banks703

This is the only answer.

LOL ok

K.. so what is BS about what I wrote then? lol

Sure. All the time.

That may have been reported but I don’t believe that it was ever confirmed that the O’s seriously pursued Cease (or that they asked for Holliday in return). The White Sox are a dumpster fire so it wouldn’t surprise me though. Cease is their best asset. It would do more for their organization to trade him for multiple high level prospects (and possibly get major league level talent back) than to ask for one guy back in a trade for Cease. That’s why I think the O’s match up with them for a potential off-season move. They didn’t have to move Cease in-season so they could ask for the world but now that they have new leadership in Chris Getz, I expect them to make more sound moves.

He already posted that he was being facetious.

Oh. LOL

All fair but I still think they would improve by upgrading his spot. He’s eaten the innings they paid him to eat. He’s won 15 games with a chance at 16. They could do worse than his 39th ranked 4.86 ERA but I think they could also do a lot better. Plus he’ll be 36. Can they count on him for another 175ish innings? That’s his calling card.

At some point early in the season I posted that if he could throw 175 innings of 5ish (or maybe my ask was sub 5h ERA) that he would be worth the $10 million. He’s definitely been worth it as far as the innings eating goes. I still think that they need to upgrade his rotation spot in the off-season.

If they can’t upgrade Gibson’s spot in the rotation, I’d be open to bringing him back on a one-year deal to eat innings. I just really hope that they make an effort to upgrade that rotation slot.

I am not taking anything away from what they’ve done this year and I certainly believe that they are going to continue to perform at these levels but I don’t want the O’s going into the off-season thinking that they don’t need pitching. They do. Everyone needs pitching. With the four guys who are penciled into the staff next year it doesn’t really make sense (with the decreased payroll) to prioritize a number 4 (at best) starter. I love the staff but I’m not silly to think that they don’t need to upgrade it and if they’re going to do so, they should be looking for a legit dude. No offense to Kyle Gibson.

I don’t think that is necessarily true. There is plenty of talent both at the ML level and in prospects that they could use to go after someone and there are going to be TOR starters on the market like Snell and Kershaw (though not likely to leave LA). Plus other guys who fit the bill like Nola or Duffy would be upgrades to the current staff. Bradish and GrayRod have had nice seasons and I am super excited by their development but it’s only one year (and in GrayRod’s case it’s half a year) of top half of a rotation production. Let’s see them repeat these performances before we declare anything like it’d take Jackson Holliday to acquire someone better. A bonafide Ace doesn’t mean that it has to be a Strider or an Alcantara. Guys like Cease, Burns or E-Rod would be major upgrades from Gibson, though I hope they don’t kick the tires on E-Rod. I look at John Means as a guy who could potentially anchor their staff next year. I want them shooting for the stars.

This would be ideal but I doubt that happens. Maybe. They do some funky stuff sometimes but they’re on the verge of winning 100 games so maybe I should just STFU and let them do whatever they’re going to do.

I do fear that a little bit though I don’t think that either of Bradish, GrayRod, Gibson or even Kremer suffered from the layoff during the All-Star Break. The way that GrayRod, Bradish and Means (Hell even Gibson) are throwing right now I almost don’t want them to have a break but I can’t believe that they don’t need one. The post-season is not for the faint hearted.

I don’t put his return out of the realm of possibilities but in my eyes they need to go after a true, legit, #1 caliber, Ace of your staff quality pitcher to go with Bradish, GrayRod, Means and Kremer. I hope that is priority number 1 this off-season. I hope that signing aging vet starters is officially a thing of the past for them.

With the way the O’s have played Toronto this year I kinda hope that’s who they draw for the ALDS.

I think it’s possible that Flaherty and Irvin (maybe someone else) get the last three starts. It’s possible that the O’s could clinch the division on Wednesday. If that happens I don’t think we will see Bradish throw against Boston on 10/1 as the rotation and schedule currently align. I think it’s also at least conceivable that they skip Kremer’s turn on Thursday if they’ve clinched.

I’m with you but we know how much they prioritize the vets so you can pencil in Gibson for one of those starts, especially after today’s performance and even more so if they draw Toronto. The remaining games will go: 9/26 Was Bradish 9/27 Was Rodriguez 9/28 Bos Kremer 9/29 Bos Means 9/30 Bos Gibson 10/1 Bos Bradish The division round starts 10/7, which would give them plenty of time to set up their three starters for whatever order that they prefer. I agree with you that GrayRod should be one of the top 3 but if they draw Toronto I will not be surprised to see Kremer get the ball in one of the games because he flat-out dominated the Jays this year. Edit: If the O’s win their next two and Tampa loses one of their next two, that pushes the O’s lead in the division to four games in the loss column. Tampa could not beat them for the division title. Perhaps if that plays out they will skip some turns in the rotation to give extra rest.

Now we’re talking.

I really think it’ll depend on who they draw. If it’s the Jays, it’d be hard to argue with Gibson’s body of work this season against the Jays (2.14 ERA over 21 innings) although Bradish was equally impressive with his 2.57 ERA over 14 innings. Had he not ran into some trouble these last few starts a case could even be made for Kremer’s 1.56 ERA over 17 1/3 IP against the Jays this year. if it’s the Jays I imagine they’ll go Bradish, Gibson, Kremer though I could see a case for GrayRod because he’s been so good the second half. Hell, even Meansy could get a look.

I am satisfied by Gibson and Means throwing nearly 15 of the last 18 innings.

I am in no way disagreeing with any of this info or making any legitimate argument for guys with lower K-rates. I was only stating that I would take a 1-pitch pop-out over a 3-pitch strikeout.

I am not sure that I agree with a K being the best out, especially not when arm injuries continue to increase. There is a world of data behind the increased intensity of a pitcher hunting strike 3 in a two-strike count. To me, a 1-pitch pop-out is the perfect out. Not that it would ever happen but a pitcher could throw a perfect game with only 27 pitches if every out was recorded on a 1-pitch pop-out. It’d take 81 pitches to get there with strikeouts. Stakeouts are sexy but in today’s game, I want my pitchers pitching deepest into games, which almost always means throwing less pitches. Give me the guy that can get outs on the lowest number of pitches. I’ll take that guy all day everyday.

Without Felix, I just want them to match up. If the data suggests that Cano is the better option then go with Cano. If it suggests that Cionel, Danny, Fuji, etc is the better option then go with the data. What I don’t want them to do is to commit Cano to the ninth (or save situation) simply because he’s Cano and they have titled him The Closer. I love what Hyde did last night, matching up Cano before Cionel. That is what I would like to see going forward.

I still suggest that it should come down to the matchups. Cano has his place but I am not comfortable anointing him the 9th inning guy no matter what like it seems they attempted to do with him when Felix went down.