What are your expectations by the trade deadline?

[eddie83]

4 minutes ago, Fan4Life said:

Lots of pitching expectations on this thread and others... does nobody think we need a bat? 

Elias all but said they weren’t going after bats and along with that I don’t see a fit as well. All the prospects we have are position players as well. 

[Greg Pappas]

2 minutes ago, George Zuverink said:

I agree with Greg. Even though I’m 75, old enough to know that every year may be my last chance to see them in the WS, I don’t want to see them using valuable assets on rentals.  Maybe it’s my background as a CFO, wanting to wait until we have more negotiating leverage. Of course, I also had no talent for mark

I appreciate this George. Elias will make the best call he can... and no matter what happens, it's an exciting time to be an Orioles fan.

[Bemorewins]

Just now, Greg Pappas said:

 

I understand this line of thinking.  I didn't say we shouldn't make acquisitions, because we still could use a bullpen arm and another starter.  I just don't expect it'll be anyone like Mayo, Kjerstad, Basallo or Ortiz dealt to get them.  

That’s an interesting 4 names you list. I wouldn’t rank them all in the same tier. IMO our top 4 prospects are Holliday, Cowser, Kjerstad, and Mayo. After that I would be willing to deal for upgrades that we need. IMO Ortiz and Westburg are fairly redundant in that there is only one spot for either of them in the infield. I would be okay trading one and playing Urias at 3B next year until Holliday is called upon. Or just just trot Holliday out on opening day. Basallo is an interesting case because he’s so young and at a really low level. He could have future star potential but is probably several years away. Maybe they seen him as a potential successor to Adley one day, but you also have Williems. So I’m not sure what to make of him in that regards. I’m not sure that he should be labeled untouchable though.

[Bemorewins]

10 minutes ago, Fan4Life said:

Lots of pitching expectations on this thread and others... does nobody think we need a bat? 

No. I don’t think we “need” a bat. A really good hitter would like Goldschmidt would be a very nice luxury to have. But our offense is what top 8 in the league? The biggest issue is on the pitching side. I guess we could gamble on our starters, though I don’t think that would be wise. I love Wells, but he is very homer prone, something that can turn a game in the postseason. And Kremer is too up and down for my liking as someone to rely upon with the season on the line. If those guys could be slotted down the rung to #3 and #4 that would be preferable.

But the bullpen is an ABSOLUTE MUST! There is not plausible scenario where we win as is. I see almost no chance of success for wining 3/4 rounds in October relying heavily on the likes of Baker and Baumann. IMO they are mediocre/league average kind of guys. Certainly not the kind of pitchers that you can count on to get out elite hitters/offenses in big spots with any regularity.

[Fan4Life]

3 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

No. I don’t think we “need” a bat. A really good hitter would like Goldschmidt would be a very nice luxury to have. But our offense is what top 8 in the league? The biggest issue is on the pitching side. I guess we could gamble on our starters, though I don’t think that would be wise. I love Wells, but he is very homer prone, something that can turn a game in the postseason. And Kremer is too up and down for my liking as someone to rely upon with the season on the line. If those guys could be slotted down the rung to #3 and #4 that would be preferable.

But the bullpen is an ABSOLUTE MUST! There is not plausible scenario where we win as is. I see almost no chance of success for wining 3/4 rounds in October relying heavily on the likes of Baker and Baumann. IMO they are mediocre/league average kind of guys. Certainly not the kind of pitchers that you can count on to get out elite hitters/offenses in big spots with any regularity.

I understand and more or less agree but our offensive rank is not reflective of our play against playoff teams. Unless just making it there is enough. 

[Bemorewins]

1 minute ago, Fan4Life said:

I understand and more or less agree but our offensive rank is not reflective of our play against playoff teams. Unless just making it there is enough. 

Let me frame it this way: What are you most/least confident in? - Our offense, starting pitching, middle inning relief, back of the bullpen?

From their it should tell you where you make trades to plug holes.

When I look at our offense, I see 3 elite prospects on the horizon who all profile as elite offensive players (including the number 1 prospect in the sport). When you combine that with a team who is currently a top 8 offense, I don’t walk away saying that we need to add to that. But since we have ZERO top pitching prospects, I say to myself whether this season or in the future, we are going to need to balance the talent equation somehow.

[vab]

I expect more bullpen help. Fujinama is an ok "catch lightning in a bottle" type of play but they need a solid set-up man with a real track record to really shore up the back-end which will be all-important in the playoffs. I don't see any real difference-making SPs being available and they're pretty much set with position players. 

[wildcard]

I expect Bazardo, Gillaspie and Perez to be DFA'd.  And Elias to replace them with either internal or external players.    I don't know what Elias is thinking about Hernandez and Krehbiel.  I think Vespi returns.

I'll be watching Voth as the deadline approaches to see how his rehab  is going.

I think Wells and GRod shift to the pen in mid August to save their arms for the playoffs.  GRod might become an opener.   Irvin to the rotation.  Voth might be a guy to spot start until Means is ready in Sept.

It would not surprise me at all to see another starter acquired.   Probably a back end  guy to give a few starts down the stretch.   Better than Zimmerman but behind Wells, Bradish, Gibson, Kremer and GRod.

I have not given up on Hall as relief help.

Edited July 20, 2023 by wildcard

[Mooreisbetter27]

38 minutes ago, Fan4Life said:

Lots of pitching expectations on this thread and others... does nobody think we need a bat? 

Elias already said he didn't expect to even pursue a bat.  

Edit: Eddie beat me to it.  

Edited July 20, 2023 by Mooreisbetter27

[waroriole]

Don’t do something stupid. Get one more arm and clear the IF logjam. 

[Bemorewins]

2 minutes ago, vab said:

I expect more bullpen help. Fujinama is an ok "catch lightning in a bottle" type of play but they need a solid set-up man with a real track record to really shore up the back-end which will be all-important in the playoffs. I don't see any real difference-making SPs being available and they're pretty much set with position players. 

I agree on the legit bullpen arm being a need (probably our biggest).

You don’t see Snell, Rodriguez, or Stroman being significantly better than what we have now? All 3 have pitched really well this year, have playoff experience, and will probably come off of our books at the end of the year. I can’t really see a downside to acquiring any of the 3, unless you are confident in what we already have. I myself a very confident in Bradish with the way he is pitching now, somewhat confident in Wells (but really concerned about his penchant  for giving up HRs ) and not confident in any of the others. Kremer is to Jekyll and Hyde for me.

[Fan4Life]

11 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

Let me frame it this way: What are you most/least confident in? - Our offense, starting pitching, middle inning relief, back of the bullpen?

From their it should tell you where you make trades to plug holes.

When I look at our offense, I see 3 elite prospects on the horizon who all profile as elite offensive players (including the number 1 prospect in the sport). When you combine that with a team who is currently a top 8 offense, I don’t walk away saying that we need to add to that. But since we have ZERO top pitching prospects, I say to myself whether this season or in the future, we are going to need to balance the talent equation somehow.

RP is the priority

A starter would be nice if it can be someone in the neighborhood of Stroman for the right price

A bat like Goldschmidt would be a very nice get as well. 

 

Does anyone believe GM's use propaganda to affect cost of targets? If so, probably not looking for a bat comment by Elias isn't reliable. 

[Bemorewins]

1 minute ago, Fan4Life said:

RP is the priority

A starter would be nice if it can be someone in the neighborhood of Stroman for the right price

A bat like Goldschmidt would be a very nice get as well. 

 

Does anyone believe GM's use propaganda to affect cost of targets? If so, probably not looking for a bat comment by Elias isn't reliable. 

Of course GM’s do it. But I haven’t personally seen Elias employ the tactic of public deception much. Top level secrecy yeah. But I haven’t observed much in terms of tradecraft from him.

[RZNJ]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

A legit BP arm is my only true expectation.

They may add a starter but I don’t expect it.

I also expect at least one player from the current ML offense to be dealt.

I agree with everything here except for the last sentence.  We probably acquire a LH bullpen piece but I don’t expect a frontline starter.   Again, no top prospects lost but I also don’t see a current position player going back in any deals.  

[banks703]

30 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

No…I think we have some spots where we are going with risky options but no one I would replace. I think our offensive additions are from within and a guy like Hicks.

I would be pretty surprised if they add a position player.

Agree with this ^^^ and this \/ \/ \/ 

Quote

48 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I also expect at least one player from the current ML offense to be dealt.

I think it's very possible that a guy like Westburg is moved in a package for one of the better pitchers rumored to be on the market. I don't particularly like the idea of giving up a guy like Westburg for a rental of someone like Stroman but if they felt that they could possibly re-sign him that would be a difference maker for me. The dude is little but he's a pitcher and the groundball rate is something that only Kyle Gibson approaches. I realize that Walltimore was built in an effort to even the playing field/attract FA pitching but the O's only play half of their games in OPACY. Having a rotation comprised of all fly-ball pitchers is a questionable strategy IMO. The homers this year have been a bugaboo for a couple of the guys (and an extreme annoyance to me). A guy like Stroman, who is young enough to be part of this competitive window for the next five+ years would be a reasonable addition for Westburg (or Ortiz if that's how it plays out though I personally prefer Ortiz over Westburg).

I wonder if Ortiz has been held down in Norfolk to sort of separate him from the group of other rookies so that if/when he is dealt, the sting is lessened some by being out of site, out of mind. That thought occurred to me as I'm typing this. If that's the psychology behind his not being given more time/run with the big club then I guess it makes sense to move him if they can improve the roster for a playoff run. If he and Westburg are redundant with the bat, Joey's defense makes him the more valuable player long-term. I suppose the year difference in age (Westburg being the younger of the two) certainly could factor into any decisions but I'd prefer the better defensive player. If either of them can be packaged to land a starting pitcher then I would be fine with it, obviously preferring someone with more than two months of control though.