Roch forgets about Maverick Handley

[wildcard]

3 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Okay, so if Handley makes it to AAA this year, great.  But you're also acting like his OPS will carry across all levels.

I don't what he will do at AAA.  But he deserves the chance to play a lot at AAA.

[wildcard]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I just don’t think the point of the article was to discuss who will be the primary backup C in Norfolk.  
 

It was not the point of the article  and no one said it was.  But he stated that Bemboon is the likely primary catcher which is probably wrong with Handley likely to be promoted from AA.  If Roch is going to broach the subject of the AAA catcher he should have mentioned Handley.

[SteveA]

5 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

It’s a reach to complain that Roch forgot something here, which is the title and premise of your thread.

This is starting a thread just to start one.

The better question would have been, can Handley force his way onto the ML team this year if he plays well and McCann struggles like he did in 2022?

Is there any other reason?

[RZNJ]

Mark Kolzsvary and Bemboom look like they would be the AAA catchers.    I can't see Handley being in AAA unless one of those guys is promoted or released.

[CHIP]

I read Roch's stuff and 1/2 of it is 'going thru the motions' to earn a check and the other 1/2 is 'creative sarcasm' with his mail bag BS.  None of the information he provides is 'breaking news' and often the 2nd or 3rd version of someone else's work.  This is the lazy, 'look up the Norfolk Tides roster' and say something about it with minimal effort.  

Randy Florentino is listed (as Roch states) on the Norfolk Roster. But the fact is he was just selected in the MiLB rule 5.  Highest level was Rangers A+ and in all of 2022 he got 153 ABs.  So I would hope/anticipate he is NOT on the AAA roster come break of AAA.

Roch even mentioned in 2022 they had Bemboom, Nottingham and Beau Taylor.  Taylor spent most of his time on the Taxi Squad before he was released (possibly at his request).  So in 2023 the O's likely need a 'sacrificial catcher' on the AAA roster.  

 

[wildcard]

6 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Mark Kolzsvary and Bemboom look like they would be the AAA catchers.    I can't see Handley being in AAA unless one of those guys is promoted or released.

What makes Kolozvary better than Handley?

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

What makes Kolozvary better than Handley?

I didn't say he was better.   I said it looks like he and Bemboom will be the AAA catchers unless one is promoted due to injury or one is released.

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, wildcard said:

What makes Kolozvary better than Handley?

I don’t know if he’s better, but he does have significant AAA experience and some brief experience in the majors    That puts the onus on Handley to prove he should play in AAA instead of the guy who’s already done it.

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Frobby

[CHIP]

20 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Okay, so if Handley makes it to AAA this year, great.  But you're also acting like his OPS will carry across all levels.

I have put this out there before and I will again.  The O's have been very deliberate with Handley's movement across levels.  Short A in Aberdeen in 2019, 2020 lost to Covid, 2021 High A in Aberdeen (after remodel to turf and shit lights) and then 2022 AA in Bowie.   Each season he gets more playing time but as others have also noted, the O's refuse to work any specific catcher below Adley greater than 50%.   

He has had the SAME MANAGER (Kyle Moore) at every level he has played.  So no new 'influence' from the O's to make him better at the higher levels.  The difference seems that Handley has invested in himself by going to Driveline in Seattle and Arizona in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and his numbers (Avg/Obp/Slg/Ops) are all improving every year as he moves up in levels.  How much of his poor performance in 2019 and 2021 (both seasons at Aberdeen) was because of Aberdeen?  Seems like Aberdeen causing dips in our high prospects numbers are 'ignored' because it was Aberdeen.  But then for Handley, most seem to simply ignore the Aberdeen affect because they aren't looking for excuses for his performance.  

The question is, based again on the Matt Blood article, with the O's emphasizing AB's for their highest prospects, where does that leave getting Handley the AB's needed to improve?  AA or AAA?  

Time will tell and it only takes an injury or two to drastically change the catcher pool.  If I remember, all 3 AAA catchers were hurt toward the end of 2022 when they moved Roberts up because Handley had just returned from the IL from his concussion.

[wildcard]

I can see the need for Bemboom if Adley or McCann get hurt in the first half of 2023.   But Kolozvary does not look like he is a better catcher than Handley to me.   Handley was drafted by Elias and has been promoted through the O's system.  His AA season looks like he is a prospect that is  continuing is climb to AAA.

Kolozvary is a waiver wire pick up.   He could be dropped at any time.  

I see Handley as the primary catching prospect at AAA to start the season.

[Moose Milligan]

8 minutes ago, CHIP said:

I have put this out there before and I will again.  The O's have been very deliberate with Handley's movement across levels.  Short A in Aberdeen in 2019, 2020 lost to Covid, 2021 High A in Aberdeen (after remodel to turf and shit lights) and then 2022 AA in Bowie.   Each season he gets more playing time but as others have also noted, the O's refuse to work any specific catcher below Adley greater than 50%.   

He has had the SAME MANAGER (Kyle Moore) at every level he has played.  So no new 'influence' from the O's to make him better at the higher levels.  The difference seems that Handley has invested in himself by going to Driveline in Seattle and Arizona in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and his numbers (Avg/Obp/Slg/Ops) are all improving every year as he moves up in levels.  How much of his poor performance in 2019 and 2021 (both seasons at Aberdeen) was because of Aberdeen?  Seems like Aberdeen causing dips in our high prospects numbers are 'ignored' because it was Aberdeen.  But then for Handley, most seem to simply ignore the Aberdeen affect because they aren't looking for excuses for his performance.  

The question is, based again on the Matt Blood article, with the O's emphasizing AB's for their highest prospects, where does that leave getting Handley the AB's needed to improve?  AA or AAA?  

Time will tell and it only takes an injury or two to drastically change the catcher pool.  If I remember, all 3 AAA catchers were hurt toward the end of 2022 when they moved Roberts up because Handley had just returned from the IL from his concussion.

This is quite a word salad to say that people are underrating Maverick Handley.

[CHIP]

23 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

Maybe Roch knows something we don't know and it's not an omission. Bemboom was temporarily added to the 40 man and has MLB experience so presumably he is ahead.of Handley at least as far as chances to make the opening day roster.

I'm starting to wonder also if the O's are looking to move Handley. 

I was Googling around online and on Twitter.  There was a thread by somebody talking about Guardians moving some SPs but the start of the thread is not a 'known' account..., Orioles, Cubs, Cardinals are teams more interested in RHPs Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac. Guardians not incentivized to deal either unless return is very good.

There seems to be a group that follows the Guardian's like The Verge does for the O's.  They seem to like the idea of getting prospect(s) from the O's (Handley and a pick) for a SP from the Guardians.  O's have traded with Cleveland in 2021 (Plutko) and 2019 (Wojciechowski).  Looking at the catching depth in Cleveland it is thinner than O's.

 

 

[CHIP]

15 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

This is quite a word salad to say that people are underrating Maverick Handley.

I sometimes like me a COBB salad or a good old Steak Caesar...  but I'll never pay $12 for a wedge of lettuce.  Handley is a good old Garden Salad without the cabbage

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, CHIP said:

I sometimes like me a COBB salad or a good old Steak Caesar...  but I'll never pay $12 for a wedge of lettuce.  Handley is a good old Garden Salad without the cabbage

I hate salads, by and large.  Caesar's are about all I can stomach.

[Number5]

Why would we want Plesac?