3rd Base. Is there a competition?

[Otter]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

People say depth is a good thing and while that’s partially true, there is also a lot of problems with it.

If “depth” is keeping you from playing your best players, that’s a problem. 

Agreed.  Depth is very important, but if you have so much depth at certain positions that major league ready talented players need 2-3 serious injuries to even get a shot then you probably need to make a move.  Deep depth is needed with pitchers because they have so frequently have long-term serious injuries that some never even make it back from.  That is much more rare with position players, so trade from the position player surplus (either the guys who aren't getting a chance or the veterans blocking them) and stockpile pitching.

[spleen1015]

1. I think it is to start the season.

2. There's always a chance. If Westburg struggles the first 20-30 games, maybe Mayo gets a look.

3. Doesn't matter.

[UMDTerrapins]

I think Mayo, Westburg, Henderson, Holliday can easily co-exist on the same team. But something has to give at 1B. I’d trade Urias for a low level “project” with upside in ST. I’d also find a taker for O’Hearn. I’d rather use Westburg to help acquire Luzardo, but assuming such a deal isn’t available, I’d make space by moving Urias/O’Hearn. 

[Tony-OH]

55 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Urias to the Cubs for Little is a deal I like.  Big dude and has big numbers in the minors. 

It’s not definite that he makes their pen and it’s not definite that even if he does, that he will be a big piece there, at least for a while.

They need/want a third baseman. Urias can help them now. Little can help us. 
 

I think that’s the type of reliever you can maybe get now. Someone that has upside but not necessarily a main piece right now.

I can't see the Cubs moving Little for Urias. Westburg maybe, but not Urias. Little looks like he's similar to DL Hall but younger. Would you trade DL Hall for Urias? 

I'd love for the Orioles to get ahold of Luke Little, but it's going to take more than Urias. I'll be honest, I might trade Westburg for Little if that was offered. That would enable Mayo to have a clearer path to make the team at 3B.

[Sports Guy]

19 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I can't see the Cubs moving Little for Urias. Westburg maybe, but not Urias. Little looks like he's similar to DL Hall but younger. Would you trade DL Hall for Urias? 

I'd love for the Orioles to get ahold of Luke Little, but it's going to take more than Urias. I'll be honest, I might trade Westburg for Little if that was offered. That would enable Mayo to have a clearer path to make the team at 3B.

Ehhh, maybe. Little doesn’t have the hype, ranking or anything like that in comparison to Hall. You may not believe in Hall as a starter but it’s clear many do. 
 

Now, as a reliever and rating them solely as that, I don’t disagree with your assessment here. I don’t know if Little has 4 high whiff rate pitches like Hall has shown though.

Little is outside of most top 15 prospect rankings for the Cubs that I have seen. The upside is there for him to be a great reliever but he’s a huge guy and mechanics could be an issue. He had 42 walks and hit 13 batters in 63 IP last year.

I can’t see trading Westburg for that. Westburg is likely to be a 2-3 WAR guy with an upside to be better than that.  Westburg should be dealt as a big piece for a starter, not for a prospect who you hope turns into a good MLB reliever.

Urias is worth a guy in the 15-20 prospect range for an organization.

Edited March 7 by Sports Guy

[Frobby]

As tempting as it is to handicap a horse race before they’ve reached the backstretch, there’s no good reason to do it.  

[Aristotelian]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Ehhh, maybe. Little doesn’t have the hype, ranking or anything like that in comparison to Hall. You may not believe in Hall as a starter but it’s clear many do. 
 

Now, as a reliever and rating them solely as that, I don’t disagree with your assessment here. I don’t know if Little has 4 high whiff rate pitches like Hall has shown. 

Little is outside of most top 15 prospect rankings for the Cubs that I have seen. The upside is there for him to be a great reliever but he’s a huge guy and mechanics could be an issue. He had 42 walks and hit 13 batters in 63 IP last year.

I can’t see trading Westburg for that. Westburg is likely to be a 2-3 WAR guy with an upside to be better than that.

Urias is worth a guy in the 15-20 prospect range for an organization.

I think Urias for a bullpen arm is a good framework for a deal. Couldn't begin to predict which one or even which team. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

51 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I can't see the Cubs moving Little for Urias. Westburg maybe, but not Urias. Little looks like he's similar to DL Hall but younger. Would you trade DL Hall for Urias? 

I'd love for the Orioles to get ahold of Luke Little, but it's going to take more than Urias. I'll be honest, I might trade Westburg for Little if that was offered. That would enable Mayo to have a clearer path to make the team at 3B.

I agree that the Cubs wouldn't make that trade unless the Orioles up the ante with a better prospect like Westburg. Little has the chance to be an elite bullpen arm and most teams aren't going to trade such an asset in the beginning of the season except for an overpay. Orioles might have better luck targeting a veteran bullpen arm whose ceiling is established. 

 

[baltfan]

4 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

I sure would like to move one of Urias, O'Hearn or even Santander for a good bullpen arm, but I just don't think team's move good BP arms this time of the year.

Mayo looks totally ready, Westburg is ready to be an every day big leaguer, and Urias is a quality major league big leaguer. 

A lot depends on what they are going to do with Holliday, who also has looked ready against right-handed major league pitching. If Holliday stays, then I think Westburg is the every day 3B, Urias a super sub between 3B/2B and DH and Mayo unfortunately goes back to AAA where I'd like to see them give him 1B and RF time to open up options.

I'm wondering though if they've secretly tried Mayo in RF on the back fields and he hasn't looked good so they've scrapped that plan, assuming it was ever really a plan.

Teams know the Orioles are bursting at the seams so they are unlikely to give up much of anything for Urias or O'Hearn.  I think Santander has a bit more value, but it's tough to trade perhaps your most feared veteran bat when you are trying to win, especially one that is a switch hitter.   

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, baltfan said:

Teams know the Orioles are bursting at the seams so they are unlikely to give up much of anything for Urias or O'Hearn.  I think Santander has a bit more value, but it's tough to trade perhaps your most feared veteran bat when you are trying to win, especially one that is a switch hitter.   

Just because the Os have a need to make trades doesn’t mean teams don’t want the players and won’t come to some agreement on a price that makes sense for the Os to make a move.

[Three Run Homer]

I like Urias--I think his power and defense will bounce back this year with better health.  I like Westburg--he's ready for a starting job in the big leagues.

But I think Mayo has much more upside potential with the bat than either Urias or Westburg.  It seems that his defense is improving.  I think he should be the starter at 3B as soon as his defense is good enough to be playable.  

[Aristotelian]

39 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Just because the Os have a need to make trades doesn’t mean teams don’t want the players and won’t come to some agreement on a price that makes sense for the Os to make a move.

All you need is one other bidder to get a fair price.

[Aristotelian]

10 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

I like Urias--I think his power and defense will bounce back this year with better health.  I like Westburg--he's ready for a starting job in the big leagues.

But I think Mayo has much more upside potential with the bat than either Urias or Westburg.  It seems that his defense is improving.  I think he should be the starter at 3B as soon as his defense is good enough to be playable.  

Would you rather have Urias 3B/Mayo 1B or Mayo 3B/Mountcastle 1B?

What if it's Westburg/Mayo vs Mayo/Mountcastle?

[interloper]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

Would you rather have Urias 3B/Mayo 1B or Mayo 3B/Mountcastle 1B?

What if it's Westburg/Mayo vs Mayo/Mountcastle?

It doesn't seem like the Orioles are too interested in anyone getting significant playing time at 1B other than Mountcastle and O'Hearn. Not even Santander or Kjerstad have played there this spring, and Mayo hasn't either. 

Seems like if Mayo makes this team this year, it will be as a 3B unless they pivot and give him a bunch of 1B time in AAA.

[Billy F-Face3]

Just speaking for opening day depth and opening day 2024 only, the 3B depth chart probably looks something like this...

1. Urias

2. Henderson

3. Westburg

4. Mayo

5. Nevin