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

[maybenxtyr]

I would love to see Holliday and Mayo on the team from day 1, especially since I think they're going to have to put up some big games on offense to offset the starting pitching as currently constructed. I'm guessing that at best, Holliday will make the team unless there's a trade or an injury. 

 

It's nothing but pure speculation on my part, but I really believe that they are going to try to figure out a way to have Nevin on the team...I hope I'm wrong, but they're certainly playing him a lot more than he really should be. Of course, someone will probably chime in and point out that he's not starting as much as it feels like he is.

[dzorange]

I think O'Hearn is definitely on the team. I also think Holliday is on the team. There will be many opportunities to bring up Mayo throughout the year. He's not blocked like the corner outfielders or middle infielders. Something will open up between an injury to Mountcastle or O'Hearn, O'Hearn not performing at a high level or a trade.

I'm more interested in the OF situation. I feel like Cowser is in a similar situation as Mayo where there will be an opening at some point during the season when inevitably Mullins gets hurt or Mateo can't cut it as a backup CF (though perhaps he can). I'd like to see Stowers get the opportunity. At some point you gotta do something with him. If he doesn't get off to a hot start, then bring up Kjerstad.

Edited March 21 by dzorange

[now]

Just my own reading of tea leaves, but here is the order of new adds I predict:

Cowser, Holliday
Stowers, Kjerstad
Mayo, Norby

[ThisIsBirdland]

38 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

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

Unless they can't live without his defense, I'd prefer they found a trade partner for Urias to find Mayo his spot.

150 starts for Adley and Gunnar and then the rest of the 8 regulars starting 21-22 games per month, with typically 1 game off per week. Acclimates the young guys and gets them enough at-bats to develop, and rotates the veteran outfielders a bit more to keep them fresh. O'Hearn gets 2-3 starts/week, McCann 1-2, and Mateo serves mostly as a late game substitution/depth.

[Warehouse]

Has it been confirmed whether O’Hearn is two days short of 5 yrs service (per Cot’s) or two days past 5 yrs service (per other sources)?  

Once he reaches 5 years, he can’t be optioned.  Even if a couple days short, optioning him so close to the 5 year milestone when he hasn’t shown performance problems would likely be very unpopular in the clubhouse.

[Jammer7]

I heard Melanie, I think, last night say that O’Hearn stated he would retire as a major leaguer rather than to go to the minors again. That may just be talk, but it might not be. They would trade O’Hearn before they would option him.

He really was good in 2024. Now that he has performed like that, do we want to replace him with anyone who we think “might perform,” or we expect them to perform, like O’Hearn did last year? We are supposed to be trying to win a World Series, otherwise why make the Burnes trade? I just do not see the wisdom in moving O’Hearn at this time.

Mayo, Holliday, Cowser, Kjerstad and Norby all seem ready, or thereabouts, to begin their major league ascendancy. Most of them are blocked by players that are more experienced and perhaps more likely to get us to a deep playoff run in 2024. 

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

I heard Melanie, I think, last night say that O’Hearn stated he would retire as a major leaguer rather than to go to the minors again. That may just be talk, but it might not be. They would trade O’Hearn before they would option him.

The quote was something he said last year, and it was something like “I’m not going to retire as a minor leaguer.”  I took it as an indication of his drive to make it back to the majors, not an indication that he would retire rather than accept a minor league assignment.  Anyway, he’s not retiring while the O’s have to pay him $3.5 mm so long as he remains active.  

[LookinUp]

28 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Unless they can't live without his defense, I'd prefer they found a trade partner for Urias to find Mayo his spot.

I just don't understand any other possibility. Urias is the elephant in the room. 

O'Hearn is LH. Mateo has speed and can play outfield. 

[maybenxtyr]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The quote was something he said last year, and it was something like “I’m not going to retire as a minor leaguer.”  I took it as an indication of his drive to make it back to the majors, not an indication that he would retire rather than accept a minor league assignment.  Anyway, he’s not retiring while the O’s have to pay him $3.5 mm so long as he remains active.  

The money is definitely a legit reason why he will be in Baltimore on opening day, but he's also had a decent spring. I'm not a fan of his by any means, but he's going to play because he's earned it and according to the manager he's an excellent teammate.

[RZNJ]

Could, maybe should, but no chance.  Mayo definitely isn't making it and Holliday is 50/50.

[Winter]

We're getting Wong and Mateo in the opening day lineup and we're going to like it! Well maybe not Wong b/c Sandoval is a lefty so McCann! 

[Hank Scorpio]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Could, maybe should, but no chance.  Mayo definitely isn't making it and Holliday is 50/50.

I feel this is accurate, but we'll know soon enough. 

[Billy F-Face3]

Until Urias isn't available to the 25 man roster, Mayo has to be patient for his opportunity. There's already 3 guys ahead of him on the 26 man roster who play good 3rd base and at least 4 3rd basemen on the 40 man roster.

At 2B there's just Westburg and Urias so it is possible that Holliday can make the team. Both those guys bat right handed and Holliday is left handed.

[Billy F-Face3]

I bet Connor Norby hates this topic.

[wildcard]

50 minutes ago, Warehouse said:

Has it been confirmed whether O’Hearn is two days short of 5 yrs service (per Cot’s) or two days past 5 yrs service (per other sources)?  

Once he reaches 5 years, he can’t be optioned.  Even if a couple days short, optioning him so close to the 5 year milestone when he hasn’t shown performance problems would likely be very unpopular in the clubhouse.

With 5 years of service he can not be optioned without his premission.