putting it that way... it's very close for me. I actually really liked watching Ayala pitch much of last year. He showed some limitations when coming on with RISP (don't have the stats handy but it seemed like that to me). But that veteran presence... and our bullpen being our strength last season... I dunno. Of course, McFarland looks like he has good potential as well. I guess I would keep McFarland. If he has a shot at becoming a MLB starter, I think you gotta take that shot with him. You can replace Ayala's talent in the pen. And of course, I think that choice would be in line with the Orioles' long-term strategy - build from within, find youthful value and develop it, etc.

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clapdiddy Hangout Grand Counsel

clapdiddy

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I don't think it is the question but I've already made my arguments. Hunter replaces Ayala's innings. McFarland is the long man. I don't think the bullpen is hurt.

If we could keep Gregg on this roster for almost the entire season, I see no reason why we can't use McFarland in that role.

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OFFNY Hangout Grand Counsel

OFFNY

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.

Wouldn't the Orioles have been better off just trying to trade Ayala, and not saying anything about it ???

Now, all of the other teams know that we are pretty desperate to deal him in time in order to keep MacFarland, so I would presume that that would add little bit of leverage to the G.M. of whichever team that we are trying to trade him to.

Maybe they all (the other 29 major league G.M.'s) knew anyway, but I'd prefer that D.D. not tip his hand, nonetheless.

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wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

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Looks like Tillman's injury is being held out there until DD and Buck determine if Ayala can be traded. I think RZ has made his point well about shifting Hunter to a one inning role and having a long man. I am not sure that McFarland cuts it as long man but Buck seems to want to give him a try.

The O's shouldn't be seen as desperate to trade Ayala because Matusz has an option and can be sent to the minors until the O's can find a good deal for Ayala. That may not be the best situation but it is a short term solution.

So McFarland probably gets first shot at the long relief spot but Steve Johnson (injured in the short term) and Jurrjens are good solutions for long man if McFarland doesn't cut it.

Good job in this thread RZ.

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