Not a Bad Idea? Lopez as closer

[wildcard]

21 minutes ago, Frobby said:

If the O’s are going to try to be a winning team starting next season (and right now that’s what I’m expecting), I’m not sure I’d be selling bullpen pieces this July unless management doesn’t believe in the performance of those players.   To be a good team, you need a good bullpen, so dismantling one that has a lot of key pieces under team control for a long time seems like a dubious idea to me.   I’d rather keep them around and let them contribute to the next winning Orioles team.  

Now, that said, there may be individual players who we feel are overperforming, and if we get an offer that overvalues those players based on current performance we think is not likely to be sustainable, by all means move those players.  

Interesting take.  I agree.  But can you extend that to Grayson, Gunnar and Westburg?  If you think O's management is ready to win next year does that mean those three will be on the Opening Day roster?

[Frobby]

14 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Interesting take.  I agree.  But can you extend that to Grayson, Gunnar and Westburg?  If you think O's management is ready to win next year does that mean those three will be on the Opening Day roster?

I think all three should be given a legit chance to earn a spot.   Actually, depending on performance and health, I could support having any or all of them on the roster in late August or September, so that we can go into the winter with a good idea of how ready they are to make significant contributions at the major league level.   But that depends on how Grayson recovers from his injury and how the other two perform at Norfolk for the next  6-8 weeks.  The first two weeks of AAA have certainly been super-encouraging.  

[wildcard]

14 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I think all three should be given a legit chance to earn a spot.   Actually, depending on performance and health, I could support having any or all of them on the roster in late August or September, so that we can go into the winter with a good idea of how ready they are to make significant contributions at the major league level.   But that depends on how Grayson recovers from his injury and how the other two perform at Norfolk for the next  6-8 weeks.  The first two weeks of AAA have certainly been super-encouraging.  

Also depends on whether Elias wants a 7th year.

As far as seeing them this season,  Gunnar and Westburg don't have to be on the 40 man roster this fall to be protected from the Rule 5 draft.  So to play them in the majors this fall will take two spots on the 40 man that could go to someone else.

[Sports Guy]

9 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Also depends on whether Elias wants a 7th year.

As far as seeing them this season,  Gunnar and Westburg don't have to be on the 40 man roster this fall to be protected from the Rule 5 draft.  So to play them in the majors this fall will take two spots on the 40 man that could go to someone else.

I’m thinking that won’t be an issue at all.

[Tony-OH]

9 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Also depends on whether Elias wants a 7th year.

As far as seeing them this season,  Gunnar and Westburg don't have to be on the 40 man roster this fall to be protected from the Rule 5 draft.  So to play them in the majors this fall will take two spots on the 40 man that could go to someone else.

There is a lot of chafe on the current 40-man roster. Saying that, if Elias truly wants to flip a switch next year and try and compete, getting Westburg and Henderson some major league time this year would be helpful in my opinion. 

But, this would go against how he does things for control time. 

[wildcard]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

I’m thinking that won’t be an issue at all.

Hope you are right.   But we will see.

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Hope you are right.   But we will see.

I mean, we can drop 10 guys off the current list and not even think about it.  Plus you have guys that will be traded, be FAs, etc…adding them to the 40 is no biggie.  No reason to keep them down for that issue.

[wildcard]

13 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I mean, we can drop 10 guys off the current list and not even think about it.  Plus you have guys that will be traded, be FAs, etc…adding them to the 40 is no biggie.  No reason to keep them down for that issue.

Maybe, Maybe not.  This list will change but here is a current look:

2022 fall 40 man roster

1. Grayson*

2. DL Hall

3. Tyler Wells

4. Bradish

5. Kremer

6. Means

7. Zimmermann

8. Rom*

9. Peek*

10. Smith

11. Denoyer*

12. Feliz*

13. Bautista

14. Lopez

15. Tate

16. Perez

17. Krehbiel

18. Vespi

19. Akin

20. Gillaspie

21. Diplan

22. Baumann

23. Adley

24. Handley*

25. Mountcastle

26. Nevin

27. Urias

28. Vavra

29. Mateo

30. Martin

31. Mullins

32. Hays

33. Santander

34. Stowers*

35. Diaz

36. McKenna

37. Adam Hall*

38. Fontana*

39. Rule 5

40. Rule5

There are a lot of moves that can be made.  Its a question of what Elias wants to do.

 

[Just Regular]

We are about a year out from the Kendall Graveman-Abraham Toro trade, where DiPoto's Mariners sent a good reliever with a small amount of control out (to a division rival no less) for a young bat with a bunch.

I think Jeter Downs has probably played himself below Toro level, but something like Jorge Lopez-Jeter Downs might be a 2022 AL East equivalent.   Maybe Trey's college teammate Cavan Biggio closer to Toro.

[Sports Guy]

15 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Maybe, Maybe not.  This list will change but here is a current look:

2022 fall 40 man roster

1. Grayson*

2. DL Hall

3. Tyler Wells

4. Bradish

5. Kremer

6. Means

7. Zimmermann

8. Rom*

9. Peek*

10. Smith

11. Denoyer*

12. Feliz*

13. Bautista

14. Lopez

15. Tate

16. Perez

17. Krehbiel

18. Vespi

19. Akin

20. Gillaspie

21. Diplan

22. Baumann

23. Adley

24. Handley*

25. Mountcastle

26. Nevin

27. Urias

28. Vavra

29. Mateo

30. Martin

31. Mullins

32. Hays

33. Santander

34. Stowers*

35. Diaz

36. McKenna

37. Adam Hall*

38. Fontana*

39. Rule 5

40. Rule5

There are a lot of moves that can be made.  Its a question of what Elias wants to do.

 

Really easy to pare that list down.

[Aristotelian]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

If the O’s are going to try to be a winning team starting next season (and right now that’s what I’m expecting), I’m not sure I’d be selling bullpen pieces this July unless management doesn’t believe in the performance of those players.   To be a good team, you need a good bullpen, so dismantling one that has a lot of key pieces under team control for a long time seems like a dubious idea to me.   I’d rather keep them around and let them contribute to the next winning Orioles team.  

Now, that said, there may be individual players who we feel are overperforming, and if we get an offer that overvalues those players based on current performance we think is not likely to be sustainable, by all means move those players.  

I'd also be open to offers of roughly equivalent value that fill a bigger need, i.e. starting pitching. 

[OriolesMagic83]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

Maybe, Maybe not.  This list will change but here is a current look:

2022 fall 40 man roster

1. Grayson*

2. DL Hall

3. Tyler Wells

4. Bradish

5. Kremer

6. Means

7. Zimmermann

8. Rom*

9. Peek*

10. Smith

11. Denoyer*

12. Feliz*

13. Bautista

14. Lopez

15. Tate

16. Perez

17. Krehbiel

18. Vespi

19. Akin

20. Gillaspie

21. Diplan

22. Baumann

23. Adley

24. Handley*

25. Mountcastle

26. Nevin

27. Urias

28. Vavra

29. Mateo

30. Martin

31. Mullins

32. Hays

33. Santander

34. Stowers*

35. Diaz

36. McKenna

37. Adam Hall*

38. Fontana*

39. Rule 5

40. Rule5

There are a lot of moves that can be made.  Its a question of what Elias wants to do.

 

A lot of these guys have marginal ML talent.  Diaz can't stay healthy in the minors, is another team really going to select him in Rule 5.  Adam Hall has never shown much of anything.  Nevin is a backup 3B.  Is that really a position on a major league team?  The O's do have an impressive collection of mostly bullpen arms.  A couple of bullpen trades will need to be made just to open up slots in the future. 

[wildcard]

28 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

A lot of these guys have marginal ML talent.  Diaz can't stay healthy in the minors, is another team really going to select him in Rule 5.  Adam Hall has never shown much of anything.  Nevin is a backup 3B.  Is that really a position on a major league team?  The O's do have an impressive collection of mostly bullpen arms.  A couple of bullpen trades will need to be made just to open up slots in the future. 

Diaz has certainly had problems with injuries.  He still on the 40 man roster and is beginning a rehab assignment.   He has 3 plus months to show what he can do.  If he shows well he probably stays.  If he does not  show well he probably comes off the  40 man.

Adam Hall  has a .372 OBP  and 15 steals in 15 attempts in 133 at bats at AA.  So it depends on what Elias values.

Nevin: If Mancini  is traded or become a FA then Nevin is the backup 1B.  Adley can also do that but he will spend a lot of time catching and when is does will not be available to backup Mountcastle.  Nevin also plays 3B and corner outfield spot.

I would think all three of these players have a chance of make the 40 man roster in Nov.    We will know more at the end of the season and Elias will make his decision.

 

 

[maybenxtyr]

5 hours ago, wildcard said:

Interesting take.  I agree.  But can you extend that to Grayson, Gunnar and Westburg?  If you think O's management is ready to win next year does that mean those three will be on the Opening Day roster?

I would love to see 1 of them starting the season at the ML level. I don't think there's any chance that 3 of them will.

I don't want to get negative because I'm enjoying the way they've been playing lately, but I don't think Grayson pitches very much towards the end of the season. They're going to probably be extra cautious with him.