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2023 Ongoing Lineup Thread


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50 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

This isn’t the first time this spring Ortiz has been penciled into the 9 spot. I am probably reading way too into this but is it possible the Orioles are not as high on bat as his minor league production last year lead us to believe? 

Just getting him ready for his actual batting position after they trade Mateo.  lol

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2 hours ago, RVAOsFan said:

This isn’t the first time this spring Ortiz has been penciled into the 9 spot. I am probably reading way too into this but is it possible the Orioles are not as high on bat as his minor league production last year lead us to believe? 

The good news is, they’re giving him a lot of looks.  

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18 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Vavra apparently is a scratch, replaced by Cowser.  

Dang!  I’m more interested in seeing Vavra hit and play LF than Cowser at this point but hopefully Cowser’s bat will barrel one.  You’ll be there soon!

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I'm somewhat leaning into a Terrin Vavra shtick here, but I wonder if he strained something overloading his mechanism crushing a few pitches this week.

I think down the talent chain from the Adley-Cowser type elite, Elias prefers tools to skills, a belief beginning somewhere around him painting Jordan Westburg with the brush of a "tooled-up college player".     They'll put a medicine ball on a paint bucket or something and help you figure out the rest - Rhodes, Beavers, Fabian others in that category for me.

A smaller guy, coach's son like Vavra, setting the tee for Joe Mauer - its a profile skills maximization is attained earlier.    Give him the Captain America super serum, he's an All-Star.

One of the ways I kind of sort of understand Adam Frazier is its simply Elias' judgment Vavra isn't a contributor at all.    If Jordan Westburg would just sign the danged contract Elias wants to give, I still see a path where Frazier opens the year as the super utility guy.     Vavra's probably the most interesting 50/50 case for the roster at all 25 days out from OD.

McCann, Frazier, McKenna and Stowers are then the bench (veteranosity I'll just give Urias the starting DH nod) if Westburg wins a job.

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5 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

I'm somewhat leaning into a Terrin Vavra shtick here, but I wonder if he strained something overloading his mechanism crushing a few pitches this week.

I think down the talent chain from the Adley-Cowser type elite, Elias prefers tools to skills, a belief beginning somewhere around him painting Jordan Westburg with the brush of a "tooled-up college player".     They'll put a medicine ball on a paint bucket or something and help you figure out the rest - Rhodes, Beavers, Fabian others in that category for me.

A smaller guy, coach's son like Vavra, setting the tee for Joe Mauer - its a profile skills maximization is attained earlier.    Give him the Captain America super serum, he's an All-Star.

One of the ways I kind of sort of understand Adam Frazier is its simply Elias' judgment Vavra isn't a contributor at all.    If Jordan Westburg would just sign the danged contract Elias wants to give, I still see a path where Frazier opens the year as the super utility guy.     Vavra's probably the most interesting 50/50 case for the roster at all 25 days out from OD.

McCann, Frazier, McKenna and Stowers are then the bench (veteranosity I'll just give Urias the starting DH nod) if Westburg wins a job.

Joey Ortiz and Connor Norby weren’t tooled up players.  Also, probably would have gone for Druw Jones or Elijah Green over Holliday if that were the case.   Obviously, tools matter, but chase rates seem to be a primary focus and then either power or power potential next.  Remember, Elias traded for Vavra.  I think the biggest drawback on Vavra is his arm and their skepticism on his ability to turn two.   Of course, maybe they scratched him today because he’s about to headed elsewhere.

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1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

Joey Ortiz and Connor Norby weren’t tooled up players.  Also, probably would have gone for Druw Jones or Elijah Green over Holliday if that were the case.   Obviously, tools matter, but chase rates seem to be a primary focus and then either power or power potential next.  Remember, Elias traded for Vavra.  I think the biggest drawback on Vavra is his arm and their skepticism on his ability to turn two.   Of course, maybe they scratched him today because he’s about to headed elsewhere.

That'd be cool - he doesn't have the MLB reps of Mateo or Urias but is feeling the same squeeze.

I guess to test my own standard - Ortiz's glove and Norby's hit tool are carrying skills more playable than anything Vavra's got.     Holliday rates on the Adley-Cowser elite control of the strike zone expectation, and I agree Elias prefers that to tools-tilted players like Westburg was in the beginning.

I still have my doubts if Ortiz's frame will hold up with the extra strength he added during covid, but 2022's 600 PA were an A+.     He can make it like a slightly better Jorge Mateo even if he isn't Nomar Garciaparra!

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