Impressive debut by Mychal Givens

[Camden_yardbird]

With all of these young, impressive bullpen arms I have very little worries about losing O'Day, Hunter and Matusz next year. You probably don't want them to be your first option but you definitely have some 1A options for next year. It will be interesting to see what WW can provide when he comes back because he could be the right type of veteran mentor for many of these players.

[Can_of_corn]

I believe O'Day is the kind of guy who might give the team something of a home team discount. The real question is whether Duquette would be willing to pay anything that's even in the ballpark compared to what some teams will offer. My best guess is no, but that's only a guess.

You do realize he is the team's Union rep?

I'm sorry I just don't see a Union rep giving a team a discount.

[TouchemAll]

First of all, there is a difference between being a "valuable piece in the 2016 Bullpen" and replacing Darren O'Day. To call O'Day a "4 year veteran with the team with successful history" is underselling him considerably. He has been one of the best relievers in all of baseball during that time. In fact, of all relievers with at least 150 IP since 2012, O'Day ranks 3rd in ERA. So, while you can argue that it makes more sense to rely on Givens at $500 k rather than paying O'Day the $7-8 mm he will probably command, let's not kid ourselves about the odds that Givens will be a downgrade from O'Day. The odds of that are higher than 90%.

Second of all, I'm not ready to assume, based on his good success in AA so far this year (as opposed to his so-so performance in A+ and AA last year), that he'll even be an above average RH reliever at the major league level in 2016. He certainly has a live arm and I liked what I saw yesterday, btu we are talking about a guy with a pretty limited track record who hasn't even pitched in AAA yet.

Again, I am not saying that expecting Givens to be a key piece of the 2016 bullpen is a bad plan, but it carries some risk and in any event he can't realistically be expected to be as good as O'Day, or close, in 2016.

You just gave a excellent reprise of why we'll most likely not have O'Day next year either.

Get ready Givens.

[Frobby]

Even Darren O'Day is 90% likely to be a downgrade from 2015 Darren O'Day. The guy is having a career year even by his own standards.

Forget about 2015. He's been excellent all four years. I'd say 2013 was probably his weakest season, but even then he posted a 2.18 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. I couldn't fathom Givens approaching that next year.

[Can_of_corn]

Forget about 2015. He's been excellent all four years. I'd say 2013 was probably his weakest season, but even then he posted a 2.18 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. I couldn't fathom Givens approaching that next year.

I can easily fathom that, because...relief pitching.

Guys come out of the blue all the time.

[Nevermore]

I believe O'Day is the kind of guy who might give the team something of a home team discount. The real question is whether Duquette would be willing to pay anything that's even in the ballpark compared to what some teams will offer. My best guess is no, but that's only a guess.

Then that's on Duquette. Or else on Angelos, it it's Angelos who won't pay. I'm not saying that O's management needs to absolutely break the bank for O'Day. But the other extreme, letting O'Day go because of the view that all middle relievers are easily replaceable machine parts Is going to hurt the team. Memo to DD: starters are pitching fewer innings than before; thus proven, quality middle relievers will be crucial to a team's success.

[TouchemAll]

I believe O'Day is the kind of guy who might give the team something of a home team discount. The real question is whether Duquette would be willing to pay anything that's even in the ballpark compared to what some teams will offer. My best guess is no, but that's only a guess.

Sorry I just don't think the Team Union rep is up to team discounts.

I hope your right I just can't buy into that, it's ALL ABOUT THE $$$ I don't care who it is any more.

[canonfaz]

D'oD is the one pending free agent that I really hope we sign. I'm expecting an announcement as we prepare for this years ALCS.

[Frobby]

I believe the starting number is now around 26 million for three seasons.

That might be slightly high. I think a pretty good comp is Luke Gregerson, signed by the Astros for 3/$18.5 mm last winter. I think that's a starting point for a discussion with O'Day, though O'Day is better than Gregerson (but a couple of years older) so it won't be the end point. I think O'Day may command something like 3/$25 mm or 4/$30 mm on the open market. Maybe he'd shave $1 mm/yr off to remain with the Orioles, if we were lucky. I'm not sure Dan would do that.

[Frobby]

Sorry I just don't think the Team Union rep is up to team discounts.

I hope your right I just can't buy into that, it's ALL ABOUT THE $$$ I don't care who it is any more.

J.J. Hardy clearly gave us a discount last winter compared to what he would have earned in free agency.

[TouchemAll]

J.J. Hardy clearly gave us a discount last winter compared to what he would have earned in free agency.

That's debatable, but I am not up to it this morning.

[Can_of_corn]

J.J. Hardy clearly gave us a discount last winter compared to what he would have earned in free agency.

That's debatable, but I am not up to it this morning.

I'm with Frobby on this one. No way the Yankees wouldn't have gone higher for Hardy's services.

[Redskins Rick]

I'm with Frobby on this one. No way the Yankees wouldn't have gone higher for Hardy's services.

The Yankees were after their next long term stud, last season, and was looking for a young player, with a plus glove and strong bat, and was ready to print the monopoly money, if they could.

[TouchemAll]

Agree, agree agree. If he'd be given a regular role and not jerked around he'd prove it. And yes, Im aware of the reasons why he was sent down.

Count me in the camp that it's time to leave Gausman up here and prove it.

OH man, could he really be any worse then what Tillman or Norris have been?

[TouchemAll]

DOD will be 33. Im not sure you give a 3 year contract for an 8th inning pitcher at that age more than 5 or 6 million a year.But someone will.

This ^^^^^ :agree: