Does Elias dare trade Hays at the deadline?

[wildcard]

Trading a veteran that was an All-Star in 2023 during a pennant race is normally only done by teams that are out of contention.    But the O's have Cowser and Kjerstad that need  playing time.   Hays has a year and half before he qualifies for Free Agency.

Hays had a good  June with a 356/420/667/1087 in 45 at bats.   When healthy he does hit.  Problem has been staying healthy.  

Do Elias dare move him at the deadline?   Would it be a good or a bad move if Elias gets a decent return?

[LookitsPuck]

Teams trade redundant players all the time even if they’re a contender. 

[Hank Scorpio]

He won't get a decent return, and therefore he won't move him.

Moving him would probably have more of an effect on morale than actual wins & losses. He's been there for a long time and has been bumped out by more talented, younger players. 

He's the new McKenna. But he's a little better than McKenna. 

[casadeozo]

It definitely has risks. Not from a “losing his bat” perspective, but more team chemistry locker room. 
 

im for it if we can get a good bullpen arm with similar years of control.

[RZNJ]

Probably not because he still provides RH hitting outfield depth.  When your LF, CF, and DH are all strict LH hitters, that’s not a bad thing.

Now, Ramon Urias on the other hand has less reasons not to be traded.

[wildcard]

4 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

He won't get a decent return, and therefore he won't move him.

Moving him would probably have more of an effect on morale than actual wins & losses. He's been there for a long time and has been bumped out by more talented, younger players. 

He's the new McKenna. But he's a little better than McKenna. 

I would not equate Hays and McKenna.    McKenna was never more than a 4th or 5th outfielder in the majors.   Hays a been a starter and All-Star as a left fielder that can play all 3 outfield  positions.

[Sports Guy]

I was just thinking about this.

The Os need a righty OFer. The problem is, they really need that OFer to be able to play for CF.  Reports are that they are looking for a player just like that.  Maybe Bader (struggling big time vs lefties this season) or Pillar (destroying lefties this year but subpar in the past) or maybe someone else.  Obviously getting Robert would be the best case scenario and you likely say you take Hays in that deal (since those larger deals almost always have MLers in them and it could just help offset some salary) but I doubt that deal happens.

But if you trade for that type of player, do you have roster room or even a roster need for Hays?  I guess they could play Hays in CF but if they felt that was ok, I don’t think they would be looking for that type of player in trade. (If reports are true)

If you trade for a righty vet OFer, what player gets squeezed?  Do they just get rid of one of the young bats and send them down? 
 

The Os really need to deal some of the vets off of this team.

 

Edited Friday at 14:15 by Sports Guy

[Hank Scorpio]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I would not equate Hays and McKenna.    McKenna was never more than a 4th or 5th outfielder in the majors.   Hays a been a starter and All-Star as a left fielder that can play all 3 outfield  positions.

Has been, yes.

Is no longer.

[Sports Guy]

The title of this thread is funny btw…as if trading Hays would cause some ripple effect and destroy the team or something.

[Osornot]

Winning and making the team better and/or fill a need v. chemistry and morale?  Really? Holding on to Hays even though there may be some sadness?

RZNJ nails it.  Having to hold onto Hays because he is RH is a big problem and that's where I have an issue with the decision makers. 

[wildcard]

7 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Probably not because he still provides RH hitting outfield depth.  When your LF, CF, and DH are all strict LH hitters, that’s not a bad thing.

Now, Ramon Urias on the other hand has less reasons not to be traded.

It's a good point.   Righthanded hitters at AAA: Mayo, Norby, Cook.    

[casadeozo]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I was just thinking about this.

The Os need a righty OFer. The problem is, they really need that OFer to be able to play for CF.  Reports are that they are looking for a player just like that.  Maybe Bader (struggling big time vs lefties this season) or Pillar (destroying lefties this year but subpar in the past) or maybe someone else.  Obviously getting Robert would be the best case scenario and you likely say you take Hays in that deal (since those larger deals almost always have MLers in them and it could just help offset some salary) but I doubt that deal happens.

But if you trade for that type of player, do you have roster room or even a roster need for Hays?

If you trade for a righty vet OFer, what player gets squeezed?  Do they just get rid of one of the young bats and send them down? 
 

The Os really need to deal some of the vets off of this team.

 

I wish the O’s had spent this year really getting Mayo reps in the outfield and first, to give him the position versatility they value so much in their major league roster.

Being able to use his arm and right handed bat in the outfield this year would be such a weapon. Instead he’s seen more as a replacement for Urias than Urias AND Hays. 
 

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

The time to trade Hays was after last season when he still had some value. Hays isn't going to fetch much with his falloff this season that started in the second half of 2023.

 

 

[Aristotelian]

He isn't good enough to play for a contender, and doesn't make much sense for a rebuilding team. He does have an option. I basically don't care what happens to Hays, whether he stays on the bench as a 5th OF, gets traded, or demoted, I really don't care. I wonder if he could be the guy to go for Mayo even if Mayo doesn't play RF.

[interloper]

Personally, I think Hays is more than capable of playing some CF here and there. He's not fast, but he's a good outfielder in all of the other ways, including having a great arm. The Orioles apparently disagree, which is a bit odd to me. I feel like he and Cowser are about equal in CF, albeit getting there in different ways. 

I agree with others that it's Urias that is the larger problem. We actually need a player with Hays' profile. Urias not so much. Mayo plays 3B, Westy at 2B, then in the late innings you move Westy to 3B, bring in Mateo at 2B for defense.