Jimenez, Rogers and Slater activated, Soto recalled. Kjerstad and Akin optioned, Pache DFA'd, Westburg to IL

[LookinUp]

59 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

I brought it up in the Kjerstad thread yesterday but the more I think about it the more I am concerned this trade deadline may have been Elias best chance to trade Kjerstad for something worthwhile.  I hope he comes back to Baltimore and crushes it but his defense hasn't been great from what we have seen so far. Not a clear role for him on next years team if Santander is back which I hope he is. 

I think the opposite. I think that they think Kjerstad will be a stud with big power when he finally settles in. He'll me a RFer /DH though.

I know many here think we need to resign Santander, and I don't disagree, but I have a feeling they're penciling Kjerstad in for a lot of those ABs.

[bpilktree67]

56 minutes ago, CaptainRedbeard said:

Akin hadn’t been optioned yet this year so this uses his last option and means he will be out of options next year, like Vespi. 

I was initially very surprised, but I had assumed Smith had been optioned this year, using his last option as well. I double checked and he actually hasn’t - so if they keep him on the roster the rest of the season without optioning him, he can be optionable depth next year. Seems they preferred that to retaining Akin’s final option.

Will be super interesting to see the off-season decisions on tendering Soto (at probably $6-7M?) and the cheap-ish options of Coulombe and Perez, versus Akin and Vespi as cheaper alternatives that will need to be DFA’d if not making the roster. 

Not necessarily.   He has to be in the minors 20 days for the option to count as being used.  Someone might step in a pothole and Akin have to come up before those 20 days. 

[mddisney]

24 minutes ago, scbalt52 said:

I like to look at Baseball Savant pages but I am far from an expert on anything on them. However, I thought Eloy's page was interesting.

I was looking and this year he’s averaging 92.4 mph exit velocity which is great - 91st percentile and 50.8% hard hit percent - 93rd percentile. And his squared-up and barreled ball numbers are solid and above average.

But...his launch angle numbers are unbelievably bad. You want to hit your well-struck balls between 8 and 32 degrees. His average, AVERAGE! launch angle is 2.7 degrees. In contrast, Santander is a beautiful 27.9 degrees.

So, he just needs to stop hitting the ball on the damn ground. He's smoking the ball to SS and 3B. For a hitting coach, this seems like something you'd be able to correct (not that I have any clue), if he's willing to make adjustments. 

well this also smells like he could be a candidate to pick up the option for next year if AS elsewhere and the coaches think they can fix him... 

[scbalt52]

4 minutes ago, mddisney said:

well this also smells like he could be a candidate to pick up the option for next year if AS elsewhere and the coaches think they can fix him... 

Yeah. Hopefully (dreaming) we can turn him around quickly and catch lightning in a bottle for a few months. And further prove the incompetence of the 27-84 White Sox coaching staff.

[sportsfan8703]

9 minutes ago, mddisney said:

well this also smells like he could be a candidate to pick up the option for next year if AS elsewhere and the coaches think they can fix him... 

There's no such thing as a bad one year contract.  

[gretzkyscores]

non-concur on sending Kjerstad down. 

[Say O!]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

Got to imagine they think something is not right since the concussion or they just want him playing every day. The outfield is pretty set with Cower, Mullins and Santander with Slater in the McKenna role. O'Hearn also can fill in at LF or RF if needed. 

Jimenez is here to DH against lefties. This team has struggled against lefties so they improved their lineup against them if Jimenez is taking more of the PAs that McCann has been getting. 

Come playoff time, McCann may not see much action (if at all).  I wonder what Eloy’s numbers look like against potential playoff LHPs Rodon, Cortes, Ragans, Framber, Kikuchi?

[Tony-OH]

6 minutes ago, Say O! said:

Come playoff time, McCann may not see much action (if at all).  I wonder what Eloy’s numbers look like against potential playoff LHPs Rodon, Cortes, Ragans, Framber, Kikuchi?

Good call, obviously they have to carry McCann as an emergency to Adley being hurt, but most backup catchers don't play much in the playoffs. It would be interesting to see what Jimenez's numbers are against key lefties.

[Frobby]

My Impression is that Elias and Hyde are throwing some stuff at the wall this month to see if anything sticks.  Will Jiminez or Slater be here in September?   Not unless they produce in August.

[Brian88]

10 minutes ago, Say O! said:

Come playoff time, McCann may not see much action (if at all).  I wonder what Eloy’s numbers look like against potential playoff LHPs Rodon, Cortes, Ragans, Framber, Kikuchi?

4-8 against Cortes

1-3 against Rodon

4-11 with 2B, HR, BB against Kikuchi

2-8 with BB against Framber 

0-5 against Ragans

[baltfan]

Jiminez could be a bust, but I could also see him getting really hot because he is out of a terrible environment and has always had talent.

[baltfan]

20 minutes ago, gretzkyscores said:

non-concur on sending Kjerstad down. 

He looked a bit lost since coming back from the beaning.  I think even he knows it.  He will be a big part of the team next year and could be on the playoff roster.  

[Malike]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

Ok, that does make sense.  But Adley's been mashing as a DH this year, I'd want him taking DH at bats if McCann is behind the plate.  To your point though, if he's taking McCann's PAs away, I'm good with that too.

Did anyone ever uncover what we're paying him?  Or if we're paying him?  I saw the Sox sent cash with him, I don't know if that ever gets reported.

Not enough to matter. CWS have to pay his buyout when the O's don't pick up his team option for next year.

[CaptainRedbeard]

25 minutes ago, bpilktree67 said:

Not necessarily.   He has to be in the minors 20 days for the option to count as being used.  Someone might step in a pothole and Akin have to come up before those 20 days. 

 

Wow! Not often I see an obscure MLB rule loophole I haven’t heard of before. If I’m understanding correctly, they can option him and recall after the required 15 days (but before the 20 days) and keep the option - so they don’t even need the whole injury replacement thing to circumvent the required 15 days after an option. 

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/minor-league-options

Burch Smith was in the minors for 10 days earlier this year, but it was when he wasn’t on the 40-man roster. If those don’t count towards the 20 days (the webpage doesn’t specify), they could juggle Akin down 15-20 days now and Smith down 15-20 days after to make it to the rosters expanding on September 1 with both of their options intact. That would be some pretty nifty roster management!

Of course, Coulombe coming back would cause them to need to choose between the Smith/Akin options. But who knows if/when he will, or if everyone is healthy then - kick the can down the road. 

Or this could all just be overthinking and the Orioles just prefer Smith right now, or want to give Akin a breather since he’s thrown a lot lately and don’t care too much about holding onto their options. 

[86this]

Philly fans a little salty about Soto? (replies)