48 replies to this topic

[dude]

Fabian could be a good RH platoon with elite defense in a LH heavy OF, assuming the OF is something like Cowser/Mullins/Kjerstad next year. Also possible Santander is back, which would be nice with his switch hitting ability.

 

...so sort of into the next discussion on "things we need to do in the offseason".

 

I like Fabian but I agree he'd appear short term as more of platoon or 4th OF type bat.  I'd probably want to see him more at AAA next year and I think Slater has been interesting in his short time here.

 

Whether you use a guy like Slater or Michael A Taylor or McKenna (type of player) that's fine as your 4th OFer to get Fabian a little more time at AAA in 2025.....

 

....but I'd view a Cowser-Doyle-Kjerstad OF with Slater(Fabian in 2026) as a most reasonable type plan.

[dude]

Stop making trade proposals for next year now. This is stupid. Do this crap after the season is over.

 

I was pointing him out because we are playing the Rox this weekend.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I don't think having Cedric Mullins starting in CF (predominantly against RHP) is necessarily punting away a season.

I dont think its punting at all. But I also don't think its doing anything to help us win in 2025/

[Mackus]

I dont think its punting at all. But I also don't think its doing anything to help us win in 2025/

Cedric helps us win, IMO. Possible to improve, mainly because of his volatility, but he's not a weakness. Chance he has a crappy month or two somewhere and drives the overall numbers down like this year, or less but still reasonable chance he avoids that bad month and is a borderline All-Star. Get a RH bat for the bench who is a solid CF and you can minimize some of the downside.

[dude]

Cedric helps us win, IMO. 

 

I think Ced wants to be a different player than the Orioles will allow him to be. He wants to be playing everyday and batting leadoff.  The Orioles want him to be a platoon bat hitting in the bottom third.

 

He's been part of the core of this team for a while and they're telling him he's not part of 'next'.  We can discuss whether that's good or bad, but he isn't part of anything, so move him and allow whatever paths you need for the new dynamics of the club to unfold.  This isn't a Talent problem.   

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Cedric helps us win, IMO. Possible to improve, mainly because of his volatility, but he's not a weakness. Chance he has a crappy month or two somewhere and drives the overall numbers down like this year, or less but still reasonable chance he avoids that bad month and is a borderline All-Star. Get a RH bat for the bench who is a solid CF and you can minimize some of the downside.

I love his defense but he has not been good offensively for 3 years. I don't think he helps us win. Don't think he makes us lose either just ready to upgrade. But I am not hard over on him one way or the other.

[BaltBird 24]

Ced's offense is perfectly fine if he can get back to his 2022-2023 production. I'd rather him get on base a tad bit more, but there's nothing wrong with a .720ish OPS from a defensive CF who can steal you some bases.

[RichardZ]

I think Ced wants to be a different player than the Orioles will allow him to be. He wants to be playing everyday and batting leadoff.  The Orioles want him to be a platoon bat hitting in the bottom third.
 
He's been part of the core of this team for a while and they're telling him he's not part of 'next'.  We can discuss whether that's good or bad, but he isn't part of anything, so move him and allow whatever paths you need for the new dynamics of the club to unfold.  This isn't a Talent problem.   

The Orioles wanted him to be a lead off hitter and everyday player. His performance dictated his current role. He’s entering his last year before FA. Plenty of motivation.

[Mackus]

I love his defense but he has not been good offensively for 3 years. I don't think he helps us win. Don't think he makes us lose either just ready to upgrade. But I am not hard over on him one way or the other.

 

He's been good offensively plenty often in the last 3 years, but the bad months have dragged his overall numbers down to only league average or so.  The bad streaks happen regularly enough that I think you need to assume they'll happen again and adjust expectations accordingly, but also possible that he can avoid an extended slump and put together a very strong year.  But even if he can't, nothing wrong with low 700s OPS from a good CF, either. He's not quite there this year but if he finishes like he's been playing since June, he could get there.  

[BaltBird 24]

The advanced metrics do worry me with Ced, though. Very, very poor xAVG, xOBA, xSLG... doesn't make hard contact or barrel up many balls often. Slow bat. Even the speed is declining as he gets closer to 30. The arm has always been a noodle.

Has the makings of a guy who could be disposable at any time.

[jamesdean]

Mullins is who he is at this point in his career- a lousy hitter with speed and a Gold Glove level centerfielder.  If the Orioles had 5 or 6 other hitters in the lineup producing consistently, maybe you could afford to have Mullins playing more often.  But they're so compromised offensively, he just adds to the stink, not improve it.  To me, he's just another Mateo.  Both of them can't hit and are incapable of drawing walks to at least justify being out there every day.  Mullins is a platoon player and not a very good one.  He's had a decent run in Baltimore but it's time to go.  And he can take Mateo with him.  This team has enough problems on offense. 

[RichardZ]

Mullins is who he is at this point in his career- a lousy hitter with speed and a Gold Glove level centerfielder.  If the Orioles had 5 or 6 other hitters in the lineup producing consistently, maybe you could afford to have Mullins playing more often.  But they're so compromised offensively, he just adds to the stink, not improve it.  To me, he's just another Mateo.  Both of them can't hit and are incapable of drawing walks to at least justify being out there every day.  Mullins is a platoon player and not a very good one.  He's had a decent run in Baltimore but it's time to go.  And he can take Mateo with him.  This team has enough problems on offense. 

Who you going to get for CF?

[jamesdean]

Who you going to get for CF?

That's their problem to solve. Make it happen.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

The advanced metrics do worry me with Ced, though. Very, very poor xAVG, xOBA, xSLG... doesn't make hard contact or barrel up many balls often. Slow bat. Even the speed is declining as he gets closer to 30. The arm has always been a noodle.

Has the makings of a guy who could be disposable at any time.

No one is advocating for an extension. Well, anymore. You are committed to 1 more year with him as a platoon CFer. Kind of an easy call IMO. We should explore his trade value but yeah hes a 30 yr old arb 3 guy in decline. What do you realistically expect to get back that helps you.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Rofl. They are so compromised offensively he says. In what world are some of you living

[makoman]

No one is advocating for an extension. Well, anymore. You are committed to 1 more year with him as a platoon CFer. Kind of an easy call IMO. We should explore his trade value but yeah hes a 30 yr old arb 6 guy in decline. What do you realistically expect to get back that helps you.

He's not tradable at this point I think, the question is if he's tendered. I'm not looking for comps right now but I assume you're looking at 10M next year and no one is going to trade for that unless they think he's a full time starter, and I don't know if anyone can look at his splits and think that.

 

Other than cost he certainly has a place as at least platoon CF or 4th OF, with perhaps more if he shows more, but I didn't realize how bad his savant page was till Balt Bird said something.

[jamesdean]

Rofl. They are so compromised offensively he says. In what world are some of you living

Keep on digging those 4 or 5 hits a night, fool.

[RichardZ]

That's their problem to solve. Make it happen.

If you want Cedric gone it should be your problem to solve. At least have a suggestion for how you’d like to see them upgrade. Whatever.

[jamesdean]

If you want Cedric gone it should be your problem to solve. At least have a suggestion for how you’d like to see them upgrade. Whatever.

I have enough things to worry about in my life. Adding the solution to the problems this team has is beyond my pay scale.

[CantonJester]

I don't think Bradfield gets you even halfway there.  Doyle has huge home/road splits, but historically that hasn't backed off the price of trying to acquire Colorado hitters all that much.

 

I think it’s understood some players don’t fare as well as others at transitioning to road games at lower elevations. Obviously Colorado is a (relatively) extreme elevation. The Rockies sometimes find themselves with several players like this in their lineup so that they are the best offensive team at home, while simultaneously being the worst road team. His splits are pretty hilarious. Probably closer to a .750 OPS guy overall.