Orioles To Designate Spenser Watkins For Assignment

[glenn__davis]

56 minutes ago, interloper said:

I'm assuming it has to do with the pitching schedule. Maybe Gillaspie had just pitched and they had to go with Watkins. It's usually something like that. Also, it's almost guaranteed he clears waivers, but he can refuse the assignment.

But that would make even less sense to me.  Again, there's something about Watkins that they've liked to the point that they've kept him on the roster for almost 2 years, so why add him if they were just planning to DFA him a few days later.  It's certainly possible that he's just fallen out of favor, but it's just another in a long line of puzzling moves.

[glenn__davis]

12 minutes ago, interloper said:

So who goes when Gillaspie is inevitably optioned? Because he doesn't tend to stick. I guess it will eventually be Givens Round 2.

Well by that point we'll probably need a 3rd catcher to be on the roster for a few days and not play.

[Tony-OH]

2 hours ago, Orioles Jim said:

Exciting!

It's pretty clear that Cowser and Westburg to a lesser extent are being kept down until they are sure the Super-2 won't go into effect. 

No one can convince me starting Lester at 1b and O'Hearn in RF (he should not have an OF glove except for emergencies) is better than Cowser starting in RF. Westburg should be the everyday 2B with Frazier on the bench where his contact bat skills would make a good pinch hitter and occasional starter. 

Bemboom vs Godoy? Eh, who cares? Clearly Elias loves himself some Bemboom.

 

[bpilktree67]

49 minutes ago, ChosenOne21 said:

The only thing I can think of is that we'd have to get rid of established players who are part of a team with one of the best records in baseball to call them up and there's a chance they will massively struggle. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I think this is short-sighted, and surely SOMEONE out of our mass of talented position player prospects would be an improvement over some of the guys on the team, but I can't get too mad when the team is doing great.

Maverick Handley as to be wondering what it's going to take to get his shot at backup catcher. The organization clearly doesn't believe in him at all. This is to say nothing of Cowser, Westburg, etc.

MCann is out maybe 10 days so you don't add Maverick for just a few games and then have to DFA him.  Benboom can fill in for a week or so then be DFA'd again and go unclaimed.  They really don't care if someone like Benboom or Godoy get claimed as they have other guys that can fill in at AAA if need be.  Handley will have to stay on the 40 man roster which Benboom can just get DFA'd

[Tony-OH]

39 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I really don’t know why anyone thought a Watkins DFA was going to lead to a Westburg/Cowser move.  

Personally I didn't think they were connected, but seemed like a good time to bring it up once again.  

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

It's pretty clear that Cowser and Westburg to a lesser extent are being kept down until they are sure the Super-2 won't go into effect. 

No one can convince me starting Lester at 1b and O'Hearn in RF (he should not have an OF glove except for emergencies) is better than Cowser starting in RF. Westburg should be the everyday 2B with Frazier on the bench where his contact bat skills would make a good pinch hitter and occasional starter. 

Bemboom vs Godoy? Eh, who cares? Clearly Elias loves himself some Bemboom.

 

Super 2 is definitely past us

[RVAOsFan]

42 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I really don’t know why anyone thought a Watkins DFA was going to lead to a Westburg/Cowser move.  

Because a 40 man spot opened up and they are the most major league ready baseball players in the organization not currently on the 40 man?

[bpilktree67]

Since Mountcaste and Mullins seem to be just a week or less away from coming back they don't have a lot of room for Westburg and Cowser.  I expect Lester and Mckenna to go down when they come back in the next week.  That gives you this.

Catcher Adley, 

1st Mountcaste 

2nd Frazier

SS Mateo

3b Henderson

LF Hays

CF Mullins

RF Santander

DH Urias

Bench  Ortiz, Hicks, O'Hearn Benboom.  

They are not going to drop anyone of those guys off roster except maybe Ortiz, so we are basically arguing about Ortiz/Westburg/Cowser for that last spot.  

[RVAOsFan]

1 minute ago, bpilktree67 said:

Since Mountcaste and Mullins seem to be just a week or less away from coming back they don't have a lot of room for Westburg and Cowser.  I expect Lester and Mckenna to go down when they come back in the next week.  That gives you this.

Catcher Adley, 

1st Mountcaste 

2nd Frazier

SS Mateo

3b Henderson

LF Hays

CF Mullins

RF Santander

DH Urias

Bench  Ortiz, Hicks, O'Hearn Benboom.  

They are not going to drop anyone of those guys off roster except maybe Ortiz, so we are basically arguing about Ortiz/Westburg/Cowser for that last spot.  

I agree with this, the Mullins / Mountcastle news had not come out yet when the Watkins DFA news dropped.

I think a lot of people here expect Ortiz to go down before McKenna but I am hoping Ortiz sticks around this time and gets some playing time.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

So now they have 4 catchers on the 40. I don’t see how Bemboom is superior enough to Godoy to make this move, unless they feel like McCann will be out longer than they anticipated and want a lefty bat.

I wonder if Elias blocked Kolosvary’s number…

[bpilktree67]

2 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

I agree with this, the Mullins / Mountcastle news had not come out yet when the Watkins DFA news dropped.

I think a lot of people here expect Ortiz to go down before McKenna but I am hoping Ortiz sticks around this time and gets some playing time.

Yeah Mckenna could stay over Ortiz but with Hicks here Mckenna wont go in for defensive replacement like he has been for Santander.   It will probably come down to if any of the starters is a little banged up in a week or not who goes down.   

[wildcard]

Its pretty simple.  Elias wants Cowser and Westburg to play everyday and there is not enough playing time for that to happen with the O's.   

They promoted Ortiz and he hardly plays.

[baltfan]

For everyone complaining, let's see if Watkins is picked up.

[baltfan]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Its pretty simple.  Elias wants Cowser and Westburg to play everyday and there is not enough playing time for that to happen with the O's.   

They promoted Ortiz and he hardly plays.

THIS.  They aren't going to have Cowser start ahead of Santander or Hays.  Hicks is going to need some ABs when Mullins gets back.  O'Hearn has earned ABs and Mountcastle will be back soon.  If you are down on Mateo, you would give Ortiz a short first anyhow.  He is already up.

[Sports Guy]

16 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Its pretty simple.  Elias wants Cowser and Westburg to play everyday and there is not enough playing time for that to happen with the O's.   

They promoted Ortiz and he hardly plays.

I mean, this may be what they say but it’s factually wrong. There is plenty of playing time for both of them if they are actually interested in putting the best and highest upside team out there that they can.

They don’t have to play 6-7 games a Week to justify being up here.

Edited June 20, 2023 by Sports Guy