Mason Williams has a chance to be an OD starter

[wildcard]

If Chris Davis does not show well in ST, then Mancini moves to 1B.  That opens a starting OF spot to play along side Hays and Santander.    The competition in ST looks like Dwight Smith Jr vs Mason Williams.  May the best man win.     Williams (28) is the better defensive player.   Offense may be a toss up.     With Stewart probably beginning the season on the IL and Wilkerson DFA'd,  Smith/Williams looks like one of the better battles in the O's camp.  We will see if Wilkerson passed through waivers and joins the competition.

Mountcastle seems likely to begins at AAA, with a call up in late April or May.   Until then Mancini looks like a good bet to play a lot of 1B.

Pitchers and Catchers in 9 days!!!!

[HowAboutThat]

Why bother with Smith? He had a hot couple of months with the bat, but His defense was awful the whole season. I’m happy to give Williams a chance.

I don’t know how to rank the various positions so I can’t prognosticate until later in the spring, but Smith is a known quantity, and at this point I’d prefer to devote my time to the unknown quantities.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

48 minutes ago, Philip said:

Why bother with Smith? He had a hot couple of months with the bat, but His defense was awful the whole season. I’m happy to give Williams a chance.

I don’t know how to rank the various positions so I can’t prognosticate until later in the spring, but Smith is a known quantity, and at this point I’d prefer to devote my time to the unknown quantities.

Same. Unless the young players disappoint during spring training, I'm leaning towards Smith not making the opening day roster. 

[DrungoHazewood]

8 hours ago, wildcard said:

Smith/Williams looks like one of the better battles in the O's camp. 

Smith, Williams, and the waiver wire.  It'll be down to the wire to see who comes out on top.

Williams is a better defender but projects to .650-.725 OPS.  Smith might OPS close to .750 but is barely better than Mancini in left.  There could be someone trying to slip through in late March who's better.

[eddie83]

I know how most feel about Davis but I don’t see the point in keeping him all offseason and then ditching him before the season starts. They are going to judge him off spring training? 

[eddie83]

6 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Same. Unless the young players disappoint during spring training, I'm leaning towards Smith not making the opening day roster. 

Right now he makes it by default. I thought Elias would add another  OF to a MiL deal but so far he hasn’t. 

[wildcard]

2 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

I know how most feel about Davis but I don’t see the point in keeping him all offseason and then ditching him before the season starts. They are going to judge him off spring training? 

i think he is on the team to start the season but he does not have a starter role locked down.  He has to show something offensively to win a starting role IMO.

[wildcard]

1 minute ago, eddie83 said:

Right now he makes it by default. I thought Elias would add another  OF to a MiL deal but so far he hasn’t. 

The O's have Stewart probably coming off the IL something in April and when Moutcastle is promoted an outfielder probably goes to Norfolk. 

[Moose Milligan]

Much ado about nothing.  

[eddie83]

Just now, wildcard said:

The O's have Stewart probably coming off the IL something in April and when Moutcastle is promoted an outfielder probably goes to Norfolk. 

My hope is Davis is gone by May/June and that is when Mountcastle arrives. 

[wildcard]

2 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

My hope is Davis is gone by May/June and that is when Mountcastle arrives. 

You/We  can hope but I doubt it.   When the O's are ready to win then Davis probably goes.  The  O's are not ready to win in 2020.  The starting pitching is a mess.

[eddie83]

4 minutes ago, wildcard said:

You/We  can hope but I doubt it.   When the O's are ready to win then Davis probably goes.  The  O's are not ready to win in 2020.  The starting pitching is a mess.

I see no point in keeping Davis unless he plays at least close to how much he played last year. 

This team at the absolute earliest will not be ready to win until 2022 and that is optimistic. I can’t see him lounging on the bench for years to come. My hope may be overly optimistic but it would be crazy to see him finish out the deal.  

Biggest benefit of playing him is he helps the Orioles lose. Worst thing now is if they think he is blocking someone worthwhile. If Nunez isn’t hitting early on that could help him. 

[eddie83]

14 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Much ado about nothing.  

I’m sure this won’t be the last time you say this in 2020. 

[Moose Milligan]

7 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

I’m sure this won’t be the last time you say this in 2020. 

I'm sure.

Mason Williams, DSJR...don't have long term futures here.  Maybe one of them does as a 4th outfielder.  And everyone here knows that the OD outfield should look very different than the outfield that'll finish the season.

[MountUrCastle]

Dumb suggestion for outfield: help the Padres out, get Wil Myers and a prospect?