O's outfield wars are about to begin

[wildcard]

So its the 20th of August.  Expanded rosters are 11 days away.  But we can see the battle in the O's outfield coming for playing time in September.

1) Santander is trying to establish himself as an everyday outfielder for the O's.  He can play all three positions and he will try to hold on to his playing time as other outfielders are added to the roster.  His 797 OPS and ability to play good outfield defense gives him a leg up on the rest of the candidates.

2) Mancini has been a corner outfield for almost 3 years now.  But the number of players with some outfield ability probably moves him to play most of September at first.   Davis case for playing time at 1B is weak. Davis no doubt will stay on the roster but  he will see a lot on pine in September is my guess while O's management  auditions other players.

3) Stewart is getting his playing time in the outfield now.  He better take advantage of it to show the O's he deserves playing time in September.   If he does he probably gets his share.  If he doesn't hit and play decent defense others may take his time.   He is probably a reserve outfielder in the future so others may get time to show they are starter.

4)  Wilkerson is an OF/IF utility player who has earned his playing team vs right-handed pitching(784 OPS).   He hasn't  hit lefties well.   He has held down part of the center field job for months and can play all three positions.   But the O's know what he can do.  There may want to look at others in September.    He may get some of Peterson time in the infield  after the first of the month. He could platoon with Alberto at 2B/3B.

5) Peterson has played some left field but he is not hitting.  His age and bat are against him staying.  I think he gets DFA'd sometime in the next two weeks to make room for others.  

6) Smith will be activated from the IL sometime in the next two weeks.  If he keeps hitting at AAA on rehab it will probably be sooner than later.   He is a left fielder. And hit well in April (783 OPS) with power before running into a wall.  His defense was not great.   He will probably see sporadic time in the outfield in September.

7) Nothing is certain about Hays' call up.  He is supposed to be the centerfield of the future.   And the O's probably don't want him to go home after the minor league season is over.   But he has to hit to get playing time.   He is on the O's 40 man roster.  He has a 760 OPS at AAA but his hitting has been up and down.  He needs to hit over the next two weeks to make a statement that he is ready for a MLB trial.

Eight)  Mountcastle is hitting for an 868 OPS with power at AAA.  His call up is a point of discussion in Birdland.   Leftfield is were his AAA manager says he is most comfortable.   But he is not a finished defensive player.   The O's could go either way on his callup.   But if he is called up I think he will see significant time in left field in September.  He has to be added to the O's roster which is one of the reasons I think Peterson may be DFA'd.

9)  Mason Williams has earned a call up.  The 27 year old has an 860 OPS at AAA.   I would think the O's would want to see what he looks like playing in the majors before they have to make a decision on him over the off season.  He played mostly center in the minors but can play all three OF positions.  He would have to be added to the O's roster.  Probably making the O's DFA a pitcher after the AAA season is over.

So if Mancini moves to 1B, Wilkerson to the infield as a utility player,  Peterson DFA'd.    

The O's could have Montcastle in left, Hays in center, Santander in right for the majority of playing time in September.   Williams playing all three OF spots, resting the starting OFers.   Stewart and Smith finding some time in left or DH or PH.   

Is that the way it plays out?   Who knows but it fun to think about.

 

[waroriole]

I doubt Mountcastle gets called up. Hays is 50/50. I don’t care at all when/if Wilkerson, Smith or Peterson play. I’d be ok with this OF getting the majority of starts:

LF Santander

CF Williams

RF Hays

[Lucky_13]

If it was up to me I'd park Davis on the bench so Mountcastle/Mancini can share time at 1B and DH. Stewart in left, Hays in Center, and Santander in right.  I'd bring up Williams and he can get some time in the outfield. The defense is imrproved at least. 

Peterson and Smith are DFA candidates. 

In reality, I doubt Mountcastle gets called up and Smith returns once his rehab is done

[Legend_Of_Joey]

You forgot two options:

Mark Trumbo: The Orioles already said they want him to play in September. While I doubt he plays in the outfield, especially with all the other options, he HAS played there a few times in rehab games.

Cedric Mullins: Yes, he dropped all the way to Bowie, but he has gotten on a bit of a roll recently. If the Orioles don't bring Hays up for some reason, then they could bring up Mullins for center field. Or bring both up anyway and let Wilkerson go back to the infield/super utility role and Santander patrolling right field.

[Aristotelian]

2 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

You forgot two options:

Mark Trumbo: The Orioles already said they want him to play in September. While I doubt he plays in the outfield, especially with all the other options, he HAS played there a few times in rehab games.

I hadn't seen that. Why in the world would the O's want Trumbo to play?

[Legend_Of_Joey]

7 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I hadn't seen that. Why in the world would the O's want Trumbo to play?

Could just be lip service.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Could just be lip service.

Or professional courtesy.

[jerios55]

4 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Could just be lip service.

I would imagine after all his rehab, if he plays it won't be in the OF. 

[Natty]

Mancini should play 1B. If Davis has to play because of the money fiasco, he can play RF like he did earlier this season. Oh wait...Lol.

[DirtyBird]

30 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

You forgot two options:

Mark Trumbo: The Orioles already said they want him to play in September. While I doubt he plays in the outfield, especially with all the other options, he HAS played there a few times in rehab games.

Cedric Mullins: Yes, he dropped all the way to Bowie, but he has gotten on a bit of a roll recently. If the Orioles don't bring Hays up for some reason, then they could bring up Mullins for center field. Or bring both up anyway and let Wilkerson go back to the infield/super utility role and Santander patrolling right field.

Mullins has a lower OPS than a struggling Ryan McKenna in AA

[atomic]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

So its the 20th on August.  Expanded rosters are 11 days away.  But we can see that battle in the O's outfield coming for playing time in September.

1) Santander is trying to establish himself as an everyday outfield for the O's.  He can play all three positions and he will try to hold on to his playing time as other outfielders are added to the roster.  His 797 OPS and ability to play good outfield defense gives him a leg up on the rest of the candidates.

 2) Mancini has been a corner outfield for almost 3 years now.  But the number of players with some outfield ability probably moves him to play most of September at first.   Davis case for playing time at 1B is weak. Davis no doubt will stay on the roster but  he will see a lot of pine in September is my guess while O's management  auditions other players.

3) Stewart is getting his playing in the outfield now.  He better take advantage of it to show the O's he deserves playing time in September.   If he does he probably gets his share.  If he doesn't hit and play decent defense others may take his time.   He is probably a reserve outfield in the future so others may get time to show they are starter.

4)  Wilkerson is an OF/IF utility player who has earned his playing team vs right-handed pitching(784 OPS).   He hasn't  hit lefties well.   He has held down part of the center field job for months and can play all three positions.   But the O's know what he can do.  There may want to look at others in September.    He may get some of Peterson time in the infield  after the first of the month. He could platoon with Alberto at 2B/3B.

5) Peterson has played some left field but he is not hitting.  His age and bat are against him staying.  I think he gets DFA'd sometime in the next two weeks to make room for others.  

6) Smith will be activated from the IL sometime in the next two weeks.  If he keep hitting at AAA on rehab it will probably be sooner than later.   He is a left fielder. And hit well in April (783 OPS) with power before running into a wall.  His defense was not great.   He will probably see sporadic time in the outfield in September.

7) Nothing is certain about Hays' call up.  He is supposed to be the centerfield of the future.   And the O's probably don't want him to go home after the minor league season is over.   But he has to hit to get playing time.   He is on the O's 40 man roster.  He has a 760 OPS at AAA but his hitting has been up and down.  He needs to hit over the next two weeks to make a statement that he is ready for a MLB trial.

Eight)  Mountcastle is hitting for an 868 OPS with power at AAA.  His call up is a point of discussion in Birdland.   Leftfield is were his AAA manager says he is most comfortable.   But he is not a finished defensive player.   The O's could go either way on his callup.   But if he is called up I think he will see significant time in left field in September.  He has to be added to the O's roster which is one of the reasons I think Peterson may be DFA'd.

9)  Mason Williams has earned a call up.  The 27 year old has an 860 OPS at AAA.   I would think the O's would want to see what he looks like playing in the majors before they have to make a decision on him over the off season.  He played mostly center in the minors but can play all three OF positions.  He would have to be added to the O's roster.  Probably making the O's DFA a pitcher after the AAA season is over.

So if Mancini moves to 1B, Wilkerson to the infield as a utility player,  Peterson DFA'd.    

The O's could have Montcastle in left, Hays in center, Santander in right for the majority of playing time in September.   Williams playing all three OF spots, resting the starting OFers.   Stewart and Smith finding some time in left or DH or PH.   

Is that the way it plays out?   Who knows but it fun to think about.

 

LOL.  Not much of a list.  A bunch of guys who are playing out of position or who aren't going to be in the big leagues in a couple of years.  Satander didn't hit that well in Triple A this year and seems to be reverting back to what he should be.

Mancini is a first baseman. Wilkerson and Jace aren't outfieders either or major league ballplayers for that matter. I doubt Hays will be called up.  Smith isn't much of a player. 

Hopefully DJ Stewart can start hitting but I don't see anyone in the list that is making like there is any kind of competition out there. 

[atomic]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

I hadn't seen that. Why in the world would the O's want Trumbo to play?

Why not?  I don't see why he can't play when the rosters are expanded.  

[TGO]

I think if the Orioles thought anything of Mason Williams he would have been on the team already. It's not like there weren't openings this year. 

[Bahama O's Fan]

12 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Stewart in LF, Hays in CF, and Santander in RF. Mancini at 1B, Nunez at DH.  Don't care about Wilkerson, Peterson, and Smith. Mountcastle can come up and get AB's in LF/1B/DH.  AB's created when Nunez plays 3B and/or rotating Mancini and the 3 outfielders.

Exactly my thought. Davis rides the bench.

[Matt Bennett]

Hays hasn’t done anything but get injured and underperform since 2017. 

Mountcastle can wait. 

No interest in seeing any more of Trumbo, Petersen, or Davis. 

Wouldn’t be surprised if Williams could give you David Lough like numbers but what’s the point? 

Not really a logjam. Wouldn’t mind a 1 year signing of like Jarrod Dyson until Hays/Mullins/McKenna figure it out.