Orioles bring up Rom, O'Hearn, and Vavra

[Fiver6565]

45 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

My point was that they're wasting options when they previously claimed that once they bring someone up, they're here to stay. But that's exactly why CoC makes fun of such a statement all the time. 

Take a look at Spencer Watkins. They brought him uo to do nothing and sent him back down after a few days. It's wasteful. No real strategic thinking or planning behind it.

Quite the contrary, there is a LOT of strategic thinking and planning behind it.  Just because you don't agree with every move doesn't mean they aren't made with intent and foresight.  Elias has said many times that he considers the roster as the 40-man, not the 26-man.  We are simply seeing that in action with players that are probably deemed otherwise expendable and/or they are not worried or caring about the yo-yo effect on them - capable, interchangeable roster filler in the last 2-4 spots on the 26.  All the hand wringing that occurs over these spots is way over the top.

Westburg isn't here because when he is, he won't be one of the last 2-4 guys on the roster.  Just like Gunnar is not, as a for instance.  Same w/ Ortiz - on the 40 so a cup of coffee hurts nothing, but otherwise, I don't think we'll see him on the shuttle like we will/have with Vavra et al.

[Sports Guy]

 

[Billy F-Face3]

5 hours ago, maybenxtyr said:

 

I think you're talking about Rom. He was here in the event that a starter got knocked out early. He's going to be up at some point this season anyways. 

No, I was specifically talking about Spencer Watkins. They brought him up April 17th only to send him right back down. But now that you mention it, they just did the same thing to Drew Rom after getting his family all excited about his Big League Debut and flying them into town.

I think it's seriously lacking any foresight.

[Billy F-Face3]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

 

Does this mean that Givens is getting activated?

[Gofannon]

2 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

No, I was specifically talking about Spencer Watkins. They brought him up April 17th only to send him right back down. But now that you mention it, they just did the same thing to Drew Rom after getting his family all excited about his Big League Debut and flying them into town.

I think it's seriously lacking any foresight.

I mean, he came up as a reliever.  If Grayson had gotten lit up, he'd have made his debut.  You can't really guarantee a long reliever will get work.  Glad Rom's family saw some good games!

[oriolediehard]

Drew Rom was 4-1 with a 2.87 era, why didn't they give him a chance?

[Frobby]

9 hours ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

My point was that they're wasting options when they previously claimed that once they bring someone up, they're here to stay. But that's exactly why CoC makes fun of such a statement all the time. 

Take a look at Spencer Watkins. They brought him uo to do nothing and sent him back down after a few days. It's wasteful. No real strategic thinking or planning behind it.

I disagree.  They bring up a starter for a few days when they’re worried that their bullpen has pitched too many recent innings to cover a game where the starter only goes a couple of innings.   If the need for a long guy doesn’t arise and the bullpen innings are manageable for a few days, they send them back down.  The odds of them running into the 5 option limit with these guys is very small.   

[Frobby]

Here’s a bit on Vavra’s role as emergency catcher:

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/catching-up-with-vavra-s-newest-position

[Billy F-Face3]

26 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I disagree.  They bring up a starter for a few days when they’re worried that their bullpen has pitched too many recent innings to cover a game where the starter only goes a couple of innings.   If the need for a long guy doesn’t arise and the bullpen innings are manageable for a few days, they send them back down.  The odds of them running into the 5 option limit with these guys is very small.   

I can understand wanting to be prepared in case you need a long reliever, and knowing you need a fresh arm. What I don't understand us burning an option year on a player who's never pitched in the majors (and they don't even know if he will play) while at the same time ignoring the long reliever/starting pitcher (Austin Voth) they already had available on the roster for situations like that, and not calling up Vespi who had also proven he can play at that Major League level as a LHP reliever. Vespi was already on the 40 man roster and they've already started his service time. I can get over the Spencer Watkins thing, but I'm still bewildered they would waste an option year and service time just to sit someone on the Major League bench.

Oh well. Not my money, and not my job to be concerned, I guess.

[maybenxtyr]

3 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

I can understand wanting to be prepared in case you need a long reliever, and knowing you need a fresh arm. What I don't understand us burning an option year on a player who's never pitched in the majors (and they don't even know if he will play) while at the same time ignoring the long reliever/starting pitcher (Austin Voth) they already had available on the roster for situations like that, and not calling up Vespi who had also proven he can play at that Major League level as a LHP reliever. Vespi was already on the 40 man roster and they've already started his service time. I can get over the Spencer Watkins thing, but I'm still bewildered they would waste an option year and service time just to sit someone on the Major League bench.

Oh well. Not my money, and not my job to be concerned, I guess.

I think it's an indicator in the case of Rom, that he's definitely going to get a chance to pitch in Baltimore when they start using options...even though he didn't get a chance this time.

 

Obviously Watkins has already pitched in Baltimore, and there's probably a 100% chance that he will pitch some innings at the ML level in 2023. If he were healthy and available he would have been brought up instead of Rom this week.

[Frobby]

46 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

I can understand wanting to be prepared in case you need a long reliever, and knowing you need a fresh arm. What I don't understand us burning an option year on a player who's never pitched in the majors (and they don't even know if he will play) 

You may misunderstand how options work.  Rom was on the 40-man roster this spring.   His option was “burned” when they sent him to the minors during spring training.  Calling him up and sending him back down has no effect on that.  The only thing it affects is that you can only send a player down to the minors 5 times in one season - that’s a new rule adopted in 2022.   But there’s no real danger of the O’s exceeding that for Rom, or Watkins.  So, no downside to calling him up for a few days as insurance against a short start.  

[sportsfan8703]

5 hours ago, Frobby said:

Here’s a bit on Vavra’s role as emergency catcher:

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/catching-up-with-vavra-s-newest-position

Roch putting out a nice fluff piece on Vavra’s birthday. Kudos to Vavra for trying to stay on an MLB roster. Wait till he learns the sweeper. 

[DirtyBird]

Who gets added to the pen today?

[maybenxtyr]

13 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

Who gets added to the pen today?

It looks like Vespi hasn't pitched since 5/9. He would be my guess, but I'm usually wrong with regards to call ups.

[Safelykept]

6 hours ago, Frobby said:

You may misunderstand how options work.  Rom was on the 40-man roster this spring.   His option was “burned” when they sent him to the minors during spring training.  Calling him up and sending him back down has no effect on that.  The only thing it affects is that you can only send a player down to the minors 5 times in one season - that’s a new rule adopted in 2022.   But there’s no real danger of the O’s exceeding that for Rom, or Watkins.  So, no downside to calling him up for a few days as insurance against a short start.  

Exactly no option wasted still can come and back down another 4 times.