Because You Asked - High Voltage

The Orioles’ swift exit from the Division Series brings us to the first mailbag of the offseason. Tailor made if you’re the Rangers, also bringing us to the first Taylor Swift pun.

I'll get to ERAs later.

(Her current tour is called Eras. Try to keep up and be cool like me.)

The organization doesn’t go dark. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias and his staff are plotting their roster strategies and, after the weekend news about Brad Ciolek taking a job with the Nationals, how to find their next director of draft operations.

A scout from outside the organization texted me yesterday that the Orioles have “plenty of in-house candidates.” Maybe that’s the solution.

Maybe we get a better feel for it after the club confirms Ciolek’s departure.

In the meantime, my mailbag isn’t going anywhere. It just gets lighter after I sort through it. And after I get asked again, “Are these questions real?”

How insulting.

I give to you the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original. You ask and I answer. And then, I wait for the same questions to show up and I make fun of it.

And then, I’m reminded of the woman who went after me, perhaps in 2008, for being so rude to my readers by ridiculing the repetition. How dare I poke fun at them? The folks who keep me employed.

Lighten up, Francine, wherever you are. I'm joking.

I won’t bore you with details of my editing. It’s pretty much word-for-word unless I think that a first name should be added.

Also, my mailbag plays for the win and yours takes a knee three times and is wide left on a game-tying field goal.

(Or wide right, if this is going to spark a political discussion.)

Well, what now?
Try not to cut your tongue while licking your wounds. Think about all the wonderful baseball memories born from the 2023 season. Get excited about everything that 2024 can offer. Begin counting down to pitchers and catchers reporting to camp. Plan some trips. And then, punch a wall, but not with your dominant hand.

Is Austin Voth still in the team’s plans in 2024 after being hurt and disappearing?
Voth elected free agency after finishing the season with Triple-A Norfolk. Quite the plummet after his impressive stint last summer in the rotation and in relief. He wasn’t physically right going back to spring training.

Roch, do you think the Orioles will actually open up the wallet and spend this offseason? Primarily on a starter?
They spent last winter - $10 million on Kyle Gibson. But spend big? Nope. Maybe more than that, but there is nothing said or done at this point that should make us think a monumental shift in payroll philosophy is happening.

Who is going to take over Brad Ciolek's responsibilities? Promotion? More collaborative effort? New hire?
It’s already collaborative, and make no mistake, these are Mike Elias’ draft selections. He has the final word. He’s out there scouting. But Ciolek was hugely important to the process, which explains why the Nationals went after him. Either a promotion from within or an outside hire. I could see someone moving into that title and an outside hire for below him. We’ll see.

My wife considers Adam Frazier to be very attractive. Should I be worried?
Well, he just bought a house next door to you, so maybe. Seriously, though, I have a friend who feels the same away. She texted multiple times during the season, once with a screen shot of Frazier being interviewed. She just wrote, “Thank you.” If it makes you feel any better, he’ll probably be with another team in 2024.

What do you think will happen with the 16 arbitration-eligible players?
They're all moving next door to your wife. No. But they’ll all be a little or a lot richer. The Orioles won’t keep all 16 of them. There are the easy calls and guys who, though they aren’t due big pay jumps, don’t seem to be needed. But the non-keepers aren’t necessarily non-tenders. The club might try to swing some trades.

Who are the AFL candidates?
It started earlier this month. Pitchers Carter Baumler, Trey McGough, Zach Peek, Carlos Tavera and Peter Van Loon, catcher Connor Pavolony, infielder TT Bowens, infielder/outfielder Billy Cook and outfielder John Rhodes.

When do pitchers and catchers report to spring training and will you leave a bag of frozen mixed vegetables at your hotel when you leave spring training?
Long-time readers get the joke. Well played. Report dates haven’t been announced.

Any chance of statues of Harold Baines and/or Mike Mussina being added to Legends Park? And could we get a plaque for Chuck Thompson put somewhere publicly accessible and dedicate the booth to him?
Baines and Mussina meet the Hall of Fame criteria, but I’d say they fall short of the “legend” status. Plaques representing each member of the Orioles Hall of Fame can be found on a brick wall along the Eutaw Street walkway. And I’ve heard, though I can’t recall seeing it because I don’t get out much, that there’s a Chuck Thompson display on the concourse. But none of the booths are dedicated to him.

Will everyone on this year's broadcast team be back next year, as well?
Think it’s too early to know. I haven’t heard anything in advance.

“An historic” or “a historic”? Please don’t say “an historic.”
I had this internal debate again a few days ago. “An” makes no sense because “H” isn’t a vowel, and yet, it sounds wrong the other way. “A” is preferred in formal writing, per my Google search.

Is there a first baseman on the market that can give us what Ryan O’Hearn and Ryan Mountcastle collectively gave us offensively?
If I really edited, I’d change “that” to “who.” But I digress. The free agent market includes the following: Jesus Aguilar, Ji-Man Choi, Garrett Cooper, C.J. Cron, Rhys Hoskins, Eric Hosmer, Trey Mancini, Darin Ruf, Donovan Solano and Yoshi Tsutsugo. Others, like Joey Votto, Josh Bell and Wil Myers, have an option or can opt out. I’m good with Mountcastle and O’Hearn.

Are the O's going to bring native son Josh Hader home?
I Hader to be the bearer of bad news, but not unless he’s receptive to a massive hometown discount. Let me quote MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand: “Edwin Díaz landed a record-setting five-year, $102 million deal last winter, a figure Hader might approach - or eclipse - as the best reliever available.” Not happening. And as I wrote yesterday, the Orioles get Félix Bautita back in 2025. (Yes, my typo said 2024 and it lived on until after 1 p.m., when a friend pointed it out to me. Our editing system isn't without its flaws.) So no to Hader, though he’s a great one.

Why doesn't Chris Davis bunt?
Wow, I really need to clean out this bag.

Who is more likely to be traded during the off-season, Jordan Westburg or Joey Ortiz? And don't say "your mom."
I'd never! I can see a world where they’re both on the Opening Day roster. Westburg as the regular second baseman and Ortiz in a utility role, with plenty of starts around the infield. He’s a terrific defender at shortstop, but I’m not sure how many starts he’d get if – and I’m stressing “if” – Jackson Holliday heads north with the club. I suppose it’s easier to part with a utility type than a player who projects as a regular, if we’re ranking them.

Besides Samuel Basallo, who is our most highly regarded international signing?
Outfielder Braylin Tavera received a then-franchise record $1.7 million bonus in January 2022. MLB Pipelines ranks him as the organization’s No. 16 prospect at age 18. A scout from outside the organization was really impressed with do-everything infielder Frederick Bencosme, who signed for only $10,000 in August 2020. Pipeline has him 23^rd. And there are others, which speaks volumes about the progress made on the international side since Mike Elias’ hiring.

What are your plans for the offseason after the World Series?
You’re seeing them.

That’s it?
Well, you didn’t see my granddaughter having a sleepover at our house. At least, I hope you didn’t. I’ll check my Ring camera. Going to New York next month to watch a taping of Conan O’Brien’s podcast in Brooklyn, and we have tickets to “Wicked” on Broadway. Otherwise, recharging my battery while still filing copy every day. I can do both.

Does Heston Kjerstad lead the O’s in right field starts in 2024?
Is Anthony Santander on the team? Is Colton Cowser? That’s a tough one. I’ll say “no” and guess instead that he has the most starts as the designated hitter but also will play some left and right.

Is the front office going to factor in players like Connor Norby, Joey Ortiz and Jackson Holliday instead of signing another Adam Frazier type or keeping players like Ramón Urías and Jorge Mateo?
This is just my sense, since no one in the front office is laying out its plans. I think it’s less likely that another Frazer/Odor type is signed because the roster can’t hold that many players. Let’s not forget about Terrin Vavra if he’s healthy and still here. But there’s also the possibility that the Orioles want to provide some insurance and bring in a veteran to avoid stacking too many expectations on a rookie. An inexpensive safety net. Could be on a minor league deal.

Do you see Kjerstad getting significantly more time at first base next spring/season?
I’d hit him 1,000 ground balls a day in camp. But I still think the Orioles prefer their other options at first. They’ll keep working with him because they love to move around players. The versatility is very important to them. Then, it depends how he looks.

What are your thoughts on Tyler Wells closing and DL Hall in the rotation?
Both are possibilities. Or Wells is in the rotation and Hall closes. Or they both start. Or they both are in the bullpen and get save chances. It would be beneficial to the team and the pitchers to define roles before camp, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen. I think they will be two important contributors next season, however they are used.  

Holliday or Gunnar at short?
Yes. But never at the same time.

Have you signed a contract with MASN for another 20 years or so? Or a mailbag of understanding?
Good one. I see what you did there. I don’t have another 20 years in me, to be honest. Would you settle for definitely 2024?

Will you cover the Dominican Academy opening in person?
I don’t have it on my calendar.

Do we Shohei the money and get Ohtani?
I would have skipped this one, except that I love a good pun. Darn you.

What are the Orioles’ plans to make sure they finish second in the division and play in the Wild Card round next year?
Take the foot off the gas pedal a little bit. Register 45 comeback wins instead of 48. Maybe a few less victories on the road. And stop with the sensational rookies! Or, win the division again and get longer starts out of the rotation.

What's the point of winning your division? Doesn't seem to make any difference whatsoever.
Funny, right? Supposed to be an advantage because it’s one less round, you get a bye, etc. So much for that. We’re told that there’s no momentum in baseball, that it’s the next day’s starting pitcher. But it sure felt like the Orioles lost momentum over the five-day break. I’d still try to plant my flag atop the division and take my chances. If it’s worthy of another champagne celebration, why downplay its importance?

Who will be off the 40-man roster after the World Series? And don't say ...
I won't. Free agents Jack Flaherty, Shintaro Fujinami, Kyle Gibson, Adam Frazier and Aaron Hicks. Players on the 60-day injured list must return to the 40-man if staying in the organization: Keegan Akin, Dillon Tate and Terrin Vavra. You’ll find plenty of bubble guys.

Dillon Tate’s offseason game plan?
Get healthy, stay healthy. That’s all I’ve got. Haven’t seen him or talked to him in a long time.

Are we going down the Rule 5 route again this year?
I can’t imagine a world where the Orioles don’t do it. Such a low-risk, potentially high-reward transaction. Tyler Wells was the organization’s second selection in 2020 after pitcher Mac Sceroler. High reward.

So, was this year easier to come up with stories as they wrote themselves?
I’d be less tired if they wrote themselves. It’s probably a little easier. I know it’s more difficult to write game stories when the team is terrible. Like the 4-32 finish in 2002. How many ways can you describe another 10-1 loss? “Get this, the pitching stunk again and they didn’t score enough runs.” And there’s just more energy surrounding a winner. In the clubhouse and the press box. Fans are nicer. Or maybe it’s just all the muting I’ve done on the former Twitter.

If you had to predict, is the payroll above or below 100 mil in 2024?
Below.

I didn't see it anywhere on your blog (my sole source of Orioles information). Did Dean Kremer mention if the events in his home country and worry for family members impacted his concentration in Game 3? Maybe in hindsight the distraction was too great, maybe too emotional?
Unless I missed it, I didn’t see him address the topic after the loss. I got in one question in my scrum and that wasn’t it. A tough subject to revisit, especially under those post-game circumstances, but yeah, it should have been asked.

Any opinion on the Orlando Arcia controversy in the Braves’ clubhouse? Should his comments about Bryce Harper have been published if it wasn’t during an on-the-record interview?
Atta boy! I knew somebody would ask. See what I did there? Anyway, this is a tough one. I’ve seen the some good and questionable takes on the former Twitter. A good one: Arcia knew media was everywhere, and players have lots of places to hide. Our access is restricted to certain areas. And he was loud with his taunts and putting on a show, so that’s on him. But I disagree that “everything” is on the record once we enter the clubhouse. That every interaction seen or heard can be fed to the public. I think that’s wrong and dangerous. It’s not the smartest way to work a beat. If I overhear a private conversation between two players because I’m standing close to their lockers, that doesn’t give me the right to share it with the world. Which is not what happened with Arcia. I’m just pointing this out as an example. And experienced reporters usually learn where the line exists between naming a player who says something loud in the middle of the clubhouse or just going with, “One player expressed his frustration by …” I might have gone that route with Arcia. Maybe not. I had to be there. I had to be in the moment and not on my couch. I know reporters who saw nothing wrong with his name being used and that’s fine. It happened in front of everyone. But the “what you see here stays here” saying can apply at times. Not here, but at times. In the end, the whole Arcia episode got blown way out of proportion. A bad look for the Braves, who should have cared more about the Phillies.  

Any short opinions on the Arcia controversy?
Shut up.

Why did Wild Bill Hagy pick Section 34? I know the answer but want to see if you do.
Because of its general admission seating and the proximity of a restroom down the bottom of the ramp?

Do you belt out "O" during the National Anthem?
I’m usually adjusting my belt after leaving press dining.

Any word or thoughts on Seth Johnson and his further development for this team?
He’s healthy and he’s pitching. He’s the No. 15 prospect in the system, per Pipeline. He made one start with Double-A Bowie and could begin 2024 with the Baysox. It’s like he fell from the sky, though he actually came from the Rays.

Does Seth Johnson get a spring training invite?
Are you two sitting together? Johnson is on the 40-man roster. He doesn’t need an invite. The same thing I always said when crashing parties. Except the Orioles won’t throw him out of spring training or call the police.

If our question is used in your mailbag, does that make us a writer and thus able to vote for the end of year awards?
Wouldn’t surprise me, given some of the people who are credentialed or described as “reporters.” Anyone with an opinion and a platform now qualifies. Also, get off my lawn.

Is DL in the rotation next year?
And we’re back. I think he works out as a starter in camp, with the decision pending. He’s such a weapon coming out of the bullpen, as he showed again in September and the playoffs. Gotta be tempting to keep using him that way.

What is the meaning of life?
This is probably a good place to stop.

With all the young players in the clubhouse, will there be a preseason presentation on Prenuptial Agreements?
This is definitely a good place to stop.