Could our offense be above average next year?

[Ruzious]

I see us still being a bottom 4th offense - even with Adley.  There are just too many holes in the infield's bats, and even the middle of the lineup isn't particularly good at this point.   

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, Camden_yardbird said:

Mateo should not stop the Orioles from getting one of the SS available this off season.

I would love to be wrong but I do not see Correa/Seager in our future. Probably another Galvis/Iglesias placeholder type. I think it is more important that we don't block any of our infield prospects. Point being, the offense overall looks like it could be OK. If we make any big investments I would do it on the pitching side where we are thin both MLB and minors.

[StottyByNature]

Do people really think Bryant is remotely possible?  Seems to me like someone like K. Seager is much more reasonable.  He would solidify the position for a year or two and you know what you're getting.  I can't see someone like Bryant signing on with us.

[Moose Milligan]

15 minutes ago, StottyByNature said:

Do people really think Bryant is remotely possible?  Seems to me like someone like K. Seager is much more reasonable.  He would solidify the position for a year or two and you know what you're getting.  I can't see someone like Bryant signing on with us.

Bryant is impossible.

Seager would be reasonable, I agree.  And I know this is lazy thinking, but he's still a bit of a name and I don't think we're going to get any names here soon.  

I'd love to be wrong, though.  Seager still looks like he can do some things well, he'd provide some pop, that's for sure.  From what I can tell, his defense appears to be average.  And he's durable.

[Sports Guy]

Bryant depends on the level of commitment from the team and what his market is.

[Aristotelian]

23 minutes ago, StottyByNature said:

Do people really think Bryant is remotely possible?  Seems to me like someone like K. Seager is much more reasonable.  He would solidify the position for a year or two and you know what you're getting.  I can't see someone like Bryant signing on with us.

I do not think Bryant is remotely possible. I have thrown out Josh Harrison or Eduardo Escobar. I also think Kyle Seager is a good thought. 

[Ruzious]

When the Nationals "over-paid" to get Jayson Werth, a lot of people thought it was particularly beneficial because it established credibility that the organization was committed to improving their product, and the fans bought into that and started to get excited about the team.  Would doing the same with Bryant have a reasonable chance of having that same type of effect for the O's?     

[Sports Guy]

21 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

When the Nationals "over-paid" to get Jayson Werth, a lot of people thought it was particularly beneficial because it established credibility that the organization was committed to improving their product, and the fans bought into that and started to get excited about the team.  Would doing the same with Bryant have a reasonable chance of having that same type of effect for the O's?     

Of course..plus Bryant is a way better player than Werth and plays a premium position.

Werth was also older when he signed with the Nats than Bryant is now.

[jamalshw]

I would love to see the Orioles get Bryant or Correa or another big bat as an anchor to the lineup. Honestly, that type of acquisition immediately makes the lineup formidable. Even so, the pitching would still be a LONG ways off. 

I hope we are getting close enough to the point where we start turning the corner at the big league level and the attention goes from building a system to building a team. That, of course, is in itself a several year process. I'd like to see the process start this offseason. If you can add a Bryant or Correa type and then add someone like Jon Gray on the pitching side, I think that gives fans a lot to be excited about. Of course, even with two acquisitions like that we'd be looking at a sub-.500 club, but it would be one moving the needle in the right direction. Add in Adley, Rodriguez and a few other call ups throughout the year and the team looks a lot better.

Now...taking off the rose colored glasses, I don't expect any of these types of moves. I expect mostly a stand-pat offseason with a veteran arm for the rotation and veteran arm for the pen much in the Matt Harvey mold. 

[interloper]

Yes, but I think a lot rides on Santander. He was miserable/injured early this year and only now has begun to look like himself, and even then he's kind of slumping again of late. 

Same kind of goes for Hays. Tough start, injured again, finally looking good but a lot has to do with Hyde's decision to platoon him (which I think is smart, if only the other half of that platoon wasn't Stewart). 

Mountcastle, Mancini, Mullins, and even Urias I feel good about.

I worry about the CO spots, but the upside there is pretty good depending on health. 

Team needs a legit 3B, as others have noted. 

[Can_of_corn]

6 minutes ago, interloper said:

Yes, but I think a lot rides on Santander. He was miserable/injured early this year and only now has begun to look like himself, and even then he's kind of slumping again of late. 

Same kind of goes for Hays. Tough start, injured again, finally looking good but a lot has to do with Hyde's decision to platoon him (which I think is smart, if only the other half of that platoon wasn't Stewart). 

Mountcastle, Mancini, Mullins, and even Urias I feel good about.

I worry about the CO spots, but the upside there is pretty good depending on health. 

Team needs a legit 3B, as others have noted. 

I don't think Santander is likely to have enough at bats to be a hinge pin on the offense.

Of course I'm also not sure his recent hot streak is more indicative of "himself" than his overall numbers are.  His season OPS+ lines up pretty closely to his career number.

[Ruzious]

5 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Of course..plus Bryant is a way better player than Werth and plays a premium position.

Werth was also older when he signed with the Nats than Bryant is now.

And Werth wasn't even particularly good his 1st 2 years with Washington, but in his first year, they improved from 69 wins to 80, and then 98.  I believe that putting their money where their mouth is and just the act of showing that they really cared made a difference.   Of course, it didn't hurt to have young Mssrs Strasburg and Harper.     

[Camden_yardbird]

13 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

I would love to be wrong but I do not see Correa/Seager in our future. Probably another Galvis/Iglesias placeholder type. I think it is more important that we don't block any of our infield prospects. Point being, the offense overall looks like it could be OK. If we make any big investments I would do it on the pitching side where we are thin both MLB and minors.

There are six recent all star SS's on the market this winter.  The Orioles have to take advantage of supply, that exists this off season.  Free agent classes like this rarely if ever come along.

I this next thing I say with the utmost respect, but the notion that we can't block our infield prospects is utterly and completely asinine.

You cant build a team solely through the farm system, and you cant worry about blocking anyone, save AR.  You cant assume every prospect is going to make it, and certainly not as soon as they make it to the league (Mullins took 4 years).

If you have a position accounted for and a prospect comes along that is ready, you move them or trade them.  Did the Dodgers leave catcher open for Kiebert Ruiz?  What about the Rays with Nate Lowe (1B)?

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

17 minutes ago, Camden_yardbird said:

There are six recent all star SS's on the market this winter.  The Orioles have to take advantage of supply, that exists this off season.  Free agent classes like this rarely if ever come along.

I this next thing I say with the utmost respect, but the notion that we can't block our infield prospects is utterly and completely asinine.

If the Orioles do make a splash free agent signing, I think there is a chance to sign Carlos Correa. Elias is the person who wanted and advocated for the Astros to draft Correa. Elias assuming he still has a good relationship with Correa might be able to sell him on being the face of the Orioles turnaround.

The Orioles would have to overpay and be able to convince Correa that better times are just over the horizon. And of course ownership would have to approve the dollars spent.

It's a slim chance at best, but just maybe Correa could help jumpstart the Orioles in 2022. Also he will be in his age 27 season in 2022 and in the heart of his prime years. 

If this does happen, I should start playing the lottery. 

 

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, Camden_yardbird said:

There are six recent all star SS's on the market this winter.  The Orioles have to take advantage of supply, that exists this off season.  Free agent classes like this rarely if ever come along.

I this next thing I say with the utmost respect, but the notion that we can't block our infield prospects is utterly and completely asinine.

You cant build a team solely through the farm system, and you cant worry about blocking anyone, save AR.  You cant assume every prospect is going to make it, and certainly not as soon as they make it to the league (Mullins took 4 years).

If you have a position accounted for and a prospect comes along that is ready, you move them or trade them.  Did the Dodgers leave catcher open for Kiebert Ruiz?  What about the Rays with Nate Lowe (1B)?

Signing a $200M+ all star SS when you are coming off 55 wins is asinine. Give me a break.