Winter 2024 40-Man Additions

[Jammer7]

I think Young will be added, and that is it. I like Pham, but no AAA experience makes him unlikely to be taken.

Whatever open spots should be used to upgrade the bullpen and other pitching depth. It is well documented here that we don’t have much beyond raw guys like Strowd and Heid. we lack flexibility and options. This has to change. 

[Aristotelian]

8 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

I think Young will be added, and that is it. I like Pham, but no AAA experience makes him unlikely to be taken.

Whatever open spots should be used to upgrade the bullpen and other pitching depth. It is well documented here that we don’t have much beyond raw guys like Strowd and Heid. we lack flexibility and options. This has to change. 

If we have room, why wouldn't we add Pham and Van Loon just to have available depth in AAA (whether or not they are at risk of being taken)? 

[Jammer7]

11 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

If we have room, why wouldn't we add Pham and Van Loon just to have available depth in AAA (whether or not they are at risk of being taken)? 

When you are in a championship window, roster spots are extremely important. You need room to wiggle, but also usable players for the major league roster in that year.

They could add another, but I don’t think Pham or Van Loon would be lost. If they are, they’re easily replaced. We need shuttle arms, with many of our current group out of options. I wonder if they actually even take a rule 5 pick this year. 

[Aristotelian]

1 minute ago, Jammer7 said:

When you are in a championship window, roster spots are extremely important. You need room to wiggle, but also usable players for the major league roster in that year.

They could add another, but I don’t think Pham or Van Loon would be lost. If they are, they’re easily replaced. We need shuttle arms, with many of our current group out of options. I wonder if they actually even take a rule 5 pick this year. 

I guess you are weighing the roster spot versus the risk of them being taken. Even though the risk is low, it seems like they have enough AA experience that they could be part of the shuttle group pretty much right away, in that Vespi/Baker role where they are mostly pitching in AAA. I would just hate to lose anyone who could be remotely considered a pitching prospect.

[Jammer7]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

I guess you are weighing the roster spot versus the risk of them being taken. Even though the risk is low, it seems like they have enough AA experience that they could be part of the shuttle group pretty much right away, in that Vespi/Baker role where they are mostly pitching in AAA. I would just hate to lose anyone who could be remotely considered a pitching prospect.

I gotcha. It depends if they think Pham and Van Loon impactfully can help them in 2025. There is such a gap between AAA and the majors, I don’t know for sure what they’ll do. Just a guess, but I think they’ll look for a little more experience. What they do with McDermott is another thing to watch. He should be in the pen in 2025, IMO. Upgrading the pen flexibility is a real need, maybe they think those two can help there. Maybe an Armbruster as well. 

[RZNJ]

24 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I guess you are weighing the roster spot versus the risk of them being taken. Even though the risk is low, it seems like they have enough AA experience that they could be part of the shuttle group pretty much right away, in that Vespi/Baker role where they are mostly pitching in AAA. I would just hate to lose anyone who could be remotely considered a pitching prospect.

There’s no reason to add Van Loon or Pham now.   If next season, they’re performing well and we need to put them on the shuttle, they can be added then.    Frankly, I don’t even think Young would be selected by another team but I do think he’ll be added.

[Aristotelian]

36 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

I gotcha. It depends if they think Pham and Van Loon impactfully can help them in 2025. There is such a gap between AAA and the majors, I don’t know for sure what they’ll do. Just a guess, but I think they’ll look for a little more experience. What they do with McDermott is another thing to watch. He should be in the pen in 2025, IMO. Upgrading the pen flexibility is a real need, maybe they think those two can help there. Maybe an Armbruster as well. 

You are probably right. Also the bullpen looks a lot better with Bautista coming back. It's a tally been solid since we demoted Kimbrel and picked up Seranthony. Bautista, Cano, Seranthony is solid along with Cionel, Akin, and maybe Soto. Might not need much more than that.

[Jammer7]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

You are probably right. Also the bullpen looks a lot better with Bautista coming back. It's a tally been solid since we demoted Kimbrel and picked up Seranthony. Bautista, Cano, Seranthony is solid along with Cionel, Akin, and maybe Soto. Might not need much more than that.

You always need shuttle guys. Ideally, I would think they’d like to have 2-3 spots they can interchange between 5-6 guys. That allows them to maybe get some younger arms in there, like McDermott and the others we mentioned already. 

Bautista, if he is back to his old form, Seranthony, Cano, Soto (who I think may just surprise some people), while Cionel and Akin are not sure things. Either could be moved. They should make some moves there, IMO. Cionel has not really improved as much as I had hoped. Akin has had a very good year. Are they ARB eligible this year?

[wildcard]

On 9/8/2024 at 11:31 AM, Jammer7 said:

You always need shuttle guys. Ideally, I would think they’d like to have 2-3 spots they can interchange between 5-6 guys. That allows them to maybe get some younger arms in there, like McDermott and the others we mentioned already. 

Bautista, if he is back to his old form, Seranthony, Cano, Soto (who I think may just surprise some people), while Cionel and Akin are not sure things. Either could be moved. They should make some moves there, IMO. Cionel has not really improved as much as I had hoped. Akin has had a very good year. Are they ARB eligible this year?

Coulombe and Webb will also be in the pen.    McDermott, Young, Povich and Rogers all have options and don't have to be on the team on OD.    O's have used 32 pitchers in 2024.   All these pitchers will probably see time with the O's in 2025.

One of Elias tasks over the winter is to stock AAA with talent.

[Jammer7]

17 hours ago, wildcard said:

Coulombe and Webb will also be in the pen.    McDermott, Young, Povich and Rogers all have options and don't have to be on the team on OD.    O's have used 32 pitchers in 2024.   All these pitchers will probably see time with the O's in 2025.

One of Elias tasks over the winter is to stock AAA with talent.

I get all of that, sure. But they need pen guys on the active roster who have options so they can send them down and bring others up. No? Unless you want to DFA people. I am not sure that both Webb and Coulombe will be back.