Trade chips replaced in-house = Salary Relief

[CaptainRedbeard]

It’s true that the Orioles have enough talent that they could trade all of their arb players and not replace the impending free agents and still field a competitive team this next year. But they need to be spending money to improve the team somehow. The flip side of this depth is that they don’t have clear holes in the roster that can be easily improved with acquisitions. The only obvious direction is free agent SP - but how willing are they going to be to spend $50M-100M on the type of quality SP that would actually make a difference?

There is an incredible foundation in place but it needs to be supplemented. Stripping down salary without the willingness to re-allocate it won’t help anything. Unfortunately I think they’re more likely to hang onto their arb players than trade them and use that money on free agents (or big extensions). 

[Can_of_corn]

8 minutes ago, CaptainRedbeard said:

But they need to be spending money to improve the team somehow. 

I'm John Angelos, explain to me why I have to spend money to improve the team.

Team is in first place with this payroll.

[Sports Guy]

48 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

You shouldn’t sit on your hands.

And the Os now have the extra need to improve even more because their 2023 MVP is out for 2024.

Plus, there is just the natural progression of prospects becoming ML ready and the need to make room for them.

Lol..who is this loser who keeps downvoting me but not posting?  

[Can_of_corn]

8 hours ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

Other teams don't have John Angelo's as acting owner.

I was being serious.  A lot of times teams want to keep a core together when they are aging and becoming less effective.  Look at the O's under Buck.

[Roll Tide]

20 hours ago, emmett16 said:

Anthony Santander >>> Heston Kjerstad = $7,400,000+

Ramon Urias >>> Coby Mayo = $734,700+

Adam Frazier >>> Jackson Holiday = $8,000,000 *not a trade chip, just 2024 salary relief

Austin Hays >>> Colton Cowser = $3,200,000+

Jorge Mateo >>> Joey Ortiz = $2,000,000+ 

Salaries above are for 2023 and don't include arbitration raises, which will likely be steep for Santander and Hays.  Urias enters arbitration for the first time and will be due a significant raise.  Frazier will be gone clearing out his $8MM salary.  Mateo might be tradable.  Folks keep saying we need to trade from the IF depth and that there isn't enough room for all our IF prospects.  I don't see that happening - I believe they will trade Santander, Urias, and Hays.  The guys in AAA are direct replacements for the "expensive" guys on the MLB roster this year.  By trading Santander, Hays, & Urias and jettisoning Mateo(maybe trade) & Frazier the Orioles are going to save ~$25MM.  The new group, as a whole, is likely to outperform the incumbents.  

 

You forget Gibson?

[wildcard]

21 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I was being serious.  A lot of times teams want to keep a core together when they are aging and becoming less effective.  Look at the O's under Buck.

That will not happen because O's ownership and management are not going to extend players into their 30's. Santander will be let go either this off season or the next.

[IPlayGM]

Makes sense for roster construction for Santander and Urias to go. Santander is getting expensive and Heston is a similar profile. Urias is a RH bat who doesn’t hit lefties well. Hays might stick just because he can be the balance to the LH bats we have in the outfield. Although I’m not sure if you keep him that Hyde wouldn’t still play him as much as possible.

[wildcard]

58 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'm John Angelos, explain to me why I have to spend money to improve the team.

Team is in first place with this payroll.

This is an excellent point.    Elias thinks there is better ways to improve than spending money on FAs.

[Just Regular]

Everybody knows today that Rookie of the Year is to some extent a counting exercise competition.

I believe Kjerstad or Cowser is the aimed shot at '24, and it'll be fun to watch Elias manage expectations with Holliday and Mayo next spring preserving one or both of them for '25.

DH it looks like will be near half Adley's as they keep him on plate appearances leaderboards.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

This is an excellent point.    Elias thinks there is better ways to improve than spending money on FAs.

You keep saying this but Elias has spent money in FA and has tried to spend more.

He has his limits on what he wants to spend but he does want to spend it. 
 

He also likely will take on contracts via trades.

[wildcard]

5 minutes ago, IPlayGM said:

Makes sense for roster construction for Santander and Urias to go. Santander is getting expensive and Heston is a similar profile. Urias is a RH bat who doesn’t hit lefties well. Hays might stick just because he can be the balance to the LH bats we have in the outfield. Although I’m not sure if you keep him that Hyde wouldn’t still play him as much as possible.

Kjerstad may not have the kind of production that Santander produces.  He still has to adjust to the majors.  

Urias plays 3rd base at a high level.   And he hits righties pretty well.  Heck he plays 3B better than Gunnar.    I am looking forward to seeing whether Ortiz has the reflexes at 3B that Urias has.

[wildcard]

8 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

You keep saying this but Elias has spent money in FA and has tried to spend more.

He has his limits on what he wants to spend but he does want to spend it. 
 

He also likely will take on contracts via trades.

One year contracts to fill holes.  Not much more.

[Sports Guy]

Just now, wildcard said:

One year contracts to fill holes.  Not much more.

He offered multi year deals to pitchers in the offseason. He is fine with going 2-3 years. He will do that. 

Now, he may also decide to deal positional talent for a Mariners starter…or maybe he does that and signs a FA starter. Good case to be made to add 2 starters.

But he definitely should add one big upgrade to the rotation, whether it be via trade or signing and another Gibson/Lyles type guy isn’t it.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

He offered multi year deals to pitchers in the offseason. He is fine with going 2-3 years. He will do that. 

Now, he may also decide to deal positional talent for a Mariners starter…or maybe he does that and signs a FA starter. Good case to be made to add 2 starters.

But he definitely should add one big upgrade to the rotation, whether it be via trade or signing and another Gibson/Lyles type guy isn’t it.

We don't know how serious any of the offers were.

[wildcard]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

He offered multi year deals to pitchers in the offseason. He is fine with going 2-3 years. He will do that. 

Now, he may also decide to deal positional talent for a Mariners starter…or maybe he does that and signs a FA starter. Good case to be made to add 2 starters.

But he definitely should add one big upgrade to the rotation, whether it be via trade or signing and another Gibson/Lyles type guy isn’t it.

You can beat this drum all winter but its not happening.   He has Bradish, GRod, Means, Kremer, Wells, Hall, Irvin and McDermott.   I will be very surprised if he adds a FA starter instead on relying on development.