Rule 5 guys show off early

[wildcard]

Yesterday when the O's only managed 2 runs on 5 hits, Anthony Santander knocked in one of the runs with a single. 

From Roch:

Quote

 

Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavárez broke a 3-3 tie with an RBI single in the seventh inning, stole second and third base and scored on Trey Mancini’s two-run double. The other Rule 5 outfielder, Anthony Santander, is 2-for-6 with an RBI.

“As advertised,” Showalter said. “Obviously, Santander’s a pretty good hitter and he’s getting closer to being able to get on the field and take a look at it from that perspective. Tavárez is a plus runner, real athletic.

“Both of these guys you’d like to have in your system. Teams don’t have a whole lot of guys running around like that. We have some, but not as many as ... you always want more. The problem with this is you don’t have that ability to put them in your system except for Baltimore. But there’s always ways to work it out.”

Tavárez seemed more likely to fit the Orioles’ needs back in December because of his speed and ability to play all three of the outfield positions. The Orioles signed veteran outfielders Craig Gentry and Michael Bourn to minor league deals after reporting to spring training.

“When we drafted him, yes, but the landscape’s kind of changed the last two or three weeks,” Showalter said. “But he’s a left fielder, potential leadoff guy. Trying to get our arms around him defensively.”

 

I can't wait to see more.

[backwardsk]

Santander is now swinging from both sides of the plate.  Buck thinks he'll be out in the field soon.  It's getting harder to hide him on the DL unless he has a setback.  It'd be great to keep them both. I just don't see how they can.

I'd like to see if Tavarez can handle center while Jones is out.

I predict they keep Santander.

[Frobby]

I saw the thread title and knew this would be a wildcard thread.    Love the spring enthusiasm and optimism.   I hope these two continue to look like they're worthy of a Rule 5 selection.  

[stomperspc]

2 hours ago, backwardsk said:

Santander is now swinging from both sides of the plate.  Buck thinks he'll be out in the field soon.  It's getting harder to hide him on the DL unless he has a setback.  It'd be great to keep them both. I just don't see how they can.

I'd like to see if Tavarez can handle center while Jones is out.

I predict they keep Santander.

It will be interesting to see how they handle Santander if they do try to keep him. Buck gave an vague "but there is always ways to work it out" response to Roch today when talking about keeping the Rule 5 guys. If they think Santander can help them in the future, I think they'll find a way to keep him somehow.

It might not be a bad thing if he is healthy enough to be on the roster in April. If Tillman is out for most or all of April, the Orioles can get through the whole month with a 4-man rotation (two spot starts by a 5th starter), 5-man bench and a full bullpen (except for the two days with the spot starter). So in that scenario they could carry Santander in April without him taking up an important spot. The Orioles have gotten "creative" in the past in getting players to the DL. If in April Santander (coming off of shoulder surgery) doesn't play much and struggles when he does play, it wouldn't be a hard sell to link the injury with the performance and DL him for a little while. September/October is a free 31 days because of expanded roster. They would then just need to find 30 days elsewhere in the season to have him on the active roster.

That is assuming Santander is struggling and essentially taking up a spot. If Santander keeps his head above water (as in about what Rickard did last season), I think they can just ride it out with him as the 4th bench player for most/all of the season.

[theobird]

Does anybody actually think that the Orioles could work out a trade for one of these guys and keep them both. I would love to be able to stash one of these guys in the minors.

 

[Legend_Of_Joey]

When Santander revealed it was a bone spur and not a labrum issue that he had surgically fixed, that caused his timetable to go from "maybe out half the season," to "oh crap...How do we keep him if he tears it up?"

He is a good player and so is Tavarez. But the jump from Carolina League to Major League will be anice interesting one.

[theobird]

10 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

When Santander revealed it was a bone spur and not a labrum issue that he had surgically fixed, that caused his timetable to go from "maybe out half the season," to "oh crap...How do we keep him if he tears it up?"

He is a good player and so is Tavarez. But the jump from Carolina League to Major League will be anice interesting one.

That is why I would like to see the O's trade for Santander, so they can stick him at Bowie. Tavarez has the skills to stay with the O's this year

[Il BuonO]

If they play well (the numbers don't matter), if Buck likes them both, (say, better than he took to Kim) DFA Bourn and Gentry. That would be out of the box, and those two are known quantities. Is anyone pining for the loss of either if the young guys can stick?

[Frobby]

49 minutes ago, theobird said:

That is why I would like to see the O's trade for Santander, so they can stick him at Bowie. Tavarez has the skills to stay with the O's this year

They can't trade for Santander without putting him through waivers first.   

[Norfolk orioles]

Would have been nice if they could have somehow traded Christian Walker for either of them.

 

I know they aren't "equal" prospects but Walker + a C prospect probably would have secured the trade for either considering both of their teams were willing to expose these kids for nothing.

Just a thought.

 

[Rene88]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

Santander is the one with the upside.  If he can play an average LF and/or RF, his chances rise.  Can also be a RH bat to platoon with Kim or Smith or DH if Trumbo plays LF.  A better fit than Tavarez.

People talk about the jump but Santander's season in high A at age 21 puts him on the same plane, IMO, as Tavarez who had a great AA season but at age 24. I think Santander might be able to contribute this season.  

Santander is the real talent to keep. Agreed, his defense will be a huge factor.

[Rene88]

44 minutes ago, Norfolk orioles said:

Would have been nice if they could have somehow traded Christian Walker for either of them.

 

I know they aren't "equal" prospects but Walker + a C prospect probably would have secured the trade for either considering both of their teams were willing to expose these kids for nothing.

Just a thought.

 

We had to keep the great Logan Ondrusek at all costs:)

 

honestly, I think they were just doing Walker a favor

[Norfolk orioles]

Probably true.........which is understandable given Mancini, Trumbo and Davis are going nowhere for a very long time.

[Can_of_corn]

5 hours ago, Norfolk orioles said:

Would have been nice if they could have somehow traded Christian Walker for either of them.

 

I know they aren't "equal" prospects but Walker + a C prospect probably would have secured the trade for either considering both of their teams were willing to expose these kids for nothing.

Just a thought.

 

If the teams didn't have room on their 40 for the players they lost what are the odds they would have room for someone like Walker?

[mdbdotcom]

8 hours ago, Il BuonO said:

If they play well (the numbers don't matter), if Buck likes them both, (say, better than he took to Kim) DFA Bourn and Gentry. That would be out of the box, and those two are known quantities. Is anyone pining for the loss of either if the young guys can stick?

fyi - Bourn and Gentry are both on minor league contracts. They don't need to be DFA.