Lineup needs pop - easy roster moves

[HelenaEngineer]

The Orioles have two players in Baltimore, with options, that are basically redundant and two players in Norfolk that could be expected to fill major needs including more power in the lineup and better speed and defense in the outfield. Whether they do the moves tomorrow or in a week or two, they seem obvious and inevitable unless there is a trade first. I realize there is no guarantee that a player who has excelled in AAA will do well when called up, but at some point, you need to find out - and with optionable players, you can always revert back if you need a reset.

1. Option McKenna and call up Cowser to be everyday rightfielder, potentially with some bench time vs lefties. McKenna's role was the backup CF to Mullins who could also sub in vs tough lefties and replace Santander in RF for defense late in games. Aaron Hicks is a switch hitter who has hit better in his career vs lefties and has slightly better career defensive metrics than McKenna and can play CF. They have equal OPS+ in 2023 but Hicks is significantly better offensively over his career. Let Santander play more DH with some starts in right vs lefties. With Cowser available, you don't need McKenna as a late inning defensive sub.

2. Option Lester and call up Westburg. There is no real need to have both Lester and O'Hearn. They both give you a LH 1B with some ability to play other positions on the bench. Pick one, and O'Hearn seems the better choice to keep but why keep two? Westburg gives you power that you need at 2B and frees up Frazier to take the Vavra role as multi position bench player and part time starter. If some contending team has an injury and needs a major league 2B down the stretch, you can trade Frazier for a decent prospect - otherwise his experience would fit well on the bench and give you depth in case of injury or a short term Westburg flame out.

The harder questions are down the road when Mullins returns. How do you sort out Mateo, O'Hearn, Urias, Frazier and potentially Ortiz as well? Of those on the active roster, only O'Hearn could be optioned and you would be fat on infielders and perhaps looking at needing to beef up production at SS.  

[Bahama O's Fan]

23 minutes ago, HelenaEngineer said:

The Orioles have two players in Baltimore, with options, that are basically redundant and two players in Norfolk that could be expected to fill major needs including more power in the lineup and better speed and defense in the outfield. Whether they do the moves tomorrow or in a week or two, they seem obvious and inevitable unless there is a trade first. I realize there is no guarantee that a player who has excelled in AAA will do well when called up, but at some point, you need to find out - and with optionable players, you can always revert back if you need a reset.

1. Option McKenna and call up Cowser to be everyday rightfielder, potentially with some bench time vs lefties. McKenna's role was the backup CF to Mullins who could also sub in vs tough lefties and replace Santander in RF for defense late in games. Aaron Hicks is a switch hitter who has hit better in his career vs lefties and has slightly better career defensive metrics than McKenna and can play CF. They have equal OPS+ in 2023 but Hicks is significantly better offensively over his career. Let Santander play more DH with some starts in right vs lefties. With Cowser available, you don't need McKenna as a late inning defensive sub.

2. Option Lester and call up Westburg. There is no real need to have both Lester and O'Hearn. They both give you a LH 1B with some ability to play other positions on the bench. Pick one, and O'Hearn seems the better choice to keep but why keep two? Westburg gives you power that you need at 2B and frees up Frazier to take the Vavra role as multi position bench player and part time starter. If some contending team has an injury and needs a major league 2B down the stretch, you can trade Frazier for a decent prospect - otherwise his experience would fit well on the bench and give you depth in case of injury or a short term Westburg flame out.

The harder questions are down the road when Mullins returns. How do you sort out Mateo, O'Hearn, Urias, Frazier and potentially Ortiz as well? Of those on the active roster, only O'Hearn could be optioned and you would be fat on infielders and perhaps looking at needing to beef up production at SS.  

I 100% agree

[Sports Guy]

 

[wildcard]

1 hour ago, HelenaEngineer said:

The Orioles have two players in Baltimore, with options, that are basically redundant and two players in Norfolk that could be expected to fill major needs including more power in the lineup and better speed and defense in the outfield. Whether they do the moves tomorrow or in a week or two, they seem obvious and inevitable unless there is a trade first. I realize there is no guarantee that a player who has excelled in AAA will do well when called up, but at some point, you need to find out - and with optionable players, you can always revert back if you need a reset.

1. Option McKenna and call up Cowser to be everyday rightfielder, potentially with some bench time vs lefties. McKenna's role was the backup CF to Mullins who could also sub in vs tough lefties and replace Santander in RF for defense late in games. Aaron Hicks is a switch hitter who has hit better in his career vs lefties and has slightly better career defensive metrics than McKenna and can play CF. They have equal OPS+ in 2023 but Hicks is significantly better offensively over his career. Let Santander play more DH with some starts in right vs lefties. With Cowser available, you don't need McKenna as a late inning defensive sub.

2. Option Lester and call up Westburg. There is no real need to have both Lester and O'Hearn. They both give you a LH 1B with some ability to play other positions on the bench. Pick one, and O'Hearn seems the better choice to keep but why keep two? Westburg gives you power that you need at 2B and frees up Frazier to take the Vavra role as multi position bench player and part time starter. If some contending team has an injury and needs a major league 2B down the stretch, you can trade Frazier for a decent prospect - otherwise his experience would fit well on the bench and give you depth in case of injury or a short term Westburg flame out.

The harder questions are down the road when Mullins returns. How do you sort out Mateo, O'Hearn, Urias, Frazier and potentially Ortiz as well? Of those on the active roster, only O'Hearn could be optioned and you would be fat on infielders and perhaps looking at needing to beef up production at SS.  

To promote Cowser and Westburg they need 40 man roster spots.   Optioning McKenna and Lester will not create 40 man roster spots.

[Flash- bd]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

To promote Cowser and Westburg they need 40 man roster spots.   Optioning McKenna and Lester will not create 40 man roster spots.

Lester DFA'd and Gillaspie, I would guess. Zimmerman is another who could easily be DFA'd. 

[Aristotelian]

I generally agree. I'm not quite sure where Westburg fits. I have a feeling Frazier will still be 2B vs RHB. That would make Westburg 2B vs LHB, 3B vs RHP. 

Vs RHP:

Frazier 2B, Adley C, Santander DH, Hicks CF, Hays RF, Westburg 3B, Cowser LF, Gunnar SS, O'Hearn 1B

Bench: McCann, Urias, Mateo, Mountcastle

Vs LHP:

Hicks CF, Adley DH, Santander RF, Hays LF, Westburg 2B, Urias 3B, Mountcastle 1B, McCann C, Mateo SS.

Bench: Cowser, O'Hearn, Frazier, Gunnar (When Adley C, Santander is DH and Cowser starts).

 

[wildcard]

19 minutes ago, Flash- bd said:

Lester DFA'd and Gillaspie, I would guess. Zimmerman is another who could easily be DFA'd. 

If that is what HelenaE wanted then say it.  There are over 100 games left.  I don't know if Elias wants to DFA pitchers.  Maybe, maybe not.

[Sports Guy]

27 minutes ago, wildcard said:

To promote Cowser and Westburg they need 40 man roster spots.   Optioning McKenna and Lester will not create 40 man roster spots.

Roster spots are easy. Johnson to the 60 day IL is a simple one.

[wildcard]

12 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Roster spots are easy. Johnson to the 60 day IL is a simple one.

They can do it but its not all that simple.   They have to DFA someone.  Which frees up  a 40 man roster spot.  Promote Johnson to the majors and then put him on the 60 day IL.   They have not done it up to now because then he gets a major league salary as compared to the minor league salary he is getting now. 

So can it be done. Sure.  But it not just putting him on the 60 day IL and there is a roster spot.

And if they are promoting Cowser and Westburg they need two roster spots.

Edited June 8, 2023 by wildcard

[Tony-OH]

If you need to DFA guys, Gillespie and Denoyer would be the guys I'd move. Denoyer's stuff has dropped off for some reason this season and he can't pull any length. Both are replaceable.

Zimmerman is a bulk reliever, spot starter guy who can do what he did yesterday, eat innings when needed. I'd keep him on the 40-man until you absolutely need to DFA him. 

Lester is a guy who probably would be claimed by a team like Oakland. Might be best for him if that happened anyways but he's a bit redundant. 

Vavra is also a guy that might need a fresh start. Maybe they could trade him for a decent arm bullpen guy that doesn't need to be on the 40-man.

 

[Sports Guy]

16 minutes ago, wildcard said:

They can do it but its not all that simple.   They have to DFA someone.  Which frees up  a 40 man roster spot.  Promote Johnson to the majors and then put him on the 60 day IL.   They have not done it up to now because then he gets a major league salary as compared to the minor league salary he is getting now. 

So can it be done. Sure.  But it not just putting him on the 60 day IL and there is a roster spot.

And if they are promoting Cowser and Westburg they need two roster spots.

They haven’t done it because they haven’t needed to.  The need may be there.

But there are plenty of guys to DFA that won’t matter and likely won’t get picked up, so you keep them anyway.

[owknows]

7 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

If you need to DFA guys, Gillespie and Denoyer would be the guys I'd move. Denoyer's stuff has dropped off for some reason this season and he can't pull any length. Both are replaceable.

Zimmerman is a bulk reliever, spot starter guy who can do what he did yesterday, eat innings when needed. I'd keep him on the 40-man until you absolutely need to DFA him. 

Lester is a guy who probably would be claimed by a team like Oakland. Might be best for him if that happened anyways but he's a bit redundant. 

Vavra is also a guy that might need a fresh start. Maybe they could trade him for a decent arm bullpen guy that doesn't need to be on the 40-man.

 

This is the likely increasing effect of drafting well, building a nice farm, continuing to dumpster dive and to add FAs when you already had a squeeze coming... and not having the foresight to move some of these guys but instead add even more.

Thankfully the cost of this is not yet horribly painful.

We're talking about Lesters and Gillespies and McKennas and maybe Vavras at the worst.

Before long it will be much more talented players bumping against the ceiling, and crunching the roster.

We need to start dealing some of these guys... soon.

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, owknows said:

This is the likely increasing effect of drafting well, building a nice farm, continuing to dumpster dive and to add FAs when you already had a squeeze coming... and not having the foresight to move some of these guys but instead add even more.

Thankfully the cost of this is not yet horribly painful.

We're talking about Lesters and Gillespies and McKennas and maybe Vavras at the worst.

Before long it will be much more talented players bumping against the ceiling, and crunching the roster.

We need to start dealing some of these guys... soon.

Yep, the roster crunch has been coming. It’s inevitable. You don’t want to lose meaningful guys (or potentially meaningful) for nothing. 
 

[wildcard]

6 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

If you need to DFA guys, Gillespie and Denoyer would be the guys I'd move. Denoyer's stuff has dropped off for some reason this season and he can't pull any length. Both are replaceable.

Zimmerman is a bulk reliever, spot starter guy who can do what he did yesterday, eat innings when needed. I'd keep him on the 40-man until you absolutely need to DFA him. 

Lester is a guy who probably would be claimed by a team like Oakland. Might be best for him if that happened anyways but he's a bit redundant. 

Vavra is also a guy that might need a fresh start. Maybe they could trade him for a decent arm bullpen guy that doesn't need to be on the 40-man.

 

Last year Tampa had something like 20 guys on the IL at the same time.   I think the other day someone said a team had 12 on the IL this year.  The O's have 4 on the IL right now.  

If the O's have a rash on injuries to the pitching staff then they will need pitchers like Gillespie and Zim.  There is not much pitching depth in the minors that is ready for the 40 man roster.   On the other hand there is a lot of position player depth in the minors.   That is why Lester is easier to DFA no matter if they lose him to another team or not.  I don't think Vavra is going any where but to Norfolk.

[24fps]

After watching last night's awful performance, finding 40 man roster spots for Cowser and Westburg should be the least of Elias' worries.  Bring both up along with Irvin and see if that doesn't shake things up a little.