Mid-March Orioles spring training update: Good news stories

[Tony-OH]

http://www.orioleshangout.com/2021/03/14/mid-march-orioles-spring-training-review-good-news/

[wildcard]

Looks like Tony has replaced me as the optimist on the board.

[Jammer7]

16 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Looks like Tony has replaced me as the optimist on the board.

LOL...The bad news is coming in the next, likely much longer, post.

[Jammer7]

Good stuff. The pen is very interesting after the Harvey injury. Could open a door for R5 Tyler Wells to stick around a bit longer. They cannot option Wells, Valdez or Armstrong. And they likely would not option Tanner Scott or Paul Fry. So does the remaining 3-4 members give Hyde enough flexibility will be the question. I think they can make that work. Maybe Wells can stick around, at least until Hunter Harvey comes back and then we’ll see. 

Green and Hanhold are big interesting guys for sure. They would need roster spots though, and that might be tough if they keep Felix Hernandez and Matt Harvey. For me, the vulnerable guys looked to be Goudeau, Lopez, and the R5 guys, along with the anticipated CD 60 day IL move. But, Goudeau looked good yesterday and Lopez looked really good a few days ago. Matt Harvey might get squeezed out if he doesn’t show something soon. Zimmermann deserves to be a starter anyway. It is going to b interesting. 

[Tony-OH]

15 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

LOL...The bad news is coming in the next, likely much longer, post.

The plan was to do both in one article but I got lengthy by going through the bullpen in a little more detail than I expected.

[Jammer7]

4 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

The plan was to do both in one article but I got lengthy by going through the bullpen in a little more detail than I expected.

I understand completely. Look forward to it.

[wildcard]

20 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

Good stuff. The pen is very interesting after the Harvey injury. Could open a door for R5 Tyler Wells to stick around a bit longer. They cannot option Wells, Valdez or Armstrong. And they likely would not option Tanner Scott or Paul Fry. So does the remaining 3-4 members give Hyde enough flexibility will be the question. I think they can make that work. Maybe Wells can stick around, at least until Hunter Harvey comes back and then we’ll see. 

Green and Hanhold are big interesting guys for sure. They would need roster spots though, and that might be tough if they keep Felix Hernandez and Matt Harvey. For me, the vulnerable guys looked to be Goudeau, Lopez, and the R5 guys, along with the anticipated CD 60 day IL move. But, Goudeau looked good yesterday and Lopez looked really good a few days ago. Matt Harvey might get squeezed out if he doesn’t show something soon. Zimmermann deserves to be a starter anyway. It is going to b interesting. 

Felix and Matt Harvey may not make it for OD.  LeBlanc has a ways to go to be added as well.  CD and Hunter Harvey may be on the 60 day IL.  Sceroler could be offered back.  I wonder if he Reds want to pay 50k to get him back.

Rumors that Franco will be added.    

[Jammer7]

46 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Felix and Matt Harvey may not make it for OD.  LeBlanc has a ways to go to be added as well.  CD and Hunter Harvey may be on the 60 day IL.  Sceroler could be offered back.  I wonder if he Reds want to pay 50k to get him back.

Rumors that Franco will be added.    

I think they will give Felix every opportunity to go North, but his velo is troublesome to me. 85 just won’t do it. He needs to 88-89 at least, I think. 

Matt Harvey might even be behind LeBlanc right now, but I think Zimmermann is making both of them expendable. Zimmermann looks great today, so far. Harvey really needs to show some hope of command to go North. 

It’s a fair question on the Reds taking him back or not. Probably do take him back, I think. $50K is not much and they may be able to work a deal for him that is worth more than $50K in value. Sceroler might be a guy we make a trade for after we waive and return him, that is if no one takes him on a waiver claim. Wells has a chance to stick, but another guy we consider trading for. Depends on what the Reds and Twins want. 

I read the tweet by Heyman. Interesting potential add of Franco. I would have been ok with Ruiz for now, but maybe Franco’s price point and production was at the level Elias sees a return value in July or so. 

[billhatf]

Watching Zimmerman on Detroit broadcast ... he's looking like a major league starting pitcher to me.   Pencil him in

[Tony-OH]

54 minutes ago, billhatf said:

Watching Zimmerman on Detroit broadcast ... he's looking like a major league starting pitcher to me.   Pencil him in

Agreed, even without his best command today he found a way to be effective. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

57 minutes ago, billhatf said:

Watching Zimmerman on Detroit broadcast ... he's looking like a major league starting pitcher to me.   Pencil him in

Hyde seems to agree.

 

[Moose Milligan]

I'm encouraged by Mullins dropping the switch hitting and hitting like he is so far.

The fact that he doesn't walk is still bothersome but I don't think he was ever going to be a guy that could post a high OBP.  If he can hit lefties from the left side, he could be a good piece for us.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

5 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I'm encouraged by Mullins dropping the switch hitting and hitting like he is so far.

The fact that he doesn't walk is still bothersome but I don't think he was ever going to be a guy that could post a high OBP.  If he can hit lefties from the left side, he could be a good piece for us.

With his speed, getting on base by any means necessary should be a priority.

[eddie83]

1 hour ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Hyde seems to agree.

 

I still don’t think Akin is a lock. He could take his spot and they still give 2 spots to veterans. 

[HowAboutThat]

7 hours ago, Jammer7 said:

I think they will give Felix every opportunity to go North, but his velo is troublesome to me. 85 just won’t do it. He needs to 88-89 at least, I think. 

Matt Harvey might even be behind LeBlanc right now, but I think Zimmermann is making both of them expendable. Zimmermann looks great today, so far. Harvey really needs to show some hope of command to go North. 

It’s a fair question on the Reds taking him back or not. Probably do take him back, I think. $50K is not much and they may be able to work a deal for him that is worth more than $50K in value. Sceroler might be a guy we make a trade for after we waive and return him, that is if no one takes him on a waiver claim. Wells has a chance to stick, but another guy we consider trading for. Depends on what the Reds and Twins want. 

I read the tweet by Heyman. Interesting potential add of Franco. I would have been ok with Ruiz for now, but maybe Franco’s price point and production was at the level Elias sees a return value in July or so. 

I don’t understand why everybody is so high on Felix and Harvey. They have a past, but they certainly don’t have a present, and I can’t think of any reason to keep them north. Unless you really put stock in “veteran presence,” Which is a stupid reason to give a roster spot to an 85 mile an hour fastball and no secondaries. They offer nothing, they shouldn’t go anywhere. Meanwhile I want Wells to make it, maybe Greene, and I was a fan of Matson until he left