Predict the Opening Day 25 Man Roster

[fish16]

Pretty simple, we can come back here when the season opens to see who was closest:

Mine:

C- JT
1b- Bour
2b- Castro
SS- Rojas
3b- Prado
LF- Dietrich
Cf- Maybin
RF- Cooper/Van Slyke

Bench- cooper/Van Slyke, Telis (backup C), Riddle, Galloway

Rotation- Straily, Urena, Conley, Smith, Despaigne
RP- Ziegler, Tazawa, Barraclough, Steckenrider, Wittgren, Hernandez (rule 5), O'Grady (lefty specialist look at his splits), Nicolino (long man/no more options)

DL- Chen
Minors for Service Time- Anderson, Brinson, Alcantara, Peters

[emkayseven]

Same as yours except Ortega instead of Galloway and Peters in the rotation instead of Smith

[lou]

Same, except:

Ortega instead of Galloway
Wallach instead of Telis
Unknown Veteran # 3 SP (like a Nolasco type) over O'Grady, Conley holds the 4th spot

4 man rotation / 9 man bullpen, with C. Smith and Despaigne being 40-60 pitch guys and effectively double as the 5th SP the 4-5 times they need one until mid-May when Peters/Garcia comes up to take over a spot.

Brinson, Anderson, Peters, and J. Garcia are all up mid-may as they start cleaning house with trades, or ill performance (looking at you Nicolino, but best of luck to you). O'Grady and Ellington will be up permanently at some point when guys are ineffective or get hurt. No idea on Chen.

[tjfla]

C-JT
1b- Bour
2b- Castro
SS- Rojas
3b- Prado
LF- Dietrich
Cf- Maybin
RF- Brinson

Bench-Wallach/Adames/Cooper/Van Slyke

SP-Staily/Urena/Conley/FA Vet/Garcia
RP-Despaigne/O'Grady/Elieser/Wittgren/Taz/Steckenrider/Bearclaw/Ziegler

DL-Chen


Brinson should be sent down to AAA but hearing different right now(Smart thing would be send down and play Ortega/Lee for month or 2). I looked on a site and says Smith has options so think they send him down. Elieser has to be kept and if keeps looking good he will be. Riddle down to AAA for few weeks to get in shape

Also still talking on JT with Houston/Washington so this could change

DFA-Nola,Graves,Needy,Guerrero

[lou]

If Riddle is hurt, I would also sub in Adames

I refuse to believe they are that stupid with Brinson

Isn't Nicolino a DFA also?

[fish16]

Im starting to think they will have Brinson up to start the year. Between him being ML ready and taking on and embracing the role as the new face of the team i see them being short sighted.

[tjfla]

If Riddle is hurt, I would also sub in Adames

I refuse to believe they are that stupid with Brinson

Isn't Nicolino a DFA also?

Ya no clue if Riddle is gonna be ready for Opening Day and they won't rush him. Send him to AAA get AB's and call him up with the rest of the young guys Mid May. Adames and Yadiel Rivera are both ML level UT guys(Neither can hit but both can play 2b,SS,3b)

Neither do I but talk is right now he is gonna be on the ML roster to start the year

Nicolino/Telis are both DFA. Cooper/Smith/Conley have options(saw on a site but NOT confirmed)

[lou]

I think Cooper might actually have 2 options left. Signed in 2013 at 19+ years of age, so I think that means they had to add him to the 40 man after the 2016 season (4 calendar years from signing 13, 14, 15, 16). He made his MLB debut in 2017.

So as long as they keep him on the 40 man, I think he actually has 2 years left.

Smith came up same year and same way, so he is probably in the same boat. This is a 40 man issue for the Yankees, not options.

Nicolino, Despaigne, and Conley pitched meaningful innings 15-17, so they are clearly out of options.

Ellington up 15-17, but I think he qualifies for a 4th year option as he has low playing time. He "might" be out of options

Telis has been up 14-17 so I think he's out for sure. He must have gotten a 4th year exemption

O'Grady is 2012 signee, so he has 1 option left, maybe 2 if he doesn't pitch much this year and falls into a 4th year option trap.

Wittgren probably has an option as a 2012 draftee, and only up 16/17. He probably won't qualify for a 4th so this is it for him.

Steckenrider same boat, and I am assuming he gets a lot of time this year so he won't get a 4th year option like Ellington.

I believe Jarlin signed at 18, so they didn't have to put him on the 40 man until after 2015, meaning he has a last option in 2018. He won't qualify for a 4th.

Wallach has 2-3 options depending on playing time

Riddle is the same class as Cooper so they have 2 years for him.



TL;DR

Options Left

2+ - Wallach
2 - Cooper, C. Smith, Riddle
1 - O'Grady, Wittgren, Steckenrider, J. Garcia
1 (maybe) - Ellington
0 - Nicolino, Conley, Telis, Despaigne

[Lee Stone]

The best team to open the year (instead of playing GM)
C JT 1B Bour 2B Dietrich/Castro 3B Anderson SS Castro/Rojas LF Maybin CF Brinson RF Lee Bench Van Slyke, Cooper, Telis, Rojas
Rotation: Urena, Straily, Despaigne, Peters, Smith
BP Steckenrider, Barraclough, Ziegler, Tazawa, Conley, O'Grady, Hernandez, Nicolino, Ellington/Wittgren
DL: Prado and Chen

[Nick]

Braxton Lee needs time in AAA for sure. I think Starlin Castro and Dietrich have to be starting every day, not only for their trade value, but also they're the best option. When Brinson is up with the team it will probably be Maybin and Van Slyke battling for starting time. Cooper and Van Slyke seem to be very similar players, they may be redundant both being on the bench.

[Lee Stone]

Braxton Lee needs time in AAA for sure. I think Starlin Castro and Dietrich have to be starting every day, not only for their trade value, but also they're the best option. When Brinson is up with the team it will probably be Maybin and Van Slyke battling for starting time. Cooper and Van Slyke seem to be very similar players, they may be redundant both being on the bench.

Don't feel right about Dietrich in LF. His bat doesn't fully compensate for defensive liability. I'm unhappy about the prospect of Rojas (or Riddle) in the everyday lineup. The guys just can't produce runs. I feel like Lee is ready to lead off on Opening Day.

[Nick]

Lee's on-base ability is tantalizing, but the lack of power and his lack of success stealing bases is a problem. I think if he puts in the work the stolen base effectiveness can be fixed. I'd like to see him do what he did last year at AA in AAA for a couple months.

[lou]

Don't feel right about Dietrich in LF. His bat doesn't fully compensate for defensive liability. I'm unhappy about the prospect of Rojas (or Riddle) in the everyday lineup. The guys just can't produce runs. I feel like Lee is ready to lead off on Opening Day.

Rojas averages out as a 1.75+ WAR player over 600/PA. He’s fine.

[Nick]

Pretty simple, we can come back here when the season opens to see who was closest:

Mine:

C- JT
1b- Bour
2b- Castro
SS- Rojas
3b- Prado
LF- Dietrich
Cf- Maybin
RF- Cooper/Van Slyke

Bench- cooper/Van Slyke, Telis (backup C), Riddle, Galloway

Rotation- Straily, Urena, Conley, Smith, Despaigne
RP- Ziegler, Tazawa, Barraclough, Steckenrider, Wittgren, Hernandez (rule 5), O'Grady (lefty specialist look at his splits), Nicolino (long man/no more options)

DL- Chen
Minors for Service Time- Anderson, Brinson, Alcantara, Peters

I might replace Cooper with Wallach, let Cooper get ABs in AAA, him and Van Slyke are kinda the same guy. Then Riddle with Adames, since it doesn't seem like he'll be ready. If Prado's not ready, I don't see how they don't go with Anderson to start the season. You can send him back down when Prado gets back, but then how do you send him back down if he rakes in April?

People bringing up Ortega, has he played yet in the spring? What's his status?

[fish16]

I might replace Cooper with Wallach, let Cooper get ABs in AAA, him and Van Slyke are kinda the same guy. Then Riddle with Adames, since it doesn't seem like he'll be ready. If Prado's not ready, I don't see how they don't go with Anderson to start the season. You can send him back down when Prado gets back, but then how do you send him back down if he rakes in April?

People bringing up Ortega, has he played yet in the spring? What's his status?

Anderson will be on the team i think 100%. I think Cooper will be on the team as the backup 1b/4th OF or as the starter with Van Slyke taking the same role depending on who they start in RF. I think Wallach and Telis is one job that they are fighting for. Agreed on Adames for the first couple weeks until Riddle is ready if he needs to start on the DL.

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according to the marlins official spring stats ortega has not played. He did have a visa issue earlier in spring but idk why else he hasnt played. I never understood why people saw him as any kind of potential roster guy.