Catcher James McCann Acquired from Mets

[jabba72]

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Re: playing time, once Adley came up he started roughly 70% of the games at C.  Over 162 games, that would be 113 starts for Adley, 49 for McCann.  Only two catchers in MLB started more than 113 games at C last year, so I’m expecting Adley will stay at about that level, maybe just a couple more. 

I kind of doubt McCann gets into 31 additional games, but if so, it’ll mostly be as a PH or defensive replacement (in blowouts).   
 

I dont think Elias plans on playing AR more than 110 games max at C. He may even want it closer to 100. 

[BRobinsonfan]

5 hours ago, Roll Tide said:

He hit .195 with a .257 OBP this year and .232 with a .295 OBP last year.  He actually was worse than Chirinos last season if you can believe that. Plus he’s costing us $2.5 million each of the next 2 season versus $700k for Chirinos.

But, carry on with you low expectations and Koolaid sipping.

so we’ve now wasted $22 million+  in salary this offseason on mediocre to poor ball players. They should’ve signed one good starting pitcher and called it a day. They could’ve had Casali on a one year deal and probably could’ve got him for under $2 million.

I just said this exact same thing in another thread!  (Should have used the $23 million to sign one good starting pitcher rather than three marginal free agents).  

[Frobby]

Just now, BRobinsonfan said:

I just said this exact same thing in another thread!  (Should have used the $23 million to sign one good starting pitcher rather than three marginal free agents).  

It’s kind of a fslse choice, since the type of pitcher who gets paid $23 mm/yr doesn’t get a 1-year contract.  

[btdart20]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

It’s kind of a fslse choice, since the type of pitcher who gets paid $23 mm/yr doesn’t get a 1-year contract.  

Yep.

[BRobinsonfan]

2 hours ago, eddie83 said:

This is a modern day version of the 83 Orioles. Cal and Eddie are Gunnar and Aldley and Santander is Singleton. 
 

Those teams were mainly all platoon/part time players only in the OF. Here it will be a little of OF/INF. 

Ken Singleton had a lifetime OBA of .388.  Santander is no Ken Singleton.   

[eddie83]

5 minutes ago, BRobinsonfan said:

Ken Singleton had a lifetime OBA of .388.  Santander is no Ken Singleton.   

I said our version of the 83 Orioles. 
 

That’s it. 

[crawjo]

I think this is a very good acquisition. McCann is almost certainly better than he showed last season, and better than Chirinos. I know a lot of people are complaining because they wish we were like the Mets and paying a shortstop $315 million to play third base. But I like this move. 

Anyway, as Ken Rosenthal pointed out, McCann's expected batting average last year was .240, and slugging percentage was .414. He also has historically done well against lefties, which means that it will make a lot of sense (probably, we'll see) to mainly rest Rutschman against tough left-handers. This is a good acquisition. 

[Ripken]

11 minutes ago, Frobby said:

It’s kind of a fslse choice, since the type of pitcher who gets paid $23 mm/yr doesn’t get a 1-year contract.  

Which is true, of course, based on what Elias wants.  Also true is that, what he wants is not reasonable.  it would have been perfectly fine for the Orioles to give a multi year SP deal this FA period.  They don't have to be so cheap and/or terrified of it.  There were some nice 2-3 year deals given to SPs.  It's not like every SP deal is what Rodon got.  We're gonna need a SP in 2024 now anyway.  Is that market really much better?  Are we trying to win in 2023?

[Jammer7]

18 minutes ago, BRobinsonfan said:

Ken Singleton had a lifetime OBA of .388.  Santander is no Ken Singleton.   

I loved Singy, but he would not have had a .388 OBP in the modern era. With the shifts and the way pitching has evolved with stuff, velo and usage, no way. Santander is actually a better comp than you might think. 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Jammer7

[Number5]

28 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Re: playing time, once Adley came up he started roughly 70% of the games at C.  Over 162 games, that would be 113 starts for Adley, 49 for McCann.  Only two catchers in MLB started more than 113 games at C last year, so I’m expecting Adley will stay at about that level, maybe just a couple more. 

I kind of doubt McCann gets into 31 additional games, but if so, it’ll mostly be as a PH or defensive replacement (in blowouts).   
 

Yeah, I think the "80 games" wasn't some etched-in-stone promise being made to McCann, but rather probably an innocuous comment made in passing --  "We're really excited to have you on the Orioles!  As you know, we've got Adley as our starting catcher and we feel fortunate to now have you join us as his backup.  We think you will be a valuable leader and mentor for Adley and our other young players.  You won't be starting regularly, but we'll be getting you into games.  Maybe something like 80 games or so.  Welcome!"

We need to remember that this was a trade, not a free agent signing.  McCann didn't come here based on some perceived promise of playing time in negotiations.

To me, this is about as good as we could have done to fill the back-up catcher spot.

[Aristotelian]

2 minutes ago, Ripken said:

Which is true, of course, based on what Elias wants.  Also true is that, what he wants is not reasonable.  it would have been perfectly fine for the Orioles to give a multi year SP deal this FA period.  They don't have to be so cheap and/or terrified of it.  There were some nice 2-3 year deals given to SPs.  It's not like every SP deal is what Rodon got.  We're gonna need a SP in 2024 now anyway.  Is that market really much better?  Are we trying to win in 2023?

Which multiyear pitcher other than Rodon do you want to outbid the market on? 34 year old Bassit? 1.3 WAR Taillon? Walker's 2.6 WAR looks better, but his 2021 is Gibson-like and his K/9 dropped a bit. Is Walker really a needle mover that you want committed for 4+ years? 

[Can_of_corn]

8 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

I loved Singy, but he would not have had a .388 OBP in the modern era. With the shifts and the way pitching has evolved with stuff, velo and usage, no way. Santander is actually a better comp than you might think. 

Santander career OPS+ 104

Singleton career OPS+ 134.

I don't think he's a good comp.

How about we wait until Santander gets a couple top 5 MVP finishes under his belt?

[DrinkinWithFermi]

I had considered McCann when the Mets signed Narvaez but did not think they would be willing to eat enough money to make it worth it for us, but I was wrong.

I would have preferred Alfaro but this is fine too, as long as the report about him also getting time at 1B/DH doesn't come to pass.

[Ripken]

15 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Which multiyear pitcher other than Rodon do you want to outbid the market on? 34 year old Bassit? 1.3 WAR Taillon? Walker's 2.6 WAR looks better, but his 2021 is Gibson-like and his K/9 dropped a bit. Is Walker really a needle mover that you want committed for 4+ years? 

I'd have happily given the Bassitt, Verlander and Walker deals. 

The Anderson, Quintana, Stripling, Manaea deals are cheap.  Sure, those guys have concerns but I'd take any of them over Gibson.  We basically signed a guy named Lyles Gibson to a 2/18 deal last year and will likely get a worse performance than all of those other deals.

Edit ...and this is about McCann so I won't continue.

Edited December 22, 2022 by Ripken

[deward]

17 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Which multiyear pitcher other than Rodon do you want to outbid the market on? 34 year old Bassit? 1.3 WAR Taillon? Walker's 2.6 WAR looks better, but his 2021 is Gibson-like and his K/9 dropped a bit. Is Walker really a needle mover that you want committed for 4+ years? 

Not who you asked, but I would have gladly beaten the deal Bassitt signed.