Shortstop playing time watch

[LookinUp]

Not even counting Vavra and Prieto, the O's have Henderson, Westburg, Norby and Mayo who are all legit infield prospects. That's on top of Mountcastle and Mancini, plus whatever guys you think have Uti value.

Add Cowser, Kjerstad and Stowers to Mullins, Hays and Santander and it all adds up to multiple trades in my eyes. Either that or you keep them all and go the FA pitcher route. There are worse options.

But on this thread, I suspect Henderson's star has risen so high this year that they'll keep him at SS. He'll try to be the next mega SS contract. That's the hand I'd play if I were him.

[OriolesMagic83]

52 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

Not even counting Vavra and Prieto, the O's have Henderson, Westburg, Norby and Mayo who are all legit infield prospects. That's on top of Mountcastle and Mancini, plus whatever guys you think have Uti value.

Add Cowser, Kjerstad and Stowers to Mullins, Hays and Santander and it all adds up to multiple trades in my eyes. Either that or you keep them all and go the FA pitcher route. There are worse options.

But on this thread, I suspect Henderson's star has risen so high this year that they'll keep him at SS. He'll try to be the next mega SS contract. That's the hand I'd play if I were him.

I think it would be smart to try and lock up Henderson before he has Boras telling him that $30 million/year is an insult.

[Just Regular]

No change in deployment status 2 weeks from Futures Game, ~7 weeks from the <130 at-bats Farm Rankings/2023 RoY preheating Austin Hays-Ryan Mountcastle sweetspot, and 10 long months from any kind of shenanigans.

Gunnar SS-SS-off*-3B-SS-3B

Westburg 2B-3B-SS-SS-off-SS

*either 21st birthday or day after

[Just Regular]

Last week, on the eve of Westburg maybe getting some extra run while Gunnar Futures this weekend.

Gunnar: SS-SS-3B-off-3B-SS

Westburg: 2B-3B-SS-SS-SS-DH

I believe 45 days disqualifies 2023 rookie status.    Triangulating for the 44 days/125 at-bats kind of thing, the MLB regular season ends Wednesday 10/5.    Tuesday 8/23 is the start of a Camden Yards White Sox series.

[Just Regular]

Clearing the decks before the big night.    The Futures Game week gave both of them uninterrupted 72-hour gigs.

Gunnar: SS-SS-SS-off-off-off

Westburg: 2B-3B-off-SS-SS-SS

[Just Regular]

The weekend back from All-Star break.

Gunnar SS-3B-SS

Westburg 2B-SS-3B

Mateo above and Holliday below maybe the present and future.    Interested to see if Holliday holds 100% shortstop reps whenever the time comes....seems like he should.

[Just Regular]

Last week of July, just five games with a Sunday rainout.

Gunnar SS-SS-3B-SS-3B

Westburg 2B-2B-SS-off-SS

A week with zero Westburg 3B games new.

We're just a few weeks out from the 44 days cutoff to retain 2023 rookie eligibility.

[Just Regular]

First week of August.

Gunnar SS-SS-3B-3B-SS-DH

Westburg 2B-3B-SS-SS-2B-SS

I wonder if Ortiz, well-deserving of a promotion, will be prisoner to the 44 days thing.

[Just Regular]

Gunnar SS-SS-3B-SS-3B-3B

Westburg 2B-3B-SS-3B-SS-SS

Come the Oakland homestand at the start of September, it'll be interesting to see if these two guys remain teammates whereever.

[waroriole]

Will be interesting to see if Gunnar starts getting a lot of starts at 3B now. 

[Just Regular]

Gunnar's most interesting week of the year, on the eve of the 40-some day threshold.    The Tides tomorrow are all the way down to Jacksonville for the game, for any travelling he and/or Westburg may or may not need to do this week.

Gunnar SS-SS-1B-1B-2B-2B

Westburg 2B-3B-SS-SS-SS-3B

Sunday Westburg couldn't get that 4th consecutive SS game even with Gunnar over on the right side of the infield.

[Frobby]

Interesting to note that Ortiz is playing SS in his Norfolk debut, with Henderson at 2B and Westburg at 3B.   They’re working hard to get Gunnar ready to play 2B if needed.  

[Just Regular]

And Ortiz batting cleanup behind the Cowser-Westburg-Gunnar super trio.

I'm giving myself a pass on last week...the 2022 answer is the Orioles did not ever have any of these IF prospects focus on SS full time.    And it'd be a major bummer if we have to follow Norfolk Gunnar next month at all.

There are a couple outliers like Kiner-Falefa and DeJong but generally MLB shortstops rarely play much off the six during their minor league careers.    Fortunately Jorge Mateo's done enough the 2023 picture isn't nearly so bleak as it seemed like it would have been before the breakout.