The 28-man roster will be as follows IMO :)

[interloper]

1. Means
2. Lyles
3. Zimmermann
4. Kremer
5. T.Wells

6. Lowther (paired with Wells)
7.  Lopez
8. Scott
9. Fry
10. Perez
11. Sulser
12. Tate
13. Krehbiel
14. Baumann
15. Baker

16. C Chirinos
17. 1B Mountcastle
18. 2B Urias
19. SS Mateo
20. 3B Gutierrez
21. LF Hays
22. CF Mullins
23. RF Santander
24. DH Mancini

25. C2 Bemboom
26. OF McKenna
27. IF/OF Owings
28. IF Martin
 

Akin - Optioned so he can figure out his terrible command.
Odor - Released because he can only play 1 position, allows Martin to be added to 40-man.
Stewart - Optioned. I think the team wants him on the bench for his lefty bat, but they'll ultimately decide on an extra pitcher instead.
Gillaspie or Mattson - DFA'd so Bemboom can be added to 40-man.
Bautista - Treated like all the other top pitching prospects and optioned to check that AAA box. 
Stowers - Optioned. Elias basically said as much recently. 
 

[interloper]

The biggest question mark for me is Baker, who we know is still in camp and (I think) throwing on the side like Baumann. Maybe we start to see him and Baumann more in this last week, but it's tough to call some of those extra bullpen arms right now. Ellis and Watkins aren't on the 40-man and I think adding them is dangerous because it means removing a more talented, younger player. 

There aren't a ton of guys I feel instantly fine about DFAing on the 40-man right now. True fodder types. Which is great! Mattson is one for sure, and it's unlikely he gets claimed since he's injured/behind. Gillaspie I think now that the Rule 5 isn't a thing, they can maybe slip him through. If he gets claimed it's not the end of the world IMO. Kind of a project guy. Stewart seems safe because he has options and bats lefty and they're going to need some coverage in the OF with 2 injury-prone guys out there, 1 of whom may be traded. 

[Tony-OH]

I'm assuming you just forgot Bautista? He pitched in the 4th inning today and has yet to be scored on. I can't imagine him not making the team and could be in high leverage situations.

[interloper]

30 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I'm assuming you just forgot Bautista? He pitched in the 4th inning today and has yet to be scored on. I can't imagine him not making the team and could be in high leverage situations.

Nope, didn't forget. Optioned to AAA. He hasn't pitched there yet and we know how Mike rolls. [EDIT: Woops, that's incorrect...]

I think Bautista will "check some boxes" as Mike likes to say, and be up pretty quickly. But he'll want him to ease into the season at AAA and go with pitchers who are more multi-inning types to start the season since guys aren't built all the way up. 

I hope I'm wrong!

[interloper]

Honestly, if I could pick one area I think there's a good chance I'm wrong, it's the Odor/Martin thing. To me it makes so much sense having a guy like Richie on the bench, especially since he's been hitting. But I could see the O's trying out Odor for a few weeks to see if there's anything there. It really messes with being able to play Urias and Mateo at their best positions though, because it means one of them has to play 3B. And with Gutierrez and Owings playing well, Odor just doesn't make much sense to me. 

But I won't be surprised if Odor is on the team to start. Unlike a minor league signing, releasing Odor is flushing the ML minimum down the drain. 

[Big Mac]

23 minutes ago, interloper said:

Nope, didn't forget. Optioned to AAA. He hasn't pitched there yet and we know how Mike rolls. 

I think Bautista will "check some boxes" as Mike likes to say, and be up pretty quickly. But he'll want him to ease into the season at AAA and go with pitchers who are more multi-inning types to start the season since guys aren't built all the way up. 

I hope I'm wrong!

He made 17 appearances for Norfolk last year, more than he did at any other level. 

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, Big Mac said:

He made 17 appearances for Norfolk last year, more than he did at any other level. 

Oh woops, my bad and thanks for the correction. I don't know why I thought he only saw AA last year.

Well, too late to change it now!

[rudyrooster]

34 minutes ago, interloper said:

Honestly, if I could pick one area I think there's a good chance I'm wrong, it's the Odor/Martin thing. To me it makes so much sense having a guy like Richie on the bench, especially since he's been hitting. But I could see the O's trying out Odor for a few weeks to see if there's anything there. It really messes with being able to play Urias and Mateo at their best positions though, because it means one of them has to play 3B. And with Gutierrez and Owings playing well, Odor just doesn't make much sense to me. 

But I won't be surprised if Odor is on the team to start. Unlike a minor league signing, releasing Odor is flushing the ML minimum down the drain. 

Just a gut feeling, but wouldn't be at all surprised to see the O' release Odor in the next few days.  He's just not showing me anything positive in Spring Training.

[Aristotelian]

Why Kremer over Lowther, Baumann, and Akin? I don't think he's done anything to merit starting in the rotation. I also don't like pushing Lowther to the bullpen which seemed to hurt him last year.

I had hoped to never see Martin again but I suppose he could make sense as a 28th man defensive sub.

 

[SteveA]

40 minutes ago, interloper said:

Honestly, if I could pick one area I think there's a good chance I'm wrong, it's the Odor/Martin thing. To me it makes so much sense having a guy like Richie on the bench, especially since he's been hitting. But I could see the O's trying out Odor for a few weeks to see if there's anything there. It really messes with being able to play Urias and Mateo at their best positions though, because it means one of them has to play 3B. And with Gutierrez and Owings playing well, Odor just doesn't make much sense to me. 

But I won't be surprised if Odor is on the team to start. Unlike a minor league signing, releasing Odor is flushing the ML minimum down the drain. 

And he's a lefty bat who has been proven to have some power.

Until Adley is up, we might only have 2 LH bats on the entire roster.   In a ballpark that is conduce to LH hitting.

Honestly, I feel it is very likely Odor makes the team.

[wildcard]

There are 40 on the 40 man roster.

You added Bemboom,  Owings and Martin.

You subtracted  Odor and Gillaspie or Mattson 

You need one more to go.

I don't think Elias will back track and DFA'd Gillaspie.

Isn't Mattson still injured.  If he is he can't be DFA'd.

[wildcard]

7 minutes ago, SteveA said:

And he's a lefty bat who has been proven to have some power.

Until Adley is up, we might only have 2 LH bats on the entire roster.   In a ballpark that is conduce to LH hitting.

Honestly, I feel it is very likely Odor makes the team.

Mullins and Bemboom are lefties.  Santander is a switch-hitter.

I think Stewart makes the bench.   

Martin gets the Diaz treatment.  Both have been injured for a couple of years and had good ST.   Neither has a good record at AAA.  They both will start at AAA IMO.

[SteveA]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Mullins and Bemboom are lefties.  Santander is a switch-hitter.

I think Stewart makes the bench.   

Martin get the Diaz treatment.  Both have been injured for a couple of years and had good ST.   Neither has a good record at AAA.  They both will start at AAA IMO.

I was counting Mullins and Santander.   Not sure Stewart makes the team, especially as he is going to end up missing  more than half the shortened preseason with this injury.   Yeah, I forgot about Bemboom, but the backup C doesn't play that much, we are still essentially a highly righthanded team and we signed a major league veteran LH hitting 2Bman.   I think Odor makes the team.

[wildcard]

14 minutes ago, SteveA said:

I was counting Mullins and Santander.   Not sure Stewart makes the team, especially as he is going to end up missing  more than half the shortened preseason with this injury.   Yeah, I forgot about Bemboom, but the backup C doesn't play that much, we are still essentially a highly righthanded team and we signed a major league veteran LH hitting 2Bman.   I think Odor makes the team.

When the starting catcher is 37 years old be probably splits time with the back up until Adley arrives.  JMO.

Thought I read that Stewart is ready to play games.

[Sports Guy]