Orioles acquire Danny Coulombe

[Ripken]

Pen looks like a mess.  Elias did not have a good off season.  

[Can_of_corn]

23 minutes ago, Ripken said:

Pen looks like a mess.  Elias did not have a good off season.  

Fangraphs has them at #21 and that's with Givens and Tate combining for 114 innings.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2023-positional-power-rankings-bullpen-no-16-30/

Edited March 27, 2023 by Can_of_corn

[oriole]

1 hour ago, Ripken said:

Pen looks like a mess.  Elias did not have a good off season.  

Blast off! or whatever 

Truly a disappointment

[eddie83]

I wonder if they let him go in a couple of days once rosters are made. Maybe they think they can keep him. Pure speculation on my part.  

[SteveA]

Given some of the bullpen acquisitions that were completely unheralded and seemed unimpressive at the time they were made -- Baker, Perez, Lopez, Krehbiel -- I'm willing to take a wait and see attitude here.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Maybe put Grayson and/or Hall in the bullpen to start the season? They could work them in long relief role and it wouldn't be much different than starting in the minors. Plus they get reps against MLB hitters.

[Roll Tide]

14 hours ago, wildcard said:

3rd lefty in the pen.  

Means and Johnson can go on the 60 day IL.   Politi spot in limbo.  Tate could go on the 60 day IL if needed.

They have to save a 40 man spot for Bemboom in case McCann can't go.

Opt outs will be interesting.

Is Tate really 60 days out?

[eddie83]

2 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

Is Tate really 60 days out?

They keep saying maybe by Mid May he is back. I’m not optimistic myself with that kind of an injury. 
 

That said they may not really have the need to put him on the 60 unless they think they really need the roster spot. 

[vab]

I could see them trying to sneak Coulombe through waivers again, he would be a good depth piece. 

[Ohfan67]

15 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Fangraphs has them at #21 and that's with Givens and Tate combining for 114 innings.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2023-positional-power-rankings-bullpen-no-16-30/

Fangraphs project the Oriole bullpen to be worth 1.5 WAR, yet the same/similar group generated 4.7 WAR last year (good for 9th in MLB). I guess Fangraphs believe that last year was a fluke. 

[Frobby]

The O’s selected Coulombe’s contract, so he’s on the team.   I’ve been trying to check into him a little.  He pitched effectively last year for two months (1.46 ERA) but then underwent hip labrum surgery and missed the rest of the season.  It wasn’t clear if he’d be ready by spring training, but he was, and pitched well, throwing 9 innings to a 0.00 ERA while striking out 13 and allowing only 8 hits.   His work this spring included three scoreless one-inning appearances against the Orioles, in which he struck out 6 batters.   So, I guess the O’s liked what they saw.  

[interloper]

19 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The O’s selected Coulombe’s contract, so he’s on the team.   I’ve been trying to check into him a little.  He pitched effectively last year for two months (1.46 ERA) but then underwent hip labrum surgery and missed the rest of the season.  It wasn’t clear if he’d be ready by spring training, but he was, and pitched well, throwing 9 innings to a 0.00 ERA while striking out 13 and allowing only 8 hits.   His work this spring included three scoreless one-inning appearances against the Orioles, in which he struck out 6 batters.   So, I guess the O’s liked what they saw.  

I kind of like this trade. Interloper bullet points incoming:

• We get a potentially decent middle reliever/matchup lefty for basically nothing. 
• He's the only true matchup lefty in the pen since Akin is more long relief and Perez is more setup man.
• There aren't any super exciting bullpen prospects he would be blocking. Baumann may make the team and if he doesn't he'll be up and down a lot this year. Same with Gillaspie. They don't want Hall in the bullpen yet. 
• Depth! The team is loaded with depth at various other positions (IF, OF, SP), but not so much at RP. If this guy can be a sort of Richard Bleier type dude in the bullpen, that's huge for not having to immediately rely on some bubble AAA guys. 

Now certainly there's some injury risk at 33 years old coming off hip surgery. But all he needs to do is help plug a hole for awhile, and his ST numbers are encouraging. Considering we gave up nothing and he blocks no one of note, I consider this a good acquisition. 

[Pickles]

19 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Not unusual but is it necessary?  And why have the 3rd guy be someone who hasn’t been a good pitcher?

By what metric are you declaring him "not good?"

[Going Underground]

38 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The O’s selected Coulombe’s contract, so he’s on the team.   I’ve been trying to check into him a little.  He pitched effectively last year for two months (1.46 ERA) but then underwent hip labrum surgery and missed the rest of the season.  It wasn’t clear if he’d be ready by spring training, but he was, and pitched well, throwing 9 innings to a 0.00 ERA while striking out 13 and allowing only 8 hits.   His work this spring included three scoreless one-inning appearances against the Orioles, in which he struck out 6 batters.   So, I guess the O’s liked what they saw.  

Yes and they even gave him a number.

 

[Sports Guy]

13 minutes ago, Pickles said:

By what metric are you declaring him "not good?"

His career and age.