Brion McClanahan

You and Sports Guy are the rational people on this topic. I think the Os management is very high on their own players--"I like our guys"--and doesn't want to overspend for players that are substantially older and will hopefully be not much better, if at all, from the young players on the team. Is Correa better defensively than Mateo or Henderson? Or Ortiz? With the bat, yes, for now, but Henderson could be a much cheaper version. I think he will be. Turner is losing a step defensively, and no shift next year. Is Manea better than what the Os already have? How about Bassitt? I was on board with him, but we don't know the terms of the deal. Will he get an op out clause? And Bassitt isn't left handed. That is what Elias has been selling...Rondon.... The bat market is underwhelming to say the least outside of the SS position and Judge, and Judge wasn't signing here. The Os have that locked up, it seems. Let's wait to see how the rest of the off season plays out before jumping to conclusions. At the end of the day, we're all fans and want a winner. Remember, the Os had the best record in the AL East for a good part of the season, and their young players will be better next year, hopefully. Why waste money?

I don't see anyone making it from this class. Whitaker and Palmeiro should be in, even with the roids. So should all of the steroid era players without an asterisk.

Those Dodgers rumors were the best. That's what I'm talking about. Sports Guy did get his three way trade this year.

Yes, but it made it fun.

No, you have a hitting instruction video. That doesn't count.

Years ago--and I mean YEARS ago (I've been following this board since around '03)--we had some people on this board that claimed to be insiders. They always made the off season fun. They were not always right, most of the time they weren't, but every now and then they had a good nugget of information. I have not followed the board a lot in the last several years, so if this has been asked somewhere else, I apologize, but are there any current "insiders" who post fun rumors? It seems the Elias group is much more tight lipped than any previous administration. He is polished and says all the right things. So was the Duq regime, but it seemed like there was always some information swirling around. The most fun was the Flanny and MacPhail period. It seemed there was always a leak.

If, like Voth, he has a secret wipe out pitch that just needs some assistance from the Orioles staff, ok, but there are better options on the FA market, and I am not sure he is much of an upgrade over what they have in the current rotation mix.

Yes, which is why I think the Orioles will wait at least one more year before locking up either AR or GH, though I could see Henderson rejecting a long term deal due to his agent. Franco's situation is also a warning against young players getting long term deals.

Except I never advocated the approach you outline in paragraph 2. I wouldn't recommend Richie Martin for the 2 spot, but on the current Os, Mancini would be better off at 3 than 2. He would have topped 100 RBIs had that been the case. Best lineup would have Alberto at 2 against LHP and Hayes against RHP with Villar leading off.

I've never understood the fascination with the best hitter at #2. Ripken is spot on. It used to be you wanted a guy at #2 that could get the leadoff man to third if that guy got on base and stole second.

I'm hoping 46.

I was really getting worried about this team out of the All Star Break. They were showing life, had a winning record, and were seemingly getting better. They won a few close games and were on a roll going into the first Yankees series. When would the madness stop? Happy to say that this team has finally manned up and are back to being the best losing team they can be. The 1st pick is still in reach. Last night's game was beautiful. A blown no-hitter, a terrible play at second to create a snowball inning, timely hitting by the other team to drive in runs, key strike outs by the Os with men on base. This was the 2019 Os I have grown to love. They lost to a terrible team in a terrible way, showing that they have the heart to finish the job they started early in the season. September 13-16 is going to make the season. Can the Os prove that they have what it takes to be the worst team in baseball, or are they going to let the Tigers swoop in and take the trophy? Hyde needs to get Davis on the field for every play for the remainder of the season. Time is running out. Failure to act now could result in the second pick. Don't let that happen.

For years, we were told that McPhail and Co. wanted to "Grow the arms and buy the bats." These never really worked out as several high level Os pitching prospects flamed out. "There is no such thing as a pitching prospect" became a favorite mantra on this board. Did McPhail have it wrong? Is the Houston model the correct way to build a franchise? They have grown virtually all of their dominant hitters while their rotation has been "bought" via trade or FA, and via trade with mostly hitting prospects. Is this the path Elias will pursue in the future? It seems so, as the Os took more position players than pitchers in the first half of draft. Does the current model of play invite this strategy? This is now a hitters league, and with the new model for starters--pray for five innings and hand it off to the pen--becoming the norm, or with the "opener," is this the best path for the Os?

I'll take the bag of balls. But also look at the Rays. They often trade productive players because they know those guys won't be producing enough when the Rays are competitive.

The problem: Every Orioles pitcher is a marginal starter on another MLB club, including Cobb who has battled injuries and would be probably a #3 at best on a good team. Cash would be a #4 or #5 and Bundy would be in the pen at best. That is really where he belongs. He could throw harder and get through an inning or two without much damage, maybe. In other words, the Os have no talent, and it will be 2-3 years before they have any of the exciting prospects ready to really contribute for the ML club. This really isn't hard to see. They should be trading everyone unless they think that guy will be here and productive in 2022. I wouldn't bring up anybody this year. Let them all play in the minors.

I have been waiting since Opening Day for last place. But the Os still have work to do. Last place is not the same as worst record in baseball.

No, I prefer their version to the one being used by Cobra Kai.

Tonight's performance really restored my faith in this team. They pitched to their capabilities. Keep it up. This is what every fan wants to see when they head to the Yard or turn on MLB.TV. I think we should make "Cruel Summer" from Karate Kid (or Cobra Kai for you youngsters) the theme song for what is going to be a LONG but very productive baseball season.

Mullins is great for the rebuild. Play him everyday and we are assured the #1 pick. The only problem I see is that we aren't playing Rickard right next to him all the time. Playing Smith and Mancini is just stupid. DFA Smith, trade Trey, and play Joey Nobats.

You clearly aren't a real fan. Getting swept would be beautiful. The Os need to put on their big boy pants and go out there and give up that big three run jack, that clutch hit, have a bullpen implosion, and have Davis get over his new found ability to hit a baseball and lose three in a row.

This is more like it. The team played to expectations today. Davis was back to his usual self, the team forgot how to hit for most of the game, and the pen gave up a timely home run. The only problem: John Means did not get the memo. That guy needs to spend a little more time with Bundy in order to work on his HR rate. One run over 5 innings is not acceptable. But overall a good day. The Royals and Rockies both got or will get Ws and the Os pull closer to that elusive worst record. Heck, with Tiger Woods winning the Masters today, the Os can party like its 1998-2011.

Just when I thought it was going to be okay, Davis has 3 hits and somehow the Orioles play below expectations. This team needs to wake up, get out of the slump. Bullpen puts away the Red Sox, too. The Os are now 3 games behind the Marlins and Royals. We are letting this beautiful opportunity slip away.

Their performance so far tonight has rekindled my faith in their abilities. No hits through 3. Awesome.

They don't seem to get the message. The Royals are out playing the Os this year....again. 5-8 is not acceptable. We are 2.5 games behind for the #1 pick next year. Why in the heck isn't Davis playing every day, particularly against lefties? Why is Hyde pulling pitchers after giving up five or six bombs in a game? Mancini needs to take a seat after one or two ABs. While we're at it, why isn't Davis playing 3B? These guys need to get with it. Our perfect season is already slipping away, and it's only April.

I would go with five maybe seven: Fry (maybe) Wright Sucre (maybe) Davis Martin Ruiz Mullins Davis, of course, is the biggest problem, because of the contract, but with an almost negative 3 WAR, anyone would be better (Diaz??) and it could be justified by saying they are making Davis's salary. Davis is done. No one would put him on either an ML or MIL roster. There shouldn't be a worry about someone else "fixing" him. He is not a ML player any longer with the bat. Glove, yes. Bat, no.