On the Bubble

[MurphDogg]

14 minutes ago, interloper said:

I'm not sure I would agree with this, but if the numbers back it up then that's fair. But it's gotta be pretty close. 

That's fair, the bigger issue is the second one. Mancini's ability to play the outfield doesn't add any value if the net result is a utility infielder serving as DH.

If Stewart isn't on the roster I would expect him to be replaced by someone with a better offensive profile than Odor.

[interloper]

16 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

That's fair, the bigger issue is the second one. Mancini's ability to play the outfield doesn't add any value if the net result is a utility infielder serving as DH.

If Stewart isn't on the roster I would expect him to be replaced by someone with a better offensive profile than Odor.

God I hope so lol. 

[Chuck A]

Honestly i feel that Stewart's only role he is qualified for is LH PH.  I don't want him to be a 3rd or 4th choice as DH clogging up the roster.  The backup roles are Benboom, Owings, Odor, and McKenna.   Odor and Stewart could be swapped but honestly I'd rather neither one made the team.

[interloper]

In the end, the O's make no other 40-man moves. Thread by Silver:

 

 

[Hazmat]

Bemboom and Owings make it.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/04/orioles-to-select-anthony-bemboom-chris-owings.html

[MarCakes21]

Zimmerman makes the team and is getting the home OD start.

[MurphDogg]

Going with 14 position players made the Odor/Stewart decision moot. Keep an eye on the waiver wire though.

[Yardball85]

6 hours ago, wildcard said:

My thoughts on who goes and who stays to start the season:

Infield/DH:  Mountcastle, Mancini, Urias, Mateo and Gutierrez are in.

Utility infielder job TBD:

 Richie Martin has improved his stock a lot with a 1253 OPS in 22 ABs in ST.  But he has a 575 OPS in the majors and a 644 OPS at AAA.   He is on a minor league contract.  O's will probably assign him to AAA as the everyday SS/2B and tell him to prove it at that level.  May play him in CF to improve his versatility.

Chris Owings  plays everywhere.  Fits the utility role.  Will not hit much.   Is  on a minor league contract.  If he has an opt out he will stay.  If he doesn't the O's may delay the decision and leave him in the minors to start the season.   I hope he stays.

Rougned Odor only plays 2B.  Doesn't fit the utility role. A left-handed power bat off the bench with .200 batting average is about right.  Competing  with Stewart for that role.  On a major league contract with no options.  The 700K salary does not figure into it.  If he is DFA'd and another MLB team picks him up they take the rest of the salary. Probably comes down to if they need the 40 man roster spot. Could keep Owings and Odor. I  would not keep him but I am not Elias.

Outfield: Mullins, Hays, Santander are in.

Ryan McKenna probably makes the team for his glove considering the big LF/CF at home.   559 career OPS in the majors and 612 OPS this spring is not why  he stays.   On major league contract with options.  Has proven all he needs to a AAA. Hays can play CF but with his injury history the O's need a back up with range. Owings does not have McKenna's range.  If Martin shows he can play CF and hits at AAA he could compete for this spot in a month or two.  Martin has the speed.

DJ Stewart   competing for the left-handed bat off the bench with Odor.  Can play RF/DH at home and also LF on the road.  Hurt for part of the spring, the decision will be made off his 732 career OPS and his power.  Has an option.  I would take him over Odor but I don't know what Elias will do.

Tyler Nevin  is ticketed for AAA IMO.  1B/3B/COF if he hits a AAA we could see him later this season.

Catcher:  Chirinos is in.

Backup Catcher: Bemboom/Nottingham/Taylor you pick.  Taylor has an option and is left-handed.  Bemboom is a lefty and showed well in ST.    Nottingham showed well and is right-handed.   All on minor league contracts.  None is likely to hit much.  One is needed to be added to the roster.   Because Chirinos is age 37 the back up will see some playing time until Adley is promoted in 16 to 30 days. 

Starters:  Means, Lyles, Tyler Wells are in.

Zimmerman, Kremer, Akin, and Baumann are still competing for the last two spots.  Elias could carry them all with 15 pitchers on the roster.  Especially if a tandem arrangement is used to begin the season.  All have options.  Only Akin has spent a year at AAA.  The other three have not proven themselves at that level.   Grayson and Bradish could be promoted in as little as a month so time is short for these guys to prove they belong in the majors.

Pen:  Tate, Lopez, Fry, Perez, Baker, Krehbiel are in. Tate, Fry, Baker and Krehbiel have options.  Lopez and Perez do not.  All are on the 40 man roster.

That is 13 pitchers and Elias may carry 15.

Felix Bautista was a fast mover through the O's minors last year.  His 100 mph fastball gets peoples attention.  He had a 4.91 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP this spring.   Its his 5 walks in 3.2 IP that probably get him optioned to AAA to begin the season.  He is on the 40 man roster and will be back. JMO

Mattson goes on the IL.

Travis Lakin Sr is on a minor league contract.  Has a 4.21 career ERA and a 1.442 WHIP. Has a 3.68 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP this spring. But Elias is watching the waiver wire.  He requires a 40 man roster spot. Elias may look at Lakins as depth instead of promoting him.

Chris Ellis is on minor league contract.  He is a 29 year old journeyman pitcher who pitched well (2.49 ERA and 1.224 WHIP) in 25.1 innings last year for the O's.  He has a 9.45 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP this spring.   I think Elias sees him as depth and he will start in the minors.

Spenser Watkins (29) is on a minor league contract. He had an 8.07 ERA and a 1.701 WHIP for the O's last year. He has a 6.35 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP this spring.  I think be begins the season at AAA.

Elias will probably pick up one or more pitchers from the waiver wire in the next week.   That will be the determining factor on who stays.  It would not be surprising if he finds a position player he likes as well.

All this is just my opinion.   What is yours?

Good post. 

[SteveA]

So we are seeing that Odor, Stewart, Owings, Bemboom, and McKenna all made it.  So our 14 position players are those 5 plus Chirinos, Mancini, Mountcastle, Urias, Gutierrez, Mateo, Hays, Mullins, Santander?    With maybe a TBD if Mateo has to go on the IL.

So Richie Martin, Nottingham, Taylor, and Nevin were the last position players cut.

 

[Just Regular]

Okay...what is lineup with LHP opponent on Opening Day?   

I think against RHP Odor plays at Mateo's expense, but against LHP SS Mateo and 2B Urias is it.

Gutierrez started almost every game the last two months and the returns were not bad - I think he is almost Cal Ripken by the standards of this infield.    I am uncertain if in AUG/SEP the intent was to give SS Mateo as full an audition as 3B Gutierrez, except that Mateo's body let him down quickly in that timeframe.

Mateo could draw 30% or 100% of starts in the first 10 games and I wouldn't be surprised either way - in terms of the first two weeks, how high the Club really is on him is something the playing time will tell me.

[SteveA]

Now for the 14 pitchers.   It's reported that Baumann and Baumann and Batista make it and no other non roster guys got added.

So that means we have:

Means
Lyles
Zimmerman
Wells
Kremer
Akin
Baumann
Bautista
Tate
Lopez
Perez
Baker
Fry
Kreihbel

Watkins and Ellis are the last two cuts from the pitching staff.

[jabba72]

Good news for Opening Day.

[interloper]

Just now, jabba72 said:

Good news for Opening Day.

All things considered, we stayed healthy this spring. Adley was pretty much it. Stewart bounced back. No obliques for Santander. No hamstring for Hays. Obviously these will all happen during the first series  but... 

[glenn__davis]

2 minutes ago, interloper said:

All things considered, we stayed healthy this spring. Adley was pretty much it. Stewart bounced back. No obliques for Santander. No hamstring for Hays. Obviously these will all happen during the first series  but... 

The Kjerstad injury was a tough one.  Agree that the MLB team has stayed relatively healthy.

Hope to see some positive reports for Rutschman soon.

 

[interloper]

10 minutes ago, glenn__davis said:

The Kjerstad injury was a tough one.  Agree that the MLB team has stayed relatively healthy.

Hope to see some positive reports for Rutschman soon.

 

Right, forgot about that. That definitely sucked.