Sunday’s news that Manny Machado will start the 2014 campaign on the 15-day disabled list should come as a surprise to no one. The All-Star third baseman had knee surgery on October 14 of last year and remains in the proper window for recovery. There’s obviously no reason to rush the 21-year-old, who many believe has a bright future ahead of him. After suffering one of the more gruesome-looking injuries at Tampa Bay in late September, my immediate thoughts were that he’d miss the entire 2014 season. Knowing that he is in much better shape than that and has a great chance to contribute this year is obviously much better than the alternative.
Expectations for Machado should also begin to die down just a bit upon his return as well. It would be easy to anoint the Gold Glove winner as a franchise savior after the start his career has seen, but coming off this knee injury will likely be tough. There’s a good chance he’ll struggle when he does make it back to the field. It’s important to remember that Machado hasn’t played a game this spring and likely will need a rehab stint in the minors before getting back to the hot corner in Baltimore.
The one positive thing that can come from this injury to Machado is a chance to test the depth of the Orioles in the early part of the season. Through a 162-game grind, any team is bound to face bumps in the road and moments where a strong backup is needed. The O’s happen to have some of that, and it could be seen early this April. It’s also a chance for the team to get a look at Jonathan Schoop, who has absolutely mashed this spring. Machado’s absence will likely push Ryan Flaherty to third base, leaving space for Schoop to swoop in and play second base.
There’s surely no guarantee that Schoop will even be in Baltimore a week from today for Opening Day. He’s in competition with Jemile Weeks, Alexi Casilla and Alex Gonzalez for what is likely one of two open spots for infield depth. There’s also Michael Almanzar to factor into that mix. He primarily plays third base and is a Rule 5 pick from the Red Sox, which further complicates the final few roster spots up for grabs with a week to go.
Machado’s injury certainly will effect any decision to possibly bring Schoop north, but it won’t be the final factor. The O’s will also need to weigh the economics of such a move. Allowing Schoop to remain on the roster for the year would push him closer to arbitration and eventually free agency. The front office takes these things into account, even if fans don’t.
If Schoop is up and eventually gets pushed back down to the minors after Machado’s return, it could also disrupt his development. Giving the youngster a demotion when Machado is back at full strength shakes things up once again in the infield. Machado’s knee should be nicknamed domino for all it is impacting with this team’s starting roster.
The beauty of all these implications is knowing that the Orioles have mostly made the best of the roster over the past few seasons. They treat the 25-man roster more like a 75-man roster, utilizing Triple-A and Double-A as well as the disabled list to the best of their ability. The depth has been a strength of the organization for the last two-plus seasons, which have been the most successful in the last 15 years. I have confidence that the depth can hold down the fort until Machado returns. We might even get to see another big part of the future in the process.
photo: Craig Landefeld
