Making room for another FA outfielder

[SurhoffFTW]

Assuming (for now) the base lineup includes Kim/Smith in OF and Trumbo DH, and that Joseph and Flaherty are penciled in, who are your other two bench players?

Rickard, Mancini, Rule 5 OFs, and Free agents to choose from.

You can still add someone like Pagan, and I'd support that, but it almost assuredly sends Rickard to AAA. Which I doubt Buck wants to do.

Mancini seems destined for AAA given Trumbo news.

If one of the Rule 5s shows anything, I bet Buck keeps that player & either Rickard/FA. 

[pastorfan]

28 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Kim/Rickard in LF

Smith/Trumbo in RF

Trumbo at DH against RHP's.

I see Joseph, Flaherty, Rickard,  and Santander or someone to hold a spot until Santander is ready.     I think the O's figure a way to carry this kid.

wow, that is a strong bench! Hard to choose which pinch hitter to use.

[ChuckS]

If we didn't have to keep Tavarez on the roster we could add another outfielder.  I'm all in favor of this.  I don't agree with sacrificing the Major League team to keep a Rule V player.  Teams with playoff aspirations should not be doing this.  

Rickard is going to make the team IMO and should.  Some have suggested he could start in Triple A but we need a right handed bat who can play against lefties when Smith and likely Kim will need to sit.  

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, ChuckS said:

If we didn't have to keep Tavarez on the roster we could add another outfielder.  I'm all in favor of this.  I don't agree with sacrificing the Major League team to keep a Rule V player.  Teams with playoff aspirations should not be doing this.  

Rickard is going to make the team IMO and should.  Some have suggested he could start in Triple A but we need a right handed bat who can play against lefties when Smith and likely Kim will need to sit.  

But rule V guys are magic.

And they show how much smarter Buck and Dan are.

[DoubleStufOriole]

I could certainly see the O's keeping a Rule 5 player on the roster long enough for him to remain in the organization. They've done that every season since Duquesne came onboard, with the exception of Michael Almanzar, who they ended up trading for anyway.

Now that Rickard has passed the test and remained with the team, I could easily see him being a roster casualty if needed. He started hot, faded a bit and then got injured, but being right-handed helps his cause.

[waroriole]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

But rule V guys are magic.

And they show how much smarter Buck and Dan are.

We definitely keeping a Rule 5 guy. They're not signing anyone else to a ML deal. 

[Spy Fox]

It continues to look as though we missed out on a pretty ideal fit in Rajai Davis. 

As the OP mentions, I'd love to see them sign Pagan, be okay with the fact that one of Pagan/Kim/Smith will sit each day, leave Rickard in AAA for insurance, and forget about the Rule V guys for once. But I doubt that's the plan.

[MDtransplant757]

1 hour ago, Spy Fox said:

It continues to look as though we missed out on a pretty ideal fit in Rajai Davis. 

As the OP mentions, I'd love to see them sign Pagan, be okay with the fact that one of Pagan/Kim/Smith will sit each day, leave Rickard in AAA for insurance, and forget about the Rule V guys for once. But I doubt that's the plan.

I doubt it's the plan either. I'd send Rickard down for Pagan and have him work on hitting RHP. Pagan would be a god send here IMO

[Number5]

12 minutes ago, MDtransplant757 said:

I doubt it's the plan either. I'd send Rickard down for Pagan and have him work on hitting RHP. Pagan would be a god send here IMO

Is it Pagan's advanced age, his bad defense, his weak hitting, or his inability to stay healthy and on the field for a full season that attracts you the most?  Please look at his numbers and history.  It has been four years since Pagan was a valuable player.  He once was a good defensive player, but his last year of good defense was 2010.  I also don't think he would come cheap, either.  He's made $10 or 11 million each of the last three years.  He wouldn't play over Trumbo, Smith, or Kim vs. RHP, and he can't hit LHP very well at all.  How does he fit our team?  I think we are seriously overrating Pagan on this board.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/paganan01.shtml

 

[El Gordo]

12 minutes ago, Number5 said:

Is it Pagan's advanced age, his bad defense, his weak hitting, or his inability to stay healthy and on the field for a full season that attracts you the most?  Please look at his numbers and history.  It has been four years since Pagan was a valuable player.  He once was a good defensive player, but his last year of good defense was 2010.  I also don't think he would come cheap, either.  He's made $10 or 11 million each of the last three years.  He wouldn't play over Trumbo, Smith, or Kim vs. RHP, and he can't hit LHP very well at all.  How does he fit our team?  I think we are seriously overrating Pagan on this board.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/paganan01.shtml

 

According to total zone he had good years in 2012 and 2014.

[Number5]

2 minutes ago, El Gordo said:

According to total zone he had good years in 2012 and 2014.

Not really.  Not terrible, like 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016, but not good.  I can't see any reason we should be thinking about signing Pagan at this point.

[El Gordo]

How is 16 rTOT and 15 rTOT/yr in and 7 rTOT and 10 rTOT/yr in 2014  2012 not good? Last year Manny was 6 rTOT and 7 rTOT He must be a mediocre 3B.

[Number5]

24 minutes ago, El Gordo said:

How is 16 rTOT and 15 rTOT/yr in and 7 rTOT and 10 rTOT/yr in 2014  2012 not good? Last year Manny was 6 rTOT and 7 rTOT He must be a mediocre 3B.

Negative defensive runs saved and negative dWAR in all of the years 2011 thru 2016.  The two years you mentioned were the least terrible, but still below average.  Are you really still arguing that Pagan has been a good fielder the past six years?  Are you really still thinking, after reviewing his numbers, that this is a guy you want to shell out money for?  Who do you plan on sitting in order to play him?  The singular thing we most need right now in our lineup is someone that hits LHP well to play when Smith doesn't.  Pagan has been very weak vs. LHP.  His salary history indicates he ain't coming cheap.  Way too much for the short side of a platoon, even if for some odd reason we to decide that he will completely change and learn to hit LHP well.  He certainly doesn't hit RHP better than Smith, Kim, or Trumbo, so his better side brings no value, as he would definitely sit vs. RHP.  Why do you want Pagan?  What does he bring to the table?  I'm not seeing any benefit at all.  Please explain why we should sign him.

[El Gordo]

Just now, Number5 said:

Negative defensive runs saved and negative dWAR in all of the years 2011 thru 2016.  The two years you mentioned were the least terrible, but still below average.  Are you really still arguing that Pagan has been a good fielder the past six years?  Are you really still thinking, after reviewing his numbers, that this is a guy you want to shell out money for?  Who do you plan on sitting in order to play him?  The singular thing we most need right now in our lineup is someone that hits LHP well to play when Smith doesn't.  Pagan has been very weak vs. LHP.  His salary history indicates he ain't coming cheap.  Way too much for the short side of a platoon, even if for some odd reason we to decide that he will completely change and learn to hit LHP well.  He certainly doesn't hit RHP better than Smith, Kim, or Trumbo, so his better side brings no value, as he would definitely sit vs. RHP.  Why do you want Pagan?  What does he bring to the table?  I'm not seeing any benefit at all.  Please explain why we should sign him.

Not arguing anything. Just pointing out that according to Total Zone he was good those two years. Defensive metrics cam be voodoo statistics.

[25 Nuggets]

7 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Kim/Rickard in LF

Smith/Trumbo in RF

Trumbo at DH against RHP's.

I see Joseph, Flaherty, Rickard,  and Santander or someone to hold a spot until Santander is ready.     I think the O's figure a way to carry this kid.

My guess like others is that Aneury Tavarez will get that opportunity.

I'll be interested to hear the reports on him from Spring Training.