Option decisions …

[1fingerwillie]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

If they don't pick up O'Hearn's option he is a free agent.  The question is do they want to spend 8m on him or do they want to spent that money on a solid hitting righty?

This is a big question IMO. I am not sure it is an either or, though. I would try to do both. Keep O'Hearn for one year as a veteran presence to platoon with Mayo (presumably Mountie is traded) and spend FA money to IMPROVE on the RH outfield spot taken by Hays/Slater.

So essentially replay Mountcastle/Hays with Mayo/FA.

[OriolesMagic83]

3 hours ago, Roll Tide said:

 

 

The O's club option decisions: Recently I have written here and here about upcoming roster decisions the O’s must make on 2025 club options they hold for Ryan O’Hearn and Seranthony Domínguez.

Clubs holding such options on their players for next year must make those decisions within five days of the end of the World Series.

The O’s list of club options on players for next year:

 

2 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

We bring everyone back except that we have an option, or can tender arb to, except Soto.

I don’t see us spending $8 million on a lefty that is out of options when we have 3 other ones in the same boat. Coloumbe, Akin, and Perez. If anything, we just need the roster flexibility to rotate arms in the pen. 

Soto isn't a special guy in the bullpen.  He's a guy who can be dominant for 2 weeks and then implode when you need him most.  I would rather upgrade his spot in the bullpen.  Can probably get a much better guy in free agency for 2 years/$16 mill or a little more, so no extra money.  Will Elias be willing to nontender him, thereby admitting he made a mistake?  Coulombe is definitely a keeper.  Akin and Perez have their moments.  I feel like one of them is brought back.  I would say Akin can provide longer outings and Perez has more upside.  If I had to guess, the O's keep Akin.  

[OriolesMagic83]

I feel that bringing back Urias and Mateo would make sense, especially as Holliday and Mayo haven't proved themselves as regulars yet.  I would rather keep a very versatile guy like Mateo who is also a difference maker as a pinch runner and defensive replacement than have to grab a marginal MLB guy like 2022 Odor or Frazier.  

[1fingerwillie]

48 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

 

Soto isn't a special guy in the bullpen.  He's a guy who can be dominant for 2 weeks and then implode when you need him most.  I would rather upgrade his spot in the bullpen.  Can probably get a much better guy in free agency for 2 years/$16 mill or a little more, so no extra money.  Will Elias be willing to nontender him, thereby admitting he made a mistake?  Coulombe is definitely a keeper.  Akin and Perez have their moments.  I feel like one of them is brought back.  I would say Akin can provide longer outings and Perez has more upside.  If I had to guess, the O's keep Akin.  

He was arguably the best arm in the bullpen the last month. Why would you think Elias made a mistake?  He traded for a guy and he was an overwhelming success. If what we saw the last 6 weeks is the pitcher that pitched for Detroit, then it was a great trade.

Edited 3 hours ago by 1fingerwillie

[BRobinsonfan]

4 hours ago, Roll Tide said:

I’m betting they keep all of these guys except Jimenez

 

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/random-take-tuesday-1-4

Honestly, I would bring back O'Hearn and Coulumbe and let the rest go.  We've wrung all the magic out of Cionel Perez' arm, Eloy Jimenez has lost whatever magic he had... same for Seranthony.  

[1fingerwillie]

7 minutes ago, BRobinsonfan said:

Honestly, I would bring back O'Hearn and Coulumbe and let the rest go.  We've wrung all the magic out of Cionel Perez' arm, Eloy Jimenez has lost whatever magic he had... same for Seranthony.  

Like Soto, I assume that Elias was pretty pleased with Seranthony. Not sure why he wouldn't pick up his option.

Edited 3 hours ago by 1fingerwillie

[BRobinsonfan]

11 minutes ago, 1fingerwillie said:

He was arguably the best arm in the bullpen the last month. Why would you think Elias made a mistake?  He traded for a guy and he was an overwhelming success. If what we saw the last 6 weeks is the pitcher that pitched for Detroit, then it was a great trade.

The last month of the season for him consisted of 9 innings in which he allowed 10 hits and a .286 batting average and a .324 OBP - Not exactly dominate.   Over his last 17.2 innings (The last two months of the season) he allowed 20 hits.  In August he also posted a .286 batting average and a .405 OBP.  Maybe we take a gamble on him returning to 2021/2022 form, but I'm not convinced we couldn't do better. 

[Aristotelian]

Honestly I can see the pro and con case for just about all of these guys. None of them break the bank but none of them are exactly cheap. 

Coulombe has been incredible for us, but he will be 35, had a major injury last year, and is a soft tossing lefty. Can he continue to produce? 

Soto finished pretty strong but hard to completely overlook poor splits and those terrible appearances when he first came over. 

Dominguez could be dominant at times but that 2.4 HR/9 is ugly.  

Perez can be dominant at times and he's cheap. But the 7+ K/9 and 4+ BB/9 just doesn't play. 

O'Hearn did OK but only as a strict platoon guy. He messes up our lineup if someone wants to throw an opener at us, and/or needs a pinch hitter for high leverage. Really makes game management difficult. Mayo is going to need AB's vs RHP and Holliday/Urias can help with the DH spot vs RHP. 

I'm inclined to pick up Coulombe and Dominguez, pass on Perez, and 50/50 on Soto and O'Hearn. 

 

 

[1fingerwillie]

1 minute ago, BRobinsonfan said:

The last month of the season for him consisted of 9 innings in which he allowed 10 hits and a .286 batting average and a .324 OBP - Not exactly dominate.   Over his last 17.2 innings (The last two months of the season) he allowed 20 hits.  In August he also posted a .286 batting average and a .405 OBP.  Maybe we take a gamble on him returning to 2021/2022 form, but I'm not convinced we couldn't do better. 

As a closer. 

I have him at 22 innings in the last month...not 9. Last month is 3.97 era with 28 Ks to 9 walks and 10 saves.

I think Elias would be happy with that considering he will not be closing games in 25.

Edited 3 hours ago by 1fingerwillie

[Aristotelian]

10 minutes ago, 1fingerwillie said:

Like Soto, I assume that Elias was pretty pleased with Seranthony. Not sure why he wouldn't pick up his option.

What if we could replace him with Kirby Yates on a 1 year deal for the same money? 

[BRobinsonfan]

2 minutes ago, 1fingerwillie said:

As a closer. 

Last month is 3.97 era with 28 Ks to 9 walks and 10 saves.

I think Elias would be happy with that considering he will not be closing games in 25.

Wait... what?  Soto had 10 saves in 2024?  

[OriolesMagic83]

21 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

What if we could replace him with Kirby Yates on a 1 year deal for the same money? 

Yates would be a definite upgrade.  I would trust Yates to close if Bautista happens to have health issues.

[Sports Guy]

44 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

What if we could replace him with Kirby Yates on a 1 year deal for the same money? 

Kirby Yates should be in addition to those guys.

We really should have 2-3 open BP spots but I don’t think that will be the case.  They may not even have 1.

[ChosenOne21]

Jimenez is an easy decline.

I think Perez is about 50/50.

I think there's some chance O'Hearn and Dominguez aren't tendered, but it's pretty unlikely.

Coulomb is a slam-dunk option pickup.

Edited 2 hours ago by ChosenOne21

[1fingerwillie]

45 minutes ago, BRobinsonfan said:

Wait... what?  Soto had 10 saves in 2024?  

Sorry getting Soto and Seranthony mixed up...going back to bed.