Tony-OH

That's what made this year a little easier for me than 2014. I could sense 2014 was kind of a a lightning in the bottle moment. Sure, the team could be good the next few years, but besides Manny and Schoop, no one was under the age of 28 in the lineup. On the pitching staff, the only major contributors under 27 were Chris Tillman and Zach Britton. Cruz and Markakis were pending free agents, and the system had no hitters ready to contribute at the major league level any time soon and Mike Wright was the best upper level pitching prospects in the system at the time after trading Rodriguez. This just feels much, much different.

It would certainly be the best news we could all get, but at the same time, not realistic unfortunately. It's always a gray cloud over the fandom. But this is about being positive. We have a great GM, and very good manager/coaching staff and an organization that is very healthy and not up against an end date.

Nothing to argue with here from me. This will be an interesting offseason to see how Elias and maybe more importantly, ownership react to being legitimately set up compete next season.

It's easy to get down on the Orioles after their playoff sweep by the Rangers. It's easy to try and point to what Mike Elias did not do to upgrade the bullpen or his lack of acquiring a top playoff experienced starting pitcher at the trade dead line. It's easy to try and nit pick moves Brandon Hyde did or did not make during this series. It's east to wonder why a pitcher like Bryan Baker was on the playoff or why they choose to go with Kremer instead of the veteran Gibson after two straight losses. Now each of those things have merit to discuss, and I know we've already been discussing each of these things in various threads. But at the end of the day, after 101-win season and a farm system full of prospects, including potential impact prospects in Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo, it's still a great time to be an Orioles fan and no sweep in the playoffs is going to change that. There are absolutely valid things to discuss, and I'm sure they will be discussed until those horses are beaten to death, at least until the offseason gets really started. While it's still a little fresh, what I'm not going to lose focus on that this organization top to bottom is in the best shape it's been in a long time. The last time the Orioles were one of the best teams in the regular season and also had several impact minor league prospects was probably back in the late 60s or early 70s. Since the Free agency era started in the 1976-77 offseason, the Orioles organization top to bottom has never been stronger. Even during their good stretches (1977-1983, 1996-97, 2012-2016) the Orioles minor league system was not prepared to sustain the winning and/or the main talent consisted of a lot of older players towards the end of their prime years. The Orioles youth and inexperienced may have contributed to their poor showing in the playoffs, or it could have just been they hit a white hot Rangers team that looks like they could beat anyone. But the key here is the Orioles best players are all under the age of 29 and their stars are under 27. Henderson - 22 Rodriguez - 23 Hall - 24 Rutschman - 25 Bradish -26 And let's not forget they still have waves of young players that are ready to contribute next year at the major league level in the likes of Heston Kjerstad, Joey Ortiz, Connor Norby, Coby Mayo, Colton Cowser, Kyle Stowers and Chayce McDermott. That's not even mentioning the widely awarded Minor League player of the year Jackson Holliday, who also may be ready at some point. Now how all these pieces are used is for another discussion. But the key is for all of us to not become jaded over a bad series or to leave this season with a bad feeling. Getting swept out of the playoffs is never fun, but the Orioles are going to be just fine. They may or may not win 100-games next year, but what they will have are a bunch of players who have been there before, unlike this year where most players on the team were in their first playoff games. It's a great time to be an Orioles fan.

Thanks Frobby, appreciate the shout out. Thanks for all your contributions this and every year on the forum and for all your information and insights. Let me echo your thanks to @cboemmeljr Chuck for all his efforts this year. He added a lot of video from twitter this year on prospects having great nights and really provided some great content! Thank you all for being part of our community and for adding your thoughts and sharing in this great 101-win season.

Impressive offense for sure. Not sure I've seen a hitter offense than this one. They will beat anyone right now. Sucks that it happened to the Orioles, but this offense is way too hot.

Not sure anyone who sets up the defense expected a change, right on right after another offspeed pitch.

Hey, it was a good season. That's offense is just too hot. We hit a buzzsaw. If they stay this hot they will win it all.

Just plunk him at this point and get the next guy!

Holy crap I absolutely hate these long foul ball at bats!

If we're adding the big league roster, than yes, those three would also be on the list and Bradish might be a 6th. I was just talking about prospects wise, those three are the only untouchables for me.

Along with Holliday and Basallo, he's an untouchable in my opinion.

Good Lord, I said they remind me of the fact that they are white hot right now. Not how they were built.

If there is a game 4.

Fair enough. That's a valid opinion.

Perhaps it was rust, or perhaps it was the moment was a little too big for him or maybe it was combination of both. None of them are absurd scenarios.

https://www.mlb.com/video/carter-baumler-talks-recovery?q=baumler&cp=CMS_FIRST&qt=FREETEXT&p=0

You don't need math with Baseball Savant. He threw 47% in the zone. Now, that does not includes swings and misses and fouls out of the zone which end up as strikes. Perhaps that's what you ae including. There is no doubt Seager was rightfully pitched around.

I'm a believer that the veteran in this particular situation should get the nod in game 3. I think people have to also remember that Kyle Gipson's FIP was 4.13 compared to Kremer's 4.51. Gibson has never started a playoff game, but has been in 3 games, pitching well in 2 out of 3 relief appearances.

He threw 47% in the zone so not sure where you are getting that strike percentage. Are you including swings on pitches out of the zone. It very well could haven been the layoff, but I do believe the moment was a little too big for him. We saw that when he first came up and was hyped about being in the big leagues. He's going to be fine. It was a learning experience for him no matter what, but it's not absurd to think with all the energy in the park, and believe me I was there and it was crazy, that he just wasn't able to put it back together when a few things went wrong. He had issues with innings snowballing on him in his first stint with the Orioles before going back to AAA and getting things calmed down. Basically this was the biggest event he'd ever pitched and in front of the biggest, loudest, craziest crowd. It's not absurd to think it affected him when we haven't seen this version of him since what, May?

Which is exactly why you go out and get an impact guy at the trading deadline. The chances are he's not going to implode down the stretch. I'm not saying you give up a Holliday, Basallo or Mayo for one, but depending on who the impact guy is and how much control you have, everyone else should be available in the right deal.

Maybe have Gibson wear these under his uniform?

I don't disagree with any of this. I also don't like the five days off thing they have. That's too long for a team to sit idle.

This is where I am with his start yesterday. We all know Rodriguez absolutely has the stuff to be a dominant starter at the major league level. But we've also seen that when he's a little too amped up, he has trouble commanding his stuff. This is amped up Grayson: This is Grayson in command: The big thing I see here is command and control. He landed his 4-seamer yesterday just 43% in the zone and all of his stuff just 47%. Yesterday he went fastball changeup mostly throwing just two curveballs and sliders. When he was good, he mixed in his curveball a lot more, but look at that 4-seamer zone percentage of 73% and overall he had a 66% in the zone percentage. The velocities where about the same so it really comes with commanding the stuff, which Rodriguez wasn't unable to do on the big stage. Overall, it's probably a good learning experience and the failure should drive him even more. He's going to win a lot of playoff games for the Orioles in the future.