The Plight of the 2021 Baltimore Orioles

[Bang]

O's have been interesting to watch since the break. Here's to competence!

 

~Bang

edit: see what happens when i open my yap?

edit 2: Sulser saves my bacon!

 

Edited August 1, 2021 by Bang

[DCSaints_fan]

Cole Sulser, you are my hero.

[Spaceman Spiff]

They're playing well right now but we all know they're not this good.  It's fun to see, though.  They've won some tight games against Detroit.

 

Means was back to form today.  Mullins is still doing his thing.  Mountcastle is hitting.  

[DCSaints_fan]

If my calculation is right, the Orioles would only have play slightly worse than .500 baseball the rest of the way in order to break .400.  More precisley, win at least 28 of the remaining  59 games, or .475. 

Edited August 1, 2021 by DCSaints_fan

[Bang]

9 hours ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

They're playing well right now but we all know they're not this good.  It's fun to see, though.  They've won some tight games against Detroit.

 

Means was back to form today.  Mullins is still doing his thing.  Mountcastle is hitting.  

I'm liking what I'm seeing out of Ramon Urias, too.
Timely hitting!

 

The Yankees will shine a light on us this week,, let's see how we hold up.

 

~Bang

[TheDoyler23]

I’m glad Urias gets a chance to play everyday. He doesn’t have a lot of power but kind of plays like a throwback middle infielder. 

[justice98]

9 hours ago, Bang said:

I'm liking what I'm seeing out of Ramon Urias, too.
Timely hitting!

 

The Yankees will shine a light on us this week,, let's see how we hold up.

 

~Bang

 

Urias has a good bat and approach at the plate.  Looking at his background, he' basically been an ok hitter at every level.  He gets on base, so I can see him being a guy Elias would want.  Although, by the same token, he also kinda feels like one of those guys that shows some promise at a particular skill, but the ceiling isn't that high, you're ultimately just trying to get by.  Like Nunez, Alberto, etc.  I feel like Santander's gonna be another one. 

[DCSaints_fan]

2 hours ago, justice98 said:

 

Urias has a good bat and approach at the plate.  Looking at his background, he' basically been an ok hitter at every level.  He gets on base, so I can see him being a guy Elias would want.  Although, by the same token, he also kinda feels like one of those guys that shows some promise at a particular skill, but the ceiling isn't that high, you're ultimately just trying to get by.  Like Nunez, Alberto, etc.  I feel like Santander's gonna be another one. 

The org is in dire need of infielders who can play more than 1B competently, hit at least decently, and are more than just 1-2 year stopgaps/trade bait like Galvis and Iglesias.  3B particularly has been a black hole of suck for us this year.   So in that sense Urias is almost like an oasis in the desert compared to Santander, where we almost have a surplus at that position.  I would find Elias would be far more likely to ship Santander out than Urias, even if they are producing the (same relative to their position - and of course Santander has power Urias lacks).  

Edited August 1, 2021 by DCSaints_fan

[abdcskins]

Game is on ESPN + so I'm tuned in. I am so impressed by Mullins' bat control and speed. I could tell he had talent watching him a few years ago, so glad to see him put it together. 

 

And now Hays goes deep! Back to back jacks.

 

We are teeing off on Heaney. 4 solo HRs. Mountcastle and Urias join the party. 

 

I realize his numbers are bad, but I like how Lopez changes speeds. His control is iffy, 5 walks tonight, but he can hit the corners and has some decent movement on his pitches. He has only given up 1 hit and 1 run through 6 innings. 

Edited August 3, 2021 by abdcskins

[DCSaints_fan]

Judge, Stanton, Gallo and Rizzo?

 

Pffft. 

 

Try Mullins, Hays, Mountcastle and Urias

[DCSaints_fan]

Now a cat on the field, haha.

 

Update: They eventually chased it off.  

[abdcskins]

Franco has had a really nice game at third defensively. 

 

Impressive win. Beat Cole tomorrow. 

[Ball Security]

25 minutes ago, abdcskins said:

Franco has had a really nice game at third defensively. 

 

Impressive win. Beat Cole tomorrow. 

No Cole tomorrow.  He gots the ‘rona.

[abdcskins]

2 minutes ago, Ball Security said:

No Cole tomorrow.  He gots the ‘rona.

 

Oh wow. That must have just happened, cuz the Yankees announcers were talking about him starting tomorrow. Unless I completely misheard or they were oblivious. Gives us a better shot I guess!

 

I like seeing some of our young players, particularly Hays and Mountcastle, start to heat up at the plate. Our future very much hinges on those guys getting better and producing.

[Ball Security]

6 minutes ago, abdcskins said:

 

Oh wow. That must have just happened, cuz the Yankees announcers were talking about him starting tomorrow. Unless I completely misheard or they were oblivious. Gives us a better shot I guess!

 

I like seeing some of our young players, particularly Hays and Mountcastle, start to heat up at the plate. Our future very much hinges on those guys getting better and producing.

They just announced it on SportsCenter.  I don’t think they knew about it during the game. 

[DCSaints_fan]

41 minutes ago, abdcskins said:

Franco has had a really nice game at third defensively. 

 

Impressive win. Beat Cole tomorrow. 

Too bad he can't hit better.  Crazy to think we'd almost be a .500 team if we had two more legit infielders and a catcher, and the rotation / bullpen playing as well as they have the last few weeks. 

[Hersh]

3 minutes ago, DCSaints_fan said:

Too bad he can't hit better.  Crazy to think we'd almost be a .500 team if we had two more legit infielders and a catcher, and the rotation / bullpen playing as well as they have the last few weeks. 

 

You mean if they had a bunch of players that were better than what they have now?

[DCSaints_fan]

1 hour ago, Hersh said:

 

You mean if they had a bunch of players that were better than what they have now?

Three isn't a bunch.  Assuming  Rustchman is up next year thats two FA signings.   Which is exactly what we did this offseason.  But we signed stopgaps and got one winner in Galvis (before the injury) and one dud in Franco.  Would almost certainly have to be FA as I don't think we have prospects ready at that position.  Jahmai Jones is hitting well but his fielding is questionable.  Henderson and Westburg won't be ready next year.  Bannon and Nevin haven't shown much. 

 

Of course, this is all assuming the pitching holds up.   Which is a big assumption. 

Edited August 3, 2021 by DCSaints_fan

[DCSaints_fan]

Exxon Valdez is not a major league pitcher. 

[TheDoyler23]

17 hours ago, DCSaints_fan said:

Exxon Valdez is not a major league pitcher. 

Most of the pen has been a disaster recently. 

[Hersh]

1 hour ago, TheDoyler23 said:

Most of the pen team has been a disaster recently the last few years.

 

FTFY

[Hersh]

This is one of the problems with being this cheap in a rebuild. The bullpen has no set roles, no anchor, and it screws everything up. Now guys are put into roles they aren't ready for and it shows. 

[justice98]

I have to give Matt Harvey credit, he turned his season around.  He's had one truly bad start in his last 8.  Now, I'm grading on a big curve, since they haven't all been quality starts by definition. I think only three have been quality starts, but he's not getting bombed anymore where you're down 5-6 runs when he gets taken out in the 3rd inning.  He's keeping you in the game. 

[TheDoyler23]

Chris Davis announced his retirement. Probably for the best. 

[Spaceman Spiff]

7 minutes ago, TheDoyler23 said:

Chris Davis announced his retirement. Probably for the best. 

 

Certainly for the best.  Was wondering how he'd come back next year.  Now more than ever there's no room for him on the roster with Mountcastle and Mancini.

 

He had a lot of great moments.  Unfortunately that contract was a disaster but it wasn't his fault for taking it.  When he was on, he was a blast to watch.