Is there really a glaring need for Westburg and Cowser right now?

[Jagwar]

Just wondering... is there really a glaring need for either Westburg or Cowser with the current construction of the roster? McKenna is playing much better than I ever thought he would (especially after that dropped fly ball at Fenway). Maybe Vavra, O'hearn and Ortiz can be swapped out. 

But this team is 31-16 and rolling. I want to see what Westburg and Cowser can do, but I don't see Elias pulling the trigger unless we see injuries to 1 or 2 players on the current roster.  

[NCRaven]

Also, someone will have to go down when Urias is ready - probably Ortiz.

[Sports Guy]

Yes…but Cowser is hurt, so it doesn’t matter.

[jamalshw]

I like what Vavra did today and what O'Hearn did this series. I'm tempted to keep O'Hearn as a bench bat because I think he can offer something there, but Vavra is redundant when Frazier is relegated to a bench/occasional starter role where I'd prefer him, opening up 2B for Westburg. When Cowser is ready, I'd like him over O'Hearn for the positional flexibility of it. 

I think a lineup with Mounty, Westburg, Mateo/Ortiz and Henderson first to third and Hays, Mullins, and Cowser left to right in the OF is the best configuration. Obviously with Adley behind the plate and Santander at DH. 

That would then leave a strong bench of McCann, Frazier, Mateo/Ortiz and McKenna. 

I do think that is a better team...

But to the point of the OP, is there a glaring need? No. But it still is a better team with a better chance to win each day (albeit probably not by a large margin). 

[Aristotelian]

Glaring need? No, we have the second best record and our major weakness is pitching. Could they make us better? Absolutely but it's not a guarantee.

[DirtyBird]

21 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Yes…but Cowser is hurt, so it doesn’t matter.

Agree:

Westburg would be significant improvement over Henderson

[IPlayGM]

Yeah the great thing about how we are playing is that it buys us patience. Westburg and Cowser should make us a better team long term, but I have settled myself to “when it happens it happens”. This series has really opened my eyes that we are legit. This has typically been a series that we have gotten a spanking, and we had the paddle this time around.

[IPlayGM]

6 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

Agree:

Westburg would be significant improvement over Henderson

That is a silly take….Significant?!? Cmon man!

[Birdland in NC]

I’d like to see Cowser, when he is healthy, get comfortable in RF at Camden.  Definitely want Tony Taters in the batting order, but defensively I’d like to see a plus glove out there long term.  

[Sports Guy]

21 minutes ago, IPlayGM said:

That is a silly take….Significant?!? Cmon man!

He’s a troll. Ignore him.

[forphase1]

A glaring need,  maybe not.   But ALL teams,  regardless of record or standing,  should be looking to improve.   If replacing Vavra or Frazier or Mateo or whoever with a Westburg or Cowser or whoever can make the team better,  that should be seriously considered.

[banks703]

34 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

Agree:

Westburg would be significant improvement over Henderson

Disagree 

 

But also it’s impossible to know one way or the other. I suspect you’re looking at Gunnar’s batting average to make this statement. Gunnar had one hit in five ABs today and raised his average something like eight points. He’s hitting .192 right now but still has positive WAR. 

 

I think it’s foolish to suggest that another unproven player would perform better. It’s possible but the org obviously feels that Gunnar is the better option. 
 

Would I like to see Westburg over Vavra? Yes but let’s remember that Vavra is the emergency catcher, which probably has some bearing on his currently being on the ML roster. In a game like today when they forfeited the DH and McCan’s participation in the game, if something had happened to AR, Vavra would have had to catch. 
 

How much that matters I can’t say but I guarantee that it does. 

[Orioles0615]

If Cowser wasn’t injured I have him over Vavra and definitely Westburg over Mateo 

[owknows]

2 hours ago, Jagwar said:

Just wondering... is there really a glaring need for either Westburg or Cowser with the current construction of the roster? McKenna is playing much better than I ever thought he would (especially after that dropped fly ball at Fenway). Maybe Vavra, O'hearn and Ortiz can be swapped out. 

But this team is 31-16 and rolling. I want to see what Westburg and Cowser can do, but I don't see Elias pulling the trigger unless we see injuries to 1 or 2 players on the current roster.  

There is a need to remove the clog in the the natural progression pipeline through the minor leagues and into the majors. Norfolk is stacked. And there are players who are progressing through the system who are going to need AAA at bats in order to continue their development.. But those at bats aren't currently available because the players who need to graduate... can't.

In some ways this team is the victim of it's own recent success with reclamation projects and budget FA acquisitions. They've hit on (and tweaked) some decent journeyman level players who have been quite serviceable as ML pieces.. but they've done so at a time when they need to catch the first pieces coming off the minor league conveyor belt. And those pieces can't remain in a holding pattern forever.. or the whole thing turns into an accordian style pileup.

This team endured a painful rebuild.. years of drought... but they drafted well... and they've got some really good ballplayers that need a place to go. I think they're in jeopardy of squandering some of their better pieces...  pieces with serious talent and years of MLB control... in order to hold onto journeyman level MLB players on short contracts. Even if those players have an outstanding year (or perhaps because of it).. you're not re-signing those players.. so they don't figure in your future plans.

So in answer to your question... Yeah... we're going to need to bring up Westburg, and Cowser, and Ortiz... to make room for Holliday, and Mayo and Kjerstad and Fabian.

Because that's what this strategy requires.

Edited May 22, 2023 by owknows

[IPlayGM]

But it’s getting to the point where I think Vavra probably has some value to other teams…and Urias much more than that. I really like what Ortiz is showing, so to me he makes them expendable. But again, I am willing to be patient for it to play itself out. Really good problems to have.