Brewers, Orioles Eyeing Harang

[osforlife]

You make very good points, but you (like everyone else) did not mention Steve Johnson as a potential #5 SP. What does this poor guy have to do to earn some respect?

I mentioned Steve Johnson as a potential #5 SP. I listed him with Todd Redmond, Jair Jurrjens, and TJ McFarland as all candidates to start. I even listed him first because out of that bunch, I think he obviously has the best chance to break the team. I really like watching the kid pitch, but I would have liked to see him as a long relief pitcher and be one of the first ones to be brought into the rotation in case of injury or bad results. Instead, he is basically our 5th, maybe 6th option to start, likely meaning he could very well end up in the rotation on Opening Day. I do not suspect anything particularly impressive from him starting, but he could hold his own there and make a useful arm out of the pen for the Orioles' foreseeable future.

[ofahn]

I mentioned Steve Johnson as a potential #5 SP. I

You did and I missed it. I'm sorry.

[A_K]

I mentioned Steve Johnson as a potential #5 SP. I listed him with Todd Redmond, Jair Jurrjens, and TJ McFarland as all candidates to start. I even listed him first because out of that bunch, I think he obviously has the best chance to break the team. I really like watching the kid pitch, but I would have liked to see him as a long relief pitcher and be one of the first ones to be brought into the rotation in case of injury or bad results. Instead, he is basically our 5th, maybe 6th option to start, likely meaning he could very well end up in the rotation on Opening Day. I do not suspect anything particularly impressive from him starting, but he could hold his own there and make a useful arm out of the pen for the Orioles' foreseeable future.

I'm sure it's very frustrating for Johnson to feel that he's always a contingency plan, but I have to say I think he profiles perfectly as the sort of contingency plan that any team would like to have in its system. And if a pitcher continually performs as a 7th starter/long reliever, eventually he'll be given an opportunity to prove he's something more. It just probably won't happen early in the season, when most players are healthy and teams are focused on upside and potential more than survival.

In any case, I'd be surprised if he got any less than 10 starts this year, and could easily see him breaking 30 (regardless of where he begins the season).

[osforlife]

As I was reading MLBTR's Chat Transcript, one reader asked how much the Dodgers could get for Harang/Capuano. Ben-Nicholson Smith responded with "I don't think the Dodgers would get more than salary relief and a low level prospect for Harang or Capuano." In that case, I'd love a trade for Capuano. He's significantly better than Harang and a trade for him would push Steve Johnson to where he really should be, in long relief waiting for his opportunity into the rotation. Capuano might be better than Wei Yin Chen and would surely stabilize a shaky rotation. Would the Dodgers accept Tim Berry and cash?
Jason Hammel, Wei Yin Chen, Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Capuano- MLB Rotation
Jim Johnson, Darren O'Day, Tommy Hunter, Troy Patton, Luis Ayala, Pedro Strop, Steve Johnson- MLB Bullpen
Zach Britton, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Zach Clark, Jacob Pettit/Todd Redmond

[A_K]

Jim Johnson, Darren O'Day, Tommy Hunter, Troy Patton, Luis Ayala, Pedro Strop, Steve Johnson- MLB Bullpen

Think they'd go with only one lefty?

[ofahn]

Think they'd go with only one lefty?

I wouldn't be surprised. They went most of last season with just one and they know that Matusz (and others) is just a phone call away if they need him.

[ofahn]

Would the Dodgers accept Tim Berry and cash?

IMO Berry is a keeper. I would want a lot more than Capuano for him.

[osforlife]

Think they'd go with only one lefty?

Sure. Looking at the Orioles relief pitcher's OPS Against from hitters on each side of the plate, with an exception of Hunter and Ayala, the Baltimore Bullpen should be fine against LHH.
Jim Johnson- .663 : .626
Darren O'Day- .588 : .688
Troy Patton- .680 : . 547
Luis Ayala- .678 : .811
Pedro Strop- .643 : .680
Steve Johnson- .560 : .563
Tommy Hunter- .741 : .841

Plus, if there is trouble, Daniel Schlereth, Brian Matusz, and Mike Bielfore are a call away.

[osforlife]

IMO Berry is a keeper. I would want a lot more than Capuano for him.

I'd keep in mind that Capuano is an above average major league starting pitcher that we could keep for two years, while Tim Berry is a 50th round pick who hasn't pitched particularly well at any minor league level all while being on the bubble of a top 20 prospect. Although he has talent, you have to give up potential to receive legit major league talent. In this case, we wouldn't be giving up anything special for a significant major league contributor.

[LA Detective]

I know there is a risk these guys wont be available later in ST but I would like to wait. I still believe in SJohnson or Britton making a nice competition for the 5th. I still believe that at least one of Matusz or Arrieta or even JairJ will finally be fixed by June. And from July on theres Bundy, Wada and Gausman. Unless alot goes wrong, I think we will be alright and as the season went on we might be pushing Harang or Capuano back to our 6th or 7th option.

[LA Detective]

It wouldnt shock me if we made some kind of small trade for a long man (maybe out of options) to take the 7th spot in the pen that would allow the others to go to AAA to build their arms and work as starters. There is always a few of these type of guys around at the end of spring that lost out on a numbers game. A guy who is decent that we can kind of use at our disposal in any blowout type of games and replace in June or July.

[osforlife]

It wouldnt shock me if we made some kind of small trade for a long man (maybe out of options) to take the 7th spot in the pen that would allow the others to go to AAA to build their arms and work as starters. There is always a few of these type of guys around at the end of spring that lost out on a numbers game. A guy who is decent that we can kind of use at our disposal in any blowout type of games and replace in June or July.

I don't necessarily agree with a trade for a long man, but J.A. Happ seems to be the odd man out in Toronto. I've always admired him for some reason. He would give us a nice long man and a second lefty in the bullpen. He could probably put up a 4.00 ERA while throwing a decent amount of innings coming out of the pen, although, so could Redmond probably.

[thezeroes]

I look at this upcoming out of options.waiver period that is inevitable after Spring training the same as looked at the past winters moves. All of these players that we may be able to get should be an upgrade and not a lateral move.

We will have one or two spots open on the Forty Man roster with Tsuyoshi Wada placed on the 60 day Dl and T J McFarland if he needs to be returned to Cleveland. With the amount of players that are in camp some may need to be placed on the forty to retain them (Jair Jurrjens) because of contract obligations. Coveting players that are out of options with other clubs would also mean they would be out of options with us. Research would be needed to see if these players had been previously optioned at some point and would then become free agents which means you could sign them to a Minor league deal with a June free agency option if not placed on the Forty/Twenty-Five.

The way that Dan Duquette and Buck Showalter rotate useful players on and off the rosters, the Orioles may look good as an alternative to these early season free agents. The way the roster is constructed I do not see adding more players that do not have options and hamstring these in season moves.