Non-Pitching Spending

[Bemorewins]

14 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

It doesn’t clog anything if you trade some of what we have for pitching, which is the real point in talking about this imo.

I hear you and I agree that because of the amount of young assets that we have some will most certainly have to be traded. 

However, I would prefer to go the FA for a top of the rotation pitcher (hopefully Verlander who can give us Cy Young production on a shorter contract). And then come next year at the deadline, we can use our assets/prospects to make a trade to put us over the top.

[7Mo]

6 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The Mateo question is just everything this offseason.

Meaning whether he's traded or not?

[7Mo]

6 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The Mateo question is just everything this offseason.

Meaning whether he's traded or not?

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

I hear you and I agree that because of the amount of young assets that we have some will most certainly have to be traded. 

However, I would prefer to go the FA for a top of the rotation pitcher (hopefully Verlander who can give us Cy Young production on a shorter contract). And then come next year at the deadline, we can use our assets/prospects to make a trade to put us over the top.

Unlikely Verlander even makes it to free agency and in the event he does, I would be shocked if this team would pony up 35-45M a year to sign a pitcher.

They also won’t (and shouldn’t) pay up big numbers to sign an oft injured guy like Rodon.

[Sports Guy]

Just now, 7Mo said:

Meaning whether he's traded or not?

Or if they want to rely on him to be the everyday SS

[7Mo]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

Or if they want to rely on him to be the everyday SS

JMO but I don't think he's traded because I think Elias will believe he can continue building his value. That's what I would bet on too.

If the question is whether Mateo is our everyday SS, we'll have Gunner available to move over from 3B and Mateo isn't costly so I don't think that's an issue. 

All that changes if some team makes a great offer for him this winter. 

[bluedog]

6 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The Mateo question is just everything this offseason.

Yes. 

Is he a cornerstone or a sell high candidate?

For me, this all comes down to how you feel about Ortiz.

If Ortiz is as good a defensive player as Mateo and has bigger offensive upside, I am all for trading Mateo, assuming he is valued by other teams well enough that he'd bring back quality assets in return.

I haven't watched Ortiz enough to know if he is *the* guy. Thoughts?

[Bemorewins]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

Unlikely Verlander even makes it to free agency and in the event he does, I would be shocked if this team would pony up 35-45M a year to sign a pitcher.

They also won’t (and shouldn’t) pay up big numbers to sign an oft injured guy like Rodon.

All good points.

I hope the O’s shock us just this once. Adding Verlander for say 40 would put us at having less than an 80 million dollar payroll assuming we don’t extend any of our young guys. This is very doable and would be IMO the possible missing piece to a World Series run.

I HOPE ownership and management see things from this perspective. We are one top of the rotation pitcher (especially if we can take Houston’s) from being as good as anybody in the AL.

[owknows]

3 hours ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Let's imagine the O's decide to open up the payroll next year and sign or trade for more "expensive" players. Other than pitchers, what position or players would you target as wise investments for improvement?

My offer is this..... Nothing.

[Bemorewins]

7 minutes ago, bluedog said:

Yes. 

Is he a cornerstone or a sell high candidate?

For me, this all comes down to how you feel about Ortiz.

If Ortiz is as good a defensive player as Mateo and has bigger offensive upside, I am all for trading Mateo, assuming he is valued by other teams well enough that he'd bring back quality assets in return.

I haven't watched Ortiz enough to know if he is *the* guy. Thoughts?

I may go the opposite route depending on who had more trade value.

It seems Ortiz may have more trade value. If that is the case I would keep him at AAA and then trade him at the deadline in a package for a big time player to help put us over the top next year.

Either way, both are just place holders until Holiday comes up.

[Aristotelian]

I wouldn't be looking to sign any position players barring a trade or nontender. Maybe a backup C. I think Santander is the most likely to be traded. If that happens my answer might change. 

My current wish list would be one TOR starter and one veteran reliever. 

[bluedog]

4 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

I may go the opposite route depending on who had more trade value.

It seems Ortiz may have more trade value. If that is the case I would keep him at AAA and then trade him at the deadline in a package for a big time player to help put us over the top next year.

Either way, both are just place holders until Holiday comes up.

I guess I wonder why Ortiz would have more trade value than Mateo. Ortiz has what, 3 months of playing at a high level? He's not a top 100 prospect yet. Mateo is a more well known quantity who is playing at a high level at the major league level.

[Bemorewins]

That's why I said, that I believe they should try to trade the one with the most value. 

They could stand pat right now and let Ortiz build more value through the first part of next season as he performs at AAA. Or if he's doing well at AAA and if Mateo is performing well next year in the first half and builds more value, they could trade Mateo then.

I guess what I'm saying is that I would leave each where they are for now and then reevaluate towards the middle of next season depending on how each is performing.

[Sports Guy]

There were a large faction of fans and posters on here that felt it was smart to sell high on Lopez.  That he had never been this good before and wasn’t likely to keep it up at that level.

Why is Mateo different?

[Sports Guy]

37 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

I may go the opposite route depending on who had more trade value.

It seems Ortiz may have more trade value. If that is the case I would keep him at AAA and then trade him at the deadline in a package for a big time player to help put us over the top next year.

Either way, both are just place holders until Holiday comes up.

I doubt Ortiz has much value outside of being the second or third piece in a trade.

But he’s not a headliner and not someone you are getting much for on his own.