Tony-OH

Updated through 9 August.

Haha. I actually got those times off baseball savant.

Giving yourself credit for hating on someone when you hate on every player and decision is kind of like a weatherman taking credit for a partly cloudy day with a chance of showers.

Chubby fringe defensive players don't tend to get better as they age. I'd say this is the worse I've seen him in the outfield. He was never great, but was effective at times in the minors, but he is well below average now. I looked at the Savant numbers to back up my eyes and they agree: Stewart's reaction time -1.1 ft/sec avg and -1 ft/sec burst are his career worse. His feet covered for each play this year has been -2.2 feet per sec slower than major league average. He has a -3 catch percentage added. His 4.49 speed to first base puts him as a 30 runner. He was a 4.32 runner to first in 2019 (50). So he's getting slower, has less burst and reaction, and is now 27 years old.

If DJ has McKenna like speed and defense I'd be more apt to give him more shots offensively, but since he brings negative value defensively, the bat really has to be special. Besides that amazing nine-game stretch last year when he hit like post steroided Barry Bonds, he's been pretty underwhelming. If he's not DFA'd before the Orioles set their 40-man roster this offseason I'll be shocked.

The good news defensively is that he has plenty of range for a third baseman, can come in good, and has plenty of arm. He just needs to get his hands more consistent and maybe if the Orioles topped jerking him back and forth and let him focus on 3B, he would fine moe consistency.

that ball makes that special sounds when it comes off the bat. He hit that ball so hard and far it sounded like he blew the mind of some Hispanic guy there "Aya, ayay..yi!!"

The only good news in Gunnar's stats at Aberdeen was his increased walk rate, but besides a little hot spell in mid July, he's really struggled on offense and defense at Aberdeen. He's young but his results are not what you want to see from a guy you hope is an impact player one day.

I think it's pretty obvious Cowser has his timing down and Burns as well. They need to get these guys up to Delmarva start tomorrow. No reason to keep them down in the FCL once they hit their stride. Smashing glorified high school pitching in the FCL is not really anything more than a nice start. Mayo needs to head up as well.

The only reason sucking this year is a factor is if the team really was contending, then it would make some sense to bring up Rutschman since he's better than what the team currently has. Since that's not a factor, it goes into the equation but this is mostly 40-man and time clock manipulation that makes sense under the current CBA.

That average debut time would go way down if they had control of a player until the age of 27 or 28. Besides, good organizations would buy out those prime years for the best talent. Plus, I think it would add more excitement to the game if some really good going into their prime players were available each year. Right now, the system is broke. In theory you could own the rights to an 18 year old kid until he is 31 years old before he would ever be eligible for free agency (four year before needing to go on the 40-man, 3 option yeas, and then six years of major league time). Why should it matter if they are in the majors or minors leagues when it comes to becoming a free agent? Make it age specific for free agency and maybe guys will get promoted quicker and play a role in the majors quicker and the game will improve.

I definitely think this scenario and 40-man roster issues this offseason are the main reasons to keep him in the minors this year outside of the clock issues that are well documented under the current CBA.

Well there's your timeline unless the collective bargaining agreement changes service time.

That's fair, but I think you have captured what I've really been trying to get at when it comes to Elias. I don't expect that every DFA claim is going to turn into the next Jose Bautista, but at the end of the day, Elias has not shown he can build a team that can compete at the major league level and the players he has claimed have had very little impact now or most likely in a hopefully winning future. Now saying that, we all know he's rebuilding and that winning at the major league level was never a priority, and in fact, since he wants high draft picks, losing actually helps that plan whether anyone in the organization wants to admit this or not. It is time though to start looking at adding talent that makes the Orioles a young interesting team. My fear is that we don't have enough major league ready talent to even fill in with free agents yet. We are probably realistically looking at 2023, but I'm not sure the fan base can take another 100 loss season next year. I truly believe Elias is building the foundation for a successful franchise in the future (though I question his drafting strategy of not drafting pitchers (minus very few) before the 10th round, but no one knows if Elias can do what great GMs do and that's able to build a winning major league baseball team that competes year in and year out.

Don't generalize about the board. Calling this board "a sorry lot" is a great way to make friends and influence people. No one forces you to stay here. If you dislike so many people that you feel a need to call them names, feel free to exit right.

I always remember that I heard Scott has a circulation problem that causes has hands to be very cold and tingle like they are asleep sometimes. Whether that's still the case I don't know, but it would explain why sometimes he has no feel for being able to throw a strike. It's why I never think he'll be consistent enough to be counted on.

Seems like most of the top hitting prospects are in a hitting slump from Low-A on up. Rutschman: .205/.262/.410/.672, 2 HR, 3-7 BB-K in last 42 PAs (10 games) Stowers: .179/.233/.282/.515, 1 HR, 3-17 BB-K in 43 PAs (10 games) Henderson: .103/.167/.179/.346, 1 HR, 3-11 K-BB, 42 PAs (10 games) Jones: .160/.222/.280/.502, 2 HR 3-17 K-BB in 55 PAs (15 games) Neustrom: .212/.333/.394/.727, 1 HR 6-10 in 39 PAs (10 games) Prospects doing ok: Westburg: .250/.362/.500/.862 3 HR, 5-15, BB-K in 47 PAs (10 games) Haskin: .324/.375/.514/.889 9 HR, 2-7 K-BB in 40 PAs (10 games)

I like the idea of age but I think it should be 27 for high schoolers and 28 for college players. This way they have an opportunity for Free agency as they are entering their prime.

It was a very week draft that year. Look at the 1st and 2nd rounds of that draft and it has not paid off very well. As for Stewart, this post would be more surprising if some HAD hope for him. Stewart is exactly who he is at this point. He's a guy who take a professional at bat with some occasional pop but who is very streaky, will never hit for a high average, and is a well below average outfielder where ever you put him. He night have a little value as a pinch hitter in the National League unless they go to universal DH, then he's probably better off trying out Japan. He will be DFA'd before the 40-man is set next this winter.

Well he's certainly off to a better start than the two bonus babies down there.

I wonder with the potential work stoppage this offseason whether they will try to keep these guy off the roster. Then again, he'll need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason anyways so it may be a moot point. Unlike Tanner Scott, the difference with Bautitsta is that he seems to be dominant, then will walk a guy, but he doesn't just show up and can't throw a strike at all. He doesn't throw a ton of non competitive pitches so although his control is not great, I think it's better than his walk total would appear. The guy literally has been sitting 99-101 when I've been watching him of late and he's an imposing figure on the mound. It would be interesting to see how he adjusts to the major league ball and how the more patient AAA hitters try to wait him out.

Lol, I would say my odds were pretty good when you look at this bullpen.

Lol, this team is an utter dumpster fire of suckitude. A factory of sadness like no other.

Elias didn't think he was getting enough in return for Scott and Fry at the trading deadline. Since then, Scott immediately couldn't get anyone out and went on the IL, and Fry can't throw a strike or get anyone out.