Elias sounds like he is shooting high

[wildcard]

From Orioles.com

“Our priority -- hopefully, if we’re able to do it -- is to bring in an established starter for one of the, let’s say, top three spots in the rotation,” Elias said. “Just somebody who’s been there, done that, that you can clearly pencil in ahead of the group that we have now in terms of expectations and accomplishments thus far. That would be a big boost.”

“We want to bring in one or two talented position players that’ll just boost the lineup,” Elias said.

 just improve our team to the degree that we want to in the finances that I’m expecting to use.”

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-gm-mike-elias-expects-active-offseason

[LA2]

Yes you can see the difference even in his expression and voice. He's revved up and ready to deal.

[Roll Tide]

I’m telling you guys Correa is one of them. I’m convinced his tie to Elias and a previous understanding.

[Sports Guy]

Basically what I have been saying they need to add.

Elias saying they only need to 1 starter interests me though.  Can argue for 2 for sure.  Why only 1?

Wells stays in rotation?  Confidence in Hall?

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Roll Tide said:

I’m telling you guys Correa is one of them. I’m convinced his tie to Elias and a previous understanding.

Correa just doesn’t make sense.  None of the IFers do.  

[Jagwar]

23 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Basically what I have been saying they need to add.

Elias saying they only need to 1 starter interests me though.  Can argue for 2 for sure.  Why only 1?

Wells stays in rotation?  Confidence in Hall?

I've been right there with you. Stick 2 solid starters at the start of this rotation, add a high OPS run producer into the lineup, and add a reliable bullpen arm. And then you can insert prospects for depth. 

Remains to be seen if Elias can execute, but that would be an exciting team to watch. 

[Sports Guy]

9 minutes ago, Jagwar said:

I've been right there with you. Stick 2 solid starters at the start of this rotation, add a high OPS run producer into the lineup, and add a reliable bullpen arm. And then you can insert prospects for depth. 

Remains to be seen if Elias can execute, but that would be an exciting team to watch. 

Yep.  Give them that combo and bring up the kids that are ready and let’s roll.  

[btdart20]

1 hour ago, Roll Tide said:

I’m telling you guys Correa is one of them. I’m convinced his tie to Elias and a previous understanding.

“We want to bring in one or two talented position players that’ll just boost the lineup,” Elias said.

 just improve our team to the degree that we want to in the finances that I’m expecting to use.”

Correa checks all the boxes mentioned in Elias' checklist above except the finances.

 

“Our priority -- hopefully, if we’re able to do it -- is to bring in an established starter for one of the, let’s say, top three spots in the rotation,” Elias said. “Just somebody who’s been there, done that, that you can clearly pencil in ahead of the group that we have now in terms of expectations and accomplishments thus far. That would be a big boost.”

This piece also tells us he's likely not going after Verlander or deGrom (and maybe not Rodon either).  But that next tier of talent who are clearly ahead of (at least as far as ML resume goes) our young guys is in the mix.

52 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Elias saying they only need to 1 starter interests me though.  Can argue for 2 for sure.  Why only 1?

Finances.  We just don't know the budget he's been given.  I can imagine Elias thinking through these options as he presents his business plan: 

1. "Hey John A, we just beat our 2022 goals and just missed the playoffs on that budget.  I've got 2 key holes in the roster that need to be filled and have these types of FAs in mind.  Here's their projected costs.  I need $30m more for a total of $80m for a legit shot at a playoff run.  This gives us some payroll flexibility to adjust at the trade deadline and after 2023 as well."  

2. "Hey John A, we just beat our 2022 goals on that budget.  I've got 3-5 key holes in the roster that need to be filled and have these types of FAs in mind.  Here's their projected costs.  I need $60m more for a total of $110m for a legit shot at a playoff run.  This limits the amount of budget flexibility we have in season and after 2023."  

[btdart20]

Just now, btdart20 said:

1. "Hey John A, we just beat our 2022 goals and just missed the playoffs on that budget.  I've got 2 key holes in the roster that need to be filled and have these types of FAs in mind.  Here's their projected costs.  I need $30m more for a total of $80m for a legit shot at a playoff run.  This gives us some payroll flexibility to adjust at the trade deadline and after 2023 as well."  

2. "Hey John A, we just beat our 2022 goals on that budget.  I've got 3-5 key holes in the roster that need to be filled and have these types of FAs in mind.  Here's their projected costs.  I need $60m more for a total of $110m for a legit shot at a playoff run.  This limits the amount of budget flexibility we have in season and after 2023."  

And John A sitting there looking at his family feud and MASN/Nats/MLB hassles... throw in the macroeconomy stress and he's seeing risk and threat.  Margin/security is worth something.

[Can_of_corn]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Basically what I have been saying they need to add.

Elias saying they only need to 1 starter interests me though.  Can argue for 2 for sure.  Why only 1?

Wells stays in rotation?  Confidence in Hall?

He said one #1-3 starter.

That doesn't eliminate the possiblity of adding a second starter for the back half of the rotation.

I could see the value in an actual #4 guy.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Correa just doesn’t make sense.  None of the IFers do.  

I guess if you were going to go crazy with trading away IFers for other pieces, you could justify Correa.   But I don’t see the O’s doing that.

[Sports Guy]

9 minutes ago, btdart20 said:

“We want to bring in one or two talented position players that’ll just boost the lineup,” Elias said.

 just improve our team to the degree that we want to in the finances that I’m expecting to use.”

Correa checks all the boxes mentioned in Elias' checklist above except the finances.

 

“Our priority -- hopefully, if we’re able to do it -- is to bring in an established starter for one of the, let’s say, top three spots in the rotation,” Elias said. “Just somebody who’s been there, done that, that you can clearly pencil in ahead of the group that we have now in terms of expectations and accomplishments thus far. That would be a big boost.”

This piece also tells us he's likely not going after Verlander or deGrom (and maybe not Rodon either).  But that next tier of talent who are clearly ahead of (at least as far as ML resume goes) our young guys is in the mix.

Finances.  We just don't know the budget he's been given.  I can imagine Elias thinking through these options as he presents his business plan: 

1. "Hey John A, we just beat our 2022 goals and just missed the playoffs on that budget.  I've got 2 key holes in the roster that need to be filled and have these types of FAs in mind.  Here's their projected costs.  I need $30m more for a total of $80m for a legit shot at a playoff run.  This gives us some payroll flexibility to adjust at the trade deadline and after 2023 as well."  

2. "Hey John A, we just beat our 2022 goals on that budget.  I've got 3-5 key holes in the roster that need to be filled and have these types of FAs in mind.  Here's their projected costs.  I need $60m more for a total of $110m for a legit shot at a playoff run.  This limits the amount of budget flexibility we have in season and after 2023."  

It could be budget.  It could also be belief in what’s here.

[Sports Guy]

Just now, Frobby said:

I guess if you were going to go crazy with trading away IFers for other pieces, you could justify Correa.   But I don’t see the O’s doing that.

Not to the point where they don’t leave themselves a lot of options. They may move guys but still have the depth to not spend 300M there.

 

[Moose Milligan]

6 hours ago, wildcard said:

-- hopefully, if we’re able to do it --

 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Basically what I have been saying they need to add.

Elias saying they only need to 1 starter interests me though.  Can argue for 2 for sure.  Why only 1?

Wells stays in rotation?  Confidence in Hall?

Lots of directions he could go on getting a second starter.   But I like the idea that the priority is getting a reliable, high quality guy.  Whether we get a second guy probably depends on how much the offensive upgrades cost and what the overall budget is.   

For me, the biggest questions to be answered in 2023 relate to our top two pitching prospects:

1.  Do Grayson Rodriguez’s minor league accolades translate to big-time major league success?

2.  What is DL Hall — effective starter, big time back-end reliever, or something more disappointing?

I have a feeling we’ll get the answer on Rodriguez next year.   Either major league hitters will be able to hit his stuff and lay off certain pitches in a way that minor league hitters couldn’t, or the won’t.  We’ll know what we have there soon.  Hall, on the other hand, could take a couple of years to become whatever he’s going to be.   But we’ll get some strong hints.   

Elias has made it pretty clear he still sees Hall as a starting pitcher, so I think it’s likely he starts 2023 in the rotation unless he just can’t throw strikes next spring.