Memorial Day and the trade deadline

[MCO'sFan]

1 hour ago, deward said:

I think Elias is going to count on Means as his big deadline addition and not trade any major prospect, especially not for a rental. Especially if the team keeps winning at anything resembling its current pace, I suspect he'll be reluctant to mess with what's working. We have yet to see him make any real aggressive moves, so why start now if the plan is working?

Guys don't come back from TJ and dominate right away. I think Means will be a mid-4's ERA guy the remainder of 2023 and Elias knows that too. I can't see him relying on Means as much more that a solid starter, certainly not a difference maker. 

[G54377]

ERod is on a very affordable contract for a SP. I wouldn't mind if that's the play.

[SilentJames]

30 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Well, if you can get him for less, great…but there will be a lot of teams going after him and you aren’t getting him for what are basically scrap heap guys. 
 

I initially read Stowers as Cowser. But yeah I would trade Stowers for this. 

[SilentJames]

30 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Well, if you can get him for less, great…but there will be a lot of teams going after him and you aren’t getting him for what are basically scrap heap guys. 
 

I initially read Stowers as Cowser. But yeah I would trade Stowers for this. 

[SilentJames]

30 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Well, if you can get him for less, great…but there will be a lot of teams going after him and you aren’t getting him for what are basically scrap heap guys. 
 

I initially read Stowers as Cowser. But yeah I would trade Stowers for this. 

[btdart20]

I think Elias wants to ease the rookies into the line-up.  Gunnar, Grayson, and Cano are full-timers.  Cano's already locked in.  No one is knocking to take Grayson's job.  And Gunnar's starting to click.  Who's next?

I believe we've seen peak Mateo and the clock has struck midnight on his Cinderella run.  But SigBot might weigh his defense differently than my subjective bias.  Especially considering that we're leading the league in DPs.  If I had my way, Ortiz would get more play at SS.  See how he does for a month or so, by then our needs are more solidly defined.

Sometime around the AS break we'll see if Ortiz has made the adjustment.  If not, Gunnar gets more SS time and Urias gets more 3B time.  Either way, Cowser's on the team around the AS break for his Great Awakening.  Which also gives him a month of games until the trade deadline on 8/1.

I'd like to see a Mounty/O'Hearn platoon.  If that works out well, then that's a roster spot.

I think Westburg is one of the guys that Elias and co. especially value and hope he gets first crack at 2B in 2024, but I struggle seeing when he gets his adjustment period in 2023.  But I can see the trade appeal too.  How they handle him will be interesting.  Especially if they see the need to upgrade SP.  It wouldn't shock me if Norby, Stowers, or Hall are on the block.  

SPs and RPs?  There always a tough nut to crack.  Plus, every squirrel is chasing the nut too.  I think the 2023 game plan is to simply score more and play good defense.  Not ideal, but that's how I'm reading the tea leaves.  Maybe some marginal upgrades, but I'm not sure about anything that throws the rotation off its axis.

Some Trade from the Top of the Deck questions:

- Do they have the hutzpah to trade Mountcastle and/or Santander in-season?  Is it a MLB SP?  Or would the best return be an AA-AAA SP?  Do we do that sooner vs. later for the acclimation period of whoever backfills?

- Can they find a taker for Mateo? 

- Is Urias too valuable to the team in 2023 to trade?

- Would a Kremer or Bradish need to be included in a deal for a TOR SP?

- Could Baker or someone be in an RP deal (like for Hader if SDP is fringy)?

[deward]

41 minutes ago, MCO'sFan said:

Guys don't come back from TJ and dominate right away. I think Means will be a mid-4's ERA guy the remainder of 2023 and Elias knows that too. I can't see him relying on Means as much more that a solid starter, certainly not a difference maker. 

I don't necessarily disagree, I'm just guessing how Elias will approach things. Why give up prospects if you might get similar performance from Means? Elias has proven to be very risk-averse up to now; Means would be the safe option.

[wildcard]

I agree with the OP that the end of May is a normal time to gauge where the team is and what might be ahead.   And in general the team looks like it could go deep into the playoffs.  Passed that decisions on personnel Elias will probably make two months from now.   There will be a lot of success, failure and injuries between now and then so I don't think we know what needs to happen just yet.

I don't see a roster crunch in November.   Gibson, Frazier and Givens are on contracts that will expire or probably not picked up.   O'Hearn and Watkins may be out of options and if they can't be sent down they may not stay on the 40 man roster.    That's 5 open spots.

Cowser, Westburg, Kjerstad need to be added and Ryan Watson and Darwinzpn Hernandez  could be considered for addition.

Three players that I think go over the winter are Santander because of his pending FA; Irvin and Akin because they may be out of options and if they can't stay on the roster all of next year they may be traded.   But probably none of that happen by November.

Posters keep saying that the O's can't depend on Means but it sounds like he will go on  a 30 day rehab in the minors sometime in June and be activated sometime in July.   If that happens he is going to join the team and pitch either in the rotation or the pen.

Too early to know about trades at the deadline IMO.

 

 

[RVAOsFan]

Trade deadline is always so much fun when your team is contending.  Thoughts:

-Hope we don't trade a top prospect for a rental (don't think we will)

-If a TOR guy isn't attainable then I like the idea of adding another back of the bullpen stopper

-I like the idea of adding a veteran LH bat who can play 1B/DH maybe some COF in a pinch.  I don't know who he is but I feel like every good playoff team has him.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, RVAOsFan said:

Trade deadline is always so much fun when your team is contending.  Thoughts:

-Hope we don't trade a top prospect for a rental (don't think we will)

-If a TOR guy isn't attainable then I like the idea of adding another back of the bullpen stopper

-I like the idea of adding a veteran LH bat who can play 1B/DH maybe some COF in a pinch.  I don't know who he is but I feel like every good playoff team has him.

What's your definition of top prospect?

[Winter]

1 hour ago, SilentJames said:

I like going after E-Rod. I would create a package around Mayo, Ortiz, and McKenna 

Elias likely likes Means as a rotation option post deadline over trading 2 of his premier prospects. -- If we are trading the likes of Mayo, Ortiz etc. then imo you just go all in and after the Beibers or Burnes of the league. If we deal for a pitcher it will be someone with low cost like Rich Hill, I don't see Elias breaking up his prospect pool for ERod or any SP that costs him multiple of his top prospects without a long term extension. This isn't so much how i would do things but just looking at Elias' actions im going to guess he doesn't trade his prospects. 

I could however see him dealing Mateo or Urias or even both to add to the pitching staff. Which could be a win win for us as it adds pitching even if it's not a big name(s) we all want and clears room for Henderson, Westburg & Ortiz playing time. Fraziers acceptable play pretty much creates a log jam for us up the middle and there are many competing teams that need middle infielders. 

Going to be an interesting summer! 

[Sports Guy]

7 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I agree with the OP that the end of May is a normal time to gauge where the team is and what might be ahead.   And in general the team looks like it could go deep into the playoffs.  Passed that decisions on personnel Elias will probably make two months from now.   There will be a lot of success, failure and injuries between now and then so I don't think we know what needs to happen just yet.

I don't see a roster crunch in November.   Gibson, Frazier and Givens are on contracts that will expire or probably not picked up.   O'Hearn and Watkins may be out of options and if they can't be sent down they may not stay on the 40 man roster.    That's 5 open spots.

Cowser, Westburg, Kjerstad need to be added and Ryan Watson and Darwinzpn Hernandez  could be considered for addition.

Three players that I think go over the winter are Santander because of his pending FA; Irvin and Akin because they may be out of options and if they can't stay on the roster all of next year they may be traded.   But probably none of that happen by November.

Posters keep saying that the O's can't depend on Means but it sounds like he will go on  a 30 day rehab in the minors sometime in June and be activated sometime in July.   If that happens he is going to join the team and pitch either in the rotation or the pen.

Too early to know about trades at the deadline IMO.

 

 

The roster crunch isn’t as much as the 40 man but more of a positional roster crunch.

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Winter said:

Elias likely likes Means as a rotation option post deadline over trading 2 of his premier prospects. -- If we are trading the likes of Mayo, Ortiz etc. then imo you just go all in and after the Beibers or Burnes of the league. If we deal for a pitcher it will be someone with low cost like Rich Hill, I don't see Elias breaking up his prospect pool for ERod or any SP that costs him multiple of his top prospects without a long term extension. This isn't so much how i would do things but just looking at Elias' actions im going to guess he doesn't trade his prospects. 

I could however see him dealing Mateo or Urias or even both to add to the pitching staff. Which could be a win win for us as it adds pitching even if it's not a big name(s) we all want and clears room for Henderson, Westburg & Ortiz playing time. Fraziers acceptable play pretty much creates a log jam for us up the middle and there are many competing teams that need middle infielders. 

Going to be an interesting summer! 

I see the opposite.  An expiring contract lowers both the acquisition cost and the team's long term financial commitment.

[Baltimorecuse]

All your organizational knowledge is way beyond mine.  I just watch the games.  When I see the Means comeback, I'll believe it.  I like our starting rotation.  We lack a super stopper, but there isn't a rag arm in the bunch.  So who would you get rid of to fit Means in?

 

[RVAOsFan]

13 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

What's your definition of top prospect?

Guys who were on top 100 lists going into the season