Earl Buck

I’m joining the group that is a lot more optimistic about Means innings than Bradish innings this year.

Stowers has played CF already. But Cowser has a defensive edge over him, right?

Wow! Stowers got a 3rd HR today! He is sure making it known that he is not to be forgotten!

Dark horse option: If one of McDermott or Povich was consistently stellar this spring, maybe that pitcher could be the 5th starter, and Wells used in the pen due to his innings durability questions, and his proven quality BP record?

Early spring training game reports certainly confirm his bat is ready. Defensively is the other side of the question and no one will say his defense is as good as Holliday’s that does not mean he is not ready to handle a big league defensive position.

My vote went to “trade for someone better than our 5th starter options” But that is based on hope not on evidence. And the simple thought that taking from an area of surplus (infielders) and trading for an area that seems to less layers of depth pitchers) is a good way to improve an already good team.

Justin Ramsey, Norfolk pitching coach, was an early favorite to be chosen for one of the 2 open pitching coach slots. Why do the Orioles see this pitching coach duo better than having Ramsey present among all our young pitchers now on the MLB roster that he helped to refine?

There is massive potential in Mayo’s bat. No question. If the 2024 lineup was constructed solely on expected 2024 offense production, would Mayo be a lock as a starter?

So, why aren’t the Os trio ranked 5th, since they produced the 5th most rWAR? And at the lowest cost!

How does the Othani deal affect the remainder free agent contracts? $70 million per season, deferred or not, is a huge increase from other top contracts in MLB.

Let’s use the Orioles 2023 season as a general case study and compare with a study I learned about via well known journalist and author, Malcolm Gladwell, Revisionist History podcast. (Season 1, Episode 6, “My Little Hundred Million”. ) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revisionist-history/id1119389968?i=1000372836942 At minute 12:15 or so, Gladwell discusses whether it is a greater help to a sports team if the worst player on the roster is replaced with a better player or if the team brings in an even better player as its top star. That is, does it help more to strengthen your strongest link or your weakest link? His conclusion is: It depends on the sport. In basketball one player can dominate the court in offense and defense. So improve your top player. In soccer, a tital team sport improve the weakest player. It set me thinking is baseball a strong link or weak link sport? It seems that in constructing the 2023 roster, Elias, whether intentionally or not, used the improve the weakest links strategy. Gibson replaced Lyles McCann replaced Benboom Frazier replaced Odor. Additional improvements occurred with adjusting playing time levels of players in the organization for both 22 and 23. The result was a stellar 101 win season! The Orioles 2023 regular season experience suggests that baseball is a strengthen the weakest links sport. But then the playoffs. The consensus seems to be we lacked the superstar who can carry the team. It seems that baseball in the playoffs is more of a strong link sport. So, to put it together, the 2023 Orioles season experience suggests that the regular season is improved with an improve the weak link strategy. While playoffs often need a superstar. So, if this theory holds true, do the Orioles need to specifically add more proven All Star level players or do we simply depend upon the hope that one of these years we will have a good player get hot at just the right time?