Orioles select Benboom, DFA Castro

[RZNJ]

8 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

You don't burn a 40 man slot for a backup catcher with an ETA two years away.

I would hope by this point in the process their 40 man slots are more valuable than that.

Depends on how valuable they feel Handley is or will be.   I've already stated that I don't think they will but I don't think it's entirely based on whether they envision him as their backup catcher next year.   Maybe they think he could be good enough to be a starting ML catcher.   Even if that's not going to be with the Orioles, it's someone worth protecting.     There was a time this season when Handley was OPS ing around .800.   He certainly improved a lot from 2021 to 2022.    Maybe they think he could improve even more next year.    Even at 25, a solid year offensively in AAA, along with his reported defense, he could be looked at as more valuable than he's looked at right now.   So, I think it comes down to how much better they think his bat can get or if this is pretty much it.

As for their 40 man slots.  They are only valuable if you don't have enough of them.   Right now Gallagher and Bemboom are taking up two of those spots.   How valuable are those two spots?

Edited October 6, 2022 by RZNJ

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, forphase1 said:

If he's our backup catcher next year I'll be very disappointed. 

I'd like to think Maverick could post a 20 OPS+ with better defense.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, RZNJ said:

Depends on how valuable they feel Handley is or will be.   I've already stated that I don't think they will but I don't think it's entirely based on whether they envision him as their backup catcher next year.   Maybe they think he could be good enough to be a starting ML catcher.   Even if that's not going to be with the Orioles, it's someone worth protecting.     There was a time this season when Handley was OPS ing around .800.   He certainly improved a lot from 2021 to 2022.    Maybe they think he could improve even more next year.    Even at 25, a solid year offensively in AAA, along with his reported defense, he could be looked at as more valuable than he's looked at right now.   So, I think it comes down to how much better they think his bat can get or if this is pretty much it.

If you don't think he can contribute this year than you don't think he can stick on another team's 26 man for the entire season.

[RZNJ]

3 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

If you don't think he can contribute this year than you don't think he can stick on another team's 26 man for the entire season.

Again, that's not necessarily correct.    Maybe they aren't sure if he can contribute next year and want to see what he does in AAA.   Maybe another team is willing to take the risk before they see him in AAA.

Maybe Elias wants to see him get his 200 AB's in AAA before giving him a shot.   Other teams might be willing to take a chance on him.

Edited October 6, 2022 by RZNJ

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

Again, that's not necessarily correct.    Maybe they aren't sure if he can contribute next year and want to see what he does in AAA.   Maybe another team is willing to take the risk before they see him in AAA.

Maybe Elias wants to see him get his 200 AB's in AAA before giving him a shot.   Other teams might be willing to take a chance on him.

If Elias wanted to see what he would do in AAA he would have promoted him to AAA.  He could have and he didn't.

I know you are only being obstinate about this because I'm arguing the other side.

No GM is going to burn a 40 man spot on a projected backup catcher that is two years out.

[SteveA]

10 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

If you don't think he can contribute this year than you don't think he can stick on another team's 26 man for the entire season.

Well, to be fair, we are now "officially in the fight" in the AL East.   A bad team that is not trying to win might pick a guy in the Rule 5 a year before he is ready to play for a contending team that is trying to win like the Orioles.    But we might feel that in 2024 after a solid year in AAA, Maverick might be ready to help even a powerhouse team like us.

[Natty]

44 minutes ago, SteveA said:

My grade for Elias's offseason so far:   D

It's not exactly Elias's fault. He has to appease his miserly bosses who are clueless about winning baseball. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Natty said:

It's not exactly Elias's fault. He has to appease his miserly bosses who are clueless about winning baseball. 

It's his job to get them to invest in the product.

We've been hearing all this time that the money will be there when they need it.

[Tony-OH]

This is literally one of the more bizarre things I've ever seen. Why would the Orioles need to think they need protect Bemboom? Why would they even think Bemboom should be a potential option in 2023? 

This is concerning. Either there is something I don't understand or I'm seriously wondering about the savvy of this front office to evaluate talent for the 40-man. 

Who knows, maybe it was something in his contract when he signed? I'm missing something because Bemboom will be 33 years old, cant hit, and couldn't stay healthy in 2022.

[SteveA]

This move is so minor that mlbtraderumors.com hasn't even covered it yet.   They're usually on top of the story when a team hires a new assistant groundskeeper.

[RZNJ]

12 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

If Elias wanted to see what he would do in AAA he would have promoted him to AAA.  He could have and he didn't.

I know you are only being obstinate about this because I'm arguing the other side.

No GM is going to burn a 40 man spot on a projected backup catcher that is two years out.

Agreed.  Unless they think he has starter upside which is probably very unlikely.

[eddie83]

Bemboom could be gone in a week.
 

They apparently didn’t like enough from Castro to keep him and for now wanted another C in there. 

[OriolesMagic83]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

This is literally one of the more bizarre things I've ever seen. Why would the Orioles need to think they need protect Bemboom? Why would they even think Bemboom should be a potential option in 2023? 

This is concerning. Either there is something I don't understand or I'm seriously wondering about the savvy of this front office to evaluate talent for the 40-man. 

Who knows, maybe it was something in his contract when he signed? I'm missing something because Bemboom will be 33 years old, cant hit, and couldn't stay healthy in 2022.

If teams could carry a 3rd catcher in a 27th roster spot, he would be ideal.  Other than that he brings no value.  Probably 10 catchers better than Bemboom will be DFA'ed over the offseason,

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

If teams could carry a 3rd catcher in a 27th roster spot, he would be ideal.  Other than that he brings no value.  Probably 10 catchers better than Bemboom will be DFA'ed over the offseason,

He was below replacement last year.  He's been below replacement in three of the five seasons he's played.

A guy like that is never an ideal acquisition.

I think the word adequate is the better fit.

[Natty]

24 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

It's his job to get them to invest in the product.

We've been hearing all this time that the money will be there when they need it.

Well shucks, if that's the deal he needs to be clear with the owners, If we spend 200M more on payroll this year we can compete with he other teams that spend that kind of money.