Are we done?

[DrinkinWithFermi]

57 minutes ago, OriolesUpAndDowns said:

I haven’t looked at his innings closely but I could see McDermott being tried as a reliever late in the season.  

I think he ends up a reliever, period. He's getting old for a prospect and the walk rate just isn't improving enough to buy into the idea of him going through big league lineups multiple times.

Waiting until after the deadline to make that move is wise though, but if we do not end up using him to acquire a big SP or RP, I would begin converting him to short relief work immediately.

[Morgan423]

3 hours ago, OrioleintheATL said:

I didn’t press 2 for Spanish.  English please.  Unless it’s yo quero Taco Bell.

He said "I don't think so.  There will be more changes." 

Sometimes people do this for emphasis.  I speak Spanish, but even if you don't, Google Translate is an awesome thing.  You can translate entire websites, open up whole new worlds to explore.  You really ought to give it a spin sometime.  

[e16bball]

I think the primary move remaining is for a back-end bullpen type. We just saw a really good rental reliever in Yimi Garcia get traded, and the cost was pretty reasonable. 

I think Tanner Scott remains the obvious target on that front. But could you use Norby (or Stowers) to get Carlos Estevez and SG-approved reclamation project Reid Detmers? The Angels seem to love ML-ready position players, which might differentiate them from the typical terrible team that wants the younger/higher-ceiling lottery ticket types. Getting an instant-impact reliever plus a worthy dice roll on a gifted SP to work with would soften the blow of moving a legitimate right-now ML starting position player with full control for a rental. 

As for SP, I think folks are going to be disappointed if they’re looking for a major investment beyond Eflin. He’s a pretty classic SP3, and I think Kremer is a very reasonable SP4. I understand that we may need a longer-term answer in the rotation if Burnes walks — but I don’t think the trade deadline is the time to solve next year’s problems. The leverage balance skews too far in favor of the sellers, especially in the current environment where there just aren’t many sellers. The top 3 SPs is what really matters for the postseason, and that’s a group you can win with (when you have the best offense in baseball clicking).

I do think they might add one other starter to put in the mix as an SP5. It’s a bit odd, because I’m an avowed Kikuchi “hater,” but he’d be a guy you could pay almost nothing for and get at least a credible effort every 5-6 days. Presumably there are other guys like that available for a low cost — I’d expect one of them to be the second SP move.

[bluedog]

12 hours ago, sevastras said:

Out of curiosity, who would be ok if they traded for Miller and Skubal but they lost Basallo, Mayo, McDermott, Kjerstad, plus 3 back end top 30 in the system prospects?  I struggle because it hurts but I salivate at Skubal for a couple of years, Miller for even more and then you have a solid rotation next year with Bradish hopefully returning and Bautista, Miller, Cano at the back end of the bullpen.  I don’t know, I’m just thinking out loud. There has to be a point soon that the blocked prospects get a chance or are traded to teams of need. There are some really decent guys stuck in AAA because the guys on the MLB team are better and/or proven. 

Imagine making those trades and then Skubal gets hurt and need TJ surgery. It's too risky to move so much value in terms of expected productivity at the ML level for a single starter and a closer, especially when you have an elite closer already coming back to the team next year (hopefully) with Bautista.

[bluedog]

I feel like if the O's want to really compete for a championship this year, at minimum they need to get two more really good bullpen arms and another mid-rotation starter while holding onto Mayo and Norby, who both should contribute at the ML level. I have no faith in Perez, Suarez or B Smith down the stretch and I'd like to push Kimbrel into a setup role.

 

[Aristotelian]

Just a thought: if we don't get another bullpen arm, could that be a sign that Bautista is coming back? 

[Jagwar]

4 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Just a thought: if we don't get another bullpen arm, could that be a sign that Bautista is coming back? 

I'd be pretty concerned if that was the plan.

[JimGinSP]

[yark14]

No.

[BirdCakes22]

On 7/27/2024 at 9:22 AM, Bemorewins said:

I understand the importance of team chemistry. Not sure I understand at all the reference to the Yankees. Their chemistry appears to be fine from what I can tell. Maybe you have some inside info there?

Our chemistry based on recent media revelations and Hays’ parting shot does not appear to be as good as you are stating.

Furthermore, even if our chemistry is superb, the problem is that “chemistry” is not very effective on the mound. Our pitching has been horrible (near the bottom of the league) for over a month now (since Bradish’s injury). It does not appear that team chemistry has the ability to fix that.

The chemistry is fine amongst the young guys - it's the veterans being potentially pushed out before the trade deadline that was hurting the club house. Once the deadline passes the tension should go away. My reference to the Yankees is they buy guys because of their big payroll - and hope it works out. Sometimes it does, but IMO you can buy pieces, but need to build a team. Buying pitchers is the way to go - but you can't mortgage your future when I truly believe this team will be better in the coming years than they are now. 

[Orioles0615]

22 hours ago, Jagwar said:

I'd be pretty concerned if that was the plan.

Yes this would be as good as a plan as hoping Means and Bradish picth so we don't need others

[Bemorewins]

3 minutes ago, BirdCakes22 said:

The chemistry is fine amongst the young guys - it's the veterans being potentially pushed out before the trade deadline that was hurting the club house. Once the deadline passes the tension should go away. My reference to the Yankees is they buy guys because of their big payroll - and hope it works out. Sometimes it does, but IMO you can buy pieces, but need to build a team. Buying pitchers is the way to go - but you can't mortgage your future when I truly believe this team will be better in the coming years than they are now. 

I have a very hard time envisioning a scenario where we are better next season without Burnes and Santander (especially Burnes). Unless we had some talent into our projected rotation, I could see regression with a staff of Rodriguez, Eflin, Kremer, and what?

[DocJJ]

I guess we weren't done when I originally posted this, but I guess we are now.  

 

Since the OP, we added a mediocre #5 starter, but no additional BP help...

 

Ugh... I was hoping for a lot better...

 

I think we are "done" in multiple senses now, unfortunately....

[Roy Firestone]

No bullpen help with 30 minute to go...this was our GLARING need. If this is all we get, I'm disappointed.

[Yardball85]

6 minutes ago, DocJJ said:

I guess we weren't done when I originally posted this, but I guess we are now.  

 

Since the OP, we added a mediocre #5 starter, but no additional BP help...

 

Ugh... I was hoping for a lot better...

 

I think we are "done" in multiple senses now, unfortunately....

I think Rogers is better than a mediocre #5 starter. Not much better, but better than that description.