It’s only spring training but …..

[Sports Guy]

Said it last year that Handley should be the back up this season. 
 

It’s funny to me how proud Elias is of his prospects but then blocks them with lesser vets. I really don’t get it. Why spend money, on a team with a limited budget, this way?  Really dumbfounding to mw

[Jim'sKid26]

7 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Said it last year that Handley should be the back up this season. 
 

It’s funny to me how proud Elias is of his prospects but then blocks them with lesser vets. I really don’t get it. Why spend money, on a team with a limited budget, this way?  Really dumbfounding to mw

I think that, given McCann's past success, you could make a case for him to be a rather significant bounce back candidate in 2023. I would also say that backup catcher may be the one spot on the roster where experience, especially when your #1 catcher has less than a year of MLB experience, matters most. I would say that if they went into 2023 with Adley and Maverick as the two catchers on the 26 man roster, they are taking a risk that seems excessive to me. McCann came rather cheaply and if he's blocking Maverick for 1 year I like the decision. If Maverick is ready at the deadline, you can always flip McCann for a prospect. 

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

I think that, given McCann's past success, you could make a case for him to be a rather significant bounce back candidate in 2023. I would also say that backup catcher may be the one spot on the roster where experience, especially when your #1 catcher has less than a year of MLB experience, matters most. I would say that if they went into 2023 with Adley and Maverick as the two catchers on the 26 man roster, they are taking a risk that seems excessive to me. McCann came rather cheaply and if he's blocking Maverick for 1 year I like the decision. If Maverick is ready at the deadline, you can always flip McCann for a prospect. 

What risk are you taking? You have the best catcher in baseball and a back up who is excellent defensively and has a solid offensive ceiling for a back up C.

 

[Jim'sKid26]

8 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

What risk are you taking? You have the best catcher in baseball and a back up who is excellent defensively and has a solid offensive ceiling for a back up C.

 

So a point of clarity here: Are you saying Maverick Hadley is a better option for the 2023 Baltimore Orioles than James McCann?

[RZNJ]

Just now, Jim'sKid26 said:

So a point of clarity here: Are you saying Maverick Hadley is a better option for the 2023 Baltimore Orioles than James McCann?

I would say he might be.  McCann might be toast.  He looks like it so far.

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

So a point of clarity here: Are you saying Maverick Hadley is a better option for the 2023 Baltimore Orioles than James McCann?

I’m saying I would rather have him. Whether McCann ends up being better is tbd. Could he be? Sure.

But he’s also about to be 33 and could easily be done.

The back up C was maybe the most overrated thing on people’s wish list this offseason. We have the BEST C in the sport, a guy who should be catching 110-120 games. 
 

I see no reason to spend money on the back up, especially when the asset Most look for in a back up C is defense and I would bet on Handley being better defensively than McCann right now. 
 

And again, what is the risk here?

[Jim'sKid26]

3 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I would say he might be.  McCann might be toast.  He looks like it so far.

And that's fair. He might be. But he might also not be and he has had success at the MLB level where Handley has not. As I said. It's a gamble. But not a huge one. 

[RZNJ]

One thing I just noticed.  McCann’s career CS% is 37.  Last year it was 72%!    God bless Buck and his tttp.    8 stole bases and 21 caught stealing.  That’s actually kind of amazing.

[Jim'sKid26]

4 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I’m saying I would rather have him. Whether McCann ends up being better is tbd. Could he be? Sure.

But he’s also about to be 33 and could easily be done.

The back up C was maybe the most overrated thing on people’s wish list this offseason. We have the BEST C in the sport, a guy who should be catching 110-120 games. 
 

I see no reason to spend money on the back up, especially when the asset Most look for in a back up C is defense and I would bet on Handley being better defensively than McCann right now. 
 

And again, what is the risk here?

OK. What if Adley gets hurt? Do you still want Handley over McCann? 

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

OK. What if Adley gets hurt? Do you still want Handley over McCann? 

If Adley gets hurt, does it really matter?

And yes, I would probably want Handley more because it would give him valuable experience.

 

[Number5]

Not sure how sitting in Baltimore would be better for Handley than playing in Norfolk.  McCann as our backup C seems fine to me.

[oriolefan1035]

Having McCann doesn’t bother me. Adam Frazier blocking the young infielders is far more egregious IMO.

[RZNJ]

13 minutes ago, Number5 said:

Not sure how sitting in Baltimore would be better for Handley than playing in Norfolk.  McCann as our backup C seems fine to me.

He played 78 games in Bowie last year.  He’d probably start 40 in Baltimore.   He’s about to be 26.  You could argue that backing up in Baltimore would be better for him.

[Sports Guy]

We still have Adley Rutschman, right?

[ScGO's]

12 minutes ago, Number5 said:

Not sure how sitting in Baltimore would be better for Handley than playing in Norfolk.  McCann as our backup C seems fine to me.

Signing McCann was a good move my Elias.  McCann's not a world beater, but he's probably going to be twice as productive as Chirinos was, and defensively he's probably going to be fine back there.  We will know who Handley is by about halfway through the AAA season and Elias will respond accordingly by making 1 of 4 decisions

1. Handley and McCann are both having productive seasons so they call up Handley and trade McCann

2. Handley is having a productive season but McCann is faltering; cut McCann and call up Handley

3. McCann is productive but Handley falters in AAA; keep Handley down and ride it out with McCann for a 2nd year

4. They both end up faltering and Elias looks for an affordable, more productive replacement.