How does the roster/lineup shake out next year

[7Mo]

1 hour ago, WarehouseChatter said:

I keep having this thought that Mountcastle won’t be part of our 2023 team.  I’m not sure he would command much of a return, but as I look at our team and where we could make improvements, 1B is an area we could target.  It could even be bringing in someone with a veteran presence.  

Agree. I think 2 of Mullins, Santander, Hays and Mountcastle are traded this offseason. If Mountcastle is one of them, I'd like seeing Josh Bell added if it's possible on a short term deal. 

[btdart20]

Biggest holes on the O’s are TOR arms, 2B, and more offense in general (but in the IF especially).

I’m fine shopping Mateo, Mounty, Hays, and Westburg for an arm.  (I’m fine keeping them as well.). We have immediate backups in house already for all but Mounty.

Westburg can be shopped because Urias and Vavra can play 2B.  And there are a few others getting close.

Mateo can be shopped because Gunnar can play SS with Urias staying at 3B.  And there are a few others getting close.

Hays can be shopped because Stowers, Vavra, and Cowser are capable.  And there are a few other lesser prospects getting close too.

Mounty can be shopped if they sign a big bat like Josh Bell.  Or Santander and Adley get more comfortable/skilled at 1B.  Not much in the pipeline at 1B currently.  But plenty of skilled position players have made the switch to 1B.

We have a some bullpen depth as well that we can shop.  
 

I’m not saying trade them all but we have a few paths that could improve the MLB roster as well as build some more SP depth (or 1B) in the org.

I hope we add at least two plus arms somehow this winter because in house our offense looks solid (assuming they make the jump as expected).

Mullins (or Vavra leading off)

Cowser

Rutschman (or flip with Cowser)

Mounty (Bell)

Gunnar

Santander

Stowers

Urias/Vavra/Westburg 

Mateo

Rotation is FA/trade TOR (maybe 2), Grayson and Wells.  Then a grab bag.  Maybe opener/middler piggyback  games are part of the rotation?

 

[Just Regular]

We could have a competitive Ohtani bid.

Edited August 13, 2022 by Just Regular

[oriolefan1035]

What part of next year are we talking about? Here is what I see by the middle (July) of next year. To facilitate this, I think we trade a controllable OF and a solid pen arm at some point, and bring in a TOR SP (either through FA or trade). For the sake of this exercise, I’ll say that Hays and Tate are the ones we trade away.

SP: FA/Trade TOR, GrayRod, Means, Wells, Bradish

RP: Bautista, Hall, Perez, Krehbiel, Akin, Kremer, Watkins, Voth

C; Adley

IF: Mountcastle, Vavra, Mateo, Henderson

OF: Mullins, Stowers, Cowser

Bench/DH (committee aside from Adley’s non-catching days): Santander, Urias, McKenna, BU Catcher, Westburg

[wildcard]

Here is my guess:

Santander's trade value will fall after the 2023 deadline because after that he becomes a rental.   So he is probably traded this off season for a starting pitcher prospect.

SS - Mateo,  Gunnar as backup when Mateo needs a day off.  Ortiz at AAA.

3B -  Gunnar, Urias as backup when Gunnar needs a day off.  Westburg also available.  Ortiz at AAA

1B -   Mountcastle,  Westburg as backup when Mountcastle needs a day off.

2B - Urias, Westburg as backup.    Vavra available.  Ortiz, Norby at AAA.

CF - Mullins,  McKenna backup vs lefties.  Hays also available. Haskin at AAA.

LF -  Hays, Varva as backup. McKenna, Stowers also available.  Cowser at AAA.

RF - Stowers,  McKenna backup.  Hays available.   Cowser at AAA.

C - Adley, Chirinos backup.   Handley at AAA

DH - Varva's 400 OBP sees a lot of time here.  Adley and Westburg backup.  Mountcastle, Urias available.

13 position players:  Mountcastle, Urias, Mateos, Gunnar, Hays, Mullins, Stowers, Adley, Vavra. Bench: Westburg, McKenna, Chirinos, TBD.

Nevin and Phillips out of options, traded or DFA'd. Santander traded.  Odor becomes FA.   Diaz, Martin DFA'd.   Arauz  could be optioned or DFA'd.  May be  signed to AAA contract.

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by wildcard

[Sports Guy]

Corner OF defense has to improve.  
 

I would really be fine with a completely new starting OF next year, with Hays as your 4th OFer playing 4-5 times a week.

Add 2 starters and multiple relievers although it’s possible Bradish and Kremer are those guys.

[Roll Tide]

10 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Corner OF defense has to improve.  
 

I would really be fine with a completely new starting OF next year, with Hays as your 4th OFer playing 4-5 times a week.

Add 2 starters and multiple relievers although it’s possible Bradish and Kremer are those guys.

So you aren’t happy with Mullins, Hays, McKenna, and Stowers?

[Orioles0615]

Bring in Major League proven talent from outside the organization. Don't care how, but you have to do it. 

[Roll Tide]

1 minute ago, Orioles0615 said:

Bring in Major League proven talent from outside the organization. Don't care how, but you have to do it. 

I expect them to bring in a SP.

I suspect the infield is Gunner 3B, Mateo SS, Vavra 2B, and Mountcastle 1B. 

OF Mullins, Hays, Stowers, McKenna

DH Santander 

A better hitting back up catcher

Utility IF Urias , ___________
 

5th OF

 

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Corner OF defense has to improve.  
 

I would really be fine with a completely new starting OF next year, with Hays as your 4th OFer playing 4-5 times a week.

Add 2 starters and multiple relievers although it’s possible Bradish and Kremer are those guys.

You have three reasonably inexpensive, reasonably productive, reasonably young starting outfielders right now, with Stowers waiting to get called up.  I wouldn't focus on overhauling that group.  Maybe if Stowers and Cowser start pressing the issue you could think about a trade to add pitching.

[ChuckS]

A lot of overthinking going on in this thread. Next year’s roster will look similar to this year’s offensively and in the bullpen. I’m expecting we add two quality starters to the rotation. 

I don’t see Mateo or Urias being supplanted from the everyday lineup, at least initially. The infield is likely to be 1B Mountcastle, 2B Urias, SS Mateo, 3B Henderson with Westburg starting out as the utility infielder. Then in the OF and DH they will rotate Mullins, Hays, Santander, Stowers, and Vavra so all will play 4-6 times a week.

McKenna is your fifth outfielder, to be played sparingly and used as a pinch runner.  

Edited August 14, 2022 by ChuckS

[Sports Guy]

2 hours ago, Roll Tide said:

So you aren’t happy with Mullins, Hays, McKenna, and Stowers?

I would like to see Mullins traded for pitching. 
 

Stowers can start and Hays, as I said, can be your 4th OFer.  McKenna can stay but I was talking about the guys who get a significant amount of at bats.

Cowser will be one of the new starters.

[Sports Guy]

36 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

You have three reasonably inexpensive, reasonably productive, reasonably young starting outfielders right now, with Stowers waiting to get called up.  I wouldn't focus on overhauling that group.  Maybe if Stowers and Cowser start pressing the issue you could think about a trade to add pitching.

Santander isn’t that good in the OF defensively.  Hays is ok but not great.

I would like to see Santander and Mullins dealt for other needs, bring up Cowser (maybe not day 1 but soon after) and you can sign a guy like Keirmeier to be a stop gap CFer.  Or, if you think Cowser can handle CF, that’s fine too.

Either way, I think the corners need to be upgraded.  I don’t think any of the guys we have out there are everyday players.  They are more platoon like options.  Mullins can probably be an everyday guy because of his defense in CF but I would still rather trade him for a starter.

But those guys have holes, injury issues, etc…I feel Hays playing all over but in more of 100-120 games is a better role for him because he gets banged up so often.

 

[NCRaven]

I’d like to see Westburg get some reps in the outfield.  He has great value playing 2B, 3B and SS already.  I’d have Mountcastle, Vavra, Mateo, Henderson and Adley around the infield with Westburg, Urias and a better backup catcher as utility options.  Trade Santander and go with Hays, Mullins, Stowers and McKenna in the outfield.  If you think Cowsyis ready, trade Mullins.

[Roll Tide]

18 hours ago, ScGO's said:

C- Adley/Handley

1B- Mountcastle

2B- Urias/Vavra

SS - Mateo

3B - Henderson

LF - Hays/Stowers/Vavra

CF - Mullins

RF - Stowers/Hays/Santander

DH - Santander/Urias/Vavra/Stowers

Phillips is probably DFA'd, and McKenna will be that 4th OF, unless he's a small part of a trade. Henderson can give Mateo a break every once in awhile at SS, Urias can fill in a 3rd if neccessary, and I think the young Maverick Handley can come in and back up Rutchman. I think Mountcastle gets one more season to make some adjustments before being deemed Mark Trumbo Jr and Elias looks to trade him.

I believe Westburg will be the main piece in a trade for Starting Pitching. I think Urias, Santander, Mullins, and Hays begin the season with the team, but could possibly be traded by next year's deadline based on the development of Cowser, Norby, and Ortiz.

Whatever pitcher we acquire with Westburg as the headline will be added to GrayRod and T. Wells.  I think Elias signs one FA Starting Pitcher as well.  That means one or 2 of Kremer, Zimmerman, Bradish, Watkins and DL Hall need to emerge to hold on to the final spot or two at the end of the rotation. 

I think the Bullpen looks very similar with possibly the addition of DL Hall in a Hader type role. Maybe Cano rises up too.

Mountcastle has been swinging at a lot of bad pitches. I think that the majority of his problem and I think his swing looks a bit long.

 

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