Holliday or Skenes. Who would you rather have?

[LookinUp]

Skenes is about 1.5 years older.

Paul Skenes is 21 years old. Turns 22 in May.

Jackson Holliday is 20 years old. Turns 21 in December.

Personally, I'd take Skenes. I think he's the top prospect in baseball. I might have a different answer if the choice was Gunnar. I'll decide that after I see responses here.

[ChosenOne21]

That's really tough. Holliday is the safer bet, but Skenes would fill a huge area of need. Assuming medicals all check out, if I'm the Orioles I'd probably trade Holliday for Skenes, but that says at least as much about the Orioles' needs as it does the quality of the players.

[Sports Guy]

The hitter..always the hitter.

[LookinUp]

Well, I think Holliday has a higher probability to be really good consistently for a decade.

Skenes though might be the bigger, harder to find, game changer.

[NCRaven]

Are we better of with Skenes and an infield of Westburg (2B), Henderson (SS), and Mayo (3B), or

No Skenes and an infield of Holliday (2B), Henderson (SS) and Mayo/Westburg (3B)?  Given the depth of infield prospects and lack of pitching prospects...

I generally agree with Sports Guy on the philosophy of position player over pitcher.  But, in this case and given the Orioles major and minor league depth, I think I have to go with Skenes.

[glenn__davis]

4 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The hitter..always the hitter.

Yup.

I'd take Jackson and has nothing to do with homerism.  

[foxfield]

Interesting thought process, but no.  I would however, move a huge load of prospects for him.  But if you could have a great pitcher or a great everyday player, you have to take the everyday guy.

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The hitter..always the hitter.

Let's put it this way. As good as Grayson Rodriguez is, TJS is lurking around every corner, and I just assume it's coming for him eventually to rob us of a season in his prime. That's not just Orioles Fan Paranoia - it's data. Look at this offseason and the amount of SP injuries. I would have the same thoughts about Skenes if we had him. It's so much easier with hitters, none of that is a concern. They're so much easier to count on and you get so much stress-free value out of them.

Sure, there is nothing better than a true ace SP, but you can do a LOT with a team of good young hitters, as we well know. 

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, glenn__davis said:

Yup.

I'd take Jackson and has nothing to do with homerism.  

Right..to take that part out of it, give me Chuorio or Langford, as examples, over Skenes as well.

It’s not so much as a slight to Skenes, it’s just the fragility of pitching. 

[dystopia]

5 minutes ago, glenn__davis said:

Yup.

I'd take Jackson and has nothing to do with homerism.  

Yup. Pitchers get hurt. 

[Pickles]

As others have said, the bust rate on pitchers is too high to justify passing on a guy like Holliday.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, interloper said:

Let's put it this way. As good as Grayson Rodriguez is, TJS is lurking around every corner, and I just assume it's coming for him eventually to rob us of a season in his prime. That's not just Orioles Fan Paranoia - it's data. Look at this offseason and the amount of SP injuries. I would have the same thoughts about Skenes if we had him. It's so much easier with hitters, none of that is a concern. They're so much easier to count on and you get so much stress-free value out of them.

Sure, there is nothing better than a true ace SP, but you can do a LOT with a team of good young hitters, as we well know. 

And it’s not one season…it’s usually 2 seasons because even when they come back, that season (or part of the season) isn’t close to them at their best.  And then you have to build them up to.

You mentioned GRod and I feel the same way. If he had to have TJ surgery today, he’s perhaps ready to pitch for us by May or June of next year.

So, 2026 is his first real year back and 2027 is the first year you can say, there are no restrictions on him at all.  

[Jim'sKid26]

TINSTAAPP

I have to go with Holiday, he's likely more durable. Skenes may have the higher peak, however.

[sportsfan8703]

Sorry. This is Skenes easy.  We could just put Mayo into our starting lineup. Or even Urias and Mateo. Heck, we did that the last two years. 

[now]

As some have said, durability is a big issue. In this case, though, Skenes appears to be a true Clemens-type horse, more of a rarity than the 5-tool shortstop. Especially, as @NCRaven points out, given the Orioles' greater need in the pitching dept. Yes this is like "drafting for need," but the BPA approach might also favor Skenes, in a coin toss.