If there's one more big move to be made this offseason, what do you want it to be?

[Billy F-Face3]

Before even getting into extensions, here are the things I believe can improve our chances at a 2024 World Series...

1. Bolster the Bullpen. Acquiring a reliable LH Relief pitcher (maybe a RHP reliver for security sake as well.) We need to have a plan B and C if anything happens to Kimbrel or Cano. Who is our backup closer going to be? We need to feel confident in our high leverage depth.

2. Finding a pure cleanup power hitter to add to the lineup. (Think of the Frank Robinson acquisition in the 1960s.) 

Things to help in the long run...

Getting Holiday, Cowser, and Kjerstad adjusted to Big League Left Handed Pitchers.

Getting Mayo ready for the Big League.

Helping Basallo improve his defensive skills as a Catcher and getting him comfortable with AAA+ talent.

Develop Johnson & Povich to be ready to join the rotation as Major League Pitchers.

 

Extending Orioles players...

Rutschman, Bradish, Henderson, Burnes. I also wonder what the chances are of keeping Cedric Mullins around a little longer beyond his free agency might be. He's a special type of talent that doesn’t come along very often.

[interloper]

40 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

2. Finding a pure cleanup power hitter to add to the lineup. (Think of the Frank Robinson acquisition in the 1960s.) 

Where would someone like this play though? 
1. Mullins CF
2. Adley C
3. Santander DH
4. Gunnar SS
5. Mounty/O'Hearn 1B
6. Hays LF
7. Westburg 3B
8. Kjerstad DH
9. Urias unless it's Holliday 2B

[DirtyBird]

3 minutes ago, interloper said:

Where would someone like this play though? 
1. Mullins CF
2. Adley C
3. Santander DH
4. Gunnar SS
5. Mounty/O'Hearn 1B
6. Hays LF
7. Westburg 3B
8. Kjerstad DH
9. Urias unless it's Holliday 2B

Maybe in place of the guy you have in the 3 spot that can't crack a .800 OPS

[Ohfan67]

Trade Holliday.

 

 

 

I'm joking!

[wildcard]

Norby and Stowers are blocked.   Depending on how ST goes Holliday, Kjerstad and/or Mayo do they could push Urias and O'Hearn.    It will be interesting to see what Elias does with those guys and when.

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

Maybe in place of the guy you have in the 3 spot that can't crack a .800 OPS

Mmkay. Good luck finding a guy available who is gonna be a .800+ OPS bat. 

[DirtyBird]

Just now, interloper said:

Mmkay. Good luck finding a guy available who is gonna be a .800+ OPS bat. 

JD Martinez is available

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

JD Martinez is available

If you can get him on a 1 year deal, I guess that's a little intriguing I'll admit. 

There's just so many opportunities to rotate the DH spot though. Personally I'm bullish on Kjerstad being a slugger. Gunnar could be the bat you want this year, too. 

[Billy F-Face3]

12 minutes ago, interloper said:

Where would someone like this play though? 
1. Mullins CF
2. Adley C
3. Santander DH
4. Gunnar SS
5. Mounty/O'Hearn 1B
6. Hays LF
7. Westburg 3B
8. Kjerstad DH
9. Urias unless it's Holliday 2B

If you have a Frank Robinson on your team, you have a spot in your lineup for Frank Robinson no matter who else is on the roster. And he bats 3 or 4. That said, I like Santander and feel like any cleanup hitter should compliment him. 

Also, there is a slim possibility that Kjerstad or Mayo could develop into such a type of hitter. But I wouldn’t put any bets on it to happen in their rookie seasons. Certainly not in 2024. 

I think one of the things that helped the 2012-2016 Orioles win as much as they did was that they had a Nelson Cruz and Mark Trumbo to help in that part of the lineup.  Santander and maybe now Gunnar are the only real genuine power hitters we currently have in the lineup. Other guys have some pop, but I wouldn’t really call them a power hitter.

[interloper]

Just now, Billy F-Face3 said:

If you have a Frank Robinson on your team, you have a spot in your lineup for Frank Robinson no matter who else is on the roster. And he bats 3 or 4. That said, I like Santander and feel like any cleanup hitter should compliment him. 

Also, there is a slim possibility that Kjerstad or Mayo could develop into such a type of hitter. But I wouldn’t put any bets on it to happen in their rookie seasons. Certainly not in 2024. 

I think one of the things that helped the 2012-2016 Orioles win as much as they did was that they had a Nelson Cruz and Mark Trumbo to help in that part of the lineup.  Santander and maybe now Gunnar are the only real genuine power hitters we currently have in the lineup. Other guys have some pop, but I wouldn’t really call them a power hitter.

No argument that we can fit Frank Robinson on the team haha. I just see limited opportunities for that. JD Martinez was a good shout that I sorta forgot about. Other than that? Dunno. Soto was that guy in the trade market. 

 

[Bahama O's Fan]

3 hours ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

Before even getting into extensions, here are the things I believe can improve our chances at a 2024 World Series...

1. Bolster the Bullpen. Acquiring a reliable LH Relief pitcher (maybe a RHP reliver for security sake as well.) We need to have a plan B and C if anything happens to Kimbrel or Cano. Who is our backup closer going to be? We need to feel confident in our high leverage depth.

2. Finding a pure cleanup power hitter to add to the lineup. (Think of the Frank Robinson acquisition in the 1960s.) 

Things to help in the long run...

Getting Holiday, Cowser, and Kjerstad adjusted to Big League Left Handed Pitchers.

Getting Mayo ready for the Big League.

Helping Basallo improve his defensive skills as a Catcher and getting him comfortable with AAA+ talent.

Develop Johnson & Povich to be ready to join the rotation as Major League Pitchers.

 

Extending Orioles players...

Rutschman, Bradish, Henderson, Burnes. I also wonder what the chances are of keeping Cedric Mullins around a little longer beyond his free agency might be. He's a special type of talent that doesn’t come along very often.

Finding a hitter was why I put other. We are one big, consistent bat away from a championship, I believe. Most our hitters are streaky and the offense went to sleep in the playoffs. I felt like we needed one top pitcher and one top hitter. We got one, now we need the other. We have enough roster flexibility that we could almost take a hitter at any position. Two possible free agents are Martinez and Bellinger. A lefty would be preferable. I don't know who night be available by trade. Maybe someone on a one year deal.

[interloper]

I would like to know what @Keygansmeant when he said they're not done.

 

[wildbillhiccup]

3 hours ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

2. Finding a pure cleanup power hitter to add to the lineup. (Think of the Frank Robinson acquisition in the 1960s.) 

44 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Finding a hitter was why I put other. We are one big, consistent bat away from a championship, I believe. Most our hitters are streaky and the offense went to sleep in the playoffs. I felt like we needed one top pitcher and one top hitter. We got one, now we need the other. We have enough roster flexibility that we could almost take a hitter at any position. Two possible free agents are Martinez and Bellinger. A lefty would be preferable. I don't know who night be available by trade. Maybe someone on a one year deal.

I feel like you both might be a bit skewed by the team's playoff performance. The Orioles were 7th in all of baseball in runs scored last season. And even if you factor in just a modest improvement by some of our younger players in 2024 they should be even better offensively this season. Adding another bat to the lineup would certainly be nice, but it doesn't seem like a necessity or priority. Elias can revisit the need for a big bat after Santander leaves, if he feels that one is needed. Soto, Alonso, and Goldschmidt are just a few of the 2025 FAs who will be available who fit the "big bat" mold. 

[Moose Milligan]

Voted Elias. But outside of that, I’d like to get another really good reliever if possible. Not sure who remains. 
 

But I also think it’s hilarious that everyone suddenly thinks that since new ownership has been announced and the Burnes trade went down that we’re gonna be players for Snell or Monty. 

[Mooreisbetter27]

I put extend Elias. I also want another bp guy but don’t care for any that are left so wouldn’t mind trading a Norby for a good arm. Don’t know who that would be though.