All the talk about Cowser and Kjerstad…but what about Stowers?

[Billy F-Face3]

I was just thinking about this. Good thread.

[jabba72]

Elias might as well trade Stowers for whatever he can get at this point. He is forgotten. Stowers has no role with the club. I've read Elias comments saying he is productive when healthy but he doesn't appear to be in the O's plans. Maybe he's waiting for Hays and Santander both to move on before Stowers gets PT. There doesn't seem to be any plan in place for Stowers to get regular PA's with the team. 

[interloper]

Cowser annoys me as a prospect. I know it's frowned upon to be a Cowser non-believer, but I'm a Cowser non-believer. 

Feels good to just admit it. Lol. 

[deward]

4 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

Elias might as well trade Stowers for whatever he can get at this point. He is forgotten. Stowers has no role with the club. I've read Elias comments saying he is productive when healthy but he doesn't appear to be in the O's plans. Maybe he's waiting for Hays and Santander both to move on before Stowers gets PT. There doesn't seem to be any plan in place for Stowers to get regular PA's with the team. 

I agree with this. Stowers clearly has no future here, but he's also shown enough that some bad team with a hole in their outfield should be interested in giving him a chance. Elias hasn't really done anything in the way of prospect for prospect trades yet (that I can recall), but this should be the first. Surely you can get someone to flip you a DSL arm or two for him. Or maybe a stalled upper level pitching prospect who could use a change of scenery. Something. Maybe it'll happen during ST.

[RZNJ]

Stowers is Sam Hilliard without the defense.   In fact, they might wait to see if Hilliard clears waivers to Norfolk before they trade him.  They obtained Hilliard and Daniel Johnson, both LH hitting outfielders who play pretty good defense in RF.   Stowers gets moved during ST.

Stowers was billed as a solid all around player at draft time but he’s got holes in his swing and his speed was below average 27.0 ft/sc and apparently getting worse (25.8 ft/sc 2023).   Now maybe the 2023 number should be taken with a grain of salt but Stowers has one carrying tool (two if we count his arm) and that’s his power.   Unfortunately, in SSS in the majors he hasn’t shown he can get to it in games.

He’s got long levers and likes to get extended.  The homer off Liam Hendriks was on a changeup 3-6 inches outside off the plate.  He gets tied up easily on most anything on the inner half.   Maybe he gets a chance somewhere else but I don’t think teams are trying to get there hands on him.  He’s not overlooked.  I think he’s a AAAA player.

[SteveA]

39 minutes ago, deward said:

I agree with this. Stowers clearly has no future here, but he's also shown enough that some bad team with a hole in their outfield should be interested in giving him a chance. Elias hasn't really done anything in the way of prospect for prospect trades yet (that I can recall), but this should be the first. Surely you can get someone to flip you a DSL arm or two for him. Or maybe a stalled upper level pitching prospect who could use a change of scenery. Something. Maybe it'll happen during ST.

I think this is kind of harsh.

What's wrong with keeping him around as depth?   Injuries happen.   Prospects fail.

Yes, if you can bring something of value back, he is definitely someone to trade.  But you seem to just want to get rid of him "for a DSL arm or two".   I don't think his value has shrunk that much.

[oriole]

Lefty power bat in Camden Yards? Yes please. He may not be a perennial all star, but I bet he makes a nice career for himself. I doubt that is Baltimore but it seems a shame to give up on him, which is what I’m generally understanding is the consensus here. I might even say it’s worth trading Cowser or Kjerstad just because Stowers can slide into that role. Not as much upside but it would allow moving some valuable prospects for something valuable elsewhere in return. I know this is a pipe dream scenario, but I’m just using it as an example…trade Cowser, Norby, and Kremer for Logan Gilbert and then you’ve got Gilbert replacing Kremer in the rotation and Stowers is still available to play RF.

[Roll Tide]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

The guy has a .363 OBP in the minors, including .361 in AAA.  What makes you think he’d have a sub-.300 OBP in the majors?  ZiPS projects him at .311, Steamer at .312.  

I think he will strike out too much at the majors. Even if he hits .311 that’s not the kind of player we need moving forward. I think you are more likely to get a .330+ OBP from all of Mayo, Kjerstad, and Norby.

[deward]

6 hours ago, SteveA said:

I think this is kind of harsh.

What's wrong with keeping him around as depth?   Injuries happen.   Prospects fail.

Yes, if you can bring something of value back, he is definitely someone to trade.  But you seem to just want to get rid of him "for a DSL arm or two".   I don't think his value has shrunk that much.

It's not intended to be harsh. I like Stowers, and I think he's got the tools to carve out a major league career, but I don't see it happening in Baltimore. It would take a combination of injuries to vets and the prospects ahead of him failing before he becomes relevant again. He's starting to get a bit long in the tooth for a prospect (maybe that part is harsh, but it's reality) and the opportunity here has passed him by. I don't know what leverage there would be to trade him for anything immediately impactful, maybe I'm wrong. Flipping him for the best return available just seems to me to be in the best interests of all parties.

[sportsfan8703]

7 hours ago, interloper said:

Cowser annoys me as a prospect. I know it's frowned upon to be a Cowser non-believer, but I'm a Cowser non-believer. 

Feels good to just admit it. Lol. 

Admitting and having a different view point is welcome. Especially when all of this is guesswork.

Nevin is the same age as Stowers. Has similar AAA success, more mlb success, but is treated much differently.  

[connja]

The right thing to do woudl be to trade him.  Get some 18-19 year old lotto picks and do the right thing for the kid.

[Roll Tide]

10 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Stowers is Sam Hilliard without the defense.   In fact, they might wait to see if Hilliard clears waivers to Norfolk before they trade him.  They obtained Hilliard and Daniel Johnson, both LH hitting outfielders who play pretty good defense in RF.   Stowers gets moved during ST.

Stowers was billed as a solid all around player at draft time but he’s got holes in his swing and his speed was below average 27.0 ft/sc and apparently getting worse (25.8 ft/sc 2023).   Now maybe the 2023 number should be taken with a grain of salt but Stowers has one carrying tool (two if we count his arm) and that’s his power.   Unfortunately, in SSS in the majors he hasn’t shown he can get to it in games.

He’s got long levers and likes to get extended.  The homer off Liam Hendriks was on a changeup 3-6 inches outside off the plate.  He gets tied up easily on most anything on the inner half.   Maybe he gets a chance somewhere else but I don’t think teams are trying to get there hands on him.  He’s not overlooked.  I think he’s a AAAA player.

He .726 OPSd in 2022 in his first 100 ABs. His offense would likely improve with playing time. Trying to judge 30 ABs to a player who got that over a month playing 1 time per week is unfair. Most guys can’t stay ready to play 1 time per week. His .900 OPS says he should hit if he was given a chance to play somewhere. I agree it probably won’t be with the O’s and he does offer a ton defensively 

[Billy F-Face3]

12 hours ago, Fla_O'sfan said:

While on the subject of (totally) forgotten players, what about Terrin Vavra? He was injured most of last season, but hit .333 at Norfolk and has a .306 MiLB average. Still only 26,  he has hit.254 for O’s in a couple short stints. I’m kind of surprised that some other team hasn’t acquired him. He seems better tan just a career minor leaguer. 

Depending on what happens with Holliday, Vavra could be a long shot candidate to fill the platoon role of left handed hitting 2nd baseman vacated by Frazier.  There was a stretch in 2022 when Vavra was on a hitting streak and really helped the team out. He's shows some flashes to be able to play at the Big League level.

[RZNJ]

3 hours ago, Roll Tide said:

He .726 OPSd in 2022 in his first 100 ABs. His offense would likely improve with playing time. Trying to judge 30 ABs to a player who got that over a month playing 1 time per week is unfair. Most guys can’t stay ready to play 1 time per week. His .900 OPS says he should hit if he was given a chance to play somewhere. I agree it probably won’t be with the O’s and he does offer a ton defensively 

5 walks and 29 strikeouts in 98 PA in that 2022 season.   Sure, he might turn out to be a good player.  Just my personal opinion and observation that I don’t think he’s going to be a starting ML outfielder.   I hope he gets a shot somewhere and proves me wrong.   

[Roll Tide]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

5 walks and 29 strikeouts in 98 PA in that 2022 season.   Sure, he might turn out to be a good player.  Just my personal opinion and observation that I don’t think he’s going to be a starting ML outfielder.   I hope he gets a shot somewhere and proves me wrong.   

You could be right …. I just don’t think it’s right to judge him until he gets an opportunity. A 30% K rate is too high but most players struggle in those early ABs. It’s impossible to judge a player with the ABs he and Ortiz got in 2023. 
 

I never played professional baseball but did play competitive sports. When I played baseball and softball the more I played the better I performed. A couple times where I played sparingly on travels teams I struggled.