TT: How both Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo can make the opening day roster

[Tony-OH]

I don't know what Elias is going to do with this roster since both Holliday and Mayo look ready for the majors. I do know if Holliday is sent back, it's only to gain service time as it's blatantly obvious he's ready for the major leagues, something I would not have said at the end of last season. 

I would be surprised if he's not the opening day 2B. 

Now how does Mayo still make the club? The only way I see is if the Orioles option Ryan O'Hearn and keep Mayo as the DH/1B/3B option. It's a little weird because both Westburg and Mountcastle are right-handed hitters and the Orioles would prefer a left-handed hitting option there, but let's look at that potential lineup.

2B: Holliday - L
C - Rutschman - S
SS: Henderson - L
DH: Mayo - R
RF: Santander - S
1B: Mountcastle - R
LF: Hays - R
CF: Mullins - L
3B: Westburg - R

Pretty balanced overall.

The bench would be:
McCann - C - R
Mateo - Utility - R
Urias - Utility - R
Cowser - OF - L

[spleen1015]

We already have Hyde quoted saying O'Hearn is on the team, so barring an O'Hearn injury, this doesn't happen.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, spleen1015 said:

We already have Hyde quoted saying O'Hearn is on the team, so barring an O'Hearn injury, this doesn't happen.

I thought Hyde only confirmed Adley and Gunnar as having made the team?

[ChosenOne21]

I like this roster, though Cowser on the bench isn't ideal. I guess you can give one of Mayo/Mountcastle/Hays/Santander/Westburg/Cowser a day off every day.

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I thought Hyde only confirmed Adley and Gunnar as having made the team?

He said in a separate interview that he told O'Hearn he's on the team so he doesn't feel like he has to press. So that roster Tony posted will not happen. 

Edited March 21 by interloper

[spleen1015]

5 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I thought Hyde only confirmed Adley and Gunnar as having made the team?

From this article - https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/ryan-o-hearn-a-leader-for-orioles-in-2024-season

He's on the team, he just needs to get ready for the season,” Hyde said Friday before the O’s 7-2 loss to the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park. “He's earned it, and he deserves it. And he's one of the leaders on our team, also. I love the way he goes about his business. He's a total professional.”

[justD]

7 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I thought Hyde only confirmed Adley and Gunnar as having made the team?

The broadcasters also noted last night that O'Hearn had been told he was making the team.  I'll admit my ears perked up when I heard that because I hadn't seen the interview @interloper refers to. 

[Aristotelian]

7 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Now how does Mayo still make the club? The only way I see is if the Orioles option Ryan O'Hearn and keep Mayo as the DH/1B/3B option. It's a little weird because both Westburg and Mountcastle are right-handed hitters and the Orioles would prefer a left-handed hitting option there, but let's look at that potential lineup.

I had a very similar thought about O'Hearn but with Stowers instead of Mayo. I was on an island as everyone seemed to think O'Hearn is a lock. While I still consider optioning O'Hearn unlikely, I also didn't think Holliday, Mayo, and Stowers were going to look as good as they have this spring. As much as O'Hearn as not done anything to deserve demotion, he is also a RHP-only DH/1B, and we already have Mountcastle who solid and doesn't have terrible platoon splits. I think O'Hearn has to be vulnerable because of that option.  

The problem with Mayo is that he is RH so he would be kind of redundant with Mountcastle. You also have a bunch of RH infielders in Westburg, Urias, and Mateo. Stowers seems like a better roster fit, like a younger, possibly better version of O'Hearn. 

 

[Fiver6565]

There's no chance O'hearn isn't on the team as others have pointed out.  And even if Mayo is somehow on the roster, there is zero chance he's batting cleanup in his first ML game on opening day.

Lot to love about that lineup though.

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, justD said:

The broadcasters also noted last night that O'Hearn had been told he was making the team.  I'll admit my ears perked up when I heard that because I hadn't seen the interview @interloper refers to. 

9 minutes ago, spleen1015 said:

From this article - https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/ryan-o-hearn-a-leader-for-orioles-in-2024-season

He's on the team, he just needs to get ready for the season,” Hyde said Friday before the O’s 7-2 loss to the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park. “He's earned it, and he deserves it. And he's one of the leaders on our team, also. I love the way he goes about his business. He's a total professional.”

That's the one there, I was trying to find it. 

[justD]

2 minutes ago, interloper said:

That's the one there, I was trying to find it. 

Yes, I saw that, thank you!  I just hadn't seen it yet last night when Melanie mentioned it, so hearing her say so caught me by surprise. 

[Spy Fox]

I think Mayo makes the team only if Urias or Mateo is traded, or if there is an injury to one of the infielders. 

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Spy Fox said:

I think Mayo makes the team only if Urias or Mateo is traded, or if there is an injury to one of the infielders. 

Yep. Totally understand wanting Mayo on the roster from the jump, but I think the O's will do their whole "keep everybody as long as possible" routine, with Mayo acting as the perfect offensive boost mid-season. Sort of like when Gunnar was brought up, or Westburg, or Cowser, or Kjerstad, haha. There's a ton of precedent, so it feels like the most likely scenario. 

[BRobinsonfan]

23 minutes ago, spleen1015 said:

From this article - https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/ryan-o-hearn-a-leader-for-orioles-in-2024-season

He's on the team, he just needs to get ready for the season,” Hyde said Friday before the O’s 7-2 loss to the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park. “He's earned it, and he deserves it. And he's one of the leaders on our team, also. I love the way he goes about his business. He's a total professional.”

I'm more excited about Mayo, but I'm glad to see O'Hearn is having a solid spring.  Gotta like the nearly 100 point difference between his .306 batting average and his .405 OBP.   

[Tony-OH]

Let me make it clear, I don't think this is going to happen, especially since they seem to want O' Hearn on the team. I'm just saying this is HOW you COULD do it and make it make some sense. 

I don't know how you look Mayo in the eyes and tell him Holliday is making the team and he's not. He's older, has more experienced, and has kind of "earned" his look first, but I do think Holliday is making the team unless they are going for long term control.