Aglets

Noted. My position is that you are mistaken. No offense meant......and no one will be able to prove it either way until we sign someone who says something about how they love the new wall dimensions, lol. Or some hitter says the inverse. I think Elias is aware that it may make it harder to bring in power hitters......which is why for the past 3 drafts (bold prediction incoming.......this same pattern will repeat with #4 this summer) he has gone very heavy on position players. It all makes sense. What's indisputable though is that OPACY was one of the (if not the worst) HR prone ballparks since its inception 30 years ago. I think it is rational to want to do something about that in an effort to make it more hospitable to acquiring FA pitching talent. Elias is clearly wary about spending heavy draft capital on pitchers......which is another position that you can criticize him on if you so choose. I think I understand why he has this position and am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a little more time. If he doesn't spend on pitching soon though then I think he will deserve heavy criticism.

Sounds like we agree. We have never attempted to sign a top tier FA before. We signed Ubaldo in mid February.........generally the top of the top guys aren't available then. So then we are just left with common sense. Llike Drungo said.............it may not be THE defining factor. But it clearly is A factor. Free agents don't sign based on one single criteria. If two offers are identical......and the two teams are reasonably similar in other ways.....would you want to pitch in a big stadium or a small one. Again......i don't understand how anyone would think otherwise. Now you can say it may have a near negligible effect on how free agents behave. That is fine. Clearly it is just academic until we get our own Scherzer or Verlander to come on down.

I mean. When was the last time the Orioles ever attempted to sign a top tier free agent SP? Koji Uehara? Kevin Millwood? UBALDO?!?! I agree it has likely never had a big impact before. That is not mutually exclusive with the fact that if we offer a top guy 180M with the old dimensions vs 180M with the new dimensions............we stand a better chance with the new. I think this actually isn't even debateable.

I think this is one of the more underrated decisions that Elias and his brass have made in his time here. I think 10 years from now it will be seen as quite brilliant. It seems quite obvious to me that a big part of his rebuild strategy is to draft bats, and acquire established pitchers. He (correctly) figured that it will be much easier to entice free agent pitchers to come here if OPACY is seen as a pitcher's park. Prior to 2022 I believe OPACY was measured to be the most HR prone park in the majors? I think it was smart to do something about that.

Hate to keep saying it. But I think if it's not tomorrow............. we are probably looking at May 31.

Close to what. The Yankees? The Red Sox? A wildcard team? We are close to 1 of those 3. I think the timeline is still on. I think they will ramp up spending some before 2023. Idk if we will be trying for a wildcard then (I see it as 50/50 right now) but I definitely think Elias is planning to compete by '24. He will never say it in public. But that is the way I see the evidence pointing.

This is not entirely true anymore. Ownership finally talked a bit about timeline when John Angelos had that little press release around Opening Day. He said when they brought Elias onboard they expected the rebuild to take 4-5 years. This is the first time I can remember Elias or ownership talking that way............and I felt it was significant. I made a thread about it at the time too. I think it is consistent with the way the MLB team and minors are constructed at the moment. Elias has been dropping subtle hints too that it will be time to ramp things up soon.

See I was thinking it was already on its way towards "Classic" status ;)

Oh that tweet is from MASN? that is interesting..................

I don't think they are keeping down for health related reasons. If he isn't promoted today then I think the main reason is that they want to see him producing at a better level in AAA before bringing him up. (FYI Sports Guy, I know what your opinion is of this decision. You have clarified it a couple of times.......today.) I will say that I will be pretty disappointed if they don't bring him up for the homestand starting May 31.

My post I think makes a fairly logical point (but I am of course biased, lol) that if he isn't called up today.............then it's not unreasonable to predict the next window will be May 31.

.222/.400/.333 so far in 8 games at AAA. Think he is 0 for 3 so far today so the numbers may dip again before tomorrow. Do we think this may lead to a more extended stay at AAA? If he doesn't come up tomorrow, how likely do we think it might be later in the homestand.........or would they more likely just wait until the next one? Weirdly enough the next one starts on a Tuesday..........May 31.

All those K's likely because Aberdeen is a pitcher's park? Edit - nvm. They are on the road. I'll recycle this joke at a later date. Please ignore.

Interesting. You spell "pitch frame" with an m??

Looks like they stole 4 bases on him tonight. 3 by the same guy. And yeah one throwing error. Think im officially concerned about the arm now.

I love your consistency wildcard. The board is a more pleasant place because of it. You think the Orioles compete for the division now? Or just have to settle for a WC spot?

I think you are thinking about the incentives for the O's backwards. The whole goal is to sell more tickets. If he debuts on a Monday that would have low expected attendance (note this will be a Yankee game so I don't think we are looking at just 5,000 fans anyway) then that means an Adley debut might have MORE of an economic benefit for them. He will help sell tickets. I hope to be one such person able to purchase one to his debut whenever it happens.

I think the weather point is pretty insightful. It's supposed to be really miserable around here Friday-Sunday. Elias doesn't want him to just sit around watching it rain. I like it. He'll spend some time in AAA and I think I would also predict he gets called up to the bigs in time for the May 16 homestand.

Pretty good FIP so far this year!

Pssh. We won't have even our first game against Toronto until the middle of June. So many things could be different by then. Adley could be here...................half of the Jays rotation could be on the IL.............in addition.............ummmmmm......Adley will probably be here? As of now I don't exactly expect to making a similar thread for that first homecoming game (which won't even be until the 2nd half of the year).

Bump for the big homecoming game tonight.

Definitely rooting for this guy to have a huge year and then strong arm the Yankees into giving him a massive 10 year offer. Even better if he spurns them and goes somewhere else. But still.

Totally fair point. Tampa did a number on him. Just a shame that we came to terms with Lyles on the exact same day that MIN came to terms with Bundy and they are paying less money. I get he had an awful 2021.........

So encouraging to see a former Oriole come into his own after signing a one year $4M contract with a team option for 2023 in Minnesota. Hopefully some day soon the O's will be in a spot to patch holes up in their rotation by offering that kind of money to starters on a "Prove It" kind of deal. Kind of a fascinating other angle to it............he will be going against Bradish who came back in the trade with LAA.

Tides have dropped 7 of their last 8. Time to press the panic button? Maybe we need Adley to hang out and right the ship there for a bit.