Roch: O's Looking for Defensive Minded OF

[ThisIsBirdland]

3 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Not sure what they are looking for.    Doesn't Vavra play a decent LF and provide a LH bat?   Doesn't McKenna play good defense and provide something with the bat?    They left Brett Phillips go?     They have Daz Cameron at Norfolk.   I'd have to assume it's someone better than those guys.   A LH bat that plays good defense in LF?    That would push both O'Hearn and Vavra off the roster.

Maybe they have budget for someone like Profar on a one year deal now that Irvin is their fifth starter making $750k instead of someone like Wacha. No idea if Profar is a fit, switch hitter who plays a decent LF, struggled as a middle infielder apparently. FWIW he did play 20 games at 1B in 2021 it looks like. It'd be a major knock against any playing time for Stowers I imagine.

[oriole]

Am I the only one who would rather just roll with whoever is already in the organization than to give out major league deals to crappy players that will block prospects? 
 

It’s not that Frazier, Irvin, and Gibson are crappy exactly but at the time, they kinda are and I really don’t have it in me to keep trying to pry a positive outlook from a perpetual rotating door of the worlds most uninspiring and middling stock of players. I don’t want a defensive minded OF to take at bats from Stowers and Cowser down the line. Just give me McKenna and let the dust settle how it will after we see them all play. 

[Tony-OH]

19 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Not sure what they are looking for.    Doesn't Vavra play a decent LF and provide a LH bat?   Doesn't McKenna play good defense and provide something with the bat?    They left Brett Phillips go?     They have Daz Cameron at Norfolk.   I'd have to assume it's someone better than those guys.   A LH bat that plays good defense in LF?    That would push both O'Hearn and Vavra off the roster.

Vavra's speed was not as good as expected (45th percentile) and his poor instincts (burst total was -5.6 ft/sec) in the outfield mean he's probably not a great fit in Camden's expansive LF. Auston Hays fell off a bit but his 61st percentile spring speed and -1.2 ft/sec wasn't awful though he was -4 OOA coming in on balls last year. McKenna is a good offset to Mullins in CF but it appears they'd rather have a left-handed hitting outfielder with good defense to cover down on Hays in LF. 

The problem they have is that both Stowers and Santander are right fielders due to their limited foot speed. 

[wildcard]

4 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Vavra's speed was not as good as expected (45th percentile) and his poor instincts (burst total was -5.6 ft/sec) in the outfield mean he's probably not a great fit in Camden's expansive LF. Auston Hays fell off a bit but his 61st percentile spring speed and -1.2 ft/sec wasn't awful though he was -4 OOA coming in on balls last year. McKenna is a good offset to Mullins in CF but it appears they'd rather have a left-handed hitting outfielder with good defense to cover down on Hays in LF. 

The problem they have is that both Stowers and Santander are right fielders due to their limited foot speed. 

So we are thinking alike on this one.

[Aristotelian]

7 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

McKenna is a good offset to Mullins in CF but it appears they'd rather have a left-handed hitting outfielder with good defense to cover down on Hays in LF. 

The problem they have is that both Stowers and Santander are right fielders due to their limited foot speed. 

Can't Frazier play that role? Can they really afford two defensive OF on the roster?

I agree, it really seems they hate Vavra but they are killing his value having him rot on the bench.

 

 

[sportsfan8703]

Profar makes sense. We could do something like 2/16 with a 2 million buyout after year 1. 
 

Vs RHP

Mullins L CF

Adley S C

Gunnar L 3B or SS

Santander S DH

Mountcastle R 1B

Profar S LF

Stowers L RF

Frazier L 2B

Mateo SS or Urias 3B

McKenna, McCann, Hays, Mateo/Urias

 

[sportsfan8703]

Elias obviously thinks we need this. Remember Brett Phillips. Elias had his guy in Jake Cave, but the Phillies claimed him off Waivers. I bet that is the one offseason move that Elias wants back. 
 

David Peralta is a name. Profar fits but would cost millions. I wonder if Elias would do a salary relief for prospect trade with the Yankees. We take on some of Hicks’ remaining salary and in return the Yankees attach a SP prospect. 

[HakunaSakata]

1 hour ago, 24fps said:

Trade for Alek Thomas.

Arizona has a glut of outfielders, Carroll will play all season and Thomas had a down second half so he should come fairly cheap.

As a bonus or two, he bats LH, can steal bases and play CF.

I like the idea, but I think Thomas' trade value is probably more than he's actually worth. I would LOVE to find a way to pry Jake McCarthy away from them. I wonder if Hayes and Mateo or Urias would be enough? I can't imagine the D'Backs are happy going into the season with Nick Ahmed as their starting SS. 

[Number5]

33 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Profar makes sense.

Defense-minded?  Don't see it.

[HakunaSakata]

1 hour ago, SpOkane said:

Not sure if this was mentioned in any threads, but Roch mentioned this: "The interesting pursuit, however spirited, is a defensive-minded corner outfielder who can be trusted in left field."

Why do my spidey senses tell me it is Aaron Hicks?

Orioles roster seems to be nearing completion but hasn't necessarily reached that point - Blog (masnsports.com)

 

That would explain the Profar interest, although I wouldn't really call him defensive minded. If they want a defensive-minded outfielder they should just sign Jackie Bradley, Jr. or Robbie Grossman. 

[HakunaSakata]

13 minutes ago, HakunaSakata said:

I like the idea, but I think Thomas' trade value is probably more than he's actually worth. I would LOVE to find a way to pry Jake McCarthy away from them. I wonder if Hayes and Mateo or Urias would be enough? I can't imagine the D'Backs are happy going into the season with Nick Ahmed as their starting SS. 

...also Jake McCarthy was 11th in MLB in sprint speed last season. He has ELITE speed. 

For those wondering, Mateo was 9th, Henderson was 50th, and Mullins was 119th. 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

Can't Frazier play that role? Can they really afford two defensive OF on the roster?

I agree, it really seems they hate Vavra but they are killing his value having him rot on the bench.

 

 

Frazier is a little like Vavra for the outfield. Below average sprint speeds and jumps. 

[bpilktree]

2 hours ago, 24fps said:

Trade for Alek Thomas.

Arizona has a glut of outfielders, Carroll will play all season and Thomas had a down second half so he should come fairly cheap.

As a bonus or two, he bats LH, can steal bases and play CF.

Zero chance the D-backs are trading away Thomas unless you are trading one of our top prospects.  22 year old top prospect that ranked 38, 33, 18 in the big 3 preseason rankings last year.  They are trying to build around him and Carroll not trying to trade him because of a slow 2nd half at 22 in the majors.  

[Camden Yards]

Is Jackie Bradley better than McKenna?

[HakunaSakata]

6 minutes ago, Camden Yards said:

Is Jackie Bradley better than McKenna?

Defensively I'd say he probably is.