Build next years team

[Flash- bd]

Britton's basically a 1 pitch pitcher, and his 1 pitch would likely lose a couple MPH's if he was used as a starter. I think that sums up why he will likely never go back to starting.

His one pitch is a singularly effective one, though, and he has a track record of moderate success as a starter early in his career before he really became aware of/harnessed the success of this one pitch. I think he can throw enough meh curveballs and changeups to have success as a starter.

[DirtyBird]

Anybody putting Steve Pearce in their mock roster is desperately attempting to maintain a grasp on 2014.

The guy is damaged goods.

[Aristotelian]

I don't like the idea of tearing it down this off-season. I would start the off-season by offering Manny a contract extension. If he doesn't take it, I wouldn't want them to trade him just yet but next off-season, all bets are off . I think that Tillman, Gausman and Bundy next season (if all are healthy) is as good as any 1-3 in the AL East. A choice of Ubaldo, YG or Miley taking the 4 and 5 spots. Britton, DOD, Brach, Givens and Hart in the bullpen. I would offer Trumbo and Matt the QO. I expect Trumbo would turn it down but Matt might bite again. Which is fine. It would only be another 1 year commitment and give Chance another season to develop. I wouldn't offer any multi-year deals to anyone. Bring back Bourn and Pearce for a RF platoon. AJ in center. Kim/Rickard in LF. Let Boom-Boom DH. So I guess it would look like this:

C- Wieters

1B- Davis

2B- Schoop

3B- Manny

SS- JJ

RF- Bourn/Pearce

CF- Jones

LF- Kim/Rickard

DH- Mancini

SP- Tillman, Gausman, Bundy, Ubaldo, Miley

RP- YG, Worley, DOD, Givens, Hart, Brach, Britton

The back-up catcher could be Caleb or Pena. As long as Reimold and Flaherty aren't on the bench. If the team is out of contention by the trade deadline next year, they'll have plenty of trade chips. Tillman, who's a FA after next season. Manny, if he won't sign an extension. Britton should bring a haul. JJ, Ubaldo, Miley and YG all due also due to be FA's.

I think this is what will happen. Maybe bring back Pedro to platoon with Mancini in case Mancini is a dud. I don't see Pearce because he can't play OF and both he and Mancini are RH.

[VeveJones007]

Build next year's team or tear it apart? If the idea is to compete and contend next year, there is just a little tinkering that can be done.

An outfield rotation with Kim, Rickard, and Bourne on the corners is reasonable. Offer QO's to Trumbo and Wieters. Try Mancini at DH. Resign Pearce (what's his timetable?) to backup up 1B and platoon with Kim. Rickard and Bourn can share RF. Flaherty and a catcher on the bench.

Go into next year with the starting rotation in tact. If all are healthy you have to seriously consider starting Bundy off in the bullpen and then making a trade by June to free up a spot for Bundy.

RF Bourne/Rickard

LF Kim/Pearce

3B Machado

1B Davis

CF Jones

DH Mancini

2B Schoop

SS Hardy

C Joseph

Bench (Pena,Flaherty,Pearce,Rickard)

Starters

Tillman

Gausman

Jimenez

Miley

Gallardo

Bullpen

Britton

Brach

O'Day

Hart

Givens

Drake

Bundy

Not sexy but the defense it improved in RF but we lose power. Mancini can hopefully make up for Alvarez at DH. Donwgrade at catcher but Joseph isn't as bad as he looked this year. He and Pena can provide close to the defense that Wieters did and we can hop for a 600+ OPS from the two.

This probably leaves some budge room for a catcher and/or a RF. Otherwise no big (and stupid) moves.

Pretty much this, but I'd love to get a better OBP in RF. I don't know if Fowler will even be on the table given the history, but they could use a player like that.

[badmamajama]

If Matt's not back next year and Chance is not ready, I really don't want them going with just Joseph and Pena. I haven't looked at the FA list of catchers. Anyone standout that would be good on a 1 year deal?

[crawjo]

We need to revamp the offense as much as possible. I'm actually more concerned about the offense than I am about the pitching at this point.

We need to find a couple hitters who can get on base and know how to work at-bats. I don't care about losing Trumbo's home runs. I don't care about losing Wieters or Alvarez. This team desperately needs patient hitters who can work at bats. The bridges may be burned but I would definitely target Dexter Fowler.

[sportsfan8703]

If Matt's not back next year and Chance is not ready, I really don't want them going with just Joseph and Pena. I haven't looked at the FA list of catchers. Anyone standout that would be good on a 1 year deal?

Nick Hundley would be a good choice at C. We traded for him in 2014 after MW got hurt.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hundlni01.shtml

Steve clevenger. You can always come home. This country gives everyone a second chance. A little PR work and that would be fine.

I like Matt Holliday as a potential trumbo replacement. .382 Career OBP.

[TheDeau52]

Blows my mind that so many people think Bourn is an everyday outfielder or that somehow a Rickard/Bourn platoon would do anything.

Bourn hasn't been good for nearly 4 years and is only getting older. It'd be like handing Flaherty an everyday infield job because he had a hot September. A very small sample size of success doesn't erase a large sample size of stinkage.

Hey! Alejandro de Aza was great for us in 2015 after we traded for him the season before...oh wait.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[O's are Legends]

Os have needed a legit TOR forever now and haven't even gotten close to acquiring one.

If they do add a starter expect someone like Andrew Cashner.

They already have 3 Cashner type pitchers in Miley, Ubaldo and Miley. If they get another one DD should be fired.

[MDtransplant757]

If Matt's not back next year and Chance is not ready, I really don't want them going with just Joseph and Pena. I haven't looked at the FA list of catchers. Anyone standout that would be good on a 1 year deal?

Ramos. That's about it.

[sfosfan]

Great topic. So many directions this team to go. There were probably two main issues I had with the O's last offseason, and I'm hoping the mistakes are not repeated:

1) putting a band aid on the rotation by signing Gallardo and Worley. Then getting Miley, another enigma kind of pithcer- we don't need more of these.

2) Giving up on home grown talent in favor of rentals.

So, to avoid # 1 I don't want to see a rotation of Ubaldo, Gallardo or Miley. One of the three in the #5 spot is about all I can stomach. As for #2, I'd like to see Sisco and Boom Boom have a spot ont the team. Mancini might be hard to find room for since Crush is at first and I'm thinking Trumbo gets resigned. But if Trubmo doesn't stick around, I could see Mancini picking up lots of that production. Sisco too would seem at least better than Joseph. Not so sure what to do with the starters though. Wilson and Wright would seem better suited for the pen to start, but the pen is crowded. Should definitely be interesting this offseason!

[ExileAngelos]

and I'm thinking Trumbo gets resigned. !

You might be the only person on this board thinking this

[crawjo]

Great topic. So many directions this team to go. There were probably two main issues I had with the O's last offseason, and I'm hoping the mistakes are not repeated:

1) putting a band aid on the rotation by signing Gallardo and Worley. Then getting Miley, another enigma kind of pithcer- we don't need more of these.

2) Giving up on home grown talent in favor of rentals.

So, to avoid # 1 I don't want to see a rotation of Ubaldo, Gallardo or Miley. One of the three in the #5 spot is about all I can stomach. As for #2, I'd like to see Sisco and Boom Boom have a spot ont the team. Mancini might be hard to find room for since Crush is at first and I'm thinking Trumbo gets resigned. But if Trubmo doesn't stick around, I could see Mancini picking up lots of that production. Sisco too would seem at least better than Joseph. Not so sure what to do with the starters though. Wilson and Wright would seem better suited for the pen to start, but the pen is crowded. Should definitely be interesting this offseason!

I have no problem with a rotation of Gausman, Tillman, Bundy, Miley, and Jimenez or Gallardo. Miley showed me enough down the stretch that I think he can be a solid back-end rotation piece. I think there's a chance that Gausman becomes a star next year. He took a big step forward the second half of this season and if he stays healthy I think he will could become a true ace.

The pitching I think will be fine. It's the offense that I'm worried about.

[crawjo]

You might be the only person on this board thinking this

That would be depressing. I can't remember a star player for the Orioles that I liked less than Trumbo.

[wildcard]

Build next year's team or tear it apart? If the idea is to compete and contend next year, there is just a little tinkering that can be done.

An outfield rotation with Kim, Rickard, and Bourne on the corners is reasonable. Offer QO's to Trumbo and Wieters. Try Mancini at DH. Resign Pearce (what's his timetable?) to backup up 1B and platoon with Kim. Rickard and Bourn can share RF. Flaherty and a catcher on the bench.

Go into next year with the starting rotation in tact. If all are healthy you have to seriously consider starting Bundy off in the bullpen and then making a trade by June to free up a spot for Bundy.

RF Bourne/Rickard

LF Kim/Pearce

3B Machado

1B Davis

CF Jones

DH Mancini

2B Schoop

SS Hardy

C Joseph

Bench (Pena,Flaherty,Pearce,Rickard)

Starters

Tillman

Gausman

Jimenez

Miley

Gallardo

Bullpen

Britton

Brach

O'Day

Hart

Givens

Drake

Bundy

Not sexy but the defense it improved in RF but we lose power. Mancini can hopefully make up for Alvarez at DH. Donwgrade at catcher but Joseph isn't as bad as he looked this year. He and Pena can provide close to the defense that Wieters did and we can hop for a 600+ OPS from the two.

This probably leaves some budge room for a catcher and/or a RF. Otherwise no big (and stupid) moves.

Bundy had the third best ERA of the starters. I have to think he is in the rotation from the beginning of the season and is a big part of the improvement for the team next year.

Sisco will probably start the season sharing time with Joseph at Catcher. Joesph 100-110 games and Sisco 52-62 games. John Russell is one of the best catching coaches at developing catchers defensively. He did it for Joseph. I see Sisco making the jump.

Bourn is too old and has been poor offensively for several years. The O's need better in the the outfield. This is one of Dan's biggest tasks this off season. Find a good young RFer.

Pearce is too old, too expensive and too injury prone.

The teams that had the best OBP scored the most runs. All of them had a .322 OBP or better. That is what the O's need to do. Leading the league in homers netted them the 7th best runs scored in the AL. O's need to improve the OBP this off season. Mancini and Sisco will both improve the OBP. The right fielder needs to do the same.

TBD - RF (left-handed)

Machado - 3B

Davis - 1B

Jones - CF

Schoop -2B

Joesph/Sisco - C

Mancini - DH

Kim - LF

Hardy - SS

Bench - Flaherty, Joesph/Sisco, Rickard, Rule 5 draftee (probably OFer)

Rickard must show he can hit righties before he can be considered a starting OF.

Gausman

Tillman

Bundy

Miley

Gallardo

Britton

O'Day

Brach

Givens

Hart

Worley

Jimenez (Always starts slow, will be in the rotation by June)

Guys that could be added to the 40 man rotation.

Liranzo, Gunkel, Yacabonis, Richard Rodriguez, Mercedes

O's have a lot of reliever depth. Including Drake, Aquino, Wright, Wilson, Bridwell, Lee. All have options. Some may become trade chips.