Building the 2018 team

[eddie83]

I am going to go with the assumption Manny is not dealt. Even if this season was going well they had to know going into next year that 3 spots were open in the rotation for 2018. 

The position player needs are SS, C and a corner OF spot. By far the biggest need to me is SS. Sisco is close and even if he isn't ready by the start of the season he should be soon after. We have no answers for SS unless Manny is moved over and they find a 3rd basemen. FA doesn't offer much. Who knows how good Hays will wind up being  but at least he is on the climb for OF down the road. 

I know around $60M is off the books but then after raises and arbitration that will eat some away. That said we should have some money. 

C -Joseph, ?

1B- Davis 

2nd- Schoop

SS -????

3rd -Manny

RF -Mancini unless moved to LF

CF -Jones

LF -???

DH-Trumbo 

Bench could have Rickard again with a new utility IF. 

SP

Gausman

Bundy 

3 Open spots 

RP

Britton

Brach

O'Day

Givens

Hart

Bleier

Castro 

The pen is the best healthy 7 I have seen this year. I believe Acquino is out of options so he would have to be in the running for some spot in the pen or as a number 5 starter. 

To me here is a golden opportunity to deal a guy like Britton to help fill some of the needs of this team. Brach as a possibility as well. Obviously not having one or both for 2018 hurts next season but it isn't a death sentence either. I don't see ownership blowing things up too dramatically and right or wrong I think they will try to compete next year. I keep thinking about the Dodgers. Big market team, no title since 1988, deep farm system. A 2 year combination of Britton and Jansen would be a monster. That team has been on the doorstep for years. They are built to win now. Certainly can deal pieces like Smith, Castillo, and Kim for small parts but if we want to really do something and at the same time not blow it up all the way Britton is the key.  I know he just got back from injury but he has some time here to show what he can do. I really hope ownership wakes up and sees the opportunity to strike here. Brach would get some talent back as well no question, but not as much. 

[eddie83]

6 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Too many holes to fill.  Not enough depth and money to trade and buy a real contender on paper.  The Orioles could do a complete overhaul but more likely will hope for rebounds from Machado and Britton and plug SS, C, and the rotation with stop gaps and hope for "competitive" next year.

Some of the rebounds like Manny and Gausman are realistic. I think Joseph doesn't hurt us at C. We got by with him in 14 with Hundley. The other corner OF spot doesn't have to be a superstar.  

With the way contending teams view relievers and how they are used in the playoffs that is where your talent can come in trades.  

[eddie83]

41 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

You aren't getting ML ready dependable starters for Brach, Givens, and probably not even for a healthy Britton.   I agree on trading the relievers.   I just don't expect to trade them and have a playoff team by next year.

You certainly can fill some holes even if they aren't ready.  

They had to have some plan in place for next year. They knew 3 starters were FA's.  

[Orsulak4Prez]

Here is one solution to the SS vacancy. Please go easy on me. It's just one idea.
Move Manny to SS
Move Davis to 3B?
Make Mancini the everyday 1B

Also, I think Eduardo Nunez is a guy they could bring in for 3B or SS. I believe he's a free agent after this year. I do not know much about his defense, but the offensive numbers have been good the last couple years.

[Moose Milligan]

Yeah, I just don't care. 

[FanSince88]

Where the heck are we going to find 3 competent ML starters?  And by the way, neither Bundy nor Gausman is a sure bet to be a mid-rotation starter next year (let alone a TOR).  The smart money probably says one is horrible (and/or injured) in 2018 and the other is "above average."  So that really means we'd need to add 4 competent ML starters.  Please explain to me where we get those.  We're probably wouldn't be able to land 4 competent ML-ready starters even if we dealt every organizational asset of value, which obviously would defeat the purpose of trading for them to begin with.  Oh and by the way, even if 4 competent ML-ready starters just magically fall into our lap (and I'm not talking about aces, just solid 1-2 WAR guys), there are the aforementioned holes at SS, COF, and C.  

TL;DR there is no way I see this team contending in 2018 if they can't do it now.  

[ChuckS]

I hope we acquire as many SP prospects as possible at the deadline. They don't need to be major league ready. This year is shot regardless. We need help on the left side of the infield for the short term and long term. 

I don't think catcher or corner outfield are a priority. I think we have some decent depth there when factoring in some guys who could be ready to step in soon from the upper minors.

 

[sportsfan8703]

Starting Pitching: (My Arbitration predictions)

1. Bundy

2. Gausman (5 million)

3. ?????????? (Aquino)-out of options, has to be on MLB roster all next year or DFA

4.  ????????? (Ynoa)-out of options, has to be on MLB roster all next year or DFA

5.  ????????? (Wright-)out of options, has to be on MLB roster all next year or DFA

This is what the rest of the season should be about to me.  We need to go to a 6 man rotation, open things up competition wise, rest Bundy, and try and find at least one SP for next year.  

Total- 7 million

Bullpen:

1.  Britton (14 million)

2.  Brach (5 million)

3.  Givens

4.  O'day- 9 million

5.  Castro-out of options, has to be on MLB roster all next year or DFA

6.  Bleier

7.  Asher- but could be a guy that will be out of options.  Wilson, Wright, Ynoa, Aquino, Verrett, Nuno.

Total- 30 million

The bullpen is pretty set and should be near the top of the league.  The recipe to win is there.  We just need to score some runs and get some some decent SP.  We have the pen to shorten the game.  Especially with guys like Scott, Long and Liranzo in the mix.  

Lineup

C: Joseph (1.2 million)

1B: Davis 23 million

2B: Schoop (6 million)

3B: Machado (16 million)

SS: ???????????

LF: Mancini

CF: Jones 17.33 million

RF: ?????????? (Hays, Mullins)

DH: Trumbo 12.5 million

Total- 77 million

We need to find a SS or 3B.  I think Hays and Mullins could battle it out in ST for RF.  Probably a vet in the mix too.  We can't get rid of Trumbo or Davis, so Mancini is the LF.  

Bench:

C: Pena

RH OF: Rickard

Util: ?????????

5th OF: Santander

Total- 2 million

Not much of a bench, but when do we ever have one?  It's looking like Santander is going to have to fulfill at least part of his rule 5 obligations next season.  That might be something we want to get out of the way this year with the season in the tank.  

Total Payroll- 116 million 

So we're looking at 116 with still needing 3 SP's, SS/3B, and a COF.  See how this gets expensive.  The rest of the season needs to be sorting through the arms and trying to find a SP out of 6 guys that don't have options next year.  

[Justinlstn]

Not to mention at the end of 2018 you have Manny, Jones, Britton, and Brach who will be FA's. Unfortunately the Orioles have put off locking key players up and is now stuck with most of the team hitting FA around the same time. We just have too many holes to fill that cannot be fixed with DD's normal bargain bin hunt with hopes of another break out player. Honestly I want a reboot with a focus on pitching.

[btownoriole]

I'm an optimist but I just don't see the 2018 team being competitive.  Being an optimist I like our position player young talent (Schoop, Mancini, Hays, Sisco, Mullins, Mountcastle) so I start thinking 2019 and beyond.  I'd extend Schoop and try to get young talent (especially pitching) for Manny, Britton, Brach, & Jones between now and February.  

That said, I don't expect the O's to follow this approach.

[sportsfan8703]

5 minutes ago, Justinlstn said:

Not to mention at the end of 2018 you have Manny, Jones, Britton, and Brach who will be FA's. Unfortunately the Orioles have put off locking key players up and is now stuck with most of the team hitting FA around the same time. We just have too many holes to fill that cannot be fixed with DD's normal bargain bin hunt with hopes of another break out player. Honestly I want a reboot with a focus on pitching.

Somehow we have 160 million payroll and still need to have some "breakout" seasons by unexpected guys.  

[Tx Oriole]

46 minutes ago, FanSince88 said:

Where the heck are we going to find 3 competent ML starters?  And by the way, neither Bundy nor Gausman is a sure bet to be a mid-rotation starter next year (let alone a TOR).  The smart money probably says one is horrible (and/or injured) in 2018 and the other is "above average."  So that really means we'd need to add 4 competent ML starters.  Please explain to me where we get those.  We're probably wouldn't be able to land 4 competent ML-ready starters even if we dealt every organizational asset of value, which obviously would defeat the purpose of trading for them to begin with.  Oh and by the way, even if 4 competent ML-ready starters just magically fall into our lap (and I'm not talking about aces, just solid 1-2 WAR guys), there are the aforementioned holes at SS, COF, and C.  

TL;DR there is no way I see this team contending in 2018 if they can't do it now.  

I don't have any idea where they'll got those pitchers. That's up to DD or whoever the GM is. I would imagine there's pitchers in the minors close. I would hope so anyway. I can't worry about future seasons. 

[Justinlstn]

I wouldn't mind the Orioles trying to acquire Luke Weaver from StL. He's young, ML ready, has a great track record in the minors. STL needs help in their bullpen. They're 3 games under 500 yet are only 4.5 from the division lead.

[Aristotelian]

We actually have some good OF prospects right now. I will be curious to see if Mullins or Hays get a cup off coffee in September. One of these guys could fill LF.

See what we can get for Brach and Britton.  

Look at Cobb, Estrada, Lance Lynn, Santiago, maybe Miggy if he would be open to coming back. None of those guys are #1's but they would be massive improvements over our current back end.

We are essentially a .500 team. Last we overachieved, this year we are underachieving. If the back end of the rotation can be just average, we could be back in the wild card discussion for one more year before we blow it all up. 

 

[LC_O's_87]

19 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

We actually have some good OF prospects right now. I will be curious to see if Mullins or Hays get a cup off coffee in September. One of these guys could fill LF.

See what we can get for Brach and Britton.  

Look at Cobb, Estrada, Lance Lynn, Santiago, maybe Miggy if he would be open to coming back. None of those guys are #1's but they would be massive improvements over our current back end.

We are essentially a .500 team. Last we overachieved, this year we are underachieving. If the back end of the rotation can be just average, we could be back in the wild card discussion for one more year before we blow it all up. 

 

We may be stretching the definition of "back end"