now

Looking good today. Final line 97 pitches, 65 strikes. 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. But, 2 HR.

Heston Kjerstad says, "Hold on, I'm comin' too!"

BTW, anyone else reminded of Scott Erickson with Zach Eflin?

And Paul Blair.

Yep, it's playoffs preview time, for sure. A split now trending to best of five...

On a positive note, it seems like every defensive gaffe in this bad stretch of games has led directly to big innings by the other team. Fix the simple errors on defense (or let them revert to norm) and a lot of those kinds of losses turn into wins. Our pitchers will be more successful and happier (especially Kremer).

True, Yankees too. Seems like there's room for a new thread, "Yankees Lose, Orioles Lose."

To me the most puzzling and aggravating part of it is the collapse of fundamental defense the past three weeks. Not just Gunnar's streak of what, 8 errors in a week, but almost everyone has missed balls (many judged as hits instead of errors) that normally we would see caught. Not to mention poor decisions on popups, cutoff throws, baserunning plays. Like hitting and pitching, apparently the quality (or lapse) of defense appears to be contagious. I don't know what the solution is, but the old Oriole Way and even Buck's teams were not like this in terms of defense.

Fair enough.

Now you sound bitter. Nobody's unhappy. We're just doing like you say, what sports fans mostly do: either second-guessing, or celebrating, depending on the direction of the wind on a given day.

I think the question about Adley as 1:1 is not so much relevant to "average 1:1" as it is to the other consensus candidate that year, Witt. And that is where, aside from HOF credentials at the position, it's still a valid position (as I imagine some argued in Elias's draft room) to compare relative long-term value (okay, CoC, at least 6-7 years) of top shelf SS vs. top-shelf catcher/DH. Just as there are valid arguments for/against drafting first-round pitchers.

Curious what you mean by "off the field." Clubhouse, chemistry, leadership (apart from pitch(er) handling)? And if it can't be measured, then what do you go by? His vibes, your intuition, good press...? The stats case a la Drungo I can wrap my head around. This part I find more mysterious.

Not trying to pick on you or put words in your mouth. It's more about, people should be able to make negative (or positive) evaluations of players or decisions without being dismissed out of hand. But it seems some topics/players are considered by many as off limits or beyond criticism: for example, Adley vs. Witt as 1:1, or Witt vs. Gunnar as a franchise SS. I get the overreaction to SSS part. But when webbrick2010 posts what seems an objective case here, for example, instead of addressing the substance, some just go, you're out to lunch. So what if a poster is "always negative"? They can still make a valid argument worth considering on its merits. So what if a poster is "Pollyanna" (CindyLuvsBrady)? No reason to get upset at them, IMO. Poke fun, maybe. But at least be willing to give credit to a case or point being made that's otherwise reasonable, beyond the personal filter.

The three quotes above are a pretty good snapshot of the range of opinion around here, not just about Adley, but on the pessimism/optimism scale in general, or critique/support of the Orioles decision makers. At one end of the scale, Elias is God, Adley and Gunnar are godlets, and any breakdown of their stats is blasphemy. At the other end, the FO is inept, Hyde is incompetent, and the players are all overhyped duds. I guess Sports Guy won't mind holding the middle ground in this debate snapshot. Not that it matters, but personally I like to be free to pick and choose quick takes all over the map, and don't need to be consistent... following the roller coaster of the players' uneven performances and mgt. decisions. Just to add, I would hope people respond on the merits of arguments other posters make, rather than the automatic thumbs up or down just because.

Finally... the last of the Norfolk Murderer's Row gets the call. Now we get a breather before Basallo, Bradfield, et al. start to build up their AAA cred.

Mickey Rivers comp?

Oakland '74, Herb Washington?

Lots of roster turnover for a first place team. By my count, 7 of 26 (27 percent), which seems quite high all at once. This assumes as incoming: at least Holliday, L. Soto, and one of Jimenez/Pache/Slater; plus Dominguez, G. Soto, Rogers, Eflin.

It's almost enough to start having heretical thoughts about things like Bobby Witt and Joey Ortiz. Or our 2024 class, O'Ferrall and Layton. I know, I know. Almost. BTW, who was that Dodger 2B in the 80s (Steve Sax?) who lost it... also remembering Knoblauch. Funny, it happens out of nowhere sometimes.

Not so sure about this. With most of our big pieces either reserved (Mayo, Basallo), already graduated (Holliday, Kjerstad), or traded (Ortiz, Norby, Stowers, S. Johnson, Baumeister), it's not so clear our farm is that exceptional anymore (unless we rate highly on the next wave of int'l signings still at the lower levels). At Norfolk, for example, Mayo must be feeling kinda lonely by now.

Quite the striking likeness, in the face closeup at the end!

Good point, just added.

Right, I guess it means the results will represent a ranking.

Not to prejudice your vote or opinion, but interesting to note (and surprising to me), MLB.com just ranked the Rogers (#7) and Jimenez (#11) trades among their "most impactful deals." https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-trade-deadline-deals-ranked

Just give a gut ranking, though there could be multiple considerations factoring in your rank (short/long term value, underpay vs. overpay, positional need, unblocking prospects, contract/salary, floor/ceiling, etc.). Multiple choice if undecided. Last OH prospect ranking = (x).