TT: BATTLE FOR THE LAST BULLPEN SPOT

[Tony-OH]

The long reliever spot should be one of the most interesting roster battles of the spring.

http://www.orioleshangout.com/2017/02/14/battle-last-bullpen-spot/

[wildcard]

I think the battle for the long reliever is between Wilson and Verrett.  Dan and Buck want Wright to begin the season in the Norfolk rotation and be ready to fill in for the O's as a starter.

Dan is still looking for starting pitching depth which could affect the long relief spot.

[mdbdotcom]

Reading the article made me long for the Vanimal.

[wildcard]

12 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

The fact that McFarland is still on the roster and the only lefthander besides Hart leads me to believe he has the job IF he looks good this spring.  I also believe he's out of options.  It would have made more sense to DFA him instead of Pena.  But they didn't.

Just because he hasn't been DFA'd  does mean he will not be.   I am betting it will happen by opening day.  I think he is in the same position that Roe and Phillps were in last year.   Dan gave him a salary that will keep him from getting claimed.

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

The fact that McFarland is still on the roster and the only lefthander besides Hart leads me to believe he has the job IF he looks good this spring.  I also believe he's out of options.  It would have made more sense to DFA him instead of Pena.  But they didn't.

I agree but didn't they go with 7 RHP last year? And that included Givens and O'Day with awful splits. 

[FlipTheBird]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

Just because he hasn't been DFA'd  does mean he will not be.   I am betting it will happen by opening day.  I think he is in the same position that Roe and Phillps were in last year.   Dan gave him a salary that will keep him from getting claimed.

Why, i don't know. McFarland is awful. Have no interest in ever seeing him in orange and black again.

[Can_of_corn]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

Just because he hasn't been DFA'd  does mean he will not be.   I am betting it will happen by opening day.  I think he is in the same position that Roe and Phillps were in last year.   Dan gave him a salary that will keep him from getting claimed.

He's making under a million.  It is his lack of talent that will keep him from getting claimed, not his salary.

[backwardsk]

I don't know who the OD guy will be. With the off days in April, they may not feel the need to go with a long man and keep Logan O.

When things settle down, I also see Verrett and Wilson as having the inside track.  Jed Bradley is an outsider who could also make a move.

[Tony-OH]

2 minutes ago, backwardsk said:

I don't know who the OD guy will be. With the off days in April, they may not feel the need to go with a long man and keep Logan O.

When things settle down, I also see Verrett and Wilson as having the inside track.  Jed Bradley is an outsider who could also make a move.

He could, and I considered adding him into the "candidates," but the fact is they DFA'd him instead of McFarland and he made it through waivers. Considering how far he has fallen in the eyes of teams, I'm thinking he may not be 100% or his stuff has taken a giant leap backwards. If i'm the orioles i put him in the pen and see if he can convert into a left-handed reliever and see if his stuff takes a jump. He's always been pretty effective against lefties.

[weams]

 

 

[backwardsk]

53 minutes ago, weams said:

 

 

Low k:9.  But he gets those ground balls.  I assume he can't go to Norfolk.  

[25 Nuggets]

 

[JohnD]

I would think Verrett is the guy unless he pitches out of the role.  Former Rule V guy by the team who finally got him back.  Wilson makes sense in the role too, unless you think he can still progress as a starter.  If they do then he goes to AAA and tries to get it together. 

The rest of the aforementioned don't do it for me.  Ynoa is a reliever waiting to happen, and so is Wright, who has the potential to end up being a replacement of sorts for a guy like Brach or Givens if one of them gets traded to shore up another area.  And that's not to say he can be as good as either of them or will be if given the shot, but I can see the team giving him that shot if a good deal comes along.

[weams]

10 hours ago, backwardsk said:

Low k:9.  But he gets those ground balls.  I assume he can't go to Norfolk.  

I think he can. But he has to be on a 40 man roster. Ther Yankees may try to trade first. 

[Roll Tide]

On 2/14/2017 at 6:26 AM, RZNJ said:

The fact that McFarland is still on the roster and the only lefthander besides Hart leads me to believe he has the job IF he looks good this spring.  I also believe he's out of options.  It would have made more sense to DFA him instead of Pena.  But they didn't.

I doubt McFarland makes this team. I don't think his stuff is very good. He's not overly effective versus lefties. 

I think Buck would like both Wilson and Wright in the rotation at AAA