Maverick Handley 2022

[OriolesMagic83]

5 hours ago, btdart20 said:

In general, agreed.  Back-up C should be one of the cheapest positions on the team.

But to put it in context:  Chirinos is only making $900k this year.  League minimum is $700k ($720k in 2023).  Is $180-200k the value of a veteran C for the pitching staff?  Maybe/maybe not.  Either way it's not really impacting whether we can sign a legit FA or not.

I hope the O's bring back Chirinos next year.  I assume $1 mill or so would do it, but the O's might rather save the $300k and put a rookie/minor league minimum guy there.

Chirinos brings a lot defensively and as far as game management.  I think of him as a good confidante for Adley as he matures as a ML catcher. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I hope the O's bring back Chirinos next year.  I assume $1 mill or so would do it, but the O's might rather save the $300k and put a rookie/minor league minimum guy there.

Chirinos brings a lot defensively and as far as game management.  I think of him as a good confidante for Adley as he matures as a ML catcher. 

I like Chirinos, he seems like a good guy and a perfect bridge to Adley for 2022.  He seems to handle pitchers well and calls a decent game.  That said, he’s currently carrying a .467 OPS and his framing numbers apparently are quite bad.  I think I’d go a different direction next year if that continues.  

[CHIP]

Here is a question from the 'pro Maverick' gallery...  last year I wrote about getting him out of Aberdeen for his numbers to start taking off.  We are 20 weeks into the season and his numbers have been getting better and better since his 1 for 25 start.  Here is the question...  what do the Orioles do from here?  How do the O's develop a 'back up' catcher for Rutschman or is it time to start trading the assets (if there are any worth trading)?

Taylor and Bemboom were both signed right before and during Spring Training and are 32 years old.  Then you have Nottingham (27) who has gone thru hot and cold streaks in Norfolk but overall seems to be in a rough patch in June going 5-45 so far dropping his average to 0.216.  Cumberland (turns 27 this month) had his hamstring/ankle injury and is rehabbing,  but he has been with the Orioles 4 years now since the trade with the Braves in 2018.   Roberts turned 26 today.  He has hit well at Bowie in April and June but had a rough May.  Overall he is still hanging around his .250 career average as a bat first catcher.  He has a strong arm, which showed with Bowie played him in the OF to get more ABs while Handley caught.

Handley is still just a young 24.  His 5-9 190lb label on MiLB seems like it never changed from 2021 when he came in light at Aberdeen.  The Driveline videos of him prior to Spring Training sure look like he put on some good weight there in the offseason which also matches up with his improved power numbers.  As mentioned in the post and others... his offense has 'clicked'.  Besides his AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS constantly improving...  his Walk rate has continued to rise while is K rate is around 17%.    The past two months he BB/K ratio is about 1:1...  

Ramon Rodriguez is only 23-1/2 and is covering in AA while Roberts is in AAA this week.  The Orioles did send Rodriquez to the Arizona Fall league last year but then put him back at A+ Aberdeen.  He is hitting well enough at A+ to justify a move to AA if a AA were to move up to AAA

Pavolony and Willems are working their way through A+ and A- but seem like they aren't ready to move up both hitting aroung .170 +/- 10pts.

So now with Adley on the MLB club, what do the O's do to develop his back up or improve the system thru trade(s)?  Chirinos is a good mentor and popular in the clubhouse by all accounts... and the O's still don't seem to 'need' to win right now.  So unlikely for O's to give Nottingham a shot at MLB from AAA.  Nottingham was available for the O's... Bemboom was available... Taylor was available.  But are any of these 3 worth promoting to 40 man and trimming Chirinos and then having to cut come Rule5 draft protection time?

So... are any of our catcher's trade bait?  Roberts Rule5 year was 2021.  Handley is Rule5 this year.  Are either good enough to get taken by another club? Are either of these guys going to get a real (more than 1 series shot) in AAA this year?  AA ends 9/18/22.  AAA ends 9/28/22.  Not much time for 1 or 2 weeks to see what is left at the end of the year.  Who is most valuable as trade piece come the trade deadline?  Do the O's give Roberts or Handley a shot (should they both clear trade deadline) in the AFL this year?  Do they protect either from the Major or Minor league rule5 draft in December?

There are almost 10 weeks in (59 games) with 13 weeks (79 games) to go.  So not quite to the half way point... but it seems our best offensive catchers are working their way thru splitting time in AA.  Eventually they need to get real opportunities at AAA to see what there is to see.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

“If” the Orioles like what they have in Maverick, then he “should” go to the AFL this year and see how he does against some higher competitors, while also getting some additional teaching. The question mark is Cumberland. While nothing has been impressive about him, does the org value him more? Does he get a shot at being Adley’s backup next season or do they go with a veteran and have Maverick in AAA, working with the pitchers more until later in the season?

[RZNJ]

42 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

“If” the Orioles like what they have in Maverick, then he “should” go to the AFL this year and see how he does against some higher competitors, while also getting some additional teaching. The question mark is Cumberland. While nothing has been impressive about him, does the org value him more? Does he get a shot at being Adley’s backup next season or do they go with a veteran and have Maverick in AAA, working with the pitchers more until later in the season?

I suspect we'll see Maverick in AAA next year but he's probably eventually going to be the backup.   It will be someone like Chirinos or Bemboom next year.   

[Frobby]

Just now, RZNJ said:

I suspect we'll see Maverick in AAA next year but he's probably eventually going to be the backup.   It will be someone like Chirinos or Bemboom next year.   

I would not be surprised if Handley makes it to AAA this year if he keeps hitting.   But I don’t think it will happen until August.   

[RZNJ]

17 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I would not be surprised if Handley makes it to AAA this year if he keeps hitting.   But I don’t think it will happen until August.   

That would not surprise me but I think he's a very long, long shot to start next year as the backup.

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

That would not surprise me but I think he's a very long, long shot to start next year as the backup.

Yeah, I’d doubt it.   But he might finish the year that way.  

[linedrive]

Cody Roberts has never been a true prospect, but I like him as an underdog and would love to see him get a shot. He's actually putting up decent numbers this year, and if he continues to do so, I think he'd be a good September call-up. His career minor league numbers aren't impressive, but decent. I don't expect him to steal any bases, but if he calls a good game and plays good defense, he could be a worthy backup for a time.

AB          R             H             2B           3B           HR          RBI         BB           SO          SB           AVG

616         61           156         30           1              11           82           65           181         0              253

[survivedc]

Handley was hit by 3 pitches tonight and also took a walk. It’s the minors but can’t remember someone getting hit that much in a single game. Norby and Cowser also HBP.

[Frobby]

8 hours ago, survivedc said:

Handley was hit by 3 pitches tonight and also took a walk. It’s the minors but can’t remember someone getting hit that much in a single game. Norby and Cowser also HBP.

Westburg and Kjerstad too.  Big night for hitting our prospects.  

Brett Cumberland was hit 28 times last year, but there was only one game where he got hit twice.   So yeah, three is kind of unheard of.  
 

[CharmCityHokie]

On 6/17/2022 at 4:41 PM, linedrive said:

Cody Roberts has never been a true prospect, but I like him as an underdog and would love to see him get a shot. He's actually putting up decent numbers this year, and if he continues to do so, I think he'd be a good September call-up. His career minor league numbers aren't impressive, but decent. I don't expect him to steal any bases, but if he calls a good game and plays good defense, he could be a worthy backup for a time.

AB          R             H             2B           3B           HR          RBI         BB           SO          SB           AVG

 

616         61           156         30           1              11           82           65           181         0              253

 

Remember that starting this season the active roster only increases by 2 in September (from 26 to 28), I doubt that they're bringing up a third catcher in one of those spots unless one of the two regulars are pretty dinged up from the season. 

That being said, I'm a sucker for an underdog backup catcher and fully support a Cody Roberts callup at some point. I know I read he's been on the taxi squad at times, so at least he gets a small taste of what big league living is like.

[MurphDogg]

4 minutes ago, CharmCityHokie said:

Remember that starting this season the active roster only increases by 2 in September (from 26 to 28), I doubt that they're bringing up a third catcher in one of those spots unless one of the two regulars are pretty dinged up from the season. 

That being said, I'm a sucker for an underdog backup catcher and fully support a Cody Roberts callup at some point. I know I read he's been on the taxi squad at times, so at least he gets a small taste of what big league living is like.

I would definitely prefer if the active roster went to 29 in September and it was required that a catcher was one of the three call ups. Having a third catcher gives managers a lot more flexibility to pinch-hit and pinch-run for their catcher.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, MurphDogg said:

I would definitely prefer if the active roster went to 29 in September and it was required that a catcher was one of the three call ups. Having a third catcher gives managers a lot more flexibility to pinch-hit and pinch-run for their catcher.

No one is forcing them to just bring up bullpen arms.

I'm not sure they'd want to add Handley to the 40 man.  They might try and get him through the rule V draft as historically, catchers aren't selected.

[Frobby]

After a couple of hot months, Handley has cooled off considerably in August, posting a .480 OPS for the month so far. Last night he was 0 for 4 with two K’s and a GIDP and looked pretty bad doing it.  

Defensively, in the first inning a runner attempted a steal and Handley’s throw got to 2B so quickly that the runner didn’t bother to slide.   He did allow two McDermott wild pitches to get past him and I thought to myself that Adley would have blocked at least one of them.  His framing seemed good but the umpire wasn’t giving much to McDermott. The grand slam he allowed was immediately after a 2-2 pitch that looked like strike three.
 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Frobby