12 Questions for the Offseason

[gamiliel]

On 10/4/2024 at 11:18 AM, Warehouse said:

On #1: the question is whether all of Mayo, Kjerstad, Cowser, and Holliday have everyday roles or if are some platooned or held back in Norfolk or traded? If they all play everyday, there’s not really a meaty role to offer to a new bat.

In the various post-mortems, this seems to be one of the biggest points of differences among posters.  Some want no logjams while others want one or more proven MOO professional hitters and don’t want to rely on Holliday or Mayo.

My view is in the middle of the spectrum. I think at least one of Cowser or Mullins needs to sit vs. LHP, so we need a lefty masher capable of playing left field at Camden.  I think we may consider trading Mounty to make room for Mayo.

Watching the last two post-seasons it is clear that our opponents are going to trot out as many LHP as they can against us. And if Hyde's best option in the sixth inning of a playoff game is to PH Slater for O'Hearn then we are in trouble. Even if Cowser, Holliday, Kjerstad become good agains't lefty specialists, it will likely take a couple of years to get to that point. And not that we would pay the money, but NO, guys like Konerko are not signing because of Walltimore...and who can blame them?

[eddie83]

My key questions are 

 

-How do you replace Burnes? And by replacing him I’m not saying they will add someone as good. 
 

-What RH OF do they add?

-How and where does Mayo fit in?

-Do you keep O’Hearn?

 

 

If for sake of conversation say Santander leaves and O’Hearn stays 

Adley 

(C)

Mounty

O’Hearn

(Mayo)?

Holliday

Gunnar 

(Mateo)

Westy

Cowser

Mullins

Kjerstad 

(RH OF)

(Urias)??  would be 14 

 

 

Do you keep Urias as solid depth or go in another direction?

 

Somehow I left Gunnar off this ….fixed it. 

Edited 2 hours ago by eddie83

[eddie83]

20 hours ago, gamiliel said:

Watching the last two post-seasons it is clear that our opponents are going to trot out as many LHP as they can against us. And if Hyde's best option in the sixth inning of a playoff game is to PH Slater for O'Hearn then we are in trouble. Even if Cowser, Holliday, Kjerstad become good agains't lefty specialists, it will likely take a couple of years to get to that point. And not that we would pay the money, but NO, guys like Konerko are not signing because of Walltimore...and who can blame them?

Someone brought up Ward from Angels as a trade opportunity. I do think RH is the most important piece to add to the hitters this winter. 

[1fingerwillie]

On 10/4/2024 at 10:34 PM, Roll Tide said:

 

6) I’m done with the batting coaches … bring in one competent guy. Preach get on base and make good contact over swinging for the moon. 

I don't know why we would bring in a new coach. The issue you (and many others) have is the batting philosophy. It's not like Elias hired these guys and said...hey guys whatever your philosophy is, go preach it. Elias hires people to implement HIS philosophy.

[JR Oriole]

7 minutes ago, 1fingerwillie said:

I don't know why we would bring in a new coach. The issue you (and many others) have is the batting philosophy. It's not like Elias hired these guys and said...hey guys whatever your philosophy is, go preach it. Elias hires people to implement HIS philosophy.

This is a very good point.  His philosophy is the problem then. Hopefully he watches the postseason and sees that other teams have players who can hit and produce runs. Can't be that hard or every game in the playoffs would be 1-0 or 2-1.  Even a guy like Verdugo who Yankee fans wanted to hang can get a clutch, game winning hit.

[wildcard]

If payroll goes up expect ticket prices to move up also.

[Bemorewins]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

If payroll goes up expect ticket prices to move up also.

Is there any rational reason that payroll shouldn't go up next season? The org hasn't paid ANYONE in almost 10 years and has a multi-billionaire group. If we want to win and get good enough to win a World Series that's what is required.

[Orioles0615]

10 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

Is there any rational reason that payroll shouldn't go up next season? The org hasn't paid ANYONE in almost 10 years and has a multi-billionaire group. If we want to win and get good enough to win a World Series that's what is required.

Payroll will go up no matter what from arbitration. I am hoping that is not what Elias means when saying payroll will go up

[Bemorewins]

6 minutes ago, Orioles0615 said:

Payroll will go up no matter what from arbitration. I am hoping that is not what Elias means when saying payroll will go up

I'm not speaking of incremental increases that we have seen the last two seasons. That's why I mentioned that we haven't paid anyone (not a single player) in almost 10 years (since Chris Davis).

[wildcard]

32 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

Is there any rational reason that payroll shouldn't go up next season? The org hasn't paid ANYONE in almost 10 years and has a multi-billionaire group. If we want to win and get good enough to win a World Series that's what is required.

I am not arguing with payroll going up.  I am just saying the if that happens ticket prices will go up to.     The billionaire owners are hedge fund and finance people.   They are not just going to take the payroll increase out of their pocket.  They will expect the fans to pay more also.

Edited 18 hours ago by wildcard

[Bemorewins]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I am not arguing with payroll going up.  I am just saying the if that happens ticket prices will go up to.     The billionaire owners are hedge fund and finance people.   They are not just going to take the payroll increase out of their pocket.  They will expect the fans to pay more also.

I really don't care. As long as they do all they can to get us a roster that can succeed in October.

[eddie83]

3 hours ago, wildcard said:

If payroll goes up expect ticket prices to move up also.

They already did. 

[Sports Guy]

16 hours ago, Orioles0615 said:

Payroll will go up no matter what from arbitration. I am hoping that is not what Elias means when saying payroll will go up

It’s false to say payroll will go up because of arb. Depending on who they keep that is under team control, the Os can keep up to 21 players (that make sense to keep) and only have about 82M committed to the payroll. The OD payroll this year was over 90M and almost certainly ended up over 100M.

[Sports Guy]

15 hours ago, wildcard said:

I am not arguing with payroll going up.  I am just saying the if that happens ticket prices will go up to.     The billionaire owners are hedge fund and finance people.   They are not just going to take the payroll increase out of their pocket.  They will expect the fans to pay more also.

So?

[eddie83]

The number 1 offensive addition needs to be a RH OF. Kjerstad, Mullins and Cowser all LH. It would be nice if Mayo could play an O’Hearn level OF just to spell guys now and then. Not sure how much they want to put on his plate coming off his offensive issues. Sounds like they are committed to him being a 1B. 
 

If Mayo is on roster you can’t keep both Urias and Mateo unless you move someone. 

Bench could be 

Backup C?

RH OF ?

Mateo

Mayo/ Urias 

 

Now if they trade someone like Mountcastle or don’t bring back O’Hearn that opens a spot like I said.