tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post5112939299233614459..comments2024-01-06T02:22:33.000-05:00Comments on Camden Depot: The Orioles Have Positional Depth; Lack Positional DEPTHJon Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03521809778977098687noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-42073318760786196922017-04-21T16:47:01.802-04:002017-04-21T16:47:01.802-04:00I like the OF depth the ML team has. AAA is anothe...I like the OF depth the ML team has. AAA is another story. I think Janish may be adequate replacement for one season. Chris Clare in Delmarva looks like a future infield depth player. The OF and catcher depth below AAA is impressive too. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05005398169602900978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-6962861648928650002017-04-21T09:50:02.305-04:002017-04-21T09:50:02.305-04:00Jacob, appreciate the comments and you make some g...Jacob, appreciate the comments and you make some good points. <br /><br />I think the main point(s) I was hoping to get across were the fact that just because some writers or the team (in this case Melewski) tout depth by citing MLB experience doesn't mean it's true, and that the real issue is lack of prospect depth (even if they're fringe prospects). With the exception of Alvarez and possibly Janish, I do think these players would be worse than replacement level, which is something I should have stressed more than I did.<br /><br />I admit in the final paragraph that the article is picking nits and that every team needs to fill out rosters with these types of players. Based on the way that the farm system is currently set up, the Orioles have been kind of forced filling out their AAA team, and that's really alright, especially since they've been winning at the MLB level.<br /><br />We just can't equate experience with depth in this case.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05119567934749982333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-67580868953762188522017-04-18T18:32:39.011-04:002017-04-18T18:32:39.011-04:00With all due respect, and correct me if I'm wr...With all due respect, and correct me if I'm wrong, it kind of feels like the central thesis of this post is "the Orioles replacement players are replacement-level players." Well, ok...<br /><br />Seriously, outside of the 7 or 8 wealthiest teams in baseball, organizations can't afford to intentionally stash above-replacement-level veteran talent in the minors. Moreover, above-replacement-level veterans generally don't want to accept minor league assignments. The real issue, which you allude to a few times but largely gloss over, is the lack of high-minors prospects, but that's not a quick fix. The best option was probably to fill in for that with acceptable veteran talent.<br /><br />Realistically, from my perspective, Janish is a pretty good guy to have available in AAA. The contingency plan for a Hardy injury is presumably to start Flaherty (maybe at 3rd?) and bring Janish up to take a utility infield role. Given the quality of his glove, he wouldn't be the worst utility infielder on an MLB active roster. That makes for a more than acceptable replacement option in my eyes.<br /><br />Another important question here is how we stack up with the competition in this regard. Obviously the Orioles can't hang with the Red Sox for depth. Very few teams can. Realistically, we probably aren't competing with the Sox anyway - most projections have them comfortably winning the division. If we're competing with Toronto for a wildcard again I don't see them having a depth edge. Their starting shortstop is at least as fragile as the Orioles' and their ostensible backup is Darwin Barney, who has about as much bat as Flaherty and less glove. Or Goins, who hits about like Janish with, again, a lot less glove. The other guys on the 40-man are Urena, who's 21 and not ready for even an emergency callup, and Ty Kelly, who has a whopping 3 starts worth of career minor league experience at SS.<br /><br />It's hard to say who else might be in the WC race this early, but against many potential candidates we're even if not ahead in terms of backup and minor league options. In short, I think you've set up an artificially dark perspective through comparison to some idealized scenario which frankly isn't particularly realistic. Only a handful of teams in the majors can lose their starting SS or C and not take a huge step back somewhere. There just aren't an abundance of really good players at those positions. By definition, your next guys up from AAA should be, on average, replacement level players. It's not a knock against the team when that's exactly what it has available.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12364443498899374049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-12687746016318032122017-04-18T11:43:17.504-04:002017-04-18T11:43:17.504-04:00Thanks for the comments.
Anonymous - Flaherty can...Thanks for the comments.<br /><br />Anonymous - Flaherty can play passable defense at 2B, SS, and 3B whereas Giavotella can only play 2B (and according to the defensive numbers, not very well), so I would think that would play a lot into the decision for Flaherty as the bench player rather than Giavotella.<br /><br />Josh - The fact that they're not on the 40 man means (in my opinion) that they are there as long term solutions in the event of an injury. Adding them to the active roster means someone else loses their 40 man roster spot and sending them back down requires passing them through waivers. Maybe they go unclaimed and stay in the organization, but they aren't there to provide a breather unless it's September<br /><br />Roger - I don't see any more depth in AA. General thought on Reyes (who is not in AA yet) from publicly available scouting reports is that he's moving to first base. Also talked to a couple scouts at the winter meetings who thought he'd definitely need to be moved off third. I haven't seen him play 3rd this year, so I can't say whether that outlook as changed since December, but I'm guessing not). Orioles don't need another 1B/DH. Marin's glove can't make up for his deficiencies at the plate.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05119567934749982333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-84814693056995416462017-04-18T07:26:02.612-04:002017-04-18T07:26:02.612-04:00This article fails to mention that the infield dep...This article fails to mention that the infield depth is coming, some of which is already at AA where teams often keep their best and brightest young prospects. Jomar Reyes is tearing the cover off the ball and Adrian Marin is out there too (although he's not much of a hitter). The AAA reserves can cover a short period of DL time for one of the MLers but if a long term problem develops then someone at AA might fill the bill better. While I agree that Flaherty is not much of an answer, if he were better then he'd be a starter and you'd have the same problem all over again. And Alvarez's potential for defense in the outfield might also be answering the question from the prior post...... why is Kim disrespected?Rogernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-18325935131799797472017-04-17T21:31:05.704-04:002017-04-17T21:31:05.704-04:00Part of the debate here is what is the depth going...Part of the debate here is what is the depth going to be used for. <br />I see the guys listed as professional players as opposed to prospects meaning that if you need a guy for a couple games to spell Hardy, Schoop etc they are not going to embarrass the team with horrible fielding, boneheaded base running, inability to lay down a sacrifice bunt etc. <br />Sure I would not want any of the above playing more than a couple games but if late in the year JJ needs someone to take a couple games Id much rather have the experience of Paul Janish than some no name. Josh Josephsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-67194727714821315842017-04-17T20:51:12.944-04:002017-04-17T20:51:12.944-04:00Giovotalla is Rod Carew compared to Flaherty, shou...Giovotalla is Rod Carew compared to Flaherty, should have made the team, don't know what flahety has on the Orioles that makes him there, year after year! Mario Mendoza could give him hitting instructions!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-59525119744047312652017-04-17T16:52:24.156-04:002017-04-17T16:52:24.156-04:00#Nate - Four games isn't a strong basis for a ...#Nate - Four games isn't a strong basis for a comment on an outfielder's defense, and i'm scheduled to work five games on the next Norfolk homestand (April 25-30.) I'm considering a post on Alvarez' defense after that set.<br /><br />Another teaser, subject to the limitation that I haven't seen Hyun-Soo Kim in the outfield much more than Pedro Alvarez, is that I think Alvarez is better than Kim.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18347209822215185644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-70589895220973592722017-04-17T09:13:56.730-04:002017-04-17T09:13:56.730-04:00Joe, was hoping you'd have some thoughts (or m...Joe, was hoping you'd have some thoughts (or maybe even a future post) looking at Alvarez in the outfield. I am curious to see how he looks based on the multiple views you'll have. I know he has a good arm, and your statement of "better than Christian Walker" is at least...something.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05119567934749982333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-22316006066926893282017-04-17T08:38:38.028-04:002017-04-17T08:38:38.028-04:00Here's hoping Trey Mancini has a previously-un...Here's hoping Trey Mancini has a previously-undiscovered genius for playing third base, just waiting to emerge in a major-league setting. So the next time Hardy's back locks up, it would be: 3: Davis, 4: Schoop, 5: Mancini, 6: Machado; I could live with that.<br /><br />In the more likely event that Mancini played first base in college and throughout the minors for good reasons, I'll be sacrificing chickens (in the form of Buffalo wings) on game day to keep JJ's lumbar aligned.FearItselfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00449299861171255735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-40483271146989976442017-04-17T08:35:56.336-04:002017-04-17T08:35:56.336-04:00Pedro Alvarez is playing right field for Norfolk. ...Pedro Alvarez is playing right field for Norfolk. I've seen him play four games. If nothing else, he's a better outfielder than Christian Walker was.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18347209822215185644noreply@blogger.com