O's DFA Krehbiel, claim OF Sam Hilliard

[interloper]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/orioles-claim-sam-hilliard-from-braves.html

Checking that left-handed reserve OF box.

[oriole]

Are Cowser, Kjerstad, and Beavers not enough?!?!

[sportsfan8703]

Possibly Hicks' or Mckenna's replacement.  He's LH.  Got some pop.  Can play CF.  A nice little move.  Elias claimed Jake Cave at a similar time last year and then we lost him on waivers.  Hilliard looks to be a step up from Cave, but Cave is playing in a WS for the Dbacks.  

[sportsfan8703]

2 minutes ago, oriole said:

Are Cowser, Kjerstad, and Beavers not enough?!?!

They're not CF.  

[E-D-D-I-E]

8 minutes ago, interloper said:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/orioles-claim-sam-hilliard-from-braves.html

Checking that left-handed reserve OF box.

Organizational depth I hope. Never could solve big league pitching. Big sucka.

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Possibly Hicks' or Mckenna's replacement.  He's LH.  Got some pop.  Can play CF.  A nice little move.  Elias claimed Jake Cave at a similar time last year and then we lost him on waivers.  Hilliard looks to be a step up from Cave, but Cave is playing in a WS for the Dbacks.  

Yeah this reminded me of the Cave claim as well. I don't think Hilliard is as good of a defensive CF as Cave, but it's a fine move. Two claims before the WS is over is a pretty rapid clip already. 

6 minutes ago, oriole said:

Are Cowser, Kjerstad, and Beavers not enough?!?!

Just look at when we had to scramble and get Hicks when Mullins went down. It sounds like a we have a million OFs, but barely any play CF. McKenna might get non-tendered and Cowser looked bad in CF. Hicks is gone. 

[Tony-OH]

The one thing we know about Elias is that's he's going to make these claims and at this time of year, and it doesn't mean they won't be DFA'd again by him. He constantly tries to add depth and competition for his roster, and if it doesn't work out he moves on the next guy. 

Basically if your the 38th, 39th or 40th guy on his 40-man be prepared to be waived when another better option presents itself.

 

[RZNJ]

BRef has this guy listed at 6’5 236!   In 717 career plate appearances 32 homers and 242 K’s.   That’s over 33% by my math.   19 stolen bases and only one caught stealing.   
 

Baseball savant has his arm strength at 75% and his sprint speed at 90%.  Average exit velo at 92.4.

Big toolsy OF with power, speed, and a ton of swing and miss.

Edited November 1, 2023 by RZNJ

[emmett16]

Looks like the first O’Hearn type move of the off-season.  Looks like a toolsy guy. 

[bobmc]

16 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

BRef has this guy listed at 6’5 236!   In 717 career plate appearances 32 homers and 242 K’s.   That’s over 33% by my math.   19 stolen bases and only one caught stealing.   
 

Baseball savant has his arm strength at 75% and his sprint speed at 90%.  Average exit velo at 92.4.

Big toolsy OF with power, speed, and a ton of swing and miss.

Options?

[RZNJ]

Stowers with defense?

 

[rm5678]

35 minutes ago, bobmc said:

Options?

No options remaining.

[RZNJ]

2 hours ago, oriole said:

Are Cowser, Kjerstad, and Beavers not enough?!?!

Don’t know if Hilliard will survive the winter roster decisions but if he does it’s because they’d rather have a guy like this getting sporadic AB’s than players like Cowser and Kjerstad.   If Hays, Mullins, Santander, and Mountcastle are on the 2024 OD roster, regular AB’s are going to be tough to come by for Kjerstad and Cowser.   They could both start the season at Norfolk.   

[joelala]

3 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Possibly Hicks' or Mckenna's replacement.  He's LH.  Got some pop.  Can play CF.  A nice little move.  Elias claimed Jake Cave at a similar time last year and then we lost him on waivers.  Hilliard looks to be a step up from Cave, but Cave is playing in a WS for the Dbacks.  

Cave is on the Phillies but I agree I really like the claim. 

[Jagwar]

2 hours ago, rm5678 said:

No options remaining.

Then I wouldn't get attached to him