Meoli: Why the Orioles acquiring Jahmai Jones represents a new facet of their trade strategies | ANALYSIS

[Roll Tide]

Quote

For the first year-plus of the Mike Elias era of Orioles baseball, the club’s trades were centered mostly on acquiring Latin American teenagers and lower-level pitching that rated well in their recent draft evaluations.

In acquiring Jahmai Jones, a second baseman/outfielder and former Top 100 prospect from the Angels this week in a trade that sent a reported $10 million in present-day and deferred money with veteran right-hander Alex Cobb to Los Angeles, the Orioles might be transitioning how they’re thinking a bit.

The shift started over the summer when high-minors hitters such as Tyler Nevin and Terrin Vavra were acquired from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for reliever Mychal Givens.

Jones certainly isn’t a plug-and-play option who is going to be written into the Orioles’ Opening Day lineup come April 1 in Boston just because he made his major league debut last year for the Angels. He is, however, the first player the Orioles have acquired in a trade under Elias in which the return can reasonably be said to have both the present and future in mind — and where there’s a case to be made that the clearest value is what the Orioles brought in as opposed to what they sent out.

interesting article....Make sense based on the approach of having a ton of guys close to ready at the same time.
 

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-jahmai-jones-breakdown-20210204-c5pza4eoojdavacjlupivnjnb4-story.html

 

[HowAboutThat]

I was wondering exactly the same thing. Jones seems to be the first guy we’ve acquired who can reasonably be expected to produce now(or very soon.) and I was wondering if that meant a change in the trade targets. Instead of getting someone who might help in 3-4 seasons, someone who could produce now.

If true, it means Mike is almost ready to start winning.

 

[Tony-OH]

Meoli continues to show he's one of the best Orioles reporters the Sun has had in awhile. 

[Sports Guy]

I can’t read the article but disagree with the premise it seems to have.

First of all, the Os have done nothing but draft college bats.  College bats, if good, can move fast.  Elias very clearly has thoughts on contending in the next 1-2 seasons and is and has been acquiring players who can help then.

He has targeted college arms in trades as well.

Yes, he has also gone the wild card, lottery ticket route but that’s also probably more out of necessity in many ways as well.

[scOtt]

7 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I can’t read the article but disagree with the premise it seems to have.

First of all, the Os have done nothing but draft college bats.  College bats, if good, can move fast.  Elias very clearly has thoughts on contending in the next 1-2 seasons and is and has been acquiring players who can help then.

He has targeted college arms in trades as well.

Yes, he has also gone the wild card, lottery ticket route but that’s also probably more out of necessity in many ways as well.

College bats but defense up the middle also. SS, 2B, guys who can handle CF. Catchers.

And arms as you say, college arms, developed arms.

I think 1-2 years is not out of the question... still think 2-3 years. Not 2022 or 23. 2024.

[scOtt]

I could read the article but you only get like 3 a year.... don't want to waste one in early Feb...

frickin' PAY sites! grumble grumble

[Ruzious]

Apologies if it's already been mentioned, but MLB.com seems to really like Jones - ranking him 19th in the O's system and emphasizing his high OBP, low BAPIP (bad luck), strong finish in 2019 (.881 OPS in August), and quality performance in the AFL (.302/.377/.509).  "still has the tools to be a solid MLB regular."  

[Aristotelian]

I don't really see a shift in strategy. The strategy is always trade pieces that are no longer a fit and get the best available return that helps us. Just depends on who we have available and who is interested. It's not like someone is going to give us a MLB ready prospect for Bleier. 

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

I don't really see a shift in strategy. The strategy is always trade pieces that are no longer a fit and get the best available return that helps us. Just depends on who we have available and who is interested. It's not like someone is going to give us a MLB ready prospect for Bleier. 

Right.  I don’t get the logic either.

Its not like they are drafting HS players all over the place and stuff like that.

[Oriole1940]

In the dead of Winter it is easy to desire some baseball to talk about, but in this case I think nothing is here.

[HowAboutThat]

I think there is some thing here. Yes, of course Mike wants to get the best return, but there’s a difference between, “best return” that is four years away, and “best return” that is one year away. He wants to time everything so that everything arrived at the same time.

when I was in the army, I learned that every vehicle has the same approximate range of 300 km. That means that every vehicle is going to need to refuel at approximately the same point, which makes logistics simple. That’s what Mike is trying to do, he’s trying to have everybody arrive at the same time. Supposedly he was interested in Jones for a long time, and now he has them, and we can expect To see him this summer. Evaluate him, see if he has a meaningful future, or just as a placeholder till Henderson is ready.

[wildcard]

I don't think Jones is as close as some people do.   Yes, his next step may be AAA but he seems to have a lot of improvement to do to make the majors.  Right now he looks like a high error 2nd base with very good range.    He needs to cut down on those errors.  

I don't think he's even close to as good defensively in CF to Mullins and Hays.  And  unless something drastic happens never will be.

And he doesn't seem to have any consistency as a hitter in AA.  After two years it seems one good month is what may propel him to AAA.  That and maybe a good Alternate Camp showing.

I would not be surprised if he spends the better part of a season at AAA before he gets the call.  He does look the part of a good prospect in his videos.  

I've seen him called near ready and I wonder how near, near really is.

[Frobby]

59 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I don't think Jones is as close as some people do.   Yes, his next step may be AAA but he seems to have a lot of improvement to do to make the majors.  Right now he looks like a high error 2nd base with very good range.    He needs to cut down on those errors.  

I don't think he's even close to as good defensively in CF to Mullins and Hays.  And  unless something drastic happens never will be.

And he doesn't seem to have any consistency as a hitter in AA.  After two years it seems one good month is what may propel him to AAA.  That and maybe a good Alternate Camp showing.

I would not be surprised if he spends the better part of a season at AAA before he gets the call.  He does look the part of a good prospect in his videos.  

I've seen him called near ready and I wonder how near, near really is.

Well, the Angels saw fit to call him up for a few games, so perhaps closer than you think.   Elias did say on the radio that he had a chance to make the club out of spring training.   Frankly I am not expecting that, but I’m keeping an open mind.    

[scOtt]

59 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Well, the Angels saw fit to call him up for a few games, so perhaps closer than you think.   Elias did say on the radio that he had a chance to make the club out of spring training.   Frankly I am not expecting that, but I’m keeping an open mind.    

To get him any (meaningful) playing time at 2B you need to move Sanchez to 3B, sit Rio. For limited time, spot games, I could see that happening. But I don't see ME and Hyder weakening Mike's precious defense up the middle. And I personally agree with that. I'd rather see Belanger at SS than Derek Jeter. I expect to see Galvis/Sanchez as a very good DP combination and you don't want to sacrifice that.

[Frobby]

37 minutes ago, scOtt said:

To get him any (meaningful) playing time at 2B you need to move Sanchez to 3B, sit Rio. For limited time, spot games, I could see that happening. But I don't see ME and Hyder weakening Mike's precious defense up the middle. And I personally agree with that. I'd rather see Belanger at SS than Derek Jeter. I expect to see Galvis/Sanchez as a very good DP combination and you don't want to sacrifice that.

I’d rather have Jeter.   He didn’t exactly keep the Yankees from making the playoffs, did he?