Elias expecting Rodriguez to make rotation in ST

[ThisIsBirdland]

Just interviewed by Jim Bowden/MLB Network Radio. Also expects Cowser to join MLB team during season. I wouldn't call it breaking news but it's nice to hear.

 

https://twitter.com/JimBowdenGM/status/1619744434488479744?s=20&t=SfPJu4PiPYTfoq1O97e9sA

[owknows]

Yeah... I pulled him aside and had a little talk with him.. 

[HakunaSakata]

[sportsfan8703]

Rodriguez shouldn’t waste another pitch in the minors. 

[ThisIsBirdland]

Barring injury, I think this removes any 26-man active roster drama for Spring Training, especially if they do end up signing a LH OF. I think the battle for the 8th RP spot and the last bench spot are really the only obvious openings; maybe Stowers and McKenna too?

Rustchman, McCann, Mountcastle, Frazier, Mateo, Henderson, Urias, Mullins, Santander, Hays, Stowers, McKenna, Vavra/LH OF

Gibson, Irvin, Kremer, Bradish, Rodriguez

Bautista, Tate, Perez, Givens, Baker, Wells, Voth, 8th RP (Akin, Hall, Krehbiel, Vespi, Politi)

 

[Tony-OH]

14 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Barring injury, I think this removes any 26-man active roster drama for Spring Training, especially if they do end up signing a LH OF. I think the battle for the 8th RP spot and the last bench spot are really the only obvious openings; maybe Stowers and McKenna too?

Rustchman, McCann, Mountcastle, Frazier, Mateo, Henderson, Urias, Mullins, Santander, Hays, Stowers, McKenna, Vavra/LH OF

Gibson, Irvin, Kremer, Bradish, Rodriguez

Bautista, Tate, Perez, Givens, Baker, Wells, Voth, 8th RP (Akin, Hall, Krehbiel, Vespi, Politi)

 

My only nitpick is that I think Akin has the team made is not trying to win the last spot. The team could send Wells to AAA to start and be ready as starting pitching depth. If that happens it allows either Politi or Vespi to make the team in the pen. Hall only makes it if they decide he's a left-handed reliever. 

[Sports Guy]

Cowser up by June 1…GRod can easily throw 130-140ish innings. You can limit him early on but basically, if healthy, he can give you 25-30 starts.  

[oriole]

I’m curious how Cowser is able to make it onto the roster. Who will he take ABs from? Hays? Stowers? I’d like to believe that once Cowser is up then he is an every day player, at least until he shows he is not up to the task. But that comes at a cost and there’s pretty good OF depth, especially if you count Frazier and Vavra as potential options. 
 

Of course, injuries and bad performance can make the decision easy. But assuming everyone is healthy and playing around what we expect, where does Cowser go?

[Sports Guy]

Btw, if Elias believes this about Cowser (no reason that he doesn’t), it makes me wonder why he wants to add another OFer right now?  
 

Although, if they are saying we don’t view Santander as an OFer at all anymore, I guess you can argue they could use another OFer for now.

[Spy Fox]

11 minutes ago, oriole said:

I’m curious how Cowser is able to make it onto the roster. Who will he take ABs from? Hays? Stowers? I’d like to believe that once Cowser is up then he is an every day player, at least until he shows he is not up to the task. But that comes at a cost and there’s pretty good OF depth, especially if you count Frazier and Vavra as potential options. 
 

Of course, injuries and bad performance can make the decision easy. But assuming everyone is healthy and playing around what we expect, where does Cowser go?

In that scenario Cowser might push Hays more into a platoon. 

Also, if things are really going well for everyone this summer, both prospects and established players, it increases the chance we see a trade of a few guys for one elite player. The more of a logjam we have the more likely a Burnes-type trade becomes I think.

[oriole]

18 minutes ago, Spy Fox said:

In that scenario Cowser might push Hays more into a platoon. 

Also, if things are really going well for everyone this summer, both prospects and established players, it increases the chance we see a trade of a few guys for one elite player. The more of a logjam we have the more likely a Burnes-type trade becomes I think.

I agree on both accounts. Hays seems like he has the inside track on losing his every day player status. At the same time, if he is playing pretty decently and Cowser is pushing himself onto the roster then you’ve got to decide if you trade someone established like Hays in the middle of a hopeful playoff push or trade the up and coming prospect who hasn’t proven he can play at the major league level but is an all around more valuable player. 
 

Im excited to see how it works out!

[CharmCityHokie]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

My only nitpick is that I think Akin has the team made is not trying to win the last spot. The team could send Wells to AAA to start and be ready as starting pitching depth. If that happens it allows either Politi or Vespi to make the team in the pen. Hall only makes it if they decide he's a left-handed reliever. 

Agreed, Akin should already have a spot sewn up. I don't think Vespi is going to be ready for opening day with his hernia surgery, so that may be Hall's spot to start, unless Politi is lights out in ST.

[Bahama O's Fan]

I bet Elias is hoping to have traded an OF by mid season to make room.

[connja]

2 hours ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Barring injury, I think this removes any 26-man active roster drama for Spring Training, especially if they do end up signing a LH OF. I think the battle for the 8th RP spot and the last bench spot are really the only obvious openings; maybe Stowers and McKenna too?

Rustchman, McCann, Mountcastle, Frazier, Mateo, Henderson, Urias, Mullins, Santander, Hays, Stowers, McKenna, Vavra/LH OF

Gibson, Irvin, Kremer, Bradish, Rodriguez

Bautista, Tate, Perez, Givens, Baker, Wells, Voth, 8th RP (Akin, Hall, Krehbiel, Vespi, Politi)

 

That requires a big assumption that everyone stays healthy.  

[wildcard]

2 hours ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Barring injury, I think this removes any 26-man active roster drama for Spring Training, especially if they do end up signing a LH OF. I think the battle for the 8th RP spot and the last bench spot are really the only obvious openings; maybe Stowers and McKenna too?

Rustchman, McCann, Mountcastle, Frazier, Mateo, Henderson, Urias, Mullins, Santander, Hays, Stowers, McKenna, Vavra/LH OF

Gibson, Irvin, Kremer, Bradish, Rodriguez

Bautista, Tate, Perez, Givens, Baker, Wells, Voth, 8th RP (Akin, Hall, Krehbiel, Vespi, Politi)

 

I think Gibson, Irvin, Kremer, Bradish, Grayson, Wells and Voth all get stretched out in ST.    We will see who makes it to the rotation and who stays in the rotation.