Extend or trade Bundy and Gausman now

[FanSince88]

The long term situation in this organization looks increasingly hopeless. 

-Our biggest non-Manny trade chip  going into this season -- Jonathan Schoop -- stinks now and is unlikely to return anything useful at this year's trade deadline, and probably won't return anything valuable this offseason or next year even if he somehow turns it around.

-Austin Hays, who we were hoping would help us this year or next, was horrible this year and is now injured.  Ditto for Hunter Harvey.

-Other guys who might have been decent parts of a trade package -- Cashner, O'Day, Mancini, Trumbo, Givens -- have also been relatively bad

-The two guys with the biggest long term contracts -- Cobb and Davis -- have been really bad and historically abysmal, respectively.  Will both be untradeable probably for the length of their remaining contracts.  

-DJ Stewart is injured but even if he wasn't, it appears he is blocked because management insists on keeping Chris Davis in the lineup almost every day and Mancini in LF which is Stewart's only real OF position.  

The only real trade chips this organization has who are controllable beyond this year are Gausman and Bundy.  Which is a cruel, cruel irony, because for the first time in what seems like forever we finally have not one but two competent starting pitchers who are completely homegrown.  But it doesn't matter now, because the surrounding talent for the foreseeable future is going to be horrible.  I no longer see any possible hope of this team contending before the end of 2021.  

Which leaves the Orioles two options --

1) Try to lock up Bundy and Gausman with long-term extensions to keep them in place as the rocks you want to build around.  This is risky though because pitchers are notoriously less reliable than position players.  However, it would give fans hope that this team will have some semblance of competent starting pitching for the next decade which it so desperately needs in Camden Yards. 

2) Look to deal Bundy as Gausman as soon as you can for as many hopeful prospects as you can get.  I would honestly prefer quantity over quality because this team has so many glaring needs that one or two "stud" guys aren't going to make any difference.  Having said that, I wouldn't want all B-level guys either like the infamous Syd Thrift deals.  But I'd prefer getting 5 or 6 top 50-100 prospects than only one or two top 10s.  

[foxfield]

19 minutes ago, FanSince88 said:

The long term situation in this organization looks increasingly hopeless. 

-Our biggest non-Manny trade chip  going into this season -- Jonathan Schoop -- stinks now and is unlikely to return anything useful at this year's trade deadline, and probably won't return anything valuable this offseason or next year even if he somehow turns it around.

-Austin Hays, who we were hoping would help us this year or next, was horrible this year and is now injured.  Ditto for Hunter Harvey.

-Other guys who might have been decent parts of a trade package -- Cashner, O'Day, Mancini, Trumbo, Givens -- have also been relatively bad

-The two guys with the biggest long term contracts -- Cobb and Davis -- have been really bad and historically abysmal, respectively.  Will both be untradeable probably for the length of their remaining contracts.  

-DJ Stewart is injured but even if he wasn't, it appears he is blocked because management insists on keeping Chris Davis in the lineup almost every day and Mancini in LF which is Stewart's only real OF position.  

The only real trade chips this organization has who are controllable beyond this year are Gausman and Bundy.  Which is a cruel, cruel irony, because for the first time in what seems like forever we finally have not one but two competent starting pitchers who are completely homegrown.  But it doesn't matter now, because the surrounding talent for the foreseeable future is going to be horrible.  I no longer see any possible hope of this team contending before the end of 2021.  

Which leaves the Orioles two options --

1) Try to lock up Bundy and Gausman with long-term extensions to keep them in place as the rocks you want to build around.  This is risky though because pitchers are notoriously less reliable than position players.  However, it would give fans hope that this team will have some semblance of competent starting pitching for the next decade which it so desperately needs in Camden Yards. 

2) Look to deal Bundy as Gausman as soon as you can for as many hopeful prospects as you can get.  I would honestly prefer quantity over quality because this team has so many glaring needs that one or two "stud" guys aren't going to make any difference.  Having said that, I wouldn't want all B-level guys either like the infamous Syd Thrift deals.  But I'd prefer getting 5 or 6 top 50-100 prospects than only one or two top 10s.  

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

[wildcard]

Very negative post.

I pick door #3.   Wait.   I would not try to extend Gausman until after the 2019 season and Bundy until after the 2020 season.   You saw what happen yesterday to Bleier.   They all break.  So I would wait until the off season before they become free agents to make a decision on them.

Oh, by the way,  Stewart is back from his injury.  Will probably be playing RF for the O's before long.  Hays and Harvey are injured not dead.  They will be back, developing before long. Cobb is not really bad. In May and June 5 of this 8 starts have been quality starts. And in another start he went 5.2 innings and allowed 3 earned runs.

I know losing is tough but lets not make it worse then it is.

[Hank Scorpio]

I would prefer to extend both of them if possible.

It's important to constantly objectively evaluate what you've got and where you are as a team. The Manny "situation" isn't apples to apples for numerous reasons... but this is the same concept. Evaluate the talent, evaluate how/if they might fit into your next reasonably competitive squad, and proceed from there. I love Buck for everything he's done over the last 7 years but the knock on him has always been that "he likes his guys" to the detriment of the organization.

The fact of the matter is that most people saw this window closing for a couple years now... except the Orioles themselves. As my Grandfather used to say to get a rise out of my Grandmother, "That ain't good, Steve-a-rino."

There are a handful of guys on the roster who's talents are significant enough to keep them around longer term. This does not include pre-arb guys like Castro, Sisco, etc... in my opinion, they are as follows:

1. Bundy

2. Gausman

3. Schoop (yes) 

You could make a case for extending any of them. I think Schoop needs to grow up a little bit, but he's still only 26 years old. He's a guy that you try to extend now and get a read for where his head is. If you get Manny-like signs from him, then you keep trotting him out there and hope he reverts to his previous output. If you trade him now you're selling yourself short. I think a Schoop recovery is likely... and when that happens, THAT's when you trade him.

NOW is when you extend him if you believe in his talents. 

You ALWAYS have to be objectively evaluating your roster and where you stand vs. the division talent wise. The Orioles should probably contract a third party evaluator to help them through it since they are demonstrated a gross inability to objectively do it themselves. 

[foxfield]

55 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Very negative post.

I pick door #3.   Wait.   I would not try to extend Gausman until after the 2019 season and Bundy until after the 2020 season.   You saw what happen yesterday to Bleier.   They all break.  So I would wait until the off season before they become free agents to make a decision on them.

Oh, by the way,  Stewart is back from his injury.  Will probably be playing RF for the O's before long.  Hays and Harvey are injured not dead.  They will be back, developing before long. Cobb is not really bad. In May and June 5 of this 8 starts have been quality starts. And in another start he went 5.2 innings and allowed 3 earned runs.

I know losing is tough but lets not make it worse then it is.

Win 30-or 60 games in a row or so and we are right back in this thing!  

I agree...all we need is a plan.  We are much better situated than before our last rebuild in my opinion.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Like the Orioles would ever be this forward thinking. 

[vab]

I would be listening to offers on everybody but Bundy would probably be the last guy I would deal. It would have to be a "blow you out of the water" type of offer before I would move him.  I'd be much more willing on Gausman who, I think, has pretty much topped out as an Oriole.  

[joelala]

6 minutes ago, vab said:

I would be listening to offers on everybody but Bundy would probably be the last guy I would deal. It would have to be a "blow you out of the water" type of offer before I would move him.  I'd be much more willing on Gausman who, I think, has pretty much topped out as an Oriole.  

Agree with this.

[atomic]

I don't think we should be extending anyone at this point.   Pitchers wear down pretty quickly.  How many years is Bundy away from free agency? You would have to give him a 6 year contract or something.  And what if his arm blows out tomorrow?