Roch: Most unsettled positions going into the off season

[wildcard]

Roch:

The Orioles probably will add at least one veteran starter, so the rotation is unsettled in that regard. Second and third base are up in the air with Alberto’s arbitration eligibility and Rio Ruiz’s fade. Though the early catching favorites are Pedro Severino and Chance Sisco, it’s possible that the Orioles move away from the former, who also is arbitration-eligible. And manager Brandon Hyde couldn’t name his 2021 closer if you asked him later today. 

https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2020/10/because-you-asked---friday-after-next.html

[Tony-OH]

Nothing to argue with here though if they let Severino go for nothing I'd be disappointed. That would tell me it's 100% money related since they do not have anyone ready to go in 2021 unless they are going to start Rutschman's clock. 

The team certainly needs to upgrade at 3B and 2B. I'd be willing to see what Urias looks like full time at 2B and see if his defense doesn't kill his value.

That's a hole that's not super easy to fill as stop gap third baseman's aren't easy to find. Not a lot of the free agency market and the closest future 3B may be Westburg assuming he grows out of being the next SS.
 

 

[wildcard]

16 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Nothing to argue with here though if they let Severino go for nothing I'd be disappointed. That would tell me it's 100% money related since they do not have anyone ready to go in 2021 unless they are going to start Rutschman's clock. 

The team certainly needs to upgrade at 3B and 2B. I'd be willing to see what Urias looks like full time at 2B and see if his defense doesn't kill his value.

That's a hole that's not super easy to fill as stop gap third baseman's aren't easy to find. Not a lot of the free agency market and the closest future 3B may be Westburg assuming he grows out of being the next SS. 
 

 

I think Elias will be watching the waiver wire and if he is able to trade Alberto, Nunez or Severino maybe he can get a 3B and/or C in return.   I don't expect someone great.  Just someone better that what they have now.   Maybe someone from the Rule 5 draft.  The bar is not very high.

[interloper]

3B is a real rough spot for the O's right now. It's starting to feel a little like how SS felt prior to the Hardy trade. 

Not that I'm not ok with Ruiz holding it down for another half a year or so, but they really need to find some options. Still holding out hope for Rylan. They have to put him on the 40-man anyway. 

[SteveA]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

I think Elias will be watching the waiver wire and if he is able to trade Alberto, Nunez or Severino maybe he can get a 3B and/or C in return.   I don't expect someone great.  Just someone better that what they have now.   Maybe someone from the Rule 5 draft.  The bar is not very high.

Maybe not even better than what we have now, but cheaper (i.e. not arbitration eligible).

When you are in such a cost cutting move that you are getting rid of coaches, I think they will look long and hard at going to arbitration with anyone who is unlikely to be a prime MLB performer for the next several years.

At least they won't get any flak for cancelling Fanfest to save a few pennies this offseason.

[hoosiers]

I agree with RZ about sticking with Ruiz.  We don't have anyone better internally unless someone switches positions.  

If there is a clear upgrade available at 3B for the major league roster, I think we could pursue anyone that is cheap - cheap to acquire and cheap to pay.  Ruiz was available as a cheap, failed prospect and if we could acquire another one and try it again, I would be fine with that.

[section18]

For 2B how about bringing back Jonathan Schoop or Jurickson Profar. Todd Feazier one year  deal for3B. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 hours ago, section18 said:

For 2B how about bringing back Jonathan Schoop or Jurickson Profar. Todd Feazier one year  deal for3B. 

I don't see them paying for a FA stopgap in a year they won't be expected to contend.

[HowAboutThat]

6 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Nothing to argue with here though if they let Severino go for nothing I'd be disappointed. That would tell me it's 100% money related since they do not have anyone ready to go in 2021 unless they are going to start Rutschman's clock. 

The team certainly needs to upgrade at 3B and 2B. I'd be willing to see what Urias looks like full time at 2B and see if his defense doesn't kill his value.

That's a hole that's not super easy to fill as stop gap third baseman's aren't easy to find. Not a lot of the free agency market and the closest future 3B may be Westburg assuming he grows out of being the next SS.
 

 

Severino’s defense is very bad. Wouldn’t it be logical to sacrifice his offense-such as it is-and go with Holaday, who has better defense? I’m not a Sisco fan and I doubt he has much future, but for now he’s safe, and he’s at least better than Severino.

I don’t think any worthwhile FA catchers will be cheaper than Sevi, so no point to look beyond Holaday for now.

Edited October 23, 2020 by Philip

[Just Regular]

You could squint glass half full and see a Severino non-tender as a leading indicator Adley's coming in May as I feel he ought to assuming he shows he's still himself in March/April.  

I do feel like 2B Alberto and 3B Ruiz are kind of when they have the Bottom 2 on American Idol, etc and one is about to be eliminated.  I think RZNJ has the right Ruiz take, and the Elias history probably doesn't hurt.

[Tony-OH]

3 hours ago, Philip said:

Severino’s defense is very bad. Wouldn’t it be logical to sacrifice his offense-such as it is-and go with Holaday, who has better defense? I’m not a Sisco fan and I doubt he has much future, but for now he’s safe, and he’s at least better than Severino.

I don’t think any worthwhile FA catchers will be cheaper than Sevi, so no point to look beyond Holaday for now.

Severino has lapses in concentration and can get lazy behind the plate, but he's not a very bad defensive catcher. He was worth .4 WAR defensively and threw out 31% of base stealers when the leg avg was 26%. 

Now do I think Severino is not replaceable, no. But he's a decent stop gap until Rutschamn is aready and should be that expensive even in arbitration.

[Frobby]

14 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Severino has lapses in concentration and can get lazy behind the plate, but he's not a very bad defensive catcher. He was worth .4 WAR defensively and threw out 31% of base stealers when the leg avg was 26%. 

Now do I think Severino is not replaceable, no. But he's a decent stop gap until Rutschamn is aready and should be that expensive even in arbitration.

Really, the passed balls are the problem with him.   His arm is good.   

[Sports Guy]

There are many ways to bring in good cheap talent with higher upside than Alberto or Ruiz 

I don’t want a “lazy offseason” by the FO this year.  Start making some real long term moves instead of settling for sucking with guys who aren’t part of the future.

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

There are many ways to bring in good cheap talent with higher upside than Alberto or Ruiz 

I don’t want a “lazy offseason” by the FO this year.  Start making some real long term moves instead of settling for sucking with guys who aren’t part of the future.

Looks to me that the plan is to home grow as much as possible and use cheap stop gaps until the prospects are ready.

Real long term moves involve either trading young assets or taking on substantial payroll.

[wildcard]

5 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Looks to me that the plan is to home grow as much as possible and use cheap stop gaps until the prospects are ready.

Real long term moves involve either trading young assets or taking on substantial payroll.

Either or neither?