Should the O's be considering 3B/2B Josh Harrison this off season?

[InsideCoroner]

14 hours ago, Il BuonO said:

It’s a decent point, but I haven’t given up on Santander. He was shopped coming into this season, but it’s unfortunate the way his season has unfolded. The injury hasn’t helped, but he is capable of solid play defensively and is more athletic than Mancini. 

I’ll be disappointed if TM becomes a sentimental pick to return, but I guess worse things have happened. 

I haven’t given up on either of them, because both are capable of playing much better, and we have nobody ready to take their place. But as far as getting a solid return for either of them, such as a SP? I just don’t see it outside of a desperation deadline deal. 

[connja]

I just hope we add someone at 2b, SS or 3B this offseason.   Though they have some potential, counting on the IFs we ended the season with would be a bad strategy.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, connja said:

I just hope we add someone at 2b, SS or 3B this offseason.   Though they have some potential, counting on the IFs we ended the season with would be a bad strategy.

And if they add someone a player that is at least average-ish. Not a player like Franco who was still a free agent into the middle of March and for good reason. 

[terphoopsfan]

Can we please stop talking about signing poverty additions? No more on players like Galvis, Franco, King Felix, etc. This team needs an infusion of actual MLB talent instead of cheap signings, hoping they can turn it around and get traded for a bag of baseballs later in the year if it goes right. Doesn't need to be top FA's this off-season but middle of the road at least until some of the kids start to get here.

 

Edited September 28, 2021 by terphoopsfan

[sportsfan8703]

Can Harrison even still play 3B everyday?    I just don’t see the value in adding an infielder that can’t play SS. Galvis or Iglesias make the most sense. 

[Sports Guy]

11 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Can Harrison even still play 3B everyday?    I just don’t see the value in adding an infielder that can’t play SS. Galvis or Iglesias make the most sense. 

For what?  Iglesias was terrible this year.  

This past offseason, those guys made sense because of where the team decided to go.  None of these aging, mediocre at best players make sense if you are actually trying to be significantly better as a ML team.

[wildcard]

7 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Can Harrison even still play 3B everyday?    I just don’t see the value in adding an infielder that can’t play SS. Galvis or Iglesias make the most sense. 

I think its possible the O's will add two infielders to the 2B/SS/3B mix this off season.   Urias and Mateo have spots.  Adding a 3B and a UIF that can play SS would make sense.  

I see no reason that Harrison could not play 140 games at 3B.

[wildcard]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

For what?  Iglesias was terrible this year.  

This past offseason, those guys made sense because of where the team decided to go.  None of these aging, mediocre at best players make sense if you are actually trying to be significantly better as a ML team.

What do you think the O's should do with the infield this off season?

[Sports Guy]

33 minutes ago, wildcard said:

What do you think the O's should do with the infield this off season?

Mountcastle starts a first and Urias starts at second.

I would sign Kris Bryant unless he gets 7+ years at 30+ million.  I’m not willing to go to that number.  6/180 is where I would like to be at most.  I think he’s the best FA available in terms of affordability, long term upside (ie, good into his 30s) and plays a premium position.  You could also move him to the OF if guys don’t pan out.  He plays well out there too.

SS?  I could go a lot of ways there.  Seeing as I don’t want to go after a big fish at SS and that we have some guys who could be here soon, I would likely want to trade for a stop gap option or, at least someone who can compete with the young guys that could potentially force themselves up here.

There is talk that the Cards could make DeJong available, especially if they get into the SS market, as some think they will.  He has been disappointing this year but he’s is signed to a team friendly deal and could be a good upside play.  If not him, looking for a blocked SS or a SS on a team that wants to sign a big name guy makes sense.  I want a solid upside play or, at the very least, some kind of swap out of Santander/Mancini for one.  

Is a guy like Gregorious available?  He has had a terrible offensive year but he has a proven bat and if the Phils eat a lot of his contract, he could be a good under the radar upside play.  His glove is ok.  Nothing great but not really hurting you either.

Or go after a kid who is blocked and see if Santander or Mancini can get you that player.  
 

In other words, there are a lot of ways to go about this.  You could go in any number of directions and bring in a better short and potentially long term play than Galvis or Iglesias. Those are lazy signings at this point.  We should be striving for better. 
 

Vavra, Gunnar and Westburg enter the picture at some point as well, at least potentially.  Jones maybe as well but I don’t have high hopes for him.

[Sports Guy]

And btw, that’s what we should do imo…if you ask what we will do, I agree garbage like being talked about here is more likely but even if we look at as budget spending, they should be doing more.  Trade for guys, get creative, etc…signing 32-36 year old mediocre at best players isn’t doing anything to help at this point.  It was one thing to do it over the last few years, when you didn’t care about winning.

But they should start caring now.

[Aristotelian]

I'd much rather go with Harrison than make a long term commitment to Kris Bryant. 

[Sports Guy]

11 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I'd much rather go with Harrison than make a long term commitment to Kris Bryant. 

I would rather win, so I disagree.

[Il BuonO]

32 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Mountcastle starts a first and Urias starts at second.

I would sign Kris Bryant unless he gets 7+ years at 30+ million.  I’m not willing to go to that number.  6/180 is where I would like to be at most.  I think he’s the best FA available in terms of affordability, long term upside (ie, good into his 30s) and plays a premium position. 

SS?  I could go a lot of ways there.  Seeing as I don’t want to go after a big fish at SS....

There is talk that the Cards could make DeJong available, especially if they get into the SS market, as some think they will.  He has been disappointing this year but he’s is signed to a team friendly deal and could be a good upside play.  If not him, looking for a blocked SS or a SS on a team that wants to sign a big name guy makes sense.  I want a solid upside play or, at the very least, some kind of swap out of Santander/Mancini for one.  

Is a guy like Gregorious available?  He has had a terrible offensive year but he has a proven bat and if the Phils eat a lot of his contract, he could be a good under the radar upside play.  His glove is ok.  Nothing great but not really hurting you either.

Or go after a kid who is blocked and see if Santander or Mancini can get you that player.  

In other words, there are a lot of ways to go about this. We should be striving for better. 

Vavra, Gunnar and Westburg enter the picture at some point as well, at least potentially.  Jones maybe as well but I don’t have high hopes for him.

So, RM-yes. Another poster stated Mancini and Santander aren’t blocking anyone and he’s right in the respect that Mountcastle IS the guy at 1B. 

Second base is more difficult. I’d give Mateo a shot, but I’m not convinced he’s anything more than a reserve even with all the tools. Vavra? Let’s see it. Jones? No thanks.

Question-Why not Correa if you’re willing to go big w/ Bryant? Don’t misunderstand, I like the idea of Bryant, but how about both being options? I don’t mean acquiring both, but lay out a big number to either or someone else. And Seager is fine, too. J Baez would destroy Camden Yards with bombs, but his approach drives me nuts. Semien could be a steal. Is A Simmons a reasonable stop gap? Tail end, but can still pick it.  

Bryant has the versatility to play the OF, but if they nabbed CC they could slide him to 3B in the future depending on decline at the position or if one of Gunnar or Westburg stock at SS. 

Failing a big name at SS, I like DeJong, but wouldn’t be adverse to Didi either. As you say, down year, but has been a solid bat for his career. The defense will get worse, but he’s serviceable for now. 

Many ways to go about it, yes.

[Aristotelian]

12 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I would rather win, so I disagree.

I'd rather win 1-2 more games next year without costing us long term than win 3-4 more games next year while possibly crippling us long term and compromising the rebuild. If you're going to open the checkbook this year, I'd rather do one of the elite SS's than a guy who is already playing below replacement level 3B. Bryant just seems like the worst of both worlds.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

So, RM-yes. Another poster stated Mancini and Santander aren’t blocking anyone and he’s right in the respect that Mountcastle IS the guy at 1B. 

Second base is more difficult. I’d give Mateo a shot, but I’m not convinced he’s anything more than a reserve even with all the tools. Vavra? Let’s see it. Jones? No thanks.

Question-Why not Correa if you’re willing to go big w/ Bryant? Don’t misunderstand, I like the idea of Bryant, but how about both being options? I don’t mean acquiring both, but lay out a big number to either or someone else. And Seager is fine, too. J Baez would destroy Camden Yards with bombs, but his approach drives me nuts. Semien could be a steal. Is A Simmons a reasonable stop gap? Tail end, but can still pick it.  

Bryant has the versatility to play the OF, but if they nabbed CC they could slide him to 3B in the future depending on decline at the position or if one of Gunnar or Westburg stock at SS. 

Failing a big name at SS, I like DeJong, but wouldn’t be adverse to Didi either. As you say, down year, but has been a solid bat for his career. The defense will get worse, but he’s serviceable for now. 

Many ways to go about it, yes.

Because Correa has a history of injury issues and is likely to get a 10+ year deal.  I am not interested in that.

Part of the reason I want Bryant is the hope that the deal is for lesser years.  I guess you could argue that I would have the player for the same ages and that's valid but I know that Bryant can handle third well and play the OF well right now and likely could transition to first eventually if needs be.  I can't say I know those things for Correa.

But the bigger deal for me are the injury issues for Correa.  He has been healthy recently and that's obviously huge but prior to the shortened 2020 season, I was a real problem for him.