Okay, so check it, I’ve been messing around with some baseball stats lately, trying to figure out how the Orioles can really maximize their lineup. Everyone’s been buzzing about Jackson Holliday, right? Huge prospect, but he’s still finding his groove. Then you’ve got Connor Norby, who’s been tearing it up in Triple-A. So, I started digging, trying to see if there’s a trade scenario that could actually benefit both Holliday and the O’s overall.
First thing I did was pull up all their stats – Holliday’s big league numbers, Norby’s minor league stats. I used some Python scripting, nothing fancy, just some Pandas to wrangle the data. I wanted to see their batting averages, on-base percentages, slugging, all that good stuff. I focused on recent games, because recency bias is a thing, and what they did a month ago might not be relevant now.
Next, I started looking at team needs around the league. I figured, if the Orioles are willing to part with Norby, what would they want in return? Pitching? Another power bat? I made a spreadsheet with potential trade partners and what they could offer. This part was mostly just speculation, but hey, gotta start somewhere, right?
Here’s where it got interesting: I noticed a few teams were desperate for infield help, specifically a second baseman or a utility guy who can hit. That’s Norby to a T. So, I started running some mock trades in my head. Could the O’s snag a solid starting pitcher by trading Norby to, say, the Marlins or the A’s? Maybe a young arm with some potential?
Then I started thinking about how this all impacts Holliday. If Norby gets traded, that opens up more playing time for Holliday at second base, right? He gets more at-bats, more experience, and hopefully starts hitting like we all know he can. I figured, even if the O’s don’t get a huge return for Norby, the added development time for Holliday could be worth it in the long run. It’s a gamble, sure, but a calculated one.
After that, I dove into some prospect rankings and team payroll situations. I wanted to see which teams had the most to gain from acquiring Norby and the most to offer in return. This involved a lot of reading articles and looking at different websites. It’s tedious, but you gotta do your research.
Finally, I pieced together a few potential trade scenarios that I thought made sense. I considered things like contract lengths, player ages, and team needs. I even tried to factor in clubhouse chemistry, which is totally unquantifiable but still important. One scenario involved trading Norby for a young pitcher and a decent bullpen arm. Another involved trading him for a veteran outfielder who can provide some leadership in the clubhouse.
Ultimately, I’m just some dude messing around with baseball stats. I don’t know what the Orioles are actually going to do. But based on my (admittedly amateur) analysis, a trade involving Connor Norby could be a win-win for both the team and Jackson Holliday. It opens up playing time for Holliday and allows the O’s to address other needs. It’s just a thought, but hey, it’s fun to think about!
