Your 2019 Team

[Bahama O's Fan]

If you were in Elias' position, what would your 2019 MLB team look like? I know the plan is long term rebuild, but someone has to take the field on the MLB level this season. Who would it be? Who would you look to fill those positions?

[wildbillhiccup]

I would personally like to see us go REALLY young, especially in the OF. I'd also be completely fine with them not signing a SS and playing the newly acquired Martin. And I'm not thrilled about giving Davis and Trumbo any ABs, but I think they have to. 

C – Sisco
1B – Mancini
2B – Villar
SS – Iglesias (1 or 2 year deal)
3B – Nunez
CF – Mullins
RF – Stewart
LF – Hays
DH – Trumbo / Davis platoon
SPs – Bundy, Cobb, Cashner, Hess, Graveman (1 year deal)
Closer - Givens

[wildbillhiccup]

11 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I would personally like to see us go REALLY young, especially in the OF. I'd also be completely fine with them not signing a SS and playing the newly acquired Martin. And I'm not thrilled about giving Davis and Trumbo any ABs, but I think they have to. 

C – Sisco
1B – Mancini
2B – Villar
SS – Iglesias (1 or 2 year deal)
3B – Nunez
CF – Mullins
RF – Stewart
LF – Hays
DH – Trumbo / Davis platoon
SPs – Bundy, Cobb, Cashner, Hess, Graveman (1 year deal)
Closer - Givens

Side note. If the Orioles do want to spend some money this off season I think SS, SP, and 3B are the biggest positions of need. I don't think we have a potential long term solution on the roster for 3B and SS (i.e., a free agent signing wouldn't be blocking anyone) and I think we need at least one more legit MLB arm in the rotation. 

[Redskins Rick]

32 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I would personally like to see us go REALLY young, especially in the OF. I'd also be completely fine with them not signing a SS and playing the newly acquired Martin. And I'm not thrilled about giving Davis and Trumbo any ABs, but I think they have to. 

C – Sisco
1B – Mancini
2B – Villar
SS – Iglesias (1 or 2 year deal)
3B – Nunez
CF – Mullins
RF – Stewart
LF – Hays
DH – Trumbo / Davis platoon
SPs – Bundy, Cobb, Cashner, Hess, Graveman (1 year deal)
Closer - Givens

Sisco is no more ready to be the daily starting catcher, then I am to be the new GM.

If you think Davis is platoon with the amount of money on the table, you are sadly mistaken.

IMO, I think Givens is traded in ST, to a playoff team needing a closer.

[wildbillhiccup]

8 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

Sisco is no more ready to be the daily starting catcher, then I am to be the new GM.

If you think Davis is platoon with the amount of money on the table, you are sadly mistaken.

IMO, I think Givens is traded in ST, to a playoff team needing a closer.

He asked who would I like to full the positions, not who I think will fill the positions. And I'd be fine with a Givens trade. No one should be untouchable on this team. As for Sisco, what's the harm in playing him? It's time for the young guys to sink or swim. Part of me want to even take it step further and try Villar at SS and Mountcastle at 2B. 

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, wildbillhiccup said:

He asked who would I like to full the positions, not who I think will fill the positions. And I'd be fine with a Givens trade. No one should be untouchable on this team. As for Sisco, what's the harm in playing him? It's time for the young guys to sink or swim. Part of me want to even take it step further and try Villar at SS and Mountcastle at 2B. 

Good point.

But back to catcher. Even on a last place team, I have problems with a below average defender at catcher, if they did that, they would blow bast the 115 game lost.

[Cumberbundy]

Team Non-Tender vs The O’s.

Our lines up has a projected WAR under 9.9 per this Hardball Times article.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/tht/team-non-tender-could-outhit-the-orioles-or-love-me-non-tender/

 

If I could add a couple FA’s I’d start with Avisail Garcia, he played through injuries on a grotesque CWS side which displays some level of love for the game and provides reasonable hope for a turn around.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/ct-spt-white-sox-avisail-garcia-knee-surgery-20180925-story.html

DJ LeMahieu, who fangraphs featured as a guy with potentially strong upside. This really is a fairly interesting article.

 https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-hidden-upside-of-a-normal-free-agent/

A pitcher who may have some potential upside with a mysterious new Astros approach, an approach Brian McCann is unwilling to discuss, could be Drew Pomeranz. 

C - Mesoraco

1B - Mancini

2B - DJ LeMahieu

SS - Villar 

3B - Brian Dozier (has said he’s willing to play 3rd, is projected to get 1 year 10 million)

LF: Hays

RF: Garcia

CF: Mullins

DH: Davis

 

SP: Bundy - Cobb - Cashner - Pomeranz - Weams

 

Possibly the best defensive team ever assembled. Dozier, Garcia, DJ all have decent potential for a mid season trade allowing Elias to put his skills to the test. 

 

The O’s are back.

[wildbillhiccup]

11 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

Good point.

But back to catcher. Even on a last place team, I have problems with a below average defender at catcher, if they did that, they would blow bast the 115 game lost.

I honestly could care less about wins and losses this season. I'm not saying they should try to lose, but the priority should be determining who's part of the future and who isn't. If they can do that then the season will be a success. 

In terms of Davis, Buck gave him plenty of rope to work through his problems last season. There should be no obligation to play him. Until he's demonstrated that he's changed his approach I'd make him work through his problems in the batting cage not the game. Send a message to the team that players play based on merit not their salary. 

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I honestly could care less about wins and losses this season. I'm not saying they should try to lose, but the priority should be determining who's part of the future and who isn't. If they can do that then the season will be a success. 

In terms of Davis, Buck gave him plenty of rope to work through his problems last season. There should be no obligation to play him. Until he's demonstrated that he's changed his approach I'd make him work through his problems in the batting cage not the game. Send a message to the team that players play based on merit not their salary. 

What is the point of playing a below average defender at catcher. Work with him on his skills and make him better, sure. But, not at the expense of the team.

As for Davis, there is not a single MLB that would not play a guy, owed that amount of money.

I dont care how much you hate him playing and how wrong the message is to the fan base, thats just the facts of life.

 

[wildbillhiccup]

4 minutes ago, Cy Bundy said:

Team Non-Tender vs The O’s.

Our lines up has a projected WAR under 9.9 per this Hardball Times article.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/tht/team-non-tender-could-outhit-the-orioles-or-love-me-non-tender/

 

If I could add a couple FA’s I’d start with Avisail Garcia, he played through injuries on a grotesque CWS side which displays some level of love for the game and provides reasonable hope for a turn around.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/ct-spt-white-sox-avisail-garcia-knee-surgery-20180925-story.html

DJ LeMahieu, who fangraphs featured as a guy with potentially strong upside. This really is a fairly interesting article.

 https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-hidden-upside-of-a-normal-free-agent/

A pitcher who may have some potential upside with a mysterious new Astros approach, an approach Brian McCann is unwilling to discuss, could be Drew Pomeranz. 

C - Mesoraco

1B - Mancini

2B - DJ LeMahieu

SS - Villar 

3B - Brian Dozier (has said he’s willing to play 3rd, is projected to get 1 year 10 million)

LF: Hays

RF: Garcia

CF: Mullins

DH: Davis

 

SP: Bundy - Cobb - Cashner - Pomeranz - Weams

 

Possibly the best defensive team ever assembled. Dozier, Garcia, DJ all have decent potential for a mid season trade allowing Elias to put his skills to the test. 

 

The O’s are back.

You understand the team is rebuilding right? LeMahieu is going to get a BIG contract and I don't think Dozier will have to settle for a 1 year deal. The Mesoraco and Pomeranz signings seem more realistic, but I really don't think Garcia brings much to the table. He's a very overrated player. I think we'd be better off just throwing Hays into the deep end of the pool. 

[wildbillhiccup]

1 minute ago, Redskins Rick said:

What is the point of playing a below average defender at catcher. Work with him on his skills and make him better, sure. But, not at the expense of the team.

As for Davis, there is not a single MLB that would not play a guy, owed that amount of money.

I dont care how much you hate him playing and how wrong the message is to the fan base, thats just the facts of life.

 

...but what's the expense to the team? We're all pretty much in agreement they're destined for last place in the AL East. We have the luxury of giving Sisco a chance to play and get better at the MLB level. I also stand firm on my point that money shouldn't dictate whether or not someone plays. The Phillies benched Howard for the latter part of his contract. 

[Cumberbundy]

 

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, wildbillhiccup said:

...but what's the expense to the team? We're all pretty much in agreement they're destined for last place in the AL East. We have the luxury of giving Sisco a chance to play and get better at the MLB level. I also stand firm on my point that money shouldn't dictate whether or not someone plays. The Phillies benched Howard for the latter part of his contract. 

They did not bench him, at least according to the stats, he was in 112 of the 162 games, and while making 25 million.

and his WAR was -1.6

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

What is the point of playing a below average defender at catcher. Work with him on his skills and make him better, sure. But, not at the expense of the team.

As for Davis, there is not a single MLB that would not play a guy, owed that amount of money.

I dont care how much you hate him playing and how wrong the message is to the fan base, thats just the facts of life.

 

Do you think a contender would play him?   I certainly don’t.   That’s a great way to not remain a contender.    Only a team that knows it’s not in the race can afford to play him in the hopes that he improves.   

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

Do you think a contender would play him?   I certainly don’t.   That’s a great way to not remain a contender.    Only a team that knows it’s not in the race can afford to play him in the hopes that he improves.   

only  non contender team could afford to play a sub-par defender at catcher, and I dont even agree with that.

AAA and work hard on his defense, or move him and play him elsewhere.