Malike

I'd like to add we do not have more 1 run wins than anyone else, also. Miami 27-11, Cincinatti 27-25, Milwaukee 26-11, Baltimore 23-11. Philadelphia 23-18.

You said we have more save opportunities than any other team, we don't we have the same amount as the Giants. I'm just saying your first sentence is not true, I don't care about anything after that.

That isn't true. The Giants have as many save ops as we do and less blown saves with an inferior closer by our definition.

The Orioles bullpen has also blown more saves than any team not named St. Louis, CWS, or the Nats, even with Felix who had blown 1/3 of our saves. Again, we need him and I don't want to diminish that, but we've blown a lot of saves and still have the best record in the AL.

Well that sounds awful.

I don't buy the "closer mentality" thing. You're either a good reliever or you're not. There are a ton of examples of teams who were playoff teams who stuck with "proven closers" too long, only to get burned. It took the Red Sox leaving Uehara as the setup man through two "proven closers" who couldn't get the job done before he had his run as the most dominant in the sport for a spell. If you put a good pitcher in in the 9th, he'll likely get 3 outs.

With the exception of bringing in a reliever to get the last out in an inning. If you bring him back out he has to face to two more, but you do not have to bring him back out. You couldn't mix and match in the 9th, that is correct.

There are a million articles by reputable sources that are data driven that suggest using your best reliever to get the last 3 outs is probably not the best time to use that reliever. The closer position is definitely overrated and oft times the best reliever should be used in the highest leverage situations and getting 3 outs in the 9th isn't always the highest leverage situation in a game. We are going to miss what Bautista brings to this team, but we'll get the last 3 outs, likely as much as we would if Felix were closing the games out. I'm hoping the silence we're getting today isn't deafening. If it were just soreness we'd likely have heard it from Roch or someone by now if the tests didn't show something bad.

It's not even a stuff issue, it's who can get outs. Coulombe has some of the most elite statcast data of all of our pitchers, but the eye test says the "stuff" isn't great because he doesn't have a big fastball. He'd be my guy for the 9th, I think he can get 3 outs.

They were a playoff team last year, not sure why there is so much love going out West. They won 90 games and are probably only going to win a few more than that this year.

Huge loss, agreed, but excellent point.

I never said the player was, and also said it will hurt the team.

Mea Culpa!

Losing Felix will surely hurt, but closer is a pretty overrated position and I think they'll manage to get 3 outs in the 9th somehow. It was great having the big K guy back there, but injury happens and you pick up the pieces and move on. I'm not going to speculate that I know what's wrong with his arm, but I'm sure they'll be able to piece the 9th out if they have to.

I wouldn't be shocked if Cash is right there too. Huge hot start, faded a bunch, and if they win the division with the injuries and felonies to key players, his name will be in it.

I'm not attempting to change anyone's mind. I'm merely stating that this wasn't some nefarious plot to screw the Orioles over, Angelos did it to himself.

His velocity is down to the same speed as his average fastball this year? Interesting. I think people are confusing the Wells and Bradish fastballs. Wells has never had a big fastball. His average FB last year was 93, it's 92 this year.

His average fastball is down 1 MPH from last season, Wells never threw 97-98.

Boche was looking like a lock, but right now I'd give the edge to Hyde. We'll see how Sept plays out for both teams.

They said they are doing a lot of tests, I doubt it.

They shut him down with shoulder issues last year.

I'd let Coulombe close.

They've confirmed its his arm.

Hyde looks like he's about to cry in the post-game.