What is everyone's idea for 2018?

[oriolediehard]

I wish the O's would eat most of the salary and trade Trumbo/CD. They are choking us.  I wish we can somehow find some better pitching (I know it easier said than done).  I think we should give Cedric Mullens a chance. Let S.Smith.Tillman, Flaherty, Ubaldo, Hardy, Alvarez, Miley, Hellickson, Gentry walk.  Trade Richard for anything.  Maybe O'Day too. I don't know about Britton who we won't get what we could've.  It would be nice impossible task to sign Manny.  The main major problem for everything is the owner.

[Aristotelian]

Unfortunately, I do not believe signing Manny is realistic. Therefore, I think it is time to go full rebuild, trade Manny and Britton, and then fill in holes depending on what we get back. 

That is what should happen. What will happen? Sign a couple of pitchers and hope that a combination of Hays, Mullins, and Santander can improve the OF defense while at least treading water offensively. Hopefully Beef declines the option and we roll with Joseph and Sisco. If Castillo picks up his option, he is traded for another Wade Miley type of pitcher. Trumbo and Davis stay, but we shift Trumbo to full time DH where he can't kill us defensively. Shift Castro and possibly Bleier to the rotation, and pick up a couple of guys who might become the next Castro and Bleier. This is what I expect based on DD's recent history and contract situation. 

[24fps]

"Eating" CD and Trumbo's salaries might cause choking too.  Maybe for several consecutive years.  Consider 1B and DH covered, the budget compromised and build the team for the short--term with that in mind.

Trade Manny.  Trade Britton.  Let the youngsters play and keep your eye on the prize - starting pitching.  If Buck doesn't like the brave new world, tell him to go pound sand.

[wildbillhiccup]

You know, I somehow missed the second part of the Trumbo deal until now. Even after his three years we'll still be paying him. Talk about insult to injury!

That said, I agree that we're stuck with Trumbo and Davis for better or for worse. We're not eating either one of those contracts and no one is going to trade for them. So pencil them in and assume we build around our core of Schoop, Beckham, Mancini, Sisco, Gausman, and Bundy and try to fill out the rest of the roster with young talent via trades. Trading Manny should bring back quite a haul and both Britton and Brach should bring back solid minor league prospects. 

[Daddy-O's]

I am a short term (day dream) believer.  The oriole have one more year of control of one of the best players in baseball, I say keep him and take a run at winning.  Next years lineup looks solid at every position,  if you believe in Hayes and Sisco.  The bullpen is solid, the defense should be average or above.  There is a small pile of money available from losing Ubaldo, Miley, Tillman, Smith, and Castillo.  I say sign two top pitchers, Lynn & Cobb, and make a run at it.  I really dislike playing for 3 years from now, because 3 years from now never gets here and if it does we don't recognize it.  

[SteveA]

   1) Don't go into 2018 with a lame duck GM.   First order of business is either extend Duquette or make a change.   You want whoever is GM this offseason to be looking beyond just one year, though I still think they will try to contend in 2018.

   2) Try to deal Trumbo.   Probably can't, but make an effort.

   3) Make a decision on Machado.   If he can't be extended, DEAL HIM.   Get the biggest haul you can.   Starting pitching and 3B as top priorities.

   4) Don't exercise Miley's option, for God's sake.

   5) What to do about starting pitching.   I think at this point it's safe to pencil in Bundy, Gausman, and Castro into the rotation next year.  

       -- what in house options do we have for next year beyond those 3?   Ynoa, Wright, Asher -- I don't want to go into the season counting on any of those 3 as anything but #6 starters or Norfolk shuttle depth.   Jefry Hernandez?   Tanner Scott?

       -- free agents.   The only big one we might go after would be Cobb.   After that we'd be looking at the likes of Vargas, Cashner, and maybe a few others.   We'll probably have some failed starter on a very low make good contract or minor league invite, be it Tillman, Miley, or someone else's failure.

      -- if we didn't extend Manny, and dealt him, I assume we got AT LEAST one viable starting pitcher in that deal.

   6) RF -- I know everyone wants to just pencil in Hays and forget it, but I have a feeling he starts in the minors and we find some one year type for RF.   A Seth Smith / Matt Joyce / Michael Saudners type, a LH bat.   Probably not Smith, we've seen enough of him.

   7) If Dan is back, as always, he'll find a Rule 5 guy and also deal for a bunch of depth pieces that may wind up helping us.

[Luke-OH]

4 hours ago, oriolediehard said:

I wish the O's would eat most of the salary and trade Trumbo/CD. They are choking us.  I wish we can somehow find some better pitching (I know it easier said than done).  I think we should give Cedric Mullens a chance. Let S.Smith.Tillman, Flaherty, Ubaldo, Hardy, Alvarez, Miley, Hellickson, Gentry walk.  Trade Richard for anything.  Maybe O'Day too. I don't know about Britton who we won't get what we could've.  It would be nice impossible task to sign Manny.  The main major problem for everything is the owner.

I like Mullins, and I think he'll be a MLB starter eventually.  He's not ready to play everyday though.  Could you bring him up and use him as a defensive replacement, yeah, but I think that would sell his development short.  He needs at least a half a season more in the minors, getting everyday ABs IMO.  

 

Edit: DJ Stewart is ready and upon doing some research, he has the best defensive rating at LF in the Eastern League per Clay Davenport's metric.  He also rates highly defensively by Baseball Prospectus' metric.

[joelala]

10 minutes ago, phillyOs119 said:

I like Mullins, and I think he'll be a MLB starter eventually.  He's not ready to play everyday though.  Could you bring him up and use him as a defensive replacement, yeah, but I think that would sell his development short.  He needs at least a half a season more in the minors, getting everyday ABs IMO.  

 

Edit: DJ Stewart is ready and upon doing some research, he has the best defensive rating at LF in the Eastern League per Clay Davenport's metric.  He also rates highly defensively by Baseball Prospectus' metric.

Any reason why he wasn't a call-up with Hays and Sisco?

[Es4M11]

14 minutes ago, phillyOs119 said:

I like Mullins, and I think he'll be a MLB starter eventually.  He's not ready to play everyday though.  Could you bring him up and use him as a defensive replacement, yeah, but I think that would sell his development short.  He needs at least a half a season more in the minors, getting everyday ABs IMO.  

 

Edit: DJ Stewart is ready and upon doing some research, he has the best defensive rating at LF in the Eastern League per Clay Davenport's metric.  He also rates highly defensively by Baseball Prospectus' metric.

Trumbo has to go this off season. Tough to find room for Stewart with Trumbo around. O's need to bite the bullet on Trumbo, whatever it takes.

[Frobby]

21 minutes ago, phillyOs119 said:

I like Mullins, and I think he'll be a MLB starter eventually.  He's not ready to play everyday though.  Could you bring him up and use him as a defensive replacement, yeah, but I think that would sell his development short.  He needs at least a half a season more in the minors, getting everyday ABs IMO.  

 

Edit: DJ Stewart is ready and upon doing some research, he has the best defensive rating at LF in the Eastern League per Clay Davenport's metric.  He also rates highly defensively by Baseball Prospectus' metric.

That's very interesting.    I wasn't impressed of what little I saw of his defense in spring training.    Sounds like he made strides in every department this year.  

[Luke-OH]

Hays is a better player and a better fit as a Rickard upgrade (RHed, RF vs Stewart who is a LHed, LF) and Sisco (also a better prospect) needed to be added to the 40 man to avoid the rule 5 draft I believe.  

I think he'll be given the chance to compete for a platoon spot next year (he hits RHers really well)

 

[sportsfan8703]

The team is pretty much set. Just that little matter of needing 3 SP's. No big deal. 

We know the lineup. Put Hays in RF. Let Gentry and Rickard battle it out for an OF spot. Rickard has options. Bat Trumbo and Davis 6th and 7th. 

[Luke-OH]

8 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The team is pretty much set. Just that little matter of needing 3 SP's. No big deal. 

We know the lineup. Put Hays in RF. Let Gentry and Rickard battle it out for an OF spot. Rickard has options. Bat Trumbo and Davis 6th and 7th. 

Yuck.

There are a lot of 4th outfield types on the free agent market this year who would come cheap on a 1 year deal and be better than Gentry or Rickard.  

[Il BuonO]

32 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The team is pretty much set. Just that little matter of needing 3 SP's. No big deal. 

We know the lineup. Put Hays in RF. Let Gentry and Rickard battle it out for an OF spot. Rickard has options. Bat Trumbo and Davis 6th and 7th. 

Trumbo and Davis should not be batting back to back. It's like the black hole of swings and misses.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

Trumbo and Davis should not be batting back to back. It's like the black hole of swings and misses.

Hey now Davis likes to spice things up with called strike three's!