Orioles executive VP and general manager Mike Elias met with reporters yesterday for the traditional end-of-season media session, discussing both the 2020 season and what might be in store for next year. Some notable items, as per MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and The Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli…
- In general terms, Elias felt the season had “enough positive things where we can feel good that this year was far from wasted and that there was progress made in our ultimate goals.” With a 24-35 record entering today’s finale, the Orioles’ .407 winning percentage at least represents an improvement over the .312 mark posted by the team over the 2018-19 seasons (101-223). A few more wins and some development progress still left Elias less than satisfied, as “it’s very difficult for me to label any season a success where we have a losing record and don’t make the playoffs.”
- This doesn’t mean the Orioles’ rebuild process is getting a fast-forward, however, as Elias indicated that the O’s will continue to limit spending since their financial picture is clouded by the pandemic. “We can’t estimate our revenue, our attendance,” Elias said. “We can’t estimate various things that we look at when we look at a player or roster budget, so it’s so day-to-day.”
- Baltimore doesn’t have much in the way of long-term salary commitments anyway, with the very notable exception of Chris Davis. The struggling first baseman had another rough season, and is still owed $46MM before the end of the 2022 season. There has been speculation that the Orioles could simply release Davis and eat that remaining salary in order to free up a roster spot and playing time for a younger player, yet Elias said the club isn’t planning to move on from Davis: “We’re taking it as it comes, but he is under contract with this team, there’s a lot that goes into that and we do not have plans to alter that fact.”
- In terms of offseason targets, Elias noted that the O’s will continue to look for infield help, as it was an area of concern when Elias joined the organization following the 2018 season. “I think that deficit of infielders was mainly owing to the lack of international pipeline, because that’s where a lot of major league infielders are coming from these days….We’ve tried to attack it through the last couple of drafts and also a couple of trades, and we’ve gotten the international free agent spigot flowing now, so hopefully all of that will long-term fortify our infield depth,” Elias said. “But, it’s like pitching, one of those areas where everyone is always looking for more.”
- Retaining Jose Iglesias would be an obvious way to shore up the 2021 infield, though Elias didn’t address Iglesias’ contract option besides saying the veteran infielder “really helped us and we love having him.” Despite a quad injury that led to a brief injured list trip and more DH time than was expected for the longtime shortstop, Iglesias unexpectedly delivered a monster year at the plate, hitting .373/.400/.556 over 150 plate appearances. The O’s signed Iglesias to a one-year contract last winter that contained a $3.5MM club option for 2021 with a $500K buyout, and one would think Iglesias has done enough to get that option exercised.
- And, in the best news of all, Elias believes Trey Mancini will be healthy and ready to return for Spring Training. Mancini had a malignant tumor removed from his colon last spring and is now through with chemotherapy treatment. “He just went through a lot and he’s going to have to get his strength and his baseball activities back and all that, and there’s still going to be some work and a process going into that this winter,” Elias said. “But he’s such a strong, dedicated, mentally strong kid and person that we have nothing but confidence that he can do it this offseason and have a great year next year.“
i wonder if the O’s would make a play for Tai. they could use a SP and Tai’s young enough where he’ll probably still be dealing when they’re competitive again.
This comment feels like it’s uttered simply to utter it. Of all the things to discuss from above, this is what’s conjured up? To what end? Wasted space.
They need to move on from Davis. He hasn’t even been average with the bat since 2016, freeing up 1B makes it easier for them to play someone like Mountcastle where he’s a better fit, and if nothing else they can at least use the roster spot to at least see what they have in someone else.
I just saw he had a -7 OPS+. Negative!! That’s amazing. Does that mean he’s 7% worse than having an at bat with nothing in the box?
I like to think it makes the each batter in the opposing lineup almost 1% better when they play the Orioles and Chris Davis is playing. Like some passive effect Chris Davis brings to game.
Davis isn’t taking any playing time away from anyone. If he’s on the team he is the last guy on the bench. Mountcastle and Mancini are playing every day. Thanks to the short season they were able to avoid paying Davis a big chunk of his salary. If they release him now and next year is shortened they will still be on the hook for his entire salary, so they won’t do anything with him until they find out what next season will look like.
Exactly! We saw this year one of the highest paid players (maybe the highest) was Wei-Yin Chen since he was released by the Marlins back in November. And they had to pay that entire salary
The only person keeping Chris Davis in an Orioles uniform is Peter Angelos. What other logical reason would there be? Angelos has proved that he could care less about winning and Mike Elias knows that releasing Davis is a common sense thing to do, BUT King Peter’s refusal to pay a guy that isn’t working is not an option.
Not an O’s fan, but great to hear that Mancini is recovering.
Nice of you to say. He’s a really great guy and has raised a lot of awareness and inspired a lot of people in Baltimore.
It’s been great having Iglesias not only hit but play his brand of defense behind a young pitching staff. 3B is an obvious area of need this offseason. The OF looks set up nicely.
Why don’t the Orioles just not play Davis. Have him sit at the end of the bench. Maybe he will get sick of it and retire.
If he’s on the team that’s exactly what they will do. Even when he was healthy this year he barely played.They won’t release him yet for 2 reasons, If next season is shortend they will save a portion of his salary or his roster spot is better used on protecting an out of option player/protecting a prospect from the Rule 5 draft. They still have a spot or 2 where they can hid him on the 40 man.
The Orioles need a 2b for sure. I would definitely re-sign Iglesias he provides leadership and sound defense. 3b is still questionable also. I don’t think Ruiz will be back. The Orioles will not release Davis because of his contract but I do agree with putting him on the end of the bench and maybe he will just give up.
What do you mean a need at 2B? Alberto has actually been raking for the most part
Could Elias do a salary dump through trade like the Dodgers-Red Sox in 2012? Padres and Cleveland come to mind as well when doing salary dumps.
Usually team dumping salary also sends along something worthwhile to induce the deal in the first place. The O’s aren’t in a position to send significant prospects to any team even if it means getting rid of Davis and his contract. The only scenario I can conceive of where Davis is dealt is where the O’s move a couple minor leaguers who are out of options and aren’t likely to be protected over the winter anyway while the team takes back close to nothing in return — “future considerations.”
Sounds about right—yet can’t see it happening. Even unprotected players might not get picked up and I think the org places too much value on those players to send them elsewhere for the sake of getting rid of Davis’s salary. Besides, they’re already prepared to suffer eating the salary.
If Mancini comes back there is no reason to keep Davis around. Maybe do nothing, let him come into Spring and show he deserves a roster spot. Otherwise his spot should go to Mancini.
Also have to wonder if the O’s will re-sign Iglesias. Without him they have a problem with middle infield.
Does Rutschman get a shot next year? If so, what to do with Sisco?
Don’t sleep on the O’s. They get some SP and they could be really good come 2022.
With or without Mancini there’s no reason for Davis. Núñez, Mountcastle, Pat Valaika or any other 1B you give the league minimum to is better than CD. You give a guy 3 seasons to bounce back and he just hasn’t. It’s over for him. Iggy has an option for next year, so he’ll be back for 1 more at least.
Sisco probably isn’t going to be a catcher for the long term. I’m thinking he may get some reps at 1B next season. He might try to learn another infield slot as well. Perhaps he could be something of a utility guy who picks up a start behind the plate every week or so.
The pitching is promising. Kremer/Akin we’ve already seen and they looked like they could hang around a big league rotation. Baumann is up next. The two best guys (Hall, G-rod) we won’t see til 2022 at the earliest. But hopefully we can pair Means with some combo of Akin, Kremer,Lowther and Baumann By then.
I should have prefaced the Davis comment differently, as he’s the logical choice to drop, let alone a healthy Mancini. Will be interesting to see how Baltimore plays it next year and what kind of step forward they will have.