Roster moves that could be made

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Fresh off 13 straight losses and just in time for June 1st, there are several moves that could be made that could help the team. Or change things up atleast.

*Insert Spongebob face meme saying "oRiOlEs WiNs DoN't MaTtEr"*

Also, these will be realistic ones, not "move Adley, DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez to Baltimore!" Also, I'm not throwing trades in.

Opening spots

First few moves involve opening up some roster spots, because...Well, reasons.

Recall Richie Martin from Norfolk and transfer to 60 day IL

Martin was lost for the season when he collided with the fence in center field in Norfolk. Why was he playing center? Because...Reasons. Right now, Martin takes up a 40 man roster spot and moving him to the 60 would clear that up. The downside? Martin would be paid his MLB salary while on the IL, which the brass might not want to do.

DFA Shawn Armstrong

Whatever magic Armstrong had seems to be gone. An 8.20 ERA in 18.2 innings with 26 hits and 10 walks don't do him any favors. There is a chance he could pass through waivers and be sent to Norfolk, but he shouldn't be an option in the Orioles bullpen.

DFA Matt Harvey

It was a fun ride while it lasted, but Harvey has regressed his last few starts. A starting pitcher should give a team an opportunity to win every time they go out. Harvey isn't it. At this point, I don't even think Elias could get a box of cleat cleaners for Harvey.

Transfer Mac Sceroler to 60 day IL

Another paper move. Sceroler has been on the 10 day IL since April 14th and began his rehab assignment in Norfolk on May 27th. He can be on a rehab for 30 days, so this would buy him some extra time and a roster spot. He currently has a 21.60 ERA in 1.2 innings in Norfolk, with 2 hits, 2 walks, and 3 k's. Not dominating or anything.

DFA Pat Valaika

There are a few options that could go, but Valaika hasn't lit the world on fire like anyone might have thought. There also is the chance he passes through waivers and goes to Norfolk.

 

Now that 5 40 man spots would be open, let's fill them!

Activate Hunter Harvey from 60 day IL

Ok, cheating a bit here because this one is happening soon anyway. He *should* be an upgrade over the usage of Armstrong.

Purchase contract of RP Konner Wade from Norfolk

Wade currently has a 0.93 ERA for Norfolk, with 12 strike outs in 19.1 innings and a 0.93 WHIP. He has allowed only 2 earned runs and 4 walks. There is a lot to like here.

Purchase contract of RP Dusten Knight from Norfolk

Knight has acted as the late inning guy for Norfolk, with a 0.00 ERA in 6.1 innings and a 0.79 WHIP, with 2 walks, 1 hit and 6 strike outs. Opponents are hitting .143 off of him. Plus, the backflip!

Purchase the contract of Mason McCoy

Well, we need to replace Valaika if he is DFA'ed above, right? With Rylon Bannon injuring his oblique and going on the Norfolk IL, McCoy is the next man up. He has played all over the diamond in Norfolk, with games at 2nd, shortstop, 3rd, left and center fields. Hitting in the lead off spot, McCoy has hit .277 with 2 home runs, 4 (yes, FOUR) triples, and 3 doubles, with 9 walks.

Purchase the contract of Austin Wynns

Put the pitchforks down. Wynns was mentioned in Roch's pre-game blog today. So far in Norfolk, he is hitting .333 with 3 home runs and a 1.011 OPS. Also has thrown out 6 of 11 base stealers, with 1 passed ball. Brett Cumberland has gotten some talk on here, but he is slumping a bit, hitting .254 with a .799 OPS. No one has tried running on him yet.

The two MLB moves that would be made after these moves would be moving Adam Plutko to the starting rotation to replace Harvey and option Sisco to Norfolk (or DFA Severino and purchase the contract of Spenser Watkins and put him in the rotation.) Since the Orioles seem intent on Severino being the starting catcher, let Sisco get consistent playing time in Norfolk, as Wynns and Cumberland have split time pretty well between catcher and DH. The addition of Taylor Davis (and possibly Nick Cuiffo soon) give Norfolk some room with allowing Sisco and Cumberland to both be in the line up.

 

Now, are all these moves going to be made? Probably not. Only 1 is "for sure," with Hunter Harvey coming back. How they open the roster spot is up in the air. But, these moves would bring some fresh arms to the bullpen and some bats that have been doing good in Norfolk up. Obviously, if someone is traded, that is another option. Also, if anyone wants to go "but its only been a month of the minors season!" Well, multiple players are being moved up due to what they have done so far in the minors, as almost a dozen players have moved over the last week.

[Aristotelian]

If you call up Wynns what do you do with Sisco or Pedro?

[Legend_Of_Joey]

2 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

If you call up Wynns what do you do with Sisco or Pedro?

That was discussed later in the original post.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

If you call up Wynns what do you do with Sisco or Pedro?

I don’t think it’s Pedro who would get moved. He has a $1.8M guaranteed salary, and I doubt the Orioles want to eat the remainder of his contract just to call up another catcher who is likely not very good.

Maybe the money doesn’t matter, but right now I think it does. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

I don’t think it’s Pedro who would get moved. He has a $1.8M guaranteed salary, and I doubt the Orioles want to eat the remainder of his contract just to call up another catcher who is likely not very good.

Maybe the money doesn’t matter, but right now I think it does. 

It's a sunk cost since he has no trade value but they haven't shown that they understand what a sunk cost is.

[wildcard]

I like a lot of these moves

Hunter Harvey up; Armstrong DFA'd  ( I would wait on this move until Hunter is pitching better at AAA)

Wade up;  Matt Harvey DFA'd   (I don't think Plutko is a good starter from his career history: I would keep Plutko as a reliever.

McCoy up;  Valaika DFA'd   ( I think Elias is wait until McCoy has a 100 at bats at AAA which will happen soon)

Wynns up: Sisco optioned: Martin moved to the 60 day IL

I think all these moves make sense.

I don't think they can move Secroler to the 60 day IL because he is healthy and pitching at Norfolk getting his pitching control back.

Good post with good ideas.

 

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

It's a sunk cost since he has no trade value but they haven't shown that they understand what a sunk cost is.

Definitely with this ownership, they don’t get it’s better to cut bait with a player that isn’t part of the future.

[wildcard]

6 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

I don’t think it’s Pedro who would get moved. He has a $1.8M guaranteed salary, and I doubt the Orioles want to eat the remainder of his contract just to call up another catcher who is likely not very good.

Maybe the money doesn’t matter, but right now I think it does. 

I don't think Pedro has to be DFA'd.  Just make Wynns the primary catcher and make Pedro the backup.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

I don't think Pedro has to be DFA'd.  Just make Wynns the primary catcher and make Pedro the backup.

I agree that’s the most likely move at catcher, but I’m not ready to throw in the towel yet on Sisco. 

Maybe the active roster would have Sisco, Severino and Wynns on it, but it doesn’t seem a likely scenario. 

[Philip]

Excellent post. No disagreement.

Im not sure I’d choose Wynns, I’d want the best defender and wouldn’t care about offense, but that’s minor.

[Philip]

1 minute ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

I agree that’s the most likely move at catcher, but I’m not ready to throw in the towel yet on Sisco. 

Maybe the active roster would have Sisco, Severino and Wynns on it, but it doesn’t seem a likely scenario. 

Why? There has to be a reason to do something. Sisco can be optioned without a DFA so if one wants to keep him, it’s possible

[Legend_Of_Joey]

11 minutes ago, Philip said:

Excellent post. No disagreement.

Im not sure I’d choose Wynns, I’d want the best defender and wouldn’t care about offense, but that’s minor.

Out of the 3 options in Norfolk, Wynns is the better defender. 

[Legend_Of_Joey]

22 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I like a lot of these moves

Hunter Harvey up; Armstrong DFA'd  ( I would wait on this move until Hunter is pitching better at AAA)

Wade up;  Matt Harvey DFA'd   (I don't think Plutko is a good starter from his career history: I would keep Plutko as a reliever.

McCoy up;  Valaika DFA'd   ( I think Elias is wait until McCoy has a 100 at bats at AAA which will happen soon)

Wynns up: Sisco optioned: Martin moved to the 60 day IL

I think all these moves make sense.

I don't think they can move Secroler to the 60 day IL because he is healthy and pitching at Norfolk getting his pitching control back.

Good post with good ideas.

 

 

This was one thing I wasn’t too sure of, but it’s been 30 days already since he was IL’ed. I don’t know if they “could” move him, but they could argue it’s going to take the whole 60 days for him to be ready.

[MurphDogg]

 

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

This was one thing I wasn’t too sure of, but it’s been 30 days already since he was IL’ed. I don’t know if they “could” move him, but they could argue it’s going to take the whole 60 days for him to be ready.

He could always has a "setback" with his "rehab" from his "injury".