O-The-Memories

OK, need some runs here. Man....some bad luck there.

Well, at least it's not 5-0.

Hanser Alberto will have a hard time hitting as well as last year, but that's a good start!

Was that reading correct? A first pitch 86 mph fastball from an opening day starter? Maybe he is saving the heat for later.

Well, MLB audio missed Hays at bat completely and blamed Boston for starting at 7:33. Let's get the hiccups out now, lol.

Listening to MLB audio which is cool, but I have to say that I'm gonna miss the old crew. Does anyone know if the blackout restriction is going to be lifted anytime soon?

I've learned that I am likely skewed by being impatient and over reactionary. That being said, I gave the draft a D after initially saying it "had to be an F" because of the late round selections. I just don't think any other GM would have had a first through third round close to what we had, being in the number 2 position in the draft. I know all teams have unique needs, but we need pitching and OBP, and I don't we got either in the first three rounds. We also have too many OF and SS now. I don't like hearing "has mechanical issues" at all, because so many of those are ingrained and very hard to fix. Time will tell, I thought Daniel Cabrera and Luis Matos would have multiple All-Star appearances, so clearly my intuition leaves much to be desired sometimes.

Good strategy having every single pick be someone you could sign for underslot when you have most money in the draft pool, lol.

I have to laugh to stop from yelling and scaring my son. Unbelievable how bad this draft is. F is the only appropriate grade. I really don't want to hear about "well, we have to wait to see how it pans out". Every single pick has been someone where many better choices were available. We have no pitching depth at all, and we haven't chosen a single pitcher. We now have tons of shortstops and outfielders. The last two picks have been 30-35 spots higher than projected, so no need to go overslot. We had the most money, and likely won't spend it all. If we do spend it all, it's because we drastically overpaid. Absolute, abject disaster of a draft.

The Orioles aren't picking guys that will be up to help the MLB team soon either. Picking guys that strikeout a lot and have swing problems. i am anxious to see improvements within a couple years, and this draft isn't alleviating my fears at all. So many guys with higher upside were available at 39, and much safer picks were available at 2 and 30 (the pick at number 2 is still especially egregious to me).

Why get a pitcher with the potential to be a 2-3 starter when you can get a guy that might be a fourth outfielder if things pan out? Atrocious draft.

The use of psychotropic drugs by members of our front office comes to mind as a possibility.

You simply cannot justify these decisions. We've come away with guys that were rated lower than the picks we made three times in a row. Two outfielders when we have a glut of them already, and a shortstop who has a decent ceiling but a low floor. No pitching with a lot of guys left who we could have spent that overslot money on. Elias messed this draft up big time. Inexcusable decision making is being kind.

We aren't spending all of our money. Abysmal draft. So many better options at 2, 30, and 39 for us to pick.

I've got to say it, this draft is shaping up to be a massive disapointment in my eyes.

So yeah, it's looking more and more like our plan is going to backfire. Which top 10-12 talent has fallen to where we could get them at 30? Bitsko is a big loss.

Well, you've calmed me down some. I've gone from nuclear level mad to just pretty upset, lol. i just don't understand the risk of the strategy of saving money to potentially get guys that we like later in the draft, especially if we pick guys at 30 and 39 that we could have gotten there anyway without picking Kjerstad.

This year was a very small sample size, and I believe this pick was a case of recency bias.

So we picked a guy who doesn't have a great arm or range, and who strikes out a lot, and who has questionable swing mechanics as the number two pick. To answer an earlier question, I don't see a scenario where the 30 and 39 pick make up for it. Guys like Bitsko aren't likely to be there.

The pick also makes a disillusioned fanbase even more upset. I wouldn't have this kind of reaction if we picked Lacy, Martin, or even Gonzalez. You could justify those picks if Martin had demanded too much money. We have the most money in the draft pool! I want the best players available, not a chance at "stealing" the 18th best prospect at 30. There is so much more value with the second rated pick.

I'm disgusted by this pick. You have the most money to spend, have a chance to get a guy like Martin, or even a top pitcher, and you get a guy that has questionable plate discipline, and doesn't fill a position of need. Elias tried to out think everyone and if signability was an issue there were still better picks. Why try to get the best available at 30 by missing out on any number of consensus picks that were rated higher? Nobody should like this pick.

If we don't pick it up soon we are in real danger of losing this one fellas.

It's your duty as a parent to try and make things seem OK when they aren't, but it would be mighty hard to be at this game with a kid. "If the Oriole Bird catches a ball its worth fifteen runs for us, you didn't know that"? Reminds me of when my friends father took him to a Reds minor league game in the late 80's and told him that Johnny Bench was catching for them now.

The last time I saw a Brooks this sad he was hanging from the rafters of a halfway house after he couldn't cut it bagging groceries.

Guys we are only down a touchdown and an extra point. It's still early. Oh, I'm looking at the Orioles score? That's no good.