Here’s the latest out of Baltimore:
- Neither Andrew Susac nor Carlos Perez will make the Orioles’ roster, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). The two out-of-options catchers had been vying for a roster spot on a team whose only 40-man catchers are Chance Sisco, the just-claimed Pedro Severino and the injured Austin Wynns. Even Sisco isn’t guaranteed a 25-man spot, as he may open the season at the Triple-A level, according to Trezza. That could open the door for fellow backstop Jesus Sucre, though there’s no word yet on his fate, per Trezza. The Orioles have to decide by Monday whether to keep Sucre, whose minor league deal includes an upward mobility clause. Should another team make Sucre an offer, he’d take it, Trezza suggests.
- Thanks in part to the Orioles’ murky situation behind the plate, their entire Opening Day battery is in question. While right-hander Alex Cobb’s penciled in to start Thursday’s opener against the Yankees, he’s now dealing with a strained right groin, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com writes. Cobb’s no longer a certainty to take the ball in Game 1, though he indicated Saturday it’s not a serious injury, and he didn’t undergo an MRI. Cobb will throw a bullpen session Monday or Tuesday to determine whether he’ll be able to start Thursday. Whenever Cobb makes his initial start of the year, he’ll hope it’s the beginning of a bounce-back campaign. In 2018, the first season of a four-year, $57MM contract, he stumbled to a 4.90 ERA/4.80 FIP across 152 1/3 innings.
- In other unwelcome news for Baltimore, outfield prospect Austin Hays suffered a left thumb injury Saturday, Dan Connolly of The Athletic relays. Expectations are that the 23-year-old will undergo an MRI on Sunday or Monday, according to Connolly. In the meantime, the O’s are left to cross their fingers this isn’t another costly injury for Hays, who endured a truncated 2018 because of ankle issue. While Hays’ production at Double-A last year was nothing to write home about as a result, he’s still one of the O’s most promising prospects, and he nearly hit his way to a major league roster spot this spring. The Orioles elected to option Hays, however, because they believe he needs more seasoning in the minors. Now, if Hays has to start the year on the shelf, it’ll further delay a big league promotion.
sounds like a mess down there.
Down where Mean Gene
Down here!
I didn’t realize you had launched AAA Trade Rumors…congrats!
Ha ha! I’ll be here all week, tip your server
New year. Same dumpster fire.
Why the Orioles are all confused about their catcher is beyond me?
Cripes Hyde was a catcher in the Bigs and he should know better, but apparently does not.
Hyde never played in the majors.
They just can’t catch a break, these guys.. The hope is that Cobb/Cashner would show something; they haven’t. The hope was that Davis would show something; he’s looked just awful this spring; an outright release is very possible. Most of their upper level prospects are “meh” at best, and when they get one that isn’t (Hayes), he gets hurt. The bill for the MASN extortion is shortly due. And in four years, they have about 50M in deferrals that have to be dealt with.
It’s not just a dumpster fire; it’s a train wreck in search of a dumpster fire.
There’s nothing but Cobb and Davis on the payroll after this year. Deferrals and all. Hays’ injury doesn’t effect anything. We aren’t going to be competitive for at least 4 years. Cobb/Cashner’s early injury doesn’t matter either. No one was ever taking Davis so that is completely irrelevant. The only thing for us to do is suck, collect top picks and trade away Givens/Bundy because they’re our real assets. Cobb/Cash was never going to be anymore than a salary dump. And quite frankly I don’t care if peter angelos has to pay their salary.
Tell them all preach my friend. Anyone who thinks this is going to happen quickly is delusional. As you stated Cobb and Davis are only two contracts on the books after this year. Is the Davis contract bad yes sure it is however it is the one remaining bad contract it is not like you have 3 or 4 similar at some point they will just have to eat the contract and waive Davis.
As you noted sit back collect draft picks for 2 or 3 more years and slowly rebuild this thing the right way.
It’s such a crazy amount of money to eat but we need to play Mountcastle or Mancini at 1B eventually because they don’t have another defensive position. Once Hays and Diaz are ready I’m hoping we waive goodbye to Davis so Mancini can play 1B. But even that doesn’t need to be rushed. The Yankees/Sox/Rays are going to be too good the next 4 years for us to realistically have any chance with what we have. The best thing we can do is suck and collect talent. Then 4 years from now we could really have something. It can’t be fast and it shouldn’t be.
The Yankees and Sox are always going to be huge spenders. That’s a given. But neither farm is a world beater anymore and they won’t have the top picks.
The rays will inevitably tear it down and start again in a few years. That’s the window for the Jays/O’s to jump in.
Agreed I think this is easier said than done but the front office just needs to get beyond the crazy money and be done with it. This is simply ridiculous to keep rolling Davis out to 1st or DH or whatever and continue to take playing time away from others who need to develop and can potentially help the team further.
The ship has sailed on Davis seems like nothing that he has tried or is trying is remotely working this is just painful to continue day after day year after year time to give it up
Let this play out like in Houston absolutely stink up the Joint for the next 2 or 3 years worst record in baseball continue to stockpile top draft picks and hope there ends up being a couple of can’t miss talents at the top of the draft over next 3 years.
What sucks is the genuine lack of any measurable top prospects down on the farm it is as if your essentially rebuilding everything from the bottom up farm to table
Yeah I agree it’s a pretty bare start but we’re not in the worst shape. The royals have even less on their farm and seem to be interested in a quick rebuild. I’m glad we aren’t in that position. We’ve at least accepted reality.
We don’t have any stars in our farm. That’s what we lack. There’s no machado down there. Diaz/Hays/Sisco/Hall and Mountcastle are all good prospects but they just aren’t future stars.They project more as above average regulars. If we can draft a couple potential stars these next 3 -4 years then it could come together. It just won’t be fast.
Jbigz you going to ignore the fact you were completely wrong about Sisco? At least apologize dude, talking down to me and thinking you were right. Can’t believe how dumb you look.
Good call. You also said we were going to DFA wynns who was almost 30 which is why I initially went at you like that. Which you then backed up on later and said “sorry I meant sent down” even though you clearly said he’d be the guy who’d pass through waivers. That’s why I said You didn’t know what you were talking about. But yeah, sorry about the Sisco comment. You weren’t wrong there. I don’t agree with that move but that’s how it goes.
And don’t tell me you didn’t mean outrighted off the 40 man because you clearly did. By saying he has the “best shot to pass through waivers” it was pretty clear you meant off the 40 man there. I’ll own up to the Sisco comment but you can own up to that because it was pretty obvious what you meant there. But it’s not that serious. It’s an internet comment board. My comment was a little ruder than it needed to be. I’m sure we’ll engage in some more banter at some point.
They’re the best “buy” opportunity in MLB right now. Valued at 1.2B; now knock off the 100M the MASN mess will cost, another 100M for the obscene contracts, and you get 1B.
For that 1B, you get a knowledgeable, sophisticated fanbase that grew up watching maybe the most fundamentally sound (in terms of game skills) franchise in the sport. Add in a stadium lease that’s the envy of every MLB club (thank you, Larry Luchino!) , and a profitable Regional Sports Network, and that’s a pretty good buy.
So the money is there, within the parameters of a medium market franchise. Properly spent, 4 years is a distinct possibility. But they need to establish a presence in the International market, and draft better (they haven’t been “bad”; they also haven’t been especially good). A ton of what you can call “infrastructure” repair is needed.
Hopefully, Elias can do it. Richie Martin was a great first move; I’ve see him play; kid’s a “playa”. I don’t care if he hits .230 (which is probably what he will). Boom Boom is marketable, even if trading him will have fans wailing. There’s some very interesting pitching on the lower levels; I know, all Keegan Aiken does is win; that’s all Ryan Yarborough, he of the 16 wins last year, ever did.
There’s hope….but it will take a huge amount of patience.
I think you’re counting some money twice. The team could still be a “buy” but the Forbes evaluation likely took into the team’s future obligations like the anticipated cable payment, present contracts and deferrals.
…good point….
This rebuild has to start somewhere and they unfortunately are starting from the bottom. That Gausman trade is the move that was questionable last year but really sucks now. Yeah they got rid of Odays contract but what did they end up with? Unused international money and a few nameless faceless bodies. I would have liked to have seen what could have been done with Kevin under this new crew or see what he could have been traded for by the new administration.
Whatever. I’ve written this season off since the new administrations hire because for a rebuild of this magnitude they’ll need a year just to figure out what they overall large scale plan is.
This is going to be a fascinating (also hard to watch at times) season but unlike anytime that Duquette was here there is a plan.
And that is the bitter reality of it all. If these guys would have moved a couple of these players like Machado and Schoop etc at the trade deadline the year before the haul would have been much better instead the minors are left with a bunch of stiffs who will be lucky to make the majors and a meaningful contribution anytime soon. For everyone that was traded away they just waited too long to get meaningful returns or enough on the return with big upside
But Sisco is supposed to be the next Matt Wieters who was supposed to be the next Johnny Bench.
I swear it seems like we will never figure it out. Being an Os fan is never going to be easy but us true fans will always stick around and just ride it out
I just can’t believe how awful Chris Davis looks.
Is there a team in baseball that would take a chance on the guy?
As for the rebuild, I’m excited with the front office moves. FWIW, I think they should spend the rest of the IFA money on the young(ish) SS that’s available and trade the money for whatever else they can get. They need all the parts and depth they can get at the minor league level.
Davis should be released. Mancini should man 1B. I don’t even know why it’s a discussion or argument. Sure Davis is owed a ton of cash, but the fans hate him, he isn’t worth trotting out there every day. Although, maybe they should try to convert him to a pitcher? (Remember the time they used him that way?)
I don’t see how people think releasing Davis is a good thing. What would be gained from that? At least throw him out there and see if he can be half as good as his old self.
He literally has zero value and the opportunity for someone with some sort of a pulse to get playing time is what is gained. Not much gained by releasing him, but literally nothing gained by running him out there so everyone can be reminded of him daily.
Cobb signing was terrible.
Yeah it was beyond dumb. Every knowledgeable MLB person knew the Orioles were rebuilding the following year. Just beyond a dumb signing.