Pick Three for the 25-man

[Aristotelian]

10 spots appear to be locked down: Castillo, Joseph, Davis, Schoop, Hardy, Machado, Jones, Kim, Smith, Trumbo. 

We need some RH platoon/bench options and OF defense. Who do you pick of the following:

Flaherty - Most versatile defensively, but LH. They optioned him for a time last year with Manny as the emergency SS. Bad hitter overall, but capable of hitting a HR every now and then.

Janish - more natural SS than Flaherty and right-handed. Lacks Flaherty's power threat, but could bring intangibles such as ability to get a bunt down and put balls in play (in about the same career PA's as Flaherty, he has 180 K's to Flaherty's 300).

Rickard - RH, pretty good defensively, still unproven offensively. Does have options.

Mancini - RH, obvious power, but not a good fit defensively. Could use regular playing time at Norfolk while waiting for a full time opportunity should something happen to Trumbo or Davis.

Santander - RH, appears to be a good hitter, could have the highest ceiling of anyone on the list, but more unknown.

Dariel Alvarez - RH, more experience than Santander, good arm for RF, but appears to have limitations offensively and defensively.

Aneury Tavarez - Rule 5, pretty good minor league portfolio, similar to Rickard's last year, but lower OBP and LH. 

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Flaherty, Rickard, Santander?

[Number5]

4 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

10 spots appear to be locked down: Castillo, Joseph, Davis, Schoop, Hardy, Machado, Jones, Kim, Smith, Trumbo. 

We need some RH platoon/bench options and OF defense. Who do you pick of the following:

Flaherty - Most versatile defensively, but LH. They optioned him for a time last year with Manny as the emergency SS. Bad hitter overall, but capable of hitting a HR every now and then.

Janish - more natural SS than Flaherty and right-handed. Lacks Flaherty's power threat, but could bring intangibles such as ability to get a bunt down and put balls in play (in about the same career PA's as Flaherty, he has 180 K's to Flaherty's 300).

Rickard - RH, pretty good defensively, still unproven offensively. Does have options.

Mancini - RH, obvious power, but not a good fit defensively. Could use regular playing time at Norfolk while waiting for a full time opportunity should something happen to Trumbo or Davis.

Santander - RH, appears to be a good hitter, could have the highest ceiling of anyone on the list, but more unknown.

Dariel Alvarez - RH, more experience than Santander, good arm for RF, but appears to have limitations offensively and defensively.

Aneury Tavarez - Rule 5, pretty good minor league portfolio, similar to Rickard's last year, but lower OBP and LH. 

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Flaherty, Rickard, Santander?

Just a note - Santander is a switch hitter and has the same rule 5 restrictions as Tavarez.

[25 Nuggets]

I do not know enough about the Rule 5 guys to make a good decision -- and probably still won't despite the spring (see: Hyun Soo Kim).  But I will trust the coaches and front office of the team if they want to keep one or both of Tavarez and Santander.

Flaherty makes the most sense as the utility infielder just as he has for years now.  He is left handed and plays multiple positions.

As far as backup catcher - Caleb Joseph has to do a better job of hitting.  I mean you can carry a 70-ish OPS+ as a catcher if you're good defensively.  But he wasn't even close to that last year.  But if he is indeed a lock, I can't do anything about it.  I hope he has a short leash.

[backwardsk]

As of today: Gentry, Santander, and Flaherty.

[Frobby]

Now that Flaherty has 5 years of service time, I don't believe he can be optioned without his consent.    But I think he'd be on the roster in any event.   Janish goes to the minors as depth.   Dariel Alvarez has an option and I'd be pretty shocked if he was on the OD roster.   I think the other two spots come down to Rickard, Mancini, Santander and Tavarez, with Gentry (who wasn't on your list) also having a shot if he hits well this spring and appears healthy.   

[Aristotelian]

Forgot about Gentry. I can see the case for him, but would probably mean losing both Rule 5's.

Forgot about Bourn too, although I guess the injury keeps him off the 25 for opening day. I was kind of thinking he would opt out and go to another team, but maybe he sticks at Norfolk now. Terrible timing for him.

[jamalshw]

I think you can go with Gentry and still keep a Rule-5 guy. I'm also not convinced the O's won't try to DL Sandtander (because of the defensive restrictions at the moment) and get him at least the month of 'rehab' games in the minors to buy some time. I really think they want to keep him if at all possible. 

I don't really see a situation where we don't keep Flaherty. Andino is the only other player that could possibly provide the same flexibility, but I just don't see him not on the team. 

As noted, that leaves two spots. Some of this depends on Kim. If he can show he can at least hold his own against LHP I think it becomes Gentry or Rickard and Tavarez (or Santander if they don't DL him). If, however, Kim doesn't show he can handle every day at bats and needs a platoon partner, you have two of Gentry, Rickard and Mancini making the team. To keep as many in the organization as possible, that likely means Rickard or Mancini gets optioned. Obviously, if Mancini stays that puts Trumbo in RF against LHP. I think they want to avoid him in the OF as much as possible and want Mancini to get consistent ABs if possible, so my guess would be he'd be the one sent down. 

[FlipTheBird]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

10 spots appear to be locked down: Castillo, Joseph, Davis, Schoop, Hardy, Machado, Jones, Kim, Smith, Trumbo. 

We need some RH platoon/bench options and OF defense. Who do you pick of the following:

Flaherty - Most versatile defensively, but LH. They optioned him for a time last year with Manny as the emergency SS. Bad hitter overall, but capable of hitting a HR every now and then.

Janish - more natural SS than Flaherty and right-handed. Lacks Flaherty's power threat, but could bring intangibles such as ability to get a bunt down and put balls in play (in about the same career PA's as Flaherty, he has 180 K's to Flaherty's 300).

Rickard - RH, pretty good defensively, still unproven offensively. Does have options.

Mancini - RH, obvious power, but not a good fit defensively. Could use regular playing time at Norfolk while waiting for a full time opportunity should something happen to Trumbo or Davis.

Santander - RH, appears to be a good hitter, could have the highest ceiling of anyone on the list, but more unknown.

Dariel Alvarez - RH, more experience than Santander, good arm for RF, but appears to have limitations offensively and defensively.

Aneury Tavarez - Rule 5, pretty good minor league portfolio, similar to Rickard's last year, but lower OBP and LH. 

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Flaherty, Rickard, Santander?

Hmm. Well, as some have noted, there's a lot more to discuss here than who we want - because some guys have more options than others, some guys (the Rule V's) have their future in the organization on the line, etc. But...

1. Flaherty - He's the only real supersub we've got. I honestly wished we'd find another utility-style player this offseason, because Ryan can't even hit his weight. But he's what we've got, so we take him.

2. Mancini - Let him bat DH against the lefties. If he's not hacking it, he can be optioned back to Norfolk. But I'm willing to give him a shot.

3. Rickard (but only if Santander can be stashed on the DL) - They need another righty bat that can play the OF, and he's it. If Santander is deemed too healthy to stash, though, option Joey and keep Santander as long as you can.

[Rene88]

7 hours ago, Frobby said:

Now that Flaherty has 5 years of service time, I don't believe he can be optioned without his consent.    But I think he'd be on the roster in any event.   Janish goes to the minors as depth.   Dariel Alvarez has an option and I'd be pretty shocked if he was on the OD roster.   I think the other two spots come down to Rickard, Mancini, Santander and Tavarez, with Gentry (who wasn't on your list) also having a shot if he hits well this spring and appears healthy.   

Bourn will be here when healthy, he's a lock unless his injury is worse than expected.

IMO, Santender is a real prospect and we need him in the organization.

Need to see more Tavarez.

Gentry, Macini and Rickard are left with Rickard with  a huge edge IMO.

[weams]

Tavarez, Santander, Flaherty

[olddogger]

8 minutes ago, weams said:

Tavarez, Santander, Flaherty

We have a winner!

[ChuckS]

13 minutes ago, weams said:

Tavarez, Santander, Flaherty

Who plays left field and right field when a lefty is on the mound?

[weams]

Santander and Trumbo.

[ReclaimTheCrown]

I expect it to be Flaherty (he is a lock, IMO, as others have suggested), Gentry (I think he plays well and we carry him, though I don't fully agree), and either Tavares or Santander. Would love to keep both of those rule five guys, but don't think it's realistic, or frankly wise, for a team that ought to be contending. If I had my choice, I'd carry Santander. 

[ChuckS]

I don't think there is any way we keep two rule five's on the 25-man.  That would be an unheard of thing for a team expecting to contend to do.  

I'm going with Rickard, Flaherty, and Tavarez.  But I think we start the season with 14 position players given the need for only four starters over the first two weeks.  So Rickard, Flaherty, Tavarez, and Maninci.  Kim needs to prove he can hit lefties.  

If Santander isn't able to be stashed/DL'd then maybe you keep him over Tavarez but keeping two Rule V's at the expense of the big league roster would be crazy.