Should be Cowser time today - but not expecting it

[wildcard]

13 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

We don’t owe McKenna anything and he’s the least talented of the group. Mckenn’s calling card is that he can play CF. Well now we don’t need that. Hicks can play CF too. So can Cowser. 
 

Mckenna has been up/down each year since his call Up. Why not this year?

I agree that McKenna can be optioned.   It just does not get Cowser close to the number of at bats that he needs to be successful.  Bringing Cowser up to sit is not a good strategy.  

If Hicks does regress then that is the time for Cowser.  But 35  at bats is not enough to say that Hicks is slumping and replaceable.

[Ripken]

24 minutes ago, wildcard said:

But 35  at bats is not enough to say that Hicks is slumping and replaceable.

No, the last three years are.  You don't keep Cowser down for a retread like Hicks.  Elias' fascination with poorly performing vets needs to stop.  Mateo and McKenna should be gone.  Hicks, O'Hearn, McCann and Frazier need to be bench players.  Hays, Mullins and Cowser should be the starting OF.  Gunnar, Westburg, Ortiz and Urias make up 3B/SS/2B.  Santander can pay 1B.  Adley catches.  DH rotates.  Mountcastle stays right where he is until he figures something out, which he may never do.  And that still leaves Kjerstad, Stowers and others in Norfolk.  If someone is moved out in trade for pitching then adjust from there.  

[maybenxtyr]

37 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I agree that McKenna can be optioned.   It just does not get Cowser close to the number of at bats that he needs to be successful.  Bringing Cowser up to sit is not a good strategy.  

If Hicks does regress then that is the time for Cowser.  But 35  at bats is not enough to say that Hicks is slumping and replaceable.

Look, I love your optimism. You're hands down one of the best here, but how is 35 AB's enough to prove one of your points, but not enough to prove that Hicks is not a good baseball player? He's hasn't been good for years. As I said earlier, he's a decent enough 4th outfielder. That's it. He's definitely not a reason to keep a quality young player down when the time is right.

[HelenaEngineer]

58 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Again, if Hays is out just a day or two, you don't make that move to put out an admittedly better lineup just for one game. We're not going to DFA Stowers or Vavra to bring Cowser up for 1-2 games. 

You don't DFA Stowers or Vavra. You DFA a pitcher like Vallimont, who has exactly one year in the minors with an ERA below 5 and it was 2019. No one is going to put him on a 40 man roster, and if they do, so be it. Hicks becomes a 4th outfielder, who starts against lefties and plays 2-3 other times a week as a sub for Hays or Mullins or as a DH. Cowser plays at least 4 times a week - playing against righties unless there is some sort of matchup Hyde doesn't like with a veteran junkball thrower. It is fine to have four outfielders who all see playing time with all of them getting a bit more rest.

That also gives you Hicks on the bench several times a week, where he is far more valuable than McKenna since he can pinch-hit against righties or lefties and if Hicks is in the lineup, the ripple down on the bench to whoever ends up there inevitably gives Hyde more late inning options. Between 1B, DH and OF, Santander is in the lineup just about every day as well - and when he is not, it is much better to have him available late than their current options.

[wildcard]

40 minutes ago, maybenxtyr said:

Look, I love your optimism. You're hands down one of the best here, but how is 35 AB's enough to prove one of your points, but not enough to prove that Hicks is not a good baseball player? He's hasn't been good for years. As I said earlier, he's a decent enough 4th outfielder. That's it. He's definitely not a reason to keep a quality young player down when the time is right.

What point did I try to prove using 35 AB?

[maybenxtyr]

11 minutes ago, wildcard said:

What point did I try to prove using 35 AB?

That Hicks is anything other than a DFA guy. If a decision had to be made today, Hicks should not even be considered for an AB over Cowser.

[Aristotelian]

33 minutes ago, HelenaEngineer said:

You don't DFA Stowers or Vavra. You DFA a pitcher like Vallimont, who has exactly one year in the minors with an ERA below 5 and it was 2019. No one is going to put him on a 40 man roster, and if they do, so be it. Hicks becomes a 4th outfielder, who starts against lefties and plays 2-3 other times a week as a sub for Hays or Mullins or as a DH. Cowser plays at least 4 times a week - playing against righties unless there is some sort of matchup Hyde doesn't like with a veteran junkball thrower. It is fine to have four outfielders who all see playing time with all of them getting a bit more rest.

That also gives you Hicks on the bench several times a week, where he is far more valuable than McKenna since he can pinch-hit against righties or lefties and if Hicks is in the lineup, the ripple down on the bench to whoever ends up there inevitably gives Hyde more late inning options. Between 1B, DH and OF, Santander is in the lineup just about every day as well - and when he is not, it is much better to have him available late than their current options.

Elias isn't going to DFA anyone for a two day fill-in. 

[Just Regular]

DFA's can I think happen casually with roster churn pitchers who are mostly disposable.

The last few spots matter a lot at Rule 5 time, but in year they are somewhat just shells for your last couple pitchers any given day.

In a few weeks like clockwork, the Yankees and Guardians will make deals of a few of their 41st-50th best guys for someone possibly useful.

[banks703]

17 minutes ago, maybenxtyr said:

That Hicks is anything other than a DFA guy. If a decision had to be made today, Hicks should not even be considered for an AB over Cowser.

I think that depends on who is pitching/the matchup 

When the time comes I do not believe that Hicks will get the boot. He's shown so far with the O's that he can still play a passable CF when needed. He's a switch-hitter who works the count and takes walks. Even with the age difference he is the superior player to Ryan McKenna right now. I think the writing is on the wall for Ryan and the only reason he has not been optioned to Norfolk for Cowser is because he is right-handed. 

Ant to First/DH, Cowser to Right, Hicks to 4th OF where he will play at least three times a week, spelling each of the guys in the OF. They could use Hicks to spell the lefties in the OF when facing LHP. 

Against LHP:

Hays LF, Hicks in CF and Ant in RF 

Against RHP:

Hays in LF, Mullins CF and Cowser in RF, Ant to DH/1B

Obviously they won't regularly take Ced out of the lineup unless it's to avoid a tough L/L matchup but they could with this alignment. As absurd as it is for me to write this; I prefer Hicks and his ability to switch-hit, work the count and get on base to all of O'Hearn, McKenna and Mountcastle right now. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by banks703

[Bemorewins]

1 hour ago, Ripken said:

No, the last three years are.  You don't keep Cowser down for a retread like Hicks.  Elias' fascination with poorly performing vets needs to stop.  Mateo and McKenna should be gone.  Hicks, O'Hearn, McCann and Frazier need to be bench players.  Hays, Mullins and Cowser should be the starting OF.  Gunnar, Westburg, Ortiz and Urias make up 3B/SS/2B.  Santander can pay 1B.  Adley catches.  DH rotates.  Mountcastle stays right where he is until he figures something out, which he may never do.  And that still leaves Kjerstad, Stowers and others in Norfolk.  If someone is moved out in trade for pitching then adjust from there.  

IMO Kjerstad should not be anywhere near the same category as Stowers. He is probably just as ready to come up to the show as Cowser. 

[HelenaEngineer]

44 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Elias isn't going to DFA anyone for a two day fill-in. 

Nor should he. Cowser should come up and be much more than a 2 day fill in. If that is all he is, leave him alone in Norfolk.

[ArtVanDelay]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

What point did I try to prove using 35 AB?

The other day you tried to make the case that Hicks shouldn’t DH based off of 7 at bats.  So I guess you’re only Captain SSS when it suits your argument. 

[Ripken]

45 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

IMO Kjerstad should not be anywhere near the same category as Stowers. He is probably just as ready to come up to the show as Cowser. 

Of course.  He's a lot better than Stowers.  The point was that there are players in Norfolk ready for Baltimore and I'd play them over some washed up vets.  I'd prefer all of Cowser, Kjerstad and Stowers over Hicks and McKenna.

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, HelenaEngineer said:

Nor should he. Cowser should come up and be much more than a 2 day fill in. If that is all he is, leave him alone in Norfolk.

Ok but I was responding to a post arguing that yesterday's lineup could be improved. I agree Cowser could be promoted any time but the question is where he would play when everyone is healthy. Hays, Santander, Mullins, and even Hicks are performing at high levels. 

[Bemorewins]

1 hour ago, Ripken said:

Of course.  He's a lot better than Stowers.  The point was that there are players in Norfolk ready for Baltimore and I'd play them over some washed up vets.  I'd prefer all of Cowser, Kjerstad and Stowers over Hicks and McKenna.

I don’t see Stowers with a legit path back to the O’s to get regular ABs. Looks like that ship may have sailed unfortunately for him