Rethinking the OD roster based on the Hays cut

[wildbillhiccup]

10 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

I don't care how good Sisco is, if a catcher is the best player available at 1:1, (and it looks like one might be) you take him. If Sisco is good enough to have legit trade value in a couple years then that would be gravy, and if he ends up as one of the better backups in the league that would be fine too. Backup catchers still play 40+ games and with a plus-bat catcher who occasionally DHs when he doesn't catch, a backup can play even more.

I agree, I was thinking more about  if Witt played himself back into the discussion and if it was more of a coin flip between him and Rutschman. Sisco, at 24, is still young enough to be part of the rebuild. Also since backup catchers are typically good defenders I don't see that being a realistic role for Sisco. His value is going to be 75% tied to his hitting. If he hits they can probably live with him being an slighting below average defender. Or, as you said, they can consider moving him to DH.   But if he plays DH on a regular basis I think the expectation for his level of production will be much higher. 

[Natty]

12 minutes ago, jrobb21613 said:

What are the chances are opening day outfield consist of EY Jr, Rickard and Smith Jr. with Jackson as fourth outfielder?

Well Smith Jr.  has 3 hits today including a HR playing LF while Mullins sits on the bench...

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Natty said:

Well Smith Jr.  has 3 hits today including a HR playing LF while Mullins sits on the bench...

He's not on the bench, it's spring training! They don't play every day! Lol.. 

[Natty]

How is Smiths fielding compared to Mullins? 

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, Natty said:

How is Smiths fielding compared to Mullins? 

He’s primarily a corner OF.

[Natty]

Just now, Frobby said:

He’s primarily a corner OF.

Well with Mullins arm so is he.

[Natty]

Rickard will start in CF... you heard it here first. LOL

[Frobby]

Just now, Natty said:

Well with Mullins arm so is he.

You’ve really been harping on that subject over the last two days.    While I agree Mullins has a weak arm, that hasn’t stopped him from primarily playing CF in the minors or this spring.    As I pointed out in another thread, the difference between a strong arm and a weak one is only about one extra base taken every ten games.    That won’t necessarily stop a team from playing their rangiest OF in center.  

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, Natty said:

Rickard will start in CF... you heard it here first. LOL

He will certainly get some starts in CF, especially vs. LHP.

[MurphDogg]

12 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I agree, I was thinking more about  if Witt played himself back into the discussion and if it was more of a coin flip between him and Rutschman. Sisco, at 24, is still young enough to be part of the rebuild. Also since backup catchers are typically good defenders I don't see that being a realistic role for Sisco. His value is going to be 75% tied to his hitting. If he hits they can probably live with him being an slighting below average defender. Or, as you said, they can consider moving him to DH.   But if he plays DH on a regular basis I think the expectation for his level of production will be much higher. 

I hope someone else plays their way into the conversation if only to aid in the negotiations, ie if multiple players are viewed equally the Orioles can negotiate pre-draft to see which one will go more below slot. But the Orioles shouldn't alter their draft plans based on two solid months of Sisco. If their ends up a logjam, there can always be a trade down the road.

[Natty]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

You’ve really been harping on that subject over the last two days.    While I agree Mullins has a weak arm, that hasn’t stopped him from primarily playing CF in the minors or this spring.    As I pointed out in another thread, the difference between a strong arm and a weak one is only about one extra base taken every ten games.    That won’t necessarily stop a team from playing their rangiest OF in center.  

Not just his arm, Rickard is a better CF with much more experience. But I'm just a fan, not the coach. Right now Smith even looks better than Mullins who has struggled at the plate the entire time he's been in the majors except for the first 3 or 4 weeks. 

[jrobb21613]

Before camp started I thought Mullins was a lock to be the starting cf but taking into consideration is poor showing last year and poor spring I think he could benefit from some more time developing in the minors. That would also allow us to get an extended look at Smith and EY Jr. 

[Frobby]

25 minutes ago, Natty said:

Not just his arm, Rickard is a better CF with much more experience. But I'm just a fan, not the coach. Right now Smith even looks better than Mullins who has struggled at the plate the entire time he's been in the majors except for the first 3 or 4 weeks. 

Rickard has started 159 games in CF (majors and minors combined) in his professional career; Mullins has started 322 games there.   So I certainly wouldn’t say Rickard is the more experienced of the two.   In my opinion Mullins will be the better defender there despite his weaker arm (Rickard’s arm is just so-so, by the way).    

As to offense, I do think the burden is on Mullins to show he can hit, after a lackluster 2018 at the major league level and a pretty abysmal spring training.   His minor league track record suggests he will hit better than he’s shown, but he’ll need to prove it.    We kind of know what kind of hitter Rickard is after watching him for the better part of 3 years.    

[Natty]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Rickard has started 159 games in CF (majors and minors combined) in his professional career; Mullins has started 322 games there.   So I certainly wouldn’t say Rickard is the more experienced of the two.   In my opinion Mullins will be the better defender there despite his weaker arm (Rickard’s arm is just so-so, by the way).    

As to offense, I do think the burden is on Mullins to show he can hit, after a lackluster 2018 at the major league level and a pretty abysmal spring training.   His minor league track record suggests he will hit better than he’s shown, but he’ll need to prove it.    We kind of know what kind of hitter Rickard is after watching him for the better part of 3 years.    

Rickard is only like a .252 career hitter. Would love to see us stack the OF with better hitters. We will need that with our pitching this year. 

[Frobby]

Just now, Natty said:

Rickard is only like a .252 career hitter. Would love to see us stack the OF with better hitters. We will need that with our pitching this year. 

I think there’s a good chance that our Norfolk outfield of Santander, Hays, Diaz and Stewart could outhit the Baltimore outfield.    But, we are going to have to be patient. I’m more interested in who is manning our outfield in August than who is out there on opening day.