The Shortstop Market

[Yardball85]

On 12/25/2020 at 10:35 AM, OldNewGuy said:

Put Ritchie Martin at short for the first 50 to 60 games and see what he’s got. Keep Ruiz at third, and Sanchez at second. With Davis at first you have a solid field no hit infield. Just rely on analytics to position the infielders. All they need is an accurate arm so they don’t throw too many balls away and soft hands to pickup the balls hit at them. Don’t need great range. Pitchers are expected to strike out at least one batter per inning so don’t need as good an infield defense as before. Less ground balls to be fielded. Valaika can be subbed at any position and could still get his AB’s. That way, the Orioles can save 2.5 million on a ss and be just as good as if they did spend the money. Winning is not the objective in 2021.   

I have no problem with Ruiz, Martin, and Sanchez if that is what they decide.  But there is no way Chris Davis should be getting regular starts at first base this year.  It should be Mancini (health permitting) or Mountcastle.  Davis playing first likely means that one of Mancini, Mountcastle, Stewart, and/or Santander is on the bench.

[jabba72]

I'd like to see someone alot more surehanded than Villar at SS even if he has one of the higher upsides with the bat. Im assuming his range has declined alot in two years also. 

[wildcard]

I think Martin should go to AAA and work on his hitting.    Sanchez can probably play SS though  he may be the backup SS to whoever Elias brings in.

[Sports Guy]

The idea of starting Sanchez at SS shouldn’t even be on the table.

[wildcard]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

The idea of starting Sanchez at SS shouldn’t even be on the table.

We will see.  That will be settled in ST.

[Sports Guy]

19 minutes ago, wildcard said:

We will see.  That will be settled in ST.

Sure it will but the thought shouldn’t even be on the table.  You brought him here, in large part, because he’s a GG level defender at second and you didn’t keep Alberto because of that.

Sanchez should be the starting second baseman and you just leave it at that.

No need to be lazy and not find a SS because you are looking for a the easy way out.  Be smart.

[Just Regular]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

The idea of starting Sanchez at SS shouldn’t even be on the table.

Seconded.  Martin can start if we're punting, and I have enough diehard Rule V belated development hopes I'd rather see him if we must.

I expect Sanchez would be better than Valaika but this is regular Defensive Spectrum is a 1-way street stuff.  I think Gavin Lux, Amed Rosario, maaaybe Jean Segura (if Didi returns to Philly), maaaybe Miguel Rojas (unseated by Chisholm) are credible ML SS who won't be on Opening Day.

Royce Lewis is coming to unseat Jorge Polanco (getting old slow anyway), and we'll see how the Rays deploy Franco/Adames - that's the next year, maybe two.

Then you get Witt/Abrams/Luciano, but by 2023 you are in a timezone Gunnar/Westburg can credibly participate if they can handle the position, and aren't wingmen to some bought star.   I hope Gunnar/$$$$/Westburg are all true SS because as Earl said in his book, "give me all the <redacted> shortstops".

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, OrioleDog said:

Seconded.  Martin can start if we're punting, and I have enough diehard Rule V belated development hopes I'd rather see him if we must.

I expect Sanchez would be better than Valaika but this is regular Defensive Spectrum is a 1-way street stuff.  I think Gavin Lux, Amed Rosario, maaaybe Jean Segura (if Didi returns to Philly), maaaybe Miguel Rojas (unseated by Chisholm) are credible ML SS who won't be on Opening Day.

Royce Lewis is coming to unseat Jorge Polanco (getting old slow anyway), and we'll see how the Rays deploy Franco/Adames - that's the next year, maybe two.

Then you get Witt/Abrams/Luciano, but by 2023 you are in a timezone Gunnar/Westburg can credibly participate if they can handle the position, and aren't wingmen to some bought star.   I hope Gunnar/$$$$/Westburg are all true SS because as Earl said in his book, "give me all the <redacted> shortstops".

Yea that’s why I don’t really want to do something stupid at the SS position this offseason.  A 1-2 year stop gap is fine but that’s it.  I think by the end of 2021, we will have an idea if these guys can handle SS.  There are reports that they may be able to and others that say they can’t.  That is what needs to be figured out.  If they need to move to other positions, we will then know what we have to do long term.

[Ruzious]

7 hours ago, Yardball85 said:

Per Roch, O's are considering Villar, Robertson, Galvis.  Just for the sage of nostalgia, I'd be fine with Villar on a one year deal.  I doubt we'd get much for him at the deadline, considering we didn't get much for him after his big 2019.

 

https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2021/01/orioles-notes-on-minicamp-and-free-agent-possibilities.html

Seeing what they did last year, I figure they offer Galvis the same deal they gave Iglesias last year - 2021 guaranteed at 2.5 million (at most) and a team option for 2022 at 3.5 million (at most).  Then hope they can trade him after the 2021 season for a... you guessed it... 5th round pick and a Dominican lottery ticket.     

[Just Regular]

I overlooked Elvis Andrus before, who I suppose is salty about losing his job to a catcher.   He, like Amed Rosario, could be someone included in a trade where you aren't quite sure if the seller wanted to dump him, or if the buyer actually wanted him.   Old, slow and all I think '21 Andrus could still outplay Galvis, Villar, etc.

Just as benchmarks for the big show coming next year, I am genuinely curious to see if Semien/Didi/Andrelton in aggregate beat something like 3 x 12, 2 x 10, and 1 x 8.   I know the FG crowdsource numbers substantially higher, but think pure at heart baseball lovers over-represented there, and the Lords of the Realm are ready to rumble.

[wildcard]

I think Elias is waiting to get enough information to project when fans will allowed in the stands and at what capacity.    If its fairly early in the season then he could spend up to 3M on Galvis.  If its later in the season I think he goes for a SS he can get for around 1m like Adrianza.  I think Elias wants to give Martin time at AAA.

I don't think Robertson fits with the O's because his best position in 2B and the O's already have three players who's best position is 2B in Sanchez, Valaika and Urias.

I think Elias tries to add two veteran pitchers on minor league contracts with invites to ST for under 1M each.   

Goudeau is the most vulnerable to be DFA'd and passed through waivers to be outrighted to Norfolk.   Lopez may stay on the roster so the coaches can try to fix him in ST but if the veteran pitchers beat him out he may then be DFA'd trying to get him to AAA.

JMG

[Just Regular]

With this leak from someone that parties are exchanging names and someone happy/unhappy, I think we can conclude the Reds are perhaps 30th out of 30 in cashflow problems (Bottom 20% at least), and they don't have some super secret plan to reallocate Raisel $$$ to Marcus Semien.   

That leaves OAK/BAL/DET/PIT from OP as four seats for Semien/Didi/Andrelton/Galvis.

I am sure those SS agents hope for NYY/PHI in that market - Yankees obvious if LeMahieu lost as Gleyber perhaps more Jeff Kent than A-Rod, and ekeing one more SS Segura year not very Dombrowski for Bryce Run 1 of X.

I do psychobabble guesstimate that shortstops are prideful, and shift to 2B/3B less gracefully than any Moustakas sized linebacker plodding back and forth across the dirt.   I will be sad if we lock in Galvis/Villar anytime soon.

[Yardball85]

The Brewers have signed Daniel Robertson.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/brewers-to-sign-daniel-robertson.html

I could not care less about "losing" the opportunity to sign Robertson, but here it is.

[Sports Guy]

15 minutes ago, Yardball85 said:

The Brewers have signed Daniel Robertson.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/brewers-to-sign-daniel-robertson.html

I could not care less about "losing" the opportunity to sign Robertson, but here it is.

Guess we can forget about a playoff run?!

[Yardball85]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

Guess we can forget about a playoff run?!

Yeah, I heard Robertson was going to give us a .500 OBP out of the leadoff spot and GG defense.  Oh well.  There's always 2022.