Orioles West
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Posts posted by Orioles West
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2 hours ago, EdwinRip said:
A second ago everyone was saying that Ellis didn’t upgrade the rotation enough and now some are saying there is no place for Grayson when he returns. So which is it?
It could still be both. I’ve been in the “let’s see what we got” camp and it’s working out better than even I expected. Irvin is definitely exceeding expectations, great to see Means and Bradish back.
That said, if Bradish and Means stay healthy, the rotation looks great. If there are more health issues, then the folks who forewarned that the O’s need to add another starter for depth will have a point.
I’m happy with the potential traffic jam we currently have with the starters.
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28 minutes ago, Frobby said:
When you haven’t seen him pitch for a while, you forget just how fun it is to watch Means when he’s on his game. Nothing he throws makes you say wow, but so many guys are off balance and can’t barrel him up. He was absolutely dealing last night.
Yeah - he is fun to watch when he healthy and happy.
Despite the myriad of arm issues, he remains one of my favorite players on the team.
I got to see him bat and pitch in a game here in Colorado, (May, 2019) and the intensity he showed in that game — a bit of throwback attitude — at the time on a bare bones roster. O’s lost, 8-6, but he left the game with a 5-3 lead at Coors Field (Armstrong with the blown save, Givens with the loss), but I loved the way he battled and the enthusiasm he had on that not so good team offered a bit of hope.
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It is early, and I love how this team competes as if they are building off of 2023.
Health is the obvious wildcard every season — so if health prevails —this starting rotation really has a chance to be special if they keep up this pace.
Bullpen performance may not be too far off of 2023, yet it still feels like the pen needs depth that may not be anywhere on the roster or on the farm currently.
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52 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:
It was weird, at the beginning of the spring they said he hadn't had any further setbacks, he was just a month behind in his progression. I guess if they didn't have a chance to do a rehab assignment it carries over to the next year?
It was definitely weird. It seems like some information is missing — either from last season or the spring, be it an arm strength issue or lingering soreness (which maybe counts as a slight setback). The lack of details made it seem like an NHL injury report, purposefully vague.
Either he had some issues or they kept a guy who looked more than ready in his first start off the roster too long.
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13 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:
Is it possible the whole missing spring training/IL thing was simply a smokescreen to manage innings?
I think it’s a fair question. I also think it’s possible the O’s really thought he needed some work, as those rehab starts seemed to show that he was working on things and not really sweating the results.
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No to the trade idea.
And wow, this may be the first Hangout Unification thread I’ve seen in a while.
Early results where 98+ percent of us AGREE on something!
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15 minutes ago, Frobby said:
And I hate the Mets with the heat of 1000 burning suns.
My grandfather — God rest him — hated the Mets as much as well. The non-call interference in game 4, 10th inning is a play he would bring up a bunch.
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51 minutes ago, Jagwar said:
I honestly don't know what was more intense. Being crushed by losing to the Pirates in 79 after being up 3-1, or the thrill of beating the Phillies in 1983
For me, the happier result triumphs over the devastation.
Fair points though. Opportunity lost for sure vs. Pittsburgh, and I had no idea at the time, that the ‘83 WS victory would have to sustain me for so long.
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Yeah, 1979 hurt a lot. That lame song and everyone on the national broadcast seemed to be on Pittsburgh’s payroll. No love for the Pirates to this day.
I was only 5-years old in 1970, but my extended family was all over at my grandparents for those games and I do remember watching it — the impact on young me was how much the team meant to everyone. That sticks with you. And yeah, that was a solid Reds roster, though the “Machine” stalled against our 108-win team.
I don’t need reasons to hate the Dodgers, they’re just Yankees West. Too young for that WS, but I have enjoyed that on YouTube.
1983, well I lived on every pitch of that series. I had moved away from the Maryland, I was the only O’s fan in a high school of 2000 kids and yes, it was blast to mock all of those bandwagon Phils fans in Colorado.
So, I don’t hate on Philly too much, I had too much fun watching them lose.
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I watched it on TV live back in the day — but I’ve not watched it since. Pretty cool! Thanks for the link.
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15 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:
This is all good to see. Cowser needs to get back on track in a big way. Gunnar starting to fade a little bit, too.
Still, recognition is nice.
Agreed. Good to see O’s and future O’s getting recognized. Cowser appears to be returning to earth the last couple weeks — not a huge concern yet.
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Markakis - well deserved. I don’t have a ton of O’s gear, but I do have a Markakis road gray jersey that is getting worn out at this point.
Interesting to see Crowley in there, I got to see him play a few times growing up.
Terry Crowley 2.4 rWAR as a role player, on two O’s WS teams could have been three but he was with Montreal in his last season in 1983.
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My takeaway is a solid series win - several tight, hard fought contests leading into the last game. I don’t see the Yankees going anywhere. The Empire tends to overspend as needed to stay in the race.
One of my favorite things in baseball is O’s over the Yanks and we really are building a better, more sustainable team to haunt them on an annual basis. I don’t know that the Orioles will make move for move or make trades to shadow the Yanks, even though our farm is deeper.
Ultimately my take is, my team has no fear against the Yankees or any AL East foe. Which is cool, that’s how I grew up, with B-More standing toe-toe (or better) in the toughest division in the game.
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3 hours ago, Tony-OH said:
Kjersatd was recalled and started in his first game up (Apr 23rd) and had one pinch hit appearance since. He obviously was not going to start against Cortez tonight, but it's pretty clear the Orioles have no intention of rotating out their starters to give him PAs.
Kjerstad meet Stowers, Stowers meet Kjerstad. Hyde/Sigbot treats you the same.
The Orioles should have moved Kjerstad for an impact reliever this offseason if they had no plans to properly use him once they bring him to the major leagues. Outside of Gunnar and Adley, the Orioles do not treat prospects, at least not the uber prospects, like they need to get at bats.
They're in first place, so I guess you can't argue with the results, but I do not agree with Kjerstad just wallowing away on the bench. One PA in a week is not how you handle a rookie in my opinion. I'm sure he's not arguing because he's making big league money, but if they were just planning on burying Kjerstad, they should have just brought up Stowers and let Kjerstad play everyday in AAA until they needed him.
Honestly, they might as well re-sign Hicks and send Kjerstad back if this is the playing time they plan to give this role.
It is a head scratcher — bringing prospects up and letting them languish on the bench. Even if Kjerstad is viewed more by the front office as part of a future trade — it’s better to let him play somewhere everyday.
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13 hours ago, Malike said:
Irvin is probably going to be better than Means going forward. I hate to say it, but he looks like he has nothing left and we remember him as an "Ace" on horrible teams.
I hope Means will get stronger as the season goes along, but I can also see “nothing left” as a possibility too. Worst case, he will always have the no-hitter at Seattle.
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I voted Irvin on the MLB app — and now an official ‘game ball’ in the game ball thread.
If Means and Bradish return and stay healthy, Irvin could be a solid long relief or depth option.
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1 minute ago, Tony-OH said:
I think that's exactly the thinking here. McKenna is right-handed hitter who can handle CF defensively. This allows them to keep Cowser in LF where he's looked very good. I'm only a little surprised because Mateo has played some CF and you would think he'd be ok for a game or two until Hays is back.
They clearly want to be able to DFA that last guy so McKenna makes more sense in that regard than Norby. Still, with several pitchers like Heasley and Ort available to be DFA'd without issue, I might have gone with Norby and given him some starts at 2B, even if no one can be too psyched with him there defensively.
Very reasonable, and I also wanted to give Norby a shot — because we know McKenna all too well.
I guess this is why I’d be a not so good GM, I always want to see what the kids can do versus the AAAA guys with experience (who, while limited, can contribute in key spots).
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Just now, Orioles0615 said:
Man I wished some team claimed Mckenna. Im glad Nevin is hitting well in Oakland so the O's don't reclaim him
Another team would have to want McKenna. He’s still an Oriole, so I’ll gut through this move and hope, as others have suggested, this is for a very short time.
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1 hour ago, Frobby said:
I have a feeling Roy wouldn’t have posted this today if Kimbrel had blown that game in the 9th.
I always feel like the players and the manager are able to set aside the ups and downs a lot faster than a dedicated fan can.
I mostly agree about players generally being able to deal better than us with the ups and downs, but I recall Hyde saying how hard those losing seasons were and he wasn’t sure how much more he could take.
That aside, I am as addicted as Roy and a lot of us hear who love the game and the Birds in particular.
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I “hear” you, and I don’t hate the list.
If everyone is truly back and healthy, I hope Means makes a run with the rotation. I don’t know how long the Suarez momentum will last, but I’m hoping for some more quality starts before the league catches up.
Count me in among the curious to see how Povich does in the show, I just think if we see him, some guys will have to be injured.
I also hope Bradish gets healthy enough to be a strong 2-3 guy.
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Game ball or the equivalent of hockey star(s) of the game for me:
Suarez — all of those zero’s on the road, gets my game ball.
Kimbrel is my runner-up. I know striking out Trout with the bases loaded is the job, but it ain’t easy.
Cowser - Honorable Mention. I’m still not 100 percent in on the Milkman nickname, but he sure is fun to watch.
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5 minutes ago, Malike said:
They could go 0 for the season and they'd still be more fun than the singing group.
Agreed!
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9 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:
Might get a lineup this week of Gunnar, Adley, Cowser, Westburg, Kjerstad, Holliday.
New Kids on the Block line-up — could be more fun than the singing group.
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1 hour ago, Snutchy said:
I want to see how the league adjusts to him after another 2-3 starts before I start calling him a #3. There isn’t much reference material on him after his adjustments over spring.
What’s also important are the adjustments he makes back. Still, he looks solid!
I agree — not enough starts yet to establish a full time rotation spot — I just love how he is making the most of this opportunity. Those adjustments the league makes next should happen fairly quick, but I kind of hope this gutsy effort rolls on a while longer.
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Bullpen 2024
in Orioles Talk
Posted
Good question. I did a very fast search — last news is the DFA, but nothing on whether he accepted it or is now a FA.