SP Openings Across MLB

[Orange]

The O’s have three openings in the opening day rotation. Most other teams have their top 4-5 identified. As slow as hot stove has been this year it feels as though most teams are waiting for prices to come down on this flawed crop of FA’s... and we know for sure that’s what DD is doing. 

So, I ask you, how many rotation spots across MLB are going to be filled by a FA?  And, assuming we will never be in the running for Yu or Arrieta, you can subtract  two from that number... and, with all of that in mind, is there any chance the game of musical chairs leaves us with Lynn, Cobb, Cashner types on team friendly deals?

[24fps]

I think the Orioles should be happy to land one of the top 15 remaining free agent SP's and look to fill the remainder through trades.  I also hope DD is looking at Asia for another Chen type.  I looks more likely to me that Tillman will be back (which I would like to avoid).  If Manny is going to be traded, some pitching needs to come back, there's no question in my mind about the need for that.

[Tx Oriole]

1 hour ago, Orange said:

The O’s have three openings in the opening day rotation. Most other teams have their top 4-5 identified. As slow as hot stove has been this year it feels as though most teams are waiting for prices to come down on this flawed crop of FA’s... and we know for sure that’s what DD is doing. 

So, I ask you, how many rotation spots across MLB are going to be filled by a FA?  And, assuming we will never be in the running for Yu or Arrieta, you can subtract  two from that number... and, with all of that in mind, is there any chance the game of musical chairs leaves us with Lynn, Cobb, Cashner types on team friendly deals?

I'd be happy if DD signed Cobb and Lynn. I like Cashner too but he is at the low end of the scale. 

[Il BuonO]

23 minutes ago, Tx Oriole said:

I'd be happy if DD signed Cobb and Lynn. I like Cashner too but he is at the low end of the scale. 

Don’t want Cashner.

Arrieta or Darvish.

From the land of broken dreams.

[backwardsk]

Cubs, Brewers, Rangers, Twins, Nationals could all be in the mix for SP. I don't see the market bottoming out for Cobb, Lynn, Darvish, and Arietta.  But I do think others may be in line for milb deals.  I think Gonzalez did himself a favor by signing his deal.

[InsideCoroner]

2 hours ago, 24fps said:

I think the Orioles should be happy to land one of the top 15 remaining free agent SP's and look to fill the remainder through trades.  I also hope DD is looking at Asia for another Chen type.  I looks more likely to me that Tillman will be back (which I would like to avoid).  If Manny is going to be traded, some pitching needs to come back, there's no question in my mind about the need for that.

I think you’re right — on both points. Tillman will most likely be back. And his arm is toast. Burnt toast.

[El Gordo]

24 minutes ago, InsideCoroner said:

I think you’re right — on both points. Tillman will most likely be back. And his arm is toast. Burnt toast.

Is that why he was hitting 94 at the end of the season? I don't think his arm is toast I think he developed a bad arm slot to compensate for his injury and now though it's healed he is stuck in those poor mechanics.

[wildcard]

It looks like the O's are going to have to take on some risk and overpay if they want to be better than a .500 year in 2017.

[wildbillhiccup]

If the Orioles aren't committed to signing "good" pitchers to longer term deals (what it takes) then they need to get creative and sign other players to put themselves in a position of strength to trade from (to acquire the SPs). For example, they could have signed an Addison Reed type (only a 2 year commitment) which would then have put them in a position to trade Brach or O'Day for a starting pitcher. The problem is their approach to assembling a roster seems to be much more linear. They don't seem to be capable of thinking two steps ahead or being creative, which if you're going to masquerade as a small market team is an absolute must. 

So back to your question, at this point I don't think they're capable of assembling a legitimate major league pitching staff without making a trade. And now they've painted themselves into a bit of a corner by half-heartedly putting Machado on the trading block. They should have made it widely known that they were willing to trade him (why the big secret?) and told teams to make their best offers by a certain date. And this announcement should have been made long before the winter meetings. 

[Otter]

18 minutes ago, El Gordo said:

Is that why he was hitting 94 at the end of the season? I don't think his arm is toast I think he developed a bad arm slot to compensate for his injury and now though it's healed he is stuck in those poor mechanics.

Exactly.  Tillman threw straight over the top, but the shoulder injury obviously made it hard for him to repeat that same arm slot last year.  It was very clear even watching on TV that he couldn't find a consistent arm slot.  Now the questions for him are is he fully healthy, and if healthy then does he regain his effectiveness.  Or has his arm simply run out of bullets.  

I would be fine bringing him back on a modest 1 year deal to compete for the #5 spot.  But he should not be handed a spot in the rotation, or given a multi-year deal.  Unfortunately, I think Dan chooses the latter...

[Tx Oriole]

4 hours ago, Il BuonO said:

Don’t want Cashner.

Arrieta or Darvish.

From the land of broken dreams.

My friend Darvish is too expensive. Jake most likely doesn't want to come back to the O's. He's probably too expensive for Angelos too. 

[Tx Oriole]

3 hours ago, Otter said:

Exactly.  Tillman threw straight over the top, but the shoulder injury obviously made it hard for him to repeat that same arm slot last year.  It was very clear even watching on TV that he couldn't find a consistent arm slot.  Now the questions for him are is he fully healthy, and if healthy then does he regain his effectiveness.  Or has his arm simply run out of bullets.  

I would be fine bringing him back on a modest 1 year deal to compete for the #5 spot.  But he should not be handed a spot in the rotation, or given a multi-year deal.  Unfortunately, I think Dan chooses the latter...

That's what DD will most likely do. I hope he wouldn't do that. I sure won't  be surpsurprised if he does. 

[janderson1622]

It would be nice if we could somehow sign Cobb or Lynn. Then it might give us the opportunity to change our demands for Manny from two ML ready starting pitchers plus others to one ML ready starting pitcher plus other prospects (any position). Feel like we may be able to get a better overall package if we come down off the demand of two ML starting pitchers being part of the deal.

[Il BuonO]

1 hour ago, Tx Oriole said:

My friend Darvish is too expensive. Jake most likely doesn't want to come back to the O's. He's probably too expensive for Angelos too. 

Hey, if you’re friends with Darvish I’ll move on from Jake. An ace is an ace, is an ace, except in Baltimore. Take him out for drinks, dinner, whatever it takes to get him to sign on the dotted line.

Oh, you used ‘friend’ figuratively? 

Never mind.

[Orange]

So how many MLB rotation spots do you think are waiting to be filled by FA’s?