Come on, I think we all know where he plays last year if there is a season and where he's going to start this season.
Here are the comp picks from 2019 (with their MLB.com team top-30 rankings in parens), anyone you'd trade Diaz and Kremer for?
Brennan Malone (NR)
Drey Jameson (23)
Kameron Misner (15)
JJ Goss (15)
Sammy Siani (19)
T.J. Sikkema (16)
Matt Wallner (13)
Seth Johnson (16)
Davis Wendzel (8)
None of them have appeared on any top-100 lists that BB-ref tracks (MLB, BA, BP). Of course the Orioles wouldn't have necessarily taken one of these guys. You can argue for any 2nd round pick if you like, including Gunnar Henderson who we took at #41. And the same argument for Diaz applies to all of these guys, they haven't had much opportunity to play and rise or fall in the rankings. Still, I'd stick with Diaz and Kremer without much hesitation.
Thats funny cause Diaz in 2019 was anywhere fro #30 to #60 in the MLB prospect rankings depending on the publication. But today he's not on any lists. He absolutely fell down the rankings. Maybe others stuck on the rankings and didn't rise or fall because they are, I don't know, good?
That list and where they rank in their system means nothing. Ryan McKenna is 15th in the Orioles system and is in the big leagues. Does just getting to the big leagues mean anything? No. You have to perform. Kremer, is not. And it's not bad luck either.
Diaz. I understand he hasn't gotten the playing time we hoped he would have by now.
When you trade the kind of star Machado is to a team you expect prospects in return who can help the big league club, and the centerpiece to be an All-Star one day.
For Erik Bedard we got an All-Star/Gold glover/face of the franchise in Jones, and a role player who was also an All-Star (bonus) in Sherrill, and an All-Star/Ace (for us anyway) on winning teams in Tillman. Tillman was 19, took a little longer to be "that guy". Diaz is 24. Kremer is 25. Bannon is 25. Take a year away for Covid, these guys are of the age they should be beating down the door of the bigs. Diaz striking out 11 times in 23 ABs in spring training isn't exciting anyone.
The minimum we should have gotten from the Dodgers for Machado was Buehler, and comparing it to Bedard, should have been Buehler and Diaz, and another guy.
If Diaz comps Adam Jones and Kremer comps to Tillman (soon because he's 25 already and Tillman was an All-Star at 25), and Bannon plays decent major league ball for at least a season or two here, then the trade will have been okay.
If Diaz makes it here at age 26 and is just a guy, and Kremer is just around to eat up innings because someone has to, and Bannon...whatever...
All I'm saying is the Orioles are giant losers in this trade and there are legit two guys that can change that narrative. One, sucks (Kremer) and the other hasn't moved up a level in some time, even before covid, and has disappeared from the radar on a national scale. DIaz may be 9th in our system, that could be 19th in another. He didn't impress in the spring. This season should reveal where Diaz truly is, if he stays healthy. I hope he beats down the door for a call up. Because this is my team and I want them to do well.
Right now though, it looks like we let Manny walk out the door with nothing in return because 2 of the 5 from the haul never wore the O's uniform in an MLB game. 2 are still in the minors 4 years later. And one has a 0.0 WAR through eight career starts, and a -0.4 WAR in four starts in 2021. So it's like he's not even there, but worse.