15 position players…who goes?

[Sports Guy]

Once everyone is back and healthy, the Os have 15 position players who should be on the team but obviously, that’s 1 or 2 too many.

I know the easy answer here is that you keep the young guys in the minors until injuries or trades occur.

But let’s just play the hypothetical that the team is ready to move up Westburg and Cowser and want to give Ortiz real playing time as well.

That gives us:

C- Adley 

1st- OHearn/Mouncastle

2nd/SS/3rd- Westburg, Ortiz, Henderson 

OF- Cowser, Hays, Mullins 

DH- Santander

Bench- McCann, Urias, Hicks, Mounty/OHearn, Mateo and Frazier 

Few notes:

1) Whatever they do, the bench is likely the best in baseball.

2) I know people are hesitant to put all the young guys in at once but the older guys aren’t performing and regardless of the record, the team has a lot of room for improvement, as the run differential suggests.

3) Will the team stay with 13 pitchers?  Would they be willing to go to 12 pitchers? I tend to doubt it, which means 2 names have to go here.

Ultimately, this is solely a hypothetical because we know they currently aren’t going with the younger players. I’m just saying, what if they are ready to do that..what would you do?

Edited June 21, 2023 by Sports Guy

[interloper]

In this hypothetical where the Orioles actually do the exciting thing... man... it's tough!

If the criteria is that the Orioles MUST have Cowser, Westburg, and Ortiz on the roster, then personally I would probably option Mountcastle and try to trade Frazier for cash and DFA if that doesn't work. Everyone else except Mateo is too productive, but he's the best backup SS the world has ever seen in this scenario. 

Of course, in this scenario you now have 4 RH middle infielders in Urias, Mateo, Westburg, and Ortiz. And we know that won't actually happen. 

Edited June 21, 2023 by interloper

[interloper]

Oh wait, I think you forgot McKenna? 

I would option McKenna and Mountcastle. 

[RZNJ]

Cowser and Westburg aren’t coming up.  Get over it.

13 players.

1B O’Hearn, Mountcastle

2B Frazier/Urias

SS Mateo/Ortiz

3B Henderson

C Rutschman/McCann

LF Hays

CF Mullins

RF Hicks

DH Santander

The 13th man could be Ortiz or McKenna but I think Mateo eventually starts losing time to Ortiz.   No way Cowser comes up while Hicks looks like the second coming.   

[Brian88]

Mateo and Mountcastle would go for me

[forphase1]

If those are my options, Frazier, McKenna and Mateo all should be optioned, traded or DFA, depending on what is available for them of course,  like only McKenna had options.  Though if they really want to keep Mateo or Frazier for a backup/pinch hitter, I'd be ok with Mountcastle going to AAA to work on his terrible splits, not that I expect any real improvement.  In that case Santander can double at 1st with OHearn as needed. 

[EdwinRip]

Mateo was one of the best players in baseball the first month.  He has elite speed and is great defensively at short.  There is no way he is released.  I think a bench role and part time player would suit him well.  Also, mountcastle hits lefties at a very high level.  There is value in that. 

[Sports Guy]

26 minutes ago, interloper said:

Oh wait, I think you forgot McKenna? 

I would option McKenna and Mountcastle. 

No, he’s definitely gone. Adding him in would make 16.

[Bemorewins]

36 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Once everyone is back and healthy, the Os have 15 position players who should be on the team but obviously, that’s 1 or 2 too many.

I know the easy answer here is that you keep the young guys in the minors until injuries or trades occur.

But let’s just play the hypothetical that the team is ready to move up Westburg and Cowser and want to give Ortiz real playing time as well.

That gives us:

C- Adley 

1st- OHearn/Mouncastle

2nd/SS/3rd- Westburg, Ortiz, Henderson 

OF- Cowser, Hays, Mullins 

DH- Santander

Bench- McCann, Urias, Hicks, Mounty/OHearn, Mateo and Frazier 

Few notes:

1) Whatever they do, the bench is likely the best in baseball.

2) I know people are hesitant to put all the young guys in at once but the older guys aren’t performing and regardless of the record, the team has a lot of room for improvement, as the run differential suggests.

3) Will the team stay with 13 pitchers?  Would they be willing to go to 12 pitchers? I tend to doubt it, which means 2 names have to go here.

Ultimately, this is solely a hypothetical because we know they currently aren’t going with the younger players. I’m just saying, what if they are ready to do that..what would you do?

I hear and appreciate your desire to see the young guys get a shot. But I don’t think that it would be wise to displace Hicks right now. I want to see Cowser too, but Hicks is hitting .340 right now for the O’s. I can’t see a realistic scenario where Cowser would beat that type of production out of the shoot.

[Sports Guy]

I think the only way this could happen without risking losing guys for nothing, is either a trade or 12 pitchers are kept and they just option Mountcastle for now.  

Go with OHearn and a combo of Santander and Urias at first.

And then you see where everyone is in a month and see if Hicks and OHearn are still performing, etc..

 

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Bemorewins said:

I hear and appreciate your desire to see the young guys get a shot. But I don’t think that it would be wise to displace Hicks right now. I want to see Cowser too, but Hicks is hitting .340 right now for the O’s. I can’t see a realistic scenario where Cowser would beat that type of production out of the shoot.

Hicks can still play but we need to stop being obsessed with SSS. He’s fine for a back up OFer but let’s stop acting like he is likely anything more than that.

[Matt Bennett]

Boring answer is 2 of Lester, McKenna, Ortiz are optioned for Mullins + Mountcastle while Cowser + Westburg stay in the minors. I just hope that those latter 2 are the first to come up following an outfield injury or an infield injury, respectively. No non-sense 3rd catcher. No never was’s like Lester. No Brett Phillips signings. 

O’Hearn and Hicks becoming unbenchable has been a surprise and sure has clogged things. 

I think Frazier, Mateo and Mountcastle are on the clock but Elias’ clock is certainly more patient than I. 

 

[RZNJ]

You ride the hot hand.   You don’t cut back their playing time while they are the best hitter in your lineup.  

[owknows]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

You ride the hot hand.   You don’t cut back their playing time while they are the best hitter in your lineup.  

Ya don't say?

[Bemorewins]

16 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Hicks can still play but we need to stop being obsessed with SSS. He’s fine for a back up OFer but let’s stop acting like he is likely anything more than that.

Right now, he's hitting, as long as he does that he should play. (Same thing applies to O'Hearn)

If/when there comes a time that is no longer the case, we have Cowser to slot in for Hicks. But for now, with the way he is playing, you don't bench that type of production for any reason.