Stewart, Mullins, Mancini: Time to make some moves

[FanSince88]

On 5/27/2018 at 11:32 AM, webbrick2010 said:

Why start the service contract on guys that aren't going to make a difference, especially when losing gets you a #1 overall draft pick.

Play the guys that are presently on the 25, unless they get hurt, they are doing a great job

There is a certain logic to this, but I worry about letting a guy like Stewart rot in the minors.  He's 24 and not getting any younger.  I don't think we should be in the business of holding guys in the minors back so we can tank.  And as bad as the team certainly is right now, I would hope in the last half of Stewart's 6 year service time window we can at least start to contend.  Worst case scenario, if we still aren't contending by year 4, a smart GM could trade Stewart for a decent return assuming he actually ends up being a useful MLB piece.  

[FanSince88]

On 5/27/2018 at 12:11 PM, mdbdotcom said:

On the contrary, to keep Davis and Trumbo on this team is to keep your head in the sand.

No MLB team -- not even the deep pocketed Yankees -- would DFA Davis right now with 4 whole years left on his deal.  Even though he's having possibly the worst MLB season ever, no MLB team would just dump a guy they still owe $130 million to.  Next year around this time, maybe the Yanks or Dodgers would.  Orioles probably won't until early 2020 at the very very earliest.  

[mdbdotcom]

14 minutes ago, FanSince88 said:

No MLB team -- not even the deep pocketed Yankees -- would DFA Davis right now with 4 whole years left on his deal.  Even though he's having possibly the worst MLB season ever, no MLB team would just dump a guy they still owe $130 million to.  Next year around this time, maybe the Yanks or Dodgers would.  Orioles probably won't until early 2020 at the very very earliest.  

Further proving that they have their collective heads in the sand.

[Frobby]

43 minutes ago, FanSince88 said:

There is a certain logic to this, but I worry about letting a guy like Stewart rot in the minors.  He's 24 and not getting any younger.  

I wouldn’t say he’s exactly rotting in the minors.   He split a year between Delmarva and Frederick, spent a year at Bowie and has now played two months at Norfolk.    

[Rene88]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

I wouldn’t say he’s exactly rotting in the minors.   He split a year between Delmarva and Frederick, spent a year at Bowie and has now played two months at Norfolk.    

Yeah. He def isn’t rotting, he’s progressing which is great to see. I do think Reyes belongs in Bowie despite his struggles and Mountcastle, Mullings and Joseph (I know he isn’t a prospect) belong in Norfolk.

[sportsfan8703]

9 hours ago, FanSince88 said:

I agree.  Why is Gentry still taking up a roster spot, especially with Rickard now up?  DFA him and let him be a placeholder for someone else.  Gentry is who he is and always will be.  Stewart isn't some raw A-ball guy, he's got 1500 PA in the minors under his belt by now, and a .360 career OBP.  Sure, Stewart may end up being no better than Gentry in the long run, but at least he has his whole career ahead of him as opposed to behind him in Gentry's case.  Let's see what he can do.  I think he has the potential to be a youthful version of Seth Smith with the bat (don't know how his defense is regarded), which would be a modest yet welcome upgrade.  

It’s time to take Gentry’s roster spot and give some guys a chance. Stewart gets first crack. Then Mullins, Santander, Hays. 

[FanSince88]

10 hours ago, Frobby said:

I wouldn’t say he’s exactly rotting in the minors.   He split a year between Delmarva and Frederick, spent a year at Bowie and has now played two months at Norfolk.    

Thats true and i would be fine letting him play out the year in norfolk if he were a hs draftee and still only 20 or 21.  But we are talking about a 24 year old.  It is reasonable to assume he has the maturity to handle the mlb now.  

[wildcard]

3 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

It’s time to take Gentry’s roster spot and give some guys a chance. Stewart gets first crack. Then Mullins, Santander, Hays. 

Its not time.   Stewart is injured.

[FanSince88]

Here's some of what I'd like to see the Orioles do between now and the trade deadline:

* Bench Davis

* Showcase Pedro Alvarez as the everyday DH, in hopes that we can flip him for a nugget at the deadline if he plays well.  

* Valencia everyday 3B.  Sure his defense will stink but that's not the point, we're showcasing his bat.

* Trumbo is everyday 1B until Stewart brought up (see below).  Hopefully he can play well enough to be salary-dumped at the deadline.

* Rickard is everyday outfielder until Stewart is recovered.

* Mancini stays in left until Stewart is recovered.

* Once Stewart fully recovered from the hamstring issue and has another week at AAA under his belt to prove it isn't going to linger --
DFA Gentry, shift Trumbo to RF and Mancini to 1B, and do a Stewart/Rickard platoon in LF.

At/after the trade deadline:

* Trade Alvarez and Valencia for whatever you can get.  Beckham to SS if he isn't traded (and he shouldn't be, because that would be selling low).  Someone (?) to 3B.  Obviously (and hopefully) we've traded Manny long before the trade deadline.

* Mancini to 1B, Trumbo to DH if we can't get rid of him (see below).  

* Try to trade Trumbo to someone for a full salary dump.  If no takers, keep him on the roster and hope he performs well in the last two months.  

* Davis to DH if we can trade Trumbo.  Davis to part time DH/1B/bench PH if we can't.  

* Stewart full time LF, Rickard full time RF.

* Mullins full time CF if we trade AJ.  

 

[jamalshw]

9 minutes ago, FanSince88 said:

Here's some of what I'd like to see the Orioles do between now and the trade deadline:

* Bench Davis

* Showcase Pedro Alvarez as the everyday DH, in hopes that we can flip him for a nugget at the deadline if he plays well.  

* Valencia everyday 3B.  Sure his defense will stink but that's not the point, we're showcasing his bat.

* Trumbo is everyday 1B until Stewart brought up (see below).  Hopefully he can play well enough to be salary-dumped at the deadline.

* Rickard is everyday outfielder until Stewart is recovered.

* Mancini stays in left until Stewart is recovered.

* Once Stewart fully recovered from the hamstring issue and has another week at AAA under his belt to prove it isn't going to linger --
DFA Gentry, shift Trumbo to RF and Mancini to 1B, and do a Stewart/Rickard platoon in LF.

At/after the trade deadline:

* Trade Alvarez and Valencia for whatever you can get.  Beckham to SS if he isn't traded (and he shouldn't be, because that would be selling low).  Someone (?) to 3B.  Obviously (and hopefully) we've traded Manny long before the trade deadline.

* Mancini to 1B, Trumbo to DH if we can't get rid of him (see below).  

* Try to trade Trumbo to someone for a full salary dump.  If no takers, keep him on the roster and hope he performs well in the last two months.  

* Davis to DH if we can trade Trumbo.  Davis to part time DH/1B/bench PH if we can't.  

* Stewart full time LF, Rickard full time RF.

* Mullins full time CF if we trade AJ.  

 

I generally like the idea. I would try and move anyone we can. I doubt you get any takers for Trumbo unless you eat 80%+ of his contract (this year and next) and get a low-end prospect back. I'd still do that for the roster flexibility. His contract is a sunk cost so getting any money back and even a fringy prospect would be a good move. As for Valencia, I think you may be able to get a fringe prospect for him, too, just because of his ability to hit LHP. I'd basically trade Trumbo, Valencia, Alvarez, Jones, Brach, Britton and O'Day for whatever you can get. I realize O'Day and Trumbo are both signed for next year, but I'd eat salary to move them (if possible and healthy). Essentially, on all of them, I don't care what the offer is, I move for the best offer you can get, even if it's far less than the FO expected.

As for Machado, you have a bit more leverage in that Angelos has shown himself to be crazy  and do stupid things (like holding players that should be sold) so I'd use that. I'd threaten to hold and offer QO and try to resign, but ultimately, I think there's enough interest out there to yield a return well above the draft pick and would sell him for best offer, too.

In the rotation, I'd also listen on Cashner if he's able to string a couple good starts together and get attention as a No.5 starter somewhere.

[FanSince88]

3 minutes ago, jamalshw said:

I generally like the idea. I would try and move anyone we can. I doubt you get any takers for Trumbo unless you eat 80%+ of his contract (this year and next) and get a low-end prospect back. I'd still do that for the roster flexibility. His contract is a sunk cost so getting any money back and even a fringy prospect would be a good move. As for Valencia, I think you may be able to get a fringe prospect for him, too, just because of his ability to hit LHP. I'd basically trade Trumbo, Valencia, Alvarez, Jones, Brach, Britton and O'Day for whatever you can get. I realize O'Day and Trumbo are both signed for next year, but I'd eat salary to move them (if possible and healthy). Essentially, on all of them, I don't care what the offer is, I move for the best offer you can get, even if it's far less than the FO expected.

As for Machado, you have a bit more leverage in that Angelos has shown himself to be crazy  and do stupid things (like holding players that should be sold) so I'd use that. I'd threaten to hold and offer QO and try to resign, but ultimately, I think there's enough interest out there to yield a return well above the draft pick and would sell him for best offer, too.

In the rotation, I'd also listen on Cashner if he's able to string a couple good starts together and get attention as a No.5 starter somewhere.

Yup thanks for filling in the blanks on the pitchers and manny.  All good ideas.  I probably agree on trumbo and oday, though you could hold them and see if you can get a better return for them in the offseason when they only have one yr of guaranteed $$ left.  

[Going Underground]

No Mancini  in the lineup today. Schoop is leading off. Davis in cleanup spot and Trumbo in the outfield. But Jeremy  the ball will be smokin does not like pitching at Camden Yards.

[esmd]

Can't disagree more on sending Mancini down.  If he's hurt, a couple days off or a 10 day DL is okay, but a demotion when he's been one of the few guys that's hit this year would do more harm than good, IMO.  As far as Stewart and Mullins, I'm good with that part.

[The Goob]

How soon can we get to this lineup:

LF - Stewart / Rickard platoon

1B - Mancini

SS - Machado

2B - Schoop

RF - Jones

DH - Trumbo / Davis platoon

C - Cisco - he needs to be playing 5-6 games a week

3B - Dosch

CF - Mullins

 

If you are not in the future plans or being showcased for the trade deadline you need to go.  No more Genry, Susac, Alvarez, Valencia, etc.  Call up Hayes if he starts to hit and add him to the outfield mix.

Move Jones to RF because that is where any contender would play him.  Call up Wynns to be the backup.  He is young and your future backup catcher.  Hess is the 5th starter for at least 10 starts.

Time to start acting like we are rebuilding.  I just have no faith that there is anyone in the organization to mandate this happening.

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

7 minutes ago, The Goob said:

How soon can we get to this lineup:

LF - Stewart / Rickard platoon

1B - Mancini

SS - Machado

2B - Schoop

RF - Jones

DH - Trumbo / Davis platoon

C - Cisco - he needs to be playing 5-6 games a week

3B - Dosch

CF - Mullins

 

If you are not in the future plans or being showcased for the trade deadline you need to go.  No more Genry, Susac, Alvarez, Valencia, etc.  Call up Hayes if he starts to hit and add him to the outfield mix.

Move Jones to RF because that is where any contender would play him.  Call up Wynns to be the backup.  He is young and your future backup catcher.  Hess is the 5th starter for at least 10 starts.

Time to start acting like we are rebuilding.  I just have no faith that there is anyone in the organization to mandate this happening.

 

Fire Buck.