Hilliard vs. Cowser

[RZNJ]

If Cowser makes the team, he’s a LH hitter who can play all 3 outfield positions but it looks like his AB’s are limited unless or until one of the starters go down with injury.

If Hilliard makes the team, he’s a LH hitter who can play all 3 outfield positions and is accustomed to being a part time player.   Kind of makes you wonder if Elias had something in the back of his mind when he claimed Hilliard.

[wildcard]

Cowser has the range to play the corners.   He has as much range as Hicks had in center.  Which is not great but he will catch what he can get to as Mullins backup.   He should hit after he settles in and ST should help.

Hilliard is faster. Big guy. 6'5", 236 lb.  Plays the corners well but not thought of as a center fielder.  He has power,  but average and OBP probably will be low.   If Cowser does well in ST Elias probably trys to get Hilliard through waivers right before OD.

[The B&G]

I am curious to see what happens with Hilliard, I think he's a fun upgrade over McKenna. I doubt they have Cowser on the team if he's the backup OF, would make more sense to let him get regular at bats in Norfolk. It's been beaten to the death and is the reason I check OH everyday, but gosh does it make sense for a trade to happen. My vote would be trade Cowser, let Hilliard and McKenna fight over the 4th OF spot and have Heston be the full time DH. That is assuming they refuse to trade one of their current vet OFers. My real preference would be trade Hays, but I don't think that's going to happen. 

[scarey1999]

They brought this exact topic up in a recent “On the Verge” podcast, claiming that Hilliard was a backup plan in case of trades or injury. 

[oriole]

Hilliard was supposed to be the next Larry Walker, maybe he’s just a late bloomer? 

[RZNJ]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

Cowser has the range to play the corners.   He has as much range as Hicks had in center.  Which is not great but he will catch what he can get to as Mullins backup.   He should hit after he settles in and ST should help.

Hilliard is faster. Big guy. 6'5", 236 lb.  Plays the corners well but not thought of as a center fielder.  He has power,  but average and OBP probably will be low.   If Cowser does well in ST Elias probably trys to get Hilliard through waivers right before OD.

Hilliard has played 758 career innings in CF.   631 in LF.   174 in RF.   Some ML teams think of him as a CF.   According to Fangraphs his career is a +1 DRS and a O OAA.   That’s average and he had to cover a lot of ground in Colorado.

[RZNJ]

44 minutes ago, scarey1999 said:

They brought this exact topic up in a recent “On the Verge” podcast, claiming that Hilliard was a backup plan in case of trades or injury. 

Didn’t catch that episode.  Honest!   Lol

[scarey1999]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

Didn’t catch that episode.  Honest!   Lol

The topic was more broadly, the outfield situation, including their thoughts Kjerstad and McKenna, as well as a few other odds and ends. It was one of their better ones, I thought.  Worth a listen. 

[sportsfan8703]

9 hours ago, oriole said:

Hilliard was supposed to be the next Larry Walker, maybe he’s just a late bloomer? 

Could Hilliard and Stowers both be late bloomers?

Cowser should be in AAA unless he’s getting everyday ABs.

I would keep Hilliard over McKenna if it comes down to it at the end of ST. Hilliard could be our Stop gap CF next CF to start the season to give EBJ some time. I see EBJ as playing mostly in Bowie this year and getting to AAA at the end of the year. June 15 would be EBJ’s debut date of next year if all goes well. 

[btdart20]

I think they’ll try to sneak Hilliard through waivers.  Or plan B considering trades.  A bit of Daz depth with more experience.  

[Just Regular]

One of these guys is Jake Fox.

Its a forever truth that a 30-year-old used to the MLB game can mash league average Grapefruit pitching if they are fighting tooth and nail for one more Opening Day.

I trust the Sigbot has good process not to be tricked by that kind of thing.

Entering 2024, Cowser does have a red flag can he cope with MLB breaking stuff, but if he can't for me Hilliard is more a compare/contrast with Ryan McKenna.

[interloper]

I support an attempt to sneak Hilliard through waivers. He's kind of the perfect emergency OF guy. But to start the year I'd prefer to have Kjerstad and McKenna on the roster if everyone is healthy. 

Edited January 17 by interloper

[ChosenOne21]

12 hours ago, scarey1999 said:

They brought this exact topic up in a recent “On the Verge” podcast, claiming that Hilliard was a backup plan in case of trades or injury. 

I would really hope Cowser is the plan A over Hilliard if Cowser is still here.

[CaptainRedbeard]

Hilliard is Ryan O’Hearn from last season but with a $800k arbitration salary and no options instead of $1.5M and an option. He’s a flier and the Orioles probably like him enough that he’s worth carrying on the 40-man now, but if they don’t feel like they want/need him at the end of Spring Training, they’ll outright him and hope he goes unclaimed and accepts the assignment to keep his $800k. 

I think Ryan McKenna is going to be treated the same way now that he’s out of options.

The most important factor that nobody really knows is who the Orioles think can be the CF on the 25 man roster behind Mullins. If Hays, Cowser or even Mateo then they don’t need McKenna or Hilliard. But if they don’t think any of those 3 can sufficiently cover CF, then we certainly could see Hilliard make the team over McKenna - but McKenna has a leg up due to being RH. 

Elias probably has an idea about how this will turn out but I think legitimately it could get determined in Spring Training and depends a lot on team health as well.