My 25-man roster prediction (as of 3/7/18)

[backwardsk]

8 minutes ago, interloper said:

I think it plays out like this:

Gentry, Sisco, Santander, Hays, Valencia

DH: Valencia/Santander

RF: Rasmus/Hays

I hope they don't use Hays as the short side of a platoon.  I'd rather they give Santander full time ABs between RF and DH.

[interloper]

Just now, backwardsk said:

I hope they don't use Hays as the short side of a platoon.  I'd rather they give Santander full time ABs between RF and DH.

Yeah, fair point. I'm having a tough time coming up with who is that last position player spot. Alvarez? But then you owe him $3 mil and risk having to cut him in a few weeks when Trumbo comes back. 

[backwardsk]

6 minutes ago, interloper said:

Yeah, fair point. I'm having a tough time coming up with who is that last position player spot. Alvarez? But then you owe him $3 mil and risk having to cut him in a few weeks when Trumbo comes back. 

I'd carry the extra bullpen piece, I think.  When Trumbo comes back you will need to drop one.  Though not many guys have options, injuries have a way of making it work.  Or you could go with an in house MI option that you don't care about losing when Trumbo comes back.

I think I'd start the season with Castro as the fifth starter and then send him down when Cobb comes up.  Should only be 2-3 starts, right?

[interloper]

Just for funsies, here's how my prediction ultimately shook out from 3/7/18 in terms of the 25-man roster:

STARTING PITCHERS

1. Kevin Gausman

2. Andrew Cashner

3. Dylan Bundy

4. Chris Tillman

5. Mike Wright

BULLPEN

1. Brad Brach

2. Mychal Givens

3. Darren O'Day

4. Richard Bleier 

5. Miguel Castro

6. Pedro Araujo  

7. Nestor Cortes

LINEUP

1. Tim Beckham - 3B

2. Jonathan Schoop - 2B

3. Manny Machado - SS

4. Adam Jones - CF

5. Chris Davis - 1B

6. Trey Mancini - LF

7. Mark Trumbo - DH .... Trumbo ended up injured and replaced by Alvarez on the roster

8. Colby Rasmus - RF

9. Caleb Joseph - C

BENCH

1. Chance Sisco - C

2. Danny Valencia - IF/OF

3. Anthony Santander - OF

4. Craig Gentry - OF

NOTES

• Gentry beats Rickard, who will go to AAA
• Wright starts out as the 5th starter and Cortes gets his feet wet in long relief
• The team opts to carry Valencia over a traditional UIF, at least initially. 
• Chance beats Wynns because of the bat and because the O's want him working with Joseph and Russell in the big leagues
• Mesa Jr. doesn't survive Rule 5
• Alvarez will go to AAA and await the fall of Trumbo or a Davis injury .... although this would have been the case if not for the Trumbo injury
• This is barring any signings such as Walker, Lynn, or Cobb .... the O's signed Cobb, but it didn't affect the OD roster

Not to brag, but I pretty much nailed it.