foxfield

Agreed. Looks that way, but but pressure is a funny thing and old demons are hard to put away. You do not have to go all the way back to 1978 to see the Redsox cough up a division title though that was to the Yanks in '78. They have had difficulty closing more recently even with the Mighty Rays chasing them. Why it seems like only yesterday, but on September 3, 2011 the Redsox had a 9 game lead on the Rays and we all remember how that ended with the Great Andino. I would simply use this opportunity to remind everyone that neither team (RED SOX OR YANKS) is as perfect as they are made out to be. The fact that the Orioles have their best record against the Yankees while cruising towards perhaps the worst record in franchise history helps us understand how someone may have thought we were closer to being competitive than we were. They were wrong of course, but perhaps we are also not as far away as it looks.... 44.5 games back.....

All of this discussion is great. But the final verdict depends on a number of factors which are unknown. I will say that the actual performance on the field is great but as we saw last year with Beckham, SSS can be huge and it means nothing really. Except, we got a guy who has some tools, some time under control, and he comes at a cost that compared to Schoop is attractive. We are not winning the world series next year or the year after that. If this guy stays healthy, we already won the deal, not in terms of did we do better than Milwaukee, but did we accomplish what we wanted. He is a place holder. IF he were to somehow flourish long enough to matter, he would present the same resign option that we had with Schoop or he could be traded. If he reverts to a fringe MLB player with an average glove, then he fills a spot until someone takes it. There is plenty of time to debate Villar's actual value and what it means to the Orioles future. There is plenty of time to debate whether we got anything out of the Schoop trade at all. But on the surface, if getting a placeholder infielder at a cheaper rate than Schoop was important, it appears that was accomplished. I sure hope that the longer term assets turn out, because in the end....that is gonna be more important. Too early, but I like what I see.

I admit that I think all of this is true. But the question on Buck is still way more complicated than you propose. AM left in part because he didn’t have the ability to pick his own manager. DD came and had to take a manager who until recently seemed to have a pretty say in roster moves. How all of this shakes out in the “new” future of the Orioles is in my opinion still unknown but vital to the success of the new plan. In fact, it will be the defining moment of the next act. The opening scene of the rebuild has been staged. The foreshadowing is ominous and yet the fortunes of DD, Buck and Brady have evolved in a cliffhanger fashion. I am thrilled we were bold enough to go for a total rebuild even if I am unsure about prospects being so far away. I love that we hear the reins have been handed off regarding ownership and that we are diving in to the international market. All of that sounds great. I am unbridled in enthusiastic support of the plan. But caution dictates that a new way, a plan, must have someone in charge who is accountable and has the power to hold others accountable. Until the Orioles put one person in that position I will drink the koolaid, but I’m just sippin. You know? And while I agree with everything you say. There is no path forward for Buck unless DD is extended and then he himself extends Buck. If DD is gone but Buck stays, then there is no new way. The same is true if ownership extends them both. Nope. It’s either a clean slate for a new GM or DD stays and decides who he keeps. There are other possible iterations of course, but they become less and less likely to create any thing “new.” Or I could be wrong.

Exactly who is it great for? An escape artist?

The better question is why was he pitching hurt?

But the weather!!!!!!

You mean Rich Hams Beckman...

I agree with this. But I’m not gonna lie. When I read it....I chuckled.

And then..... And then when I walked down the street people would've looked and they would've said there goes Roy Hobbs... I mean, Chris Davis, the best there ever was in this game.

Come on... I was just able to have a FaceTime conversation with Chris Davis and I asked him a question based on some of the posts here. I asked Chris if he thought given the amount of money he was owed did he feel that he owed the fans more? His FaceTime response....

Couple things here... Yes, I think he should play everyday and I would bat him 9th and move him around. I'd DH him, Play him in LF, RF...I'd pitch him 4 innings when we are down 9-1. I'd pitch him the next day if we are down 5-0 in the second. In short, id use him every minute of this season as a mop and I'd give Chris Davis every opportunity to have value in 2018. I no longer think he can improve, but the Orioles should give every opportunity to do so until the end of the year and then he should be moved into the warehouse and off the field. Chris Davis is not a major league ball player at least not with his performance for the last 18 months or so. But he isn't stealing anything. To his credit he shows up, everyday. Now, I don't mean he shouldn't be criticized, of course he should. And his work ethic has been called into question and I think that is also fair. But I wish we could be better at the criticism than calling him a thief. I know I am splitting hairs but this is a fantastic place because of the standards and expectations of posters. I point this out only in the hopes of you pulling us up an not the rest of us pulling you down. Finally, if the rebuild is going to be total, I could see using Davis the same way next year, but honestly I do not think he/we could stand it. But it could be interesting to see...he could pitch a lot. Until his arm falls off. Do you think we have insurance? And I apologize if I am out of line.

Well, i get that Frobby, but it's not going away. It's like talking about Secretariat at the Belmont. I mean he blistered the field and it was mind blowing in its sheer magnificence. There was nothing to say because the effort on the track said it all, and yet people talk about that athletic feat to this day. I feel for Chris and I hope we can stop poking fun at him because this genuinely must be horrific to bear. But it's also impossible to not watch and fixate on. I go back to that video of Chris looking at nothing imparticular as strike three whizzes by and think: "This guy led the ML in Hr mere seasons ago" It's historic, it's sad, it's inexplicable, it's unimaginable and yet here it is. It's not going away.

I thought I was being optimistic. Im counting on improvement from here!!!!

110 or so...but yeah!

Angelos outbid Jeffrery Loria. It can get worse. But let's face it, it could be a hell of a lot better.

Well, that's not what he said, really. Buck bat's him and asks who else should be better given his choices. Its a valid point, even though the correct answer is: Well...anyone! We will see the same here and it will be the reason it happens when it does. Unless they can get Miggy to deliver some "B-12"....Just kidding... The lord never puts more on you than you can handle. I think Christ can take having the worst season in history after dying for all of mankind. But seriously...please stop advancing the BUYOUT. Chris Davis contract cannot be bought out. Even if he took a Christ like aversion to money, the Union would never allow it. He is going to get his money no matter what you and I want and no matter how poorly he plays from today forward. True, but at some point the weight will be unbearable for both player and team. If there is no improvement that time will come very soon after the end of this season. You are kind of making my point from above...Buck believed he had better options than Kim and refused to use him. Buck has 14 DH 1B types but is pretty justified saying that if not Chris, who? At least based on past performance. This won't last forever, and you are also splitting hairs over another point..... DD wanted Kim.....Buck did not. Buck wanted Davis....DD did not.

SG??? Yes I am certain. Unless someone sedated him and completely disallowed three ways. I’ll stop there....LOL Edit to add: http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/index.php?/profile/12055-sports-guy/

Friend: So, did you guys hear the one about the team that went all in to win a championship with their GM, Manager, Best Player, 2 Best Relievers, and Team Leader all on the last year of their contract? They doubled down by starting the season with 3 Rule V guys, 5 Non-Roster Invitees and Chris Tillman and Mike Wright. Me: So how'd that turn out? Friend: Well, they were shockingly 19 games out of first place before Memorial Day, had the worst record in all of baseball but proved to all that their commitment was real by plunging ahead and working hard and changing nothing. Me: Is that supposed to be a joke? It's not very funny. Friend: No it is not funny.

But it would be 28 if we hadn't taken 3 of 4!!!!! Good God Frobby! Don't walk right past the silver lining!

Well no not technically. We are not good enough, sadly in spite of our massively huge winning streak. We are good enough for the Little League World Series, but alas, age will keep us out. It’s like we’re searching in a vast wasteland for our field of dreams If he sells it, they will come!

Will go ahead and put you down in the "Manny is not a very good player list". You must be thrilled thinking he will be gone soon so you can see real players. Enjoy. There are many times that Manny is frustrating. But as was noted above, he is gonna be missed. I keep dreaming he is traded in June for two studs a 3B and a SP and then signs here for 10 years but I always wake up when Buck says at the press conference he got his man and then Brady punches him and says HE got him...Oh well, its always a good dream until the end. See, that's the spirit!!!! Give that fan a contract!!!

I get what you mean, Chris Davis seemed to hit lots of meaningless HR with no one on late in games. But this is simply not realistic. You get three four at bats and you do your best with them. Maybe pitchers simply pitch differently with say a 4 run lead and no-one on base. In fact I am sure of it... There is often some luck involved in stats and that is precisely the reason advanced metrics were created. They are not perfect, but they are intended to make results more meaningful. If a player had a great year and hit .300 over 600 at bats that would be 180 hits. Over the course of the season, some of those at bats clearly are more important than others. But the player isn't punished for that week he went 4 for 4 in a series against Baltimore (for example) any more than he isn't adjusted for going 0-16 against the red sox. Over the course of 600 at bats a player who hits .300 (180 hits) could raise his average to .341 if he had the identical season but added exactly one broken bat flare for a hit over each of the 25 weeks of the season. Again, I get your point, but even Earl Weaver said, you can't run out the clock, you have to get 27 outs. They all count.

Count me as thrilled for Flash. I hope he continues it all year and never looks back. I think the O's made the right call and again happy that Flash got more money than Baltimore offered. I tend to think he will come back to earth, but I would also count this as another opportunity to play every day that he has seized on. Good for him.

Does Chris Davis need some B-12? Asking for a friend.