Best Game of Orioles Musical Chairs in a Long Time

[mdbdotcom]

With the exception of the core players who are guaranteed a full-time job if healthy (Jones, Machado, Hardy, Wieters, Davis), every slot on the team has more capable players competing for it than there are roster spots available.

Corner outfield, DH, & reserve outfield (7 for 5 slots): De Aza, Snider, Pearce, Lough, Young, Hassan, Reimold

2b & infield reserve (4 for 2): Schoop, Cabrera, Flaherty, Navarro

Backup catcher (5 for 1): Joseph, Clevenger, Arencibia, Lavarnway, Ward

Starting rotation (6 for 5): Tillman, Gausman, Chen, Norris, Gonzalez, Jimenez

Bullpen (10 for 7): Britton, O'Day, Hunter, Brach, Webb, (Wesley) Wright, Matusz, McFarland, plus Rule 5s Verritt and Garcia

Can anyone remember a time when the Orioles had so many options among players who actually might make a contribution? This is in sharp contrast to those 14 dark spring trainings when we wondered if the Orioles would be able to put starters on the field who would even be subs for other teams.

When the music stops playing, a lot of players won't have seats, but I definitely like this tune.

[weams]

Corner outfield, DH, & reserve outfield (7 for 5 slots): De Aza, Snider, Pearce, Lough, Young

Starting rotation (6 for 5): Tillman, Chen, Norris, Jimenez

Bullpen (10 for 7): Britton, O'Day, Hunter, Brach, (Wesley) Wright

I believe these folks are guaranteed spots if healthy.

[backwardsk]

I guess you may want to remove Hassan and add Paredes (?)

Also I think Parmalee may have a chance to be on the OD roster and then sent down for Davis -- though I don't know how his agreement is structured.

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[srock]

I posted this in the 2B poll thread.

And I really want somone to make some Buckarangs

If you look at the last few seasons, only a few Oriole players are NOT utility players.

Jones, Wieters, Hardy, Machado and sometimes Chris Davis. Markakis but he is gone.

Everyone else is a part time player. This is how Buck plays the game. A core of position players complemented with a horde of 'utility' players who do different things well.

$2.3 million dollars for Everth Cabrera puts him right in the Oriole 'utility' belt.

In fact, if someone could photoshop some Oriole shaped Batarangs...Buckarangs?... that would be fantastic.

[mdbdotcom]

I guess you may want to remove Hassan and add Paredes (?)

Also I think Parmalee may have a chance to be on the OD roster and then sent down for Davis -- though I don't know how his agreement is structured.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Surprised by Hassan DFA. This does feed my cockeyed theory that the FO hopes Cabrera will become the starting left fielder and leadoff hitter at some point this season (and for next).

I forgot Parmalee.

[Beef Supreme]

Surprised by Hassan DFA. This does feed my cockeyed theory that the FO hopes Cabrera will become the starting left fielder and leadoff hitter at some point this season (and for next).

I forgot Parmalee.

Everth gets a little playing time in LF this season. Takes over for de Aza in 2016. Schoop goes back to everyday 2B in 2016 after sharing time this year.

[mdbdotcom]

Everth gets a little playing time in LF this season. Takes over for de Aza in 2016. Schoop goes back to everyday 2B in 2016 after sharing time this year.

Could very well work out that way.

[Beef Supreme]

Could very well work out that way.

Hey, mdbdotcom, were you the one who agreed with me that Everth might bump Lough off the roster.

And did you compare Everth with Delino DeShields? I was thinking of Everth and Mark McLemore.

[mdbdotcom]

Hey, mdbdotcom, were you the one who agreed with me that Everth might bump Lough off the roster.

And did you compare Everth with Delino DeShields? I was thinking of Everth and Mark McLemore.

I don't recall saying he could bump Lough off the roster. I did say he could end up the starting left fielder at some point, "shades of Delino Deshields." I guess McLemore works as a comp as well. Both guys moved from the infield to the outfield while with the O's.

[atomic]

I believe these folks are guaranteed spots if healthy.

Lough isnt guranteed a spot. They might for example have Evereth, Flahery, and Schoop all on the team and Lough might be gone.

[Beef Supreme]

Lough isnt guranteed a spot. They might for example have Evereth, Flahery, and Schoop all on the team and Lough might be gone.

This is one of the scenarios I had imagined.

Of course, I had thought Lough might get bumped prior to the Everth signing.

[weams]

Lough isnt guranteed a spot. They might for example have Evereth, Flahery, and Schoop all on the team and Lough might be gone.

You are right. I missed that he was on that list.

[ReclaimTheCrown]

Lough isnt guranteed a spot. They might for example have Evereth, Flahery, and Schoop all on the team and Lough might be gone.

It's certainly possible, but of those four players, I believe Lough is the only one without an option. I think that greatly improves his chances of making the team. I think, ultimately, Lough will be safe because of his defense and versatility.

Additionally, I think Schoop needs to be getting consistent ABs somewhere - if he's not starting 4-5 times a week at least at 2B with the O's, I think he should be at Norfolk playing every day.

[El Gordo]

Cabrera is no more valuable as a utility guy than Flaherty, their defensive numbers at SS are similar. Flaherty plays as well at 3B, 1B, 2B, and SS as Cabrera. Cabrera has shown the potential to get on base better than Flaherty, and steal many more bases. And cost more that twice as much as Flaherty, while Flaherty has the potential to hit 20+HR.

[Beef Supreme]

Cabrera is no more valuable as a utility guy than Flaherty, their defensive numbers at SS are similar. Flaherty plays as well at 3B, 1B, 2B, and SS as Cabrera. Cabrera has shown the potential to get on base better than Flaherty, and steal many more bases. And cost more that twice as much as Flaherty, while Flaherty has the potential to hit 20+HR.

I don't think the Orioles put much faith in Flaherty at shortstop, at this point in time. Don't know whether Everth will be better. If Everth isn't good enough, then I guess Manny will have to play short when Hardy gets injured. Gotta happen eventually.