AlbNYfan

Well, I certainly like Gutierrez better than the guy the O's had the first half of last year. BTW, bounced throw?? Should Mancini have gotten it (facetious reminder of last week's discussion on Mountcastle)? I am not a fan of Elias signings of players like Odor or Owings as place holders. And I am happier with Urias at 2nd. Nevin may not be a solution, but he's a better solution IMO. Martin, I'm not sure. I expect any ML'er to be able to catch the ball, you don't let poor D beat you.

Unwatchable!!!

Yes, it was. Good catchers will always make the just in case tag. Just like infielders do at 2nd and 3rd on tag plays. I suspect, at the Oakland Park you see catcher's more active because of the immense amount foul territory. You also see 2nd basemen moving to back up first on infield throws.

IIRC Wells had 2 strikes on every batter that eventually hurt him. His waste pitches were absurd and predictable. Head high, stupid. I don't believe in WASTE pitches, you have a guy down 0-2, 1-2 go after him. Benboom made lousy calls. Neuse's three hits were all on the same pitch, off speed, low, outside which he stroke to right field. The O's were shifted to the left side. Was anyone awake anywhere?? Benboom?? Pitching coach?? Anybody?? LOUSY execution. The O's didn't adjust. Nice piece of hitting.

It was a bad call. But, Mancini was LAZY.... we teach LL'ers to turn away from 2nd base, Mancini did not. He also made no attempt to get back to bag quickly. Secondly, Mancini got mad after reviewing it on a dugout Ipod. Just stupid, lazy baseball by Mancini, the umpire and the 1st base coach.

Of course, the irony of this is that Mountcastle was moved from 3rd base because of a poor arm. Now, he is taking blame for not making the play on a truly poor throw from Urias. Mountcastle is not the smoothest first baseman, for sure, but should improve. However, maybe not in style points.

Wrong question....Was there a need to bounce throw that ball? The answer is NO!! He had plenty of time. He even tapped the ball into the glove before the throw. Bounce throws have many potential deviations...the field, the field's hardness, familiarity to the field, the throw's spin, the distance the ball hits the ground to the first baseman, velocity of the throw. Short hops are one thing and manageable. This was a bad throw and if that what Urias has to do to make the play, get him out of there. Number 2, Hardy bounced his throws ALL the time?? I guess Belanger, Bordick and Machado did too?? Really. Bouncing a throw IS NOT the preferred play. 3, It doesn't matter, you don't often win games with 1 run. At this point the this team's offense is very offensive.

Yep, defense coughs one up, and they did. Personally, I hate the praise given to players that are versatile and "can play" multiple positions. They may be "adequate" but every player has a "best" position. I don't care for Urias at 3rd, and Odor, I really don't know enough about him. Some here want Gutierrez gone (can't hit??), but he can play third. AND speaking of "Coughing Up", the offense coughs it up every night. 22 runs in 10 games!!!??? 4 HR's!!! Mancini 1 RBI. People here love the idea of a Mancini trade and getting a decent return, really?? The pitching has been marvelous...how many innings have they pitched with a lead?? How many with a comfortable lead (I count 1). Yes, the D coughs one up, but when 2 runs/per game seems to be the offensive max, the O's have little chance.

It's nice that you can find something to rag on even in victory.

The "everyday" lineup is sooooooooo much better. 2 runs/game doesn't cut it.

Wait until they hack the audio and relay it to the batter. Tech may make cheating easier!! There are always ways. I have sympathies for the play by play announcers. I also wonder how many pitches and locations the catcher will have to record with a 13 man staff? Just basic, there are a minimum at least 7 locations and I can think of almost as many not so basic. If a pitcher has 4 pitches...you get the picture. I don't consider a runner on base that "steals" a sign cheating. I do consider a "10th" player sitting somewhere in the stadium and relaying pitches unacceptable.

I'm usually somewhat optimistic in the poll. That hasn't worked out, so, I'll go the pessimistic route. I remember 2018, many were pretty optimistic when the season started, thinking a WC was possible....115 loses. I'll take this team's little victories and enjoy them compared to that mess. Also, 13 games with the Yanks in the first 6 weeks. Who does that? My MLB gets blacked out and have to suffer with YES.

Can't go to 31st.....I don't think we'll end there (30)...Looking at 27 at season's end.

I never thought about this much. Fields that I have laid out have been inaccurate to a point...I always incorrectly measured bases on center. With the true measurement being on the back edge of the bag, home plate to first base is really 88.5 feet with the new 18 inch bases. I don't know how much difference it will make. The first basement may benefit, the diagonal of the base is about 4 inches wider and the sides 3 inches longer. His enhanced "stretch" and shorter throw distance may offset or balance the 3 inch advantage for the baserunner. I guess runners between first and second and second and third have a "new" 6 inch advantage.

Like most journalists Connolly is just trying to get some attention. Mancini is certainly a great story. He got the Comeback Award his first at bat of the season and was mentioned almost daily by baseball broadcaster. I was surprised he did so well and expected the long season to wear him down more than it did. I also believe he is likely to have a better season this year, another year away from the disease. I don't know what he should be paid, but you have to imagine his agent suggested this might be a good time (emotionally) to get that extra million, a million he'd never have to fight for again. As far as trades go, there is no one that important currently on this roster from last year that is an untouchable. I like Mullins a lot, but I have my doubts he'll come close to last year's accomplishments. Mancini and Mountcastle are redundant pieces, trade one. Orioles a laughing stock? Baltimore and a half a dozen other teams are just fillers for the big name teams, just like 80% of the minor leaguers are fillers for real MLB hopefuls. I hope for the best...at least I have been lucky enough to have seen some greatness (and Yankees and Red Sox as bottom dwellers).

For a change, let's try perfectly symmetrical stadiums and uniform dimensions to make it fair for all. Oh, and let's make all golf courses the same on the PGA tour...it would make the game so exciting. The 1960?-80 new stadiums were boring. I don't know if I like the change at Camden, but I do like doubles and triples better than cheap HR's. I like OF'ers with some speed, fielding abilities and having to have some thought processes when going for a ball. And I'll like it a lot when if it gives the Yankee some fits. The old stadiums were kind of cool. Didn't the Polo Grounds have a second deck overhang (maybe Tigers too?), Dodgers when they went to the Colosseum had a ridiculous left field, Fenway, Wrigley. The game needs some quirkiness...like Mike "The Bird" Fydrch..things you love to hate, but love to watch for the "what if" factor.

Because of that right angle turn is going to be impossible for the CF'er to make (at any rate of speed other than walking), I think he will be able to cheat more to right field. The left fielder is going to have to have some speed and an arm IMO. It will be fun watch visiting teams adapt to it (or not).

The purists and sanctity of the game people crack me up. Rules in sport change all the time. The NFL, make changes yearly. Sometimes for safety (goal post were once at the goal line, make QB's basically untouchable, OT, etc). The NBA instituted the shot in 1954 to bring about more offense, made zone defense illegal, 3 point shot. NCAA didn't put in the hot clock until the 1985, remember the exciting 4 corner offense. Hockey, 4 on 4 overtime, shootouts. I imagine most of the purists here prefer the robo ump because of the inconsistency of home plate umpires. Maybe good, but a huge change. I believe I like the idea of changes in the shift. Let the four infielders play anywhere on the dirt in. Let them move anywhere when the pitchers delivers to the plate. If you want 5 infielders go ahead. You want a "rover" in the outfield move one of the outfielders. I was not a Chris Davis fan, but when he hit screaming line drives caught by 2nd basemen playing 40 feet beyond the dirt, I wasn't too happy. His only recourse was to go for the HR. Few players "hit them where they ain't" and few are taught that anymore. Hit the bomb!!! Many here love the walk...I find it boring and makes the game close to unwatchable. I often wonder if a team was constructed on pitching, D, speed and "hitting where they ain"t , doubles, triples and stolen bases would fare into today's power game. I think pretty well, but will not likely see it.

You really use Vlad Jr as an example?? He signed a $3.9 million. Yes, now he only makes the minimum salary, but I'm sure the Blue Jays would pay him at least 10 times more for a long -term contract. He'll get his pay day. There are plenty of border line MLB'ers that will never get beyond the minimum salary, but Vlad Jr??

Most of you make valid if not arguable points about the current labor problems in MLB. I have been involved in labor negotiations many times. I have learned that at the end of negotiations both sides should never come away totally satisfied. If one side truly "wins", there will be Hell to pay the next time negotiations come around. The hardest thing about these negotiations is listening to leaders on both sides trying to explain their rational. The truth IMO, is that most here don't really care about who wins, they just want to watch MLB or the Orioles and argue (I mean discuss) the game. My last points about the current issues and who I am most concerned about, that neither side seem to be concerned about. 1) The non-ardent fan..those that enjoy the game, but life goes on without it. 2) "Small" businesses that depend on the game to make their businesses profitable. This includes restaurants, souvenir shops, vendors, the cities in Florida and Arizona that support Spring Training. 3) Lastly, 24-26 year old minor league players that were on the cusp of at least a taste of the bigs 2 years ago and are now 26-28 and perhaps lost that because of COVID and now labor strife. Millionaire players and multi-millionaire (billionaire) owners discussing labor inequities is rather bizarre.

The fans are the game and both sides forget that. They believe the fans are a given and forget there are so many more ways to spend $$$ these days. The common denominator for both owners and players are to make as much money as they can and not necessarily for the good of the game or fans.

This may have been discussed already and I apologize if so. The most athletic Of'er will have to occupy LF in home games. Speed, glove and arm. The CF'er will be able to cheat to right center and may cut off hits that were routine doubles in the past. The Rf'er will need mainly a good arm, less real estate to cover. There is certainly going to be a learning curve. Opponents will be at a disadvantage.