Dan's options to fill out the team

[wildcard]

Roch talked about the subject this morning here.   I would add my perspective. http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/12/this-that-and-the-other-130.html

It would appears that the trade options for the O's have not matched up very well.  The O's value their relievers more than the market does at this point.  So exploring the FA market may be where its at for the O's  going forward.

Ages are as of July 1st 2017.

Catcher

Wellington Castillo -(30)  Seems to be #1 target.  Made 3.7m in 2016.  Was projected to make 5.9 m in arbitration. O's willing to go 2 years.  Probably 2/10m. Bats right-handed.

Nick Hundley (33)  is  a backup.  Made 3.15m in 2016.  MLBTR projects 2/10m. Bats Right-handed.

Matt Wieters (31) - Made 15.8 in 2016.  MLBTR projects 3/39m Boras say wait until January.  O's would like to move faster. Switch hitter.

 

DH

Mark Trumbo (31) - Made 9.15m in 2016.  Asked 4/80. Has dropped to 4/70-75m.  MLBTR projects 4/60m. O's reportedly at 4/52m.  Rockies, Mariners, Cardinals and O's still interested. Bats right-handed.

Trey Mancini (25) - is backup.  Projected salary .535m.   Has option.  If Trumbo is signed Mancini becomes trade bait.  He will have not future with the O's. Bats right-handed.

Pedro Alvarez (30) - Made 5.75m in 2016. Signing sounds unlikely because Buck wants a DH that can also play somewhere in the field.  Bats left handed.

Note: If Trumbo signs, Kim gets his at bats in left field.  If Mancini is the DH Kim may split time between LF and DH.

 

Outfielders

Jones in center.  Kim part or full time in left. But may see some time at DH.

Rickard and Tavarez seem best fit for right field/leadoff hitter. Buck has said repeatedly that he does not want Jones leading off in 2017.

Left field

Buck commented that the O's can't pay 7 or 8m for a part time or bench player.

Michael Saunders (30) -  Made 2.9m in 2016.  MLBTR projects 3/33m.  O's unlikely to sign Trumbo and Saunders with Kim on the team  Bats left-handed.  Better in left field.  Can play some right field. Often injured.

Ben Revere ( 29) - Made 6.25m in 2016.  Left-handed  hitter. Has weak arm.

Micheal Bourn (34) - Made 10m in 2016. Bats left handed. Can play right field also.

Angel Pagan (35) - Made 11.2m in 2016. Switch hitter Can play all three fields.

O's likely to wait for the market to fall.

 

Relievers

Probably reliever(s) with options if the O's do not trade a reliever.

A lot of this is JMO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[backwardsk]

The idea of Rickard and Tavares as the everyday leadoff guys is not a good one, IMO.  Rickard against lefties, sure.

What I think will happen, not what I'd do, is Castillo, Trumbo, and Bourn signed.  Here you still don't have an ideal leadoff guy.  Bourn in RF, Kim LF, Trumbo DH against righties.  Trumbo, Rickard, Mancini against lefties.

We may get Castillo soon, but I imagine the outfielders could take some time.

[billw76]

If that is the options, I think I would sign Castillo for catcher, Mancini at DH and to give Davis a break at 1B, and sign Saunders for LF.

I would probably go with Tavares in RF over Rickard, and use Kim as the 4th OF. You could also use Kim and Saunders at DH if they would be a better machup than Mancini.

[25 Nuggets]

It's a nice summary.  I would add the trade target options Curtis Granderson and Carlos Gonzalez since there is talk about them.

[wildcard]

22 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Welington Castillo bats from the right side. I'd be happy with him at catcher, Mancini as full time DH, Kim/Rickard in LF, and Pagan in RF on a very short contract.

Thanks for the correction on Castillo.   I changed it.

[joe42]

I realize that this will not be popular, but Enwin Encarnacions price has come way down. 3 years 60 mil.  he would dh.

Same with Jose Bautista, price has come way down. 2 years 30 mil.  rightfield.

sign Matt Weiters. 2 years and 18 mil ?

Would also try again on the BB for smith trade with Atlanta.

We have a 2 year window to get too the promised land and it aint my money.

[Rene88]

It doesn't matter what you do with the offense if you keep status quo with the starting pitching this team will be fighting with Tampa for last place.

[maybenxtyr]

2 minutes ago, Rene88 said:

It doesn't matter what you do with the offense if you keep status quo with the starting pitching this team will be fighting with Tampa for last place.

Right. Just like 2016, it was a dogfight for last place. Your rhetoric is old, but could at least be tolerable if you used some semblance of facts.

[weams]

3 minutes ago, Rene88 said:

It doesn't matter what you do with the offense if you keep status quo with the starting pitching this team will be fighting with Tampa for last place.

Last year too!

[waroriole]

27 minutes ago, maybenxtyr said:

Right. Just like 2016, it was a dogfight for last place. Your rhetoric is old, but could at least be tolerable if you used some semblance of facts.

That's the thing with him. Ask him for what he'd do and he never has an answer. Just vague generalities about improving this or that. Easier to complain that way. 

[maybenxtyr]

23 minutes ago, waroriole said:

That's the thing with him. Ask him for what he'd do and he never has an answer. Just vague generalities about improving this or that. Easier to complain that way. 

Right. The pitching is not too tier, but we are in ok shape with the BP and starters. Grab a catcher and a decent OF and roll with it. On paper, Boston has the best team and I don't think that's debatable. As we all know though, the games are not played in paper. The players don't exist in Free agency to play the paper game, so we build the best team we can and enjoy the ride.

[Dark Helmet]

1 hour ago, Rene88 said:

It doesn't matter what you do with the offense if you keep status quo with the starting pitching this team will be fighting with Tampa for last place.

In reality, how do you know what the SP will be? Tillman and Gausman are a respectable top 2. If Bundy pitches like he did before he wore down, then you have a solid top 3. Miley and Gallardo have flashes of being good to not horrible. I'm more optimistic about the 2017 rotation than I was last year.

[weams]

Let's be careful to criticize the post and not the character of the poster. 

[thezeroes]

1 hour ago, Rene88 said:

It doesn't matter what you do with the offense if you keep status quo with the starting pitching this team will be fighting with Tampa for last place.

To be fair with the starting staff you should address the following difference from 2016 to the upcoming 2017 season.

First off would be a full year of an un-teathered Dylan Bundy.

Second would be the added experience that Kevin Gausman has gotten.

Third is the walk year for Tillman, Gallardo and Jimenez which usually gets the most from them.

Fourth is the Miley change at the end of the year from talking with Scott McGregor

Fifth is a healthy beginning for Gallardo

If you do not think any of these make a difference in the overall starting staff then you need not continue a conversation on the topic unless you can counter with a different scenario for all SIX.

[weams]

8 minutes ago, thezeroes said:

To be fair with the starting staff you should address the following difference from 2016 to the upcoming 2017 season.

First off would be a full year of an un-teathered Dylan Bundy.

Second would be the added experience that Kevin Gausman has gotten.

Third is the walk year for Tillman, Gallardo and Jimenez which usually gets the most from them.

Fourth is the Miley change at the end of the year from talking with Scott McGregor

Fifth is a healthy beginning for Gallardo

If you do not think any of these make a difference in the overall starting staff then you need not continue a conversation on the topic unless you can counter with a different scenario for all SIX.

I've heard non Oriole fans and folks in the industry mention similar hope for the six starters.