Orioles sign 1B Curtis Terry to minor league deal

[MurphDogg]

Another move to address first base / DH depth at Norfolk.

As a reminder, Norfolk's leaders in appearances at first base last season were Patrick Dorian (41 games), Kelvin Gutierez (41), Jacob Nottingham (25), Cadyn Grenier (18), Tyler Nevin (15), and Brett Cumberland (9).

Terry, Diaz and O'Hearn are all a huge step up from that collection of org guys which is meaningful if Mountcastle is injured and misses any significant time.

Terry was terrible in 48 plate appearances with the Rangers in 2021 but has a .264/.348/.486 line in 179 AAA games in 2021-22 split between Round Rock and St. Paul.

Not someone who I expect to be more than a AAAA player, but a step up from Tyler Nevin (.246/.328/.417 in 155 AAA games at the same age and time as Terry) should the need arise to fill in at the big league level.

Edited January 27, 2023 by MurphDogg

[Matt Bennett]

Why is this a huge step up? I count 9 names in the OP and 0 major league caliber ballplayers. 

[MurphDogg]

8 minutes ago, Matt Bennett said:

Why is this a huge step up? I count 9 names in the OP and 0 major league caliber ballplayers. 

Not every player can be above average, and minor league free agents and waiver claims are by definition not sure Major League caliber players.

But if you can't tell the difference between the group of players that Norfolk had at first last season and O'Hearn, Diaz, and Terry, then you are being purposefully obtuse.

It is a minor league signing that will in all likelihood only increase the competitiveness of Norfolk's roster and have no bearing on that of the Orioles, but I would rather give AAA at-bats to guys like Terry than guys like Dorian, Gutierez and Nottingham.

Edited January 27, 2023 by MurphDogg

[interloper]

I kind of dig the AAA 1B depth. Sure they're AAAA guys, but I'd take these guys over last year's group. With possible exception of Nevin, who I liked as a depth guy, but it seems he was going to be claimed hence the trade. 

Diaz - upside guy with great defense
O'Hearn - ML experience guy
Terry - right-handed depth guy

[Matt Bennett]

16 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

But if you can't tell the difference between the group of players that Norfolk had at first last season and O'Hearn, Diaz, and Terry, then you are being purposefully obtuse.

Yeah, not really lol. Gutierrez actually played all around decent ball in his audition in 2021. Nevin was a first round pick and one time prospect. I remember posters on here calling for Patrick Dorian to be protected in the Rule V draft. Seems like we're just swapping our org guys for other team's org guys. 

[sportsfan8703]

The 4A label gets thrown around too much. The player needs to basically be a AAA all star a time or two before the 4A level is fitting. A .700 OPS is just a regular old average/below average AAA player. No extra A needed. 

[TommyPickles]

Just sounds like more bad news for Lewin Diaz lol

[interloper]

4 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The 4A label gets thrown around too much. The player needs to basically be a AAA all star a time or two before the 4A level is fitting. A .700 OPS is just a regular old average/below average AAA player. No extra A needed. 

To be fair, Terry had an .882 AAA OPS in 2021 and a .777 AAA OPS in 2022. 

[MurphDogg]

3 minutes ago, Matt Bennett said:

Yeah, not really lol. Gutierrez actually played all around decent ball in his audition in 2021. Nevin was a first round pick and one time prospect. I remember posters on here calling for Patrick Dorian to be protected in the Rule V draft. Seems like we're just swapping our org guys for other team's org guys. 

Gutierrez was a decent emergency option as a super utility guy but not as a first baseman given that he was in his age 27 season and his career AAA slash line is .265/.335/.411. Nevin was coming off a terrible first year at Norfolk in 2021 although he was only entering his age 25 season (and he could still theoretically an option at third) so it made sense to give him a second chance.

Dorrian had a decent season as a 25-year-old at Bowie in 2021, but I don't remember anyone clamoring for him to be protected for the Rule 5 draft given his age. He was entering his age 26 season in 2022, and wasn't a horrible option for AAA 1st base at-bats given his success at Bowie in 2021, but he didn't have the track record of Diaz, Terry or O'Hearn and he clearly fell flat on his face.

Terry and Diaz are entering their age 26 seasons with a proven track record of AAA success. I don't expect any of these guys to be successful Major Leaguers, but I think the odds of them not embarrassing themselves in a fill in role are higher than last year's group.

[MurphDogg]

14 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The 4A label gets thrown around too much. The player needs to basically be a AAA all star a time or two before the 4A level is fitting. A .700 OPS is just a regular old average/below average AAA player. No extra A needed. 

Yeah, O'Hearn is a AAAA guy given his dominance there in 2019 and 2021, Diaz and Terry are guys that have had some AAA success but probably need another year of .850+ AAA OPS to reach that level. Of course it is tough to be a AAAA guy by the time you are 26 because you need several years of AAA success (and Major League failure) to earn the label.

[sportsfan8703]

13 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Yeah, O'Hearn is a AAAA guy given his dominance there in 2019 and 2021, Diaz and Terry are guys that have had some AAA success but probably need another year of .850+ AAA OPS to reach that level. Of course it is tough to be a AAAA guy by the time you are 26 because you need several years of AAA success (and Major League failure) to earn the label.

I just don’t see how because someone OPS’d .800 for a month in the PCL that all of a sudden they are a 4A player. Also , it depends on position. A .777 OPS in AAA is about average for a 1B. Not such a level of domination that there needs to a hybrid level. Terry us just 3A depth. 

[sportsfan8703]

35 minutes ago, TommyPickles said:

Just sounds like more bad news for Lewin Diaz lol

It could be bad news for Vavra in the sense that we give the last bench spot to O’Hearn. Either way Terry is good depth for AAA. Elias is putting together quite the AAA deep depth. We haven’t seen the likes of this since Prime DD. 

[nvpacchi]

I remember picking up Terry in a dynasty fantasy baseball league in '21 hoping he'd pop- obviously and sadly he didn't.  But I remember reading 80 grade makeup reports on him, so maybe he's able to make something click in Baltimore now.

Not holding my breath for a real breakout, but will cheer hard for it nonetheless.

[owknows]

I like this signing.

Hit at every MiLB level

Has a little over a season's worth of AAA AB's.. with an .835 OPS and 32 HR's and 107 RBIs

He flopped in his MLB debut... but it was a pretty small sample size. Kinda hard to tell anything from 45 AB's

No real 1B at Norfolk...

This is the kind of acquisition I like... Never really got a chance to show what he has one way or the other.

 

[RZNJ]

17 hours ago, owknows said:

I like this signing.

Hit at every MiLB level

Has a little over a season's worth of AAA AB's.. with an .835 OPS and 32 HR's and 107 RBIs

He flopped in his MLB debut... but it was a pretty small sample size. Kinda hard to tell anything from 45 AB's

No real 1B at Norfolk...

This is the kind of acquisition I like... Never really got a chance to show what he has one way or the other.

 

That’s a big dude.  I’m gonna guess DH is his best position.   Very similar offensively to Lewin Diaz with impressive AAA power numbers and 26 years old.    Longshots but give them another year in AAA to see if something clicks.   The weakness of both players is plate discipline which gets exploited at the next level.

With Josh Lester, Lewin Diaz, and Terry, along with Daz Cameron, Cowser, possibly Haskins in the OF, gotta wonder if Mazara and Franchy Cordero have opt outs in their contracts.

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by RZNJ