I Don't See A 2023 Position Player Logjam

[wildcard]

Hays is a 5 tool outfielder when he is healthy.  But he does not hit well when he plays hurt which has been the case for weeks this year.  He should  be put on the IL to get healthy whenever hurt.

Santander will become a rental player if not traded by the 2023 deadline.   Elias will no doubt try to maximize his trade value at or before that  time.

Edited August 25, 2022 by wildcard

[LookinUp]

1 hour ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I don't look at is as much a logjam as more of a collection of potential trade chips.  I think Elias feels the same way.  Wonder what SP he is targeting?  Needs to be ML ready or at least in AAA or even better already in the majors. 

They're really only trade chips because of the log jam.

[Matt Bennett]

1 hour ago, LookinUp said:

Cowser is the best OF profile in the org, majors or minors, already. It's a matter of him not failing when he goes to AAA. If he is what we hope and what he looks like now, it's a matter of time until he's here.

Assuming Santander/Vavra at DH, that still leaves 4 OF in Hays, Mullins and Stowers plus Cowser. That's a log jam.

Ortiz is a plus defense guy at SS and 2B who has been hitting the snot out of the ball. Norby has been hitting the snot out of the ball. They're not quite the same offensive profile as Cowser, but they'll be ready in the first half of 2023.

Gunnar is #1. Mateo looks to have become a plus all around SS. Westburg's numbers in AAA are similar to Gunnar's, and he plays a good 2B. Plus you have Urias and Vavra.

Looks to me like a +2 person IF logjam and a +1 person OF logjam.

Alot of assumptions. Bowie seems like a hitter's park.

Home/Road OPS Splits:

1. Joey Ortiz: .849/.712

2. Colton Cowser: 1.229/.823

3. Connor Norby: .925/.840

Promising prospects, but numbers may be inflated. And I don't think any 3 of them will touch AAA this year. Once they do get to AAA, 200 plate appearances MINIMUM (Adley, Vavra, Henderson, Westburg) has been the norm. When's that come? June, IF no injuries or struggles. Even then they could be replacing a struggling Stowers/Vavra/Westburg. No guarantee those guys cut it. Even then they could be replacing an injured Opening Day player. I'm just not seeing more than 13 graduated position players. Count them.

Just like you need more than 5 SP, you need more than 9 position players. 

[Frobby]

15 hours ago, wildcard said:

Hays is a 5 tool outfielder when he is healthy.  But he does not hit well when he plays hurt which has been the case for weeks this year.  He should  be put on the IL to get healthy whenever hurt.

Thanks, Dr. wildcard. We don’t know how hurt Hays has been or how much that relates to his slump.  He hit great the last six weeks of last season and then had core surgery the minute the season was over.   Should he have been on the IL then?

By the way, I don’t disagree that Hays has been banged up a bit and it may have affected his play.  I don’t agree there’s some automatic “put him on the IL” prescription for that.  Here’s my thought: why not have team doctors and a professional training staff help make decisions rather than relying on some automtatic rule?

[tntoriole]

18 hours ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

I like this. I think pitching can be good if we sign a really good starter, and G-rod is back. Means comes back at the all star break, hopefully. Having Lyles would be nice too.

 Elias would maybe trade for a TOR and not going for the huge existing contract needed for a FA TOR .. a la Verlander deal coming to Astros 

 

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2675004-justin-verlander-reportedly-traded-to-astros-after-deal-was-called-off.amp.html

[wildcard]

38 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Thanks, Dr. wildcard. We don’t know how hurt Hays has been or how much that relates to his slump.  He hit great the last six weeks of last season and then had core surgery the minute the season was over.   Should he have been on the IL then?

By the way, I don’t disagree that Hays has been banged up a bit and it may have affected his play.  I don’t agree there’s some automatic “put him on the IL” prescription for that.  Here’s my thought: why not have team doctors and a professional training staff help make decisions rather than relying on some automtatic rule?

Do you even watch the games?   Hays was hitting well then  got hit in the wrist and stopped hitting.  A direct cause and effect if a fan is paying attention.   

There is too much that is unknown to determine why Hyde keeps playing him when he not hitting.   Maybe its that he is so good defensively that Hyde does not  want to lose him for 10 day.  Maybe Hyde feels that McKenna vs righties would not be any better.   Maybe Hays just keeps talking Hyde into putting him in the lineup.  Maybe the O's are winning in spite of Hays being hurt and Hyde does not want to change anything.

The reasons why Hyde plays Hays hurt could be many,  but for me there is no question he has played hurt and his production has suffered because of it.

Edited August 26, 2022 by wildcard

[sportsfan8703]

Next year we’re going to see a lot more rotating to play match ups, utilize the DH, keep guys fresh, and to pinch hit/def sub. 

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Do you even watch the games?   Hays was hitting well then  got hit in the wrist and stopped hitting.  A direct cause and effect if a fan is paying attention.   

There is too much that is unknown to determine why Hyde keeps playing him when he not hitting.   Maybe its that he is so good defensively that Hyde does not  want to lose him for 10 day.  Maybe Hyde feels that McKenna vs righties would not be any better.   Maybe Hays just keeps talking Hyde into putting him in the lineup.  Maybe the O's are winning in spite of Hays being hurt and Hyde does not want to change anything.

The reasons why Hyde plays Hays hurt could be many,  but for me there is no question he has played hurt and his production has suffered because of it.

It's crazy how our outfielders (Hays, Santander, Mancini) only struggle because they are playing hurt.

So odd...

[maybenxtyr]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

Do you even watch the games?   Hays was hitting well then  got hit in the wrist and stopped hitting.  A direct cause and effect if a fan is paying attention.   

There is too much that is unknown to determine why Hyde keeps playing him when he not hitting.   Maybe its that he is so good defensively that Hyde does not  want to lose him for 10 day.  Maybe Hyde feels that McKenna vs righties would not be any better.   Maybe Hays just keeps talking Hyde into putting him in the lineup.  Maybe the O's are winning in spite of Hays being hurt and Hyde does not want to change anything.

The reasons why Hyde plays Hays hurt could be many,  but for me there is no question he has played hurt and his production has suffered because of it.

His OPS on the season is pretty close to his career average. I like Hays as a player, but he is what he is at this point.

[Sports Guy]

The roster just isn’t good enough And you have other guys that can come up soon enough in 2023 like Cowser and Norby.  
 

The roster crunch isn’t just about 2023 either.