Best Internal Solution To 1B?

[Sports Guy]

So in your scenario, you've kept both Roberts and Cabrera, correct?

And you've traded for LaRoche plus either Hu or DeJesus.

How'd that happen again?

And don't say George Sherrill.

Sherrill could get those guys if they deem him as a guy they want in their pen.

They also could send Sherrill and a guy like Liz to the Rangers while they send Blalock to the Dodgers and we get the guys from LA.

Different scenarios could happen.

And, as I said, if none of that would work, go to Milwaukee.

[neon2lsohc]

If Vinyard can make his way through the system, he has some pop. I was surprised how he crushed the ball at Frederick.

I know that we aren't the envy of baseball's farm systems, but I love some of the kids we have. I am taking my butt back to Frederick very soon. Maybe to VA also.

[Guest oriofan8]

Why is nobody mentioning Brandon Snyder for 1B...or even Oscar Salazar?

[DrungoHazewood]

Why is nobody mentioning Brandon Snyder for 1B...or even Oscar Salazar?

Because Brandon Snyder has a .700 OPS in the Carolina League at 22, and Oscar Salazar is a 30-year-old minor league journeyman. I know Snyder has his devotees here, but I think it's a pretty long shot at him ever being a major league regular, and Salazar would have to benefit from a bizarre coincidence of injuries, AWOLs, and abductions to be an everyday player in Baltimore.

[ChaosLex]

Because Brandon Snyder has a .700 OPS in the Carolina League at 22, and Oscar Salazar is a 30-year-old minor league journeyman. I know Snyder has his devotees here, but I think it's a pretty long shot at him ever being a major league regular, and Salazar would have to benefit from a bizarre coincidence of injuries, AWOLs, and abductions to be an everyday player in Baltimore.

Agreed. I'm not sold on Snyder at all. It burns me up that Bruce was picked right before him in the draft and Rasmus was taken at the end of the 1st Round. :cussing:

[Boca Bird]

From everyting i'm bring told we will pull an all out assult to sign Tex. I'm also hearing we'll deal Ramon Hernandez this offseason and Wieters will be the starting 2009 catcher. Very doubtful Roberts gets traded. Will try to trade Payton, Walker and Bradford at the deadline. The organization is very happy with Huff at DH. He worked hard this off season and is producing as well as any DH in baseball right now.

I'm not a Huff fan, but I gotta give the guy credit. Not only does he not complain about being the DH, he actually embraces it. Its good when there aren't any distractions due to complaining about being the DH (see Bonnilla, Bobby- Gibbons, Jay, etc

[clapdiddy]

I'm not a Huff fan, but I gotta give the guy credit. Not only does he not complain about being the DH, he actually embraces it. Its good when there aren't any distractions due to complaining about being the DH (see Bonnilla, Bobby- Gibbons, Jay, etc

As he is normally a slow starter, I think Huff is going to have a very good season this year. He is normally a great second half player (OPS 100 points higher post All-star game over the last 3 years) and he could put up some really big numbers if the first half is any indication.

[Sports Guy]

You are talking 2010... why are you omitting Rowell?

Mora is not going to waive his NTC, but he will not be extended either... by the 2009 Trading Deadline, the O's will want to be seeing Rowell on an everyday basis, and determine if he is ready to handle the job, going into 2010...

Rowell spends all of 2008 at Frederick.... spends the first-half of 2009 in Bowie... gets 300-400 at-bats...

We sign Tex...

We take Gordon Beckham next week... you put him in Bowie to start... you also bring him up at the 2009 Trading Deadline...

We end 2009 with this team:

Roberts 2nd

Jones CF

Markakis RF

Tex 1st

Reimold LF

Scott DH

Wieters C

Rowell 3rd

Beckham SS

Quiroz, Huff, Moore, Bynum

Well, before we can put Rowell in the team photo, he needs to start doing something more than he has and needs to advance, develop, etc....

And if he ends up being on the ML team and we get a third baseman, then he can go to LF...Reimold to DH...Scott traded or becomes a 4th OFer/part time DH.

[Mackus]

Thats fine... I understand that he is 19 years old and has 100 ab's in High A ball...

However, there is major money invested in him already... he probably ends this year with an OPS similar to what he produced in Delmarva last year (760)... and becaue of Mora's expiring contract, will be the best in-house option.

When you consider that by July 31st 2009, he is likely to have had 400 at bats in Frederick, and another 400 at bats in Bowie... it is not much of a stretch to envision him as our August 1st, 2009 starting 3rdbaseman.

Its an incredible stretch to imagine him playing in Baltimore at any point next season.

[Sports Guy]

Thats fine... I understand that he is 19 years old and has 100 ab's in High A ball...

However, there is major money invested in him already... he probably ends this year with an OPS similar to what he produced in Delmarva last year (760)... and because of Mora's expiring contract, will be the best in-house option.

When you consider that by July 31st 2009, he is likely to have had 400 at bats in Frederick, and another 400 at bats in Bowie... it is not much of a stretch to envision him as our August 1st, 2009 starting 3rdbaseman.

I agree with mackus...It will take a huge jump in his development/performance to think Rowell will be in the majors by next year, at age 20.

And I am not going to just sit around and wait for the POSSIBILITY of him being good enough to be here if we go get a young third baseman right now who may end up being better than Rowell anyway.

We need to acquire depth...We have to get talent...Sort out the positions later.

[JTrea81]

When you are factoring our talent, you often give the impression of not taking into account our pitching and depth... that you are only looking at our positional prospects.

You have not posted it here, but we have talked about it enough, that I know you believe in the pitching, and believe we need to be trading some of our pitching depth for positional prospects....

Well, as you know, I do not totally disagree... we certainly have the depth to do that.

Like you said, the first step is seeing what happens in the draft.

Dodgers might be attractive... with DeWitt / LaRoche / Hu / DeJesus...

However, I am a bit shocked that you think it is unlikely Rowell will be ready to replace Mora by 7/31/09.

Rowell turns 20 in Sept 2008.. so if he comes up 8/1/09, he will be getting ready to turn 21...

He will likely have accumlated 1300 Minor League AB's at that point..

If he is replacing Mora at that point in time, Rowell would be replacing a 37 year old with an OPS somewhere likely in the 680-740 range...

Gets the last two months of 2009 to begin to acclimate himself to the Majors...

Starts 2010 as the Opening Day starter as a 21 year-old... likely produces at a similar clip to Mora now, but steadily improves.

Guess we will see.

He has a sub .700 OPS in A ball and you think he'll replace Mora by the deadline next year? He's more likely to be a bust at this point than reaching the majors. I think the next fulltime solutions to both IF corners are not with the organization right now... Snyder and Rowell will not reach the majors as regulars IMO...

[Sports Guy]

When you are factoring our talent, you often give the impression of not taking into account our pitching and depth... that you are only looking at our positional prospects.

You have not posted it here, but we have talked about it enough, that I know you believe in the pitching, and believe we need to be trading some of our pitching depth for positional prospects....

Well, as you know, I do not totally disagree... we certainly have the depth to do that.

Like you said, the first step is seeing what happens in the draft.

Dodgers might be attractive... with DeWitt / LaRoche / Hu / DeJesus...

However, I am a bit shocked that you think it is unlikely Rowell will be ready to replace Mora by 7/31/09.

Rowell turns 20 in Sept 2008.. so if he comes up 8/1/09, he will be getting ready to turn 21...

He will likely have accumlated 1300 Minor League AB's at that point..

If he is replacing Mora at that point in time, Rowell would be replacing a 37 year old with an OPS somewhere likely in the 680-740 range...

Gets the last two months of 2009 to begin to acclimate himself to the Majors...

Starts 2010 as the Opening Day starter as a 21 year-old... likely produces at a similar clip to Mora now, but steadily improves.

Guess we will see.

Rowell has done a good job for a guy his age in the minors but to think a 20 year old with an OPS in the low 700s in single A is going to be able to take that huge leap to be in the majors around a year from now is a reach IMO.

He has the ability and talent to possibly do it but to expect or plan for it is wrong.

While he has "held his own" so far, he hasn't been good enough to think he can be a contributor in the majors next year.

Of course, that could change...He could have a monster second half this year and really just get going but again, you can't plan for that for next season, certainly not to the point where if you can go out and get a LaRoche, that you say, no thanks, Rowell is on his way.

And I love the pitching and the depth of it...But the DRays have better pitching than us IMO...The Red Sox pitching is probably better...The Yankees are close...Now, those teams may not have the depth but they are probably better in terms of either young established MLers or top top guys(see TB for this).

We are at least close or right there with them in pitching...Position players isn't even close though.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'd guess there's about a 10% chance of Rowell playing in the majors in 2009.

[Sports Guy]

He has a sub .700 OPS in A ball and you think he'll replace Mora by the deadline next year? He's more likely to be a bust at this point than reaching the majors. I think the next fulltime solutions to both IF corners are not with the organization right now... Snyder and Rowell will not reach the majors as regulars IMO...

Yea, got to agree with Chris...Writing Rowell off now is beyond foolish...Now, i agree he is more likely to be a bust than a ML regular...But that applies to every single HS player drafted and most college guys...So, saying that isn't some rgeat revelation on your part.

[davearm]

When you are factoring our talent, you often give the impression of not taking into account our pitching and depth... that you are only looking at our positional prospects.

You have not posted it here, but we have talked about it enough, that I know you believe in the pitching, and believe we need to be trading some of our pitching depth for positional prospects....

Well, as you know, I do not totally disagree... we certainly have the depth to do that.

Like you said, the first step is seeing what happens in the draft.

Dodgers might be attractive... with DeWitt / LaRoche / Hu / DeJesus...

However, I am a bit shocked that you think it is unlikely Rowell will be ready to replace Mora by 7/31/09.

Rowell turns 20 in Sept 2008.. so if he comes up 8/1/09, he will be getting ready to turn 21...

He will likely have accumlated 1300 Minor League AB's at that point..

If he is replacing Mora at that point in time, Rowell would be replacing a 37 year old with an OPS somewhere likely in the 680-740 range...

Gets the last two months of 2009 to begin to acclimate himself to the Majors...

Starts 2010 as the Opening Day starter as a 21 year-old... likely produces at a similar clip to Mora now, but steadily improves.

Guess we will see.

For a HS draftee like Rowell, 2000 MiLB ABs would be about the norm. That'd be a standard one-level-per-year progression.

Rowell's not producing at anywhere near the rate that would make one believe that chopping that number down to 1300 is either realistic or wise.

AA in 2009

AAA in 2010, + Sept callup

MLB in 2011

If Rowell can manage that, everyone should be way more excited that he made the show than disappointed that it didn't happen sooner.