Explosivo

What will be really funny is if Hall outperforms Rodriguez on the mound as a starter. Hall has an incredible arm. If he be more consistent with it, look out.

Yeah I think we make a trade at the deadline too potentially. Between Ortiz, norby, Westburg, Stowers, hays and Santander… my money is maybe hays and Ortiz. Sell high. Hays is interesting as he usually has a great first half and maybe we could carry that potential to a team who is looking for an outfielder. Santander is interesting too as his bat is special but he is limited defensively. Ortiz did turn it around with the bat but will that translate to the majors. Westburg and Norby’s bat are legit but their defense needs improvement. What a position to be in to have such a talent pool to really make a non desperate move.

I like Westburg a lot but he's not a first baseman, has never played first baseman in the minors nor did he in college. He has zero experience. There's no way I'd be more comfortable with a guy who has no experience at the major league level playing a position he probably never even played in high school vs a guy who has played in many postseasons on different teams and in World Series games. That's kinda nuts my dude. I think we see Westburg this year eventually and the trade deadline will determine that factor. His time would be better spent in AAA with regular at bats and waiting for the opportunity to play at second than to sit on the bench playing sparingly behind Mountcastle.

Just a sign he's getting old my dude. Where in it did you get the impression I was saying his back was failing? The cubs would offer him a better chance at playing time but a worse chance at making the playoffs. If you look at all the moves Elias has done, one thing is clear. He is looking for veterans who have had experience playing in the playoffs. He is looking for mentors to the young roster just as much as he is looking for meaningful production on the field. Hosmer has to choose between more playing time on a fledging club, or a possible run and special season with the O's with less at bats. Last year, he proved he can hit left handed pitching for average and we all know Camden Yards is a left handed hitter's ballpark. Perhaps something clicked and Elias and his analytics team have picked up on that. Time will tell. But the point remains, focus on the strengths, maximize potential, and sometimes playing less but healthy is better than playing every day. It's up to Hosmer to choose. The cubs do have more of an opening at first so if he wants the at bats without anything to show for it, the cubs are the probable destination. They did also sign Bellinger. Say Mountcastle gets hurt, who would you rather have as his backup? Franchy Cordero or Hosmer? I'd go with Hosmer though I think the O's definitely have something to work with with Cordero. Experience making it to the postseason and playing in huge games is always a plus to add to a very young roster. Further, he had a down year offensively last year but still had a higher OBP and average than Mountcastle. I like Mountcastle a lot, but adding depth at first from a guy who has similar projections as your starter is quality.

On the contrary, I think it's best for both players. Hosmer is not an everyday batter. He's older, his back really ended his season on a bad note with a back injury. I think it's best for him to maximize his greatest utility and that's mashing left handed pitching. Mountcastle is still a young player. He had slumps and protecting your asset in that way as well is smart as well. Reducing the work load and stress on young players and setting your lineup up to maximize your chance of winning on each day is how you get the best out of all situations and make it to the playoffs. This lesson works the same way for players like Hays as well. Platoons were commonplace in Orioles lore. I'm excited to see us get back to doing so again. Ford/Dwyer, Shelby/Bumbry, Nolan/Dempsey, Lowenstein/Roenike baby! I also didn't mean to suggest that Weaver was our manager in 83, only that we won then utilizing concepts he conceived.

Hosmer is the perfect guy left on the board to help Mountcastle with a platoon. Play Hosmer at first vs lefties and Ryan vs righties. We are about to go old school with platoons out the ass like the Earl Weaver days. 83 is coming boys. Can you sense it?

I think Holt’s number one priority will be working on his change up. The slider is special already and with more time throwing he will find the command for it as well. He needs that change up though. Hopefully when Wacha joins the club he can impart his knowledge of how to throw a masterful change up.

Wacha is an Aggie and a really good kid. Saw him pitch down in Texas at the time. He'd be a good fit in Baltimore with our young club and the Texas connection with Grayson, would be a great mentor role as well. They both would have been Aggies. Somehow I think that might put us over the top even if only a one year deal.

My gut feeling is Wacha will be an Oriole sooner than later.

Yes absolutely. Be patient guys. This will be a fun year of development. We will get younger. We will see what our youth can do, some for a full season. This is the year where we learn a lot and likely the projections will hold and we will find ourselves playing in the postseason. Can’t wait to see what these baby birds can do. Lyles would be fun. Wacha would be a fun get. Eovaldi would be interesting but the QO has me thinking Elias won’t go for it unless heavily discounted.

First of all, we can quibble over the quality of hitters he’s faced, for example some have even had more of a cup of coffee like Mercedes, but that only partially illustrates how far off the mark most of you are. Most of y’all here frankly don’t deserve what Elias and Sig and Blood and Holt and Rosenbaum have built here in short order. You don’t respect it and you sure as hell don’t understand it. No matter how well they draft, no matter how far ahead of the curve our young talent is, no matter how much our coaches get out of our kids, you just won’t ever believe and trust what they are doing. It’s hilarious if it weren’t so damned depressing. You belly ache and moan over decisions well out of your control and sure as hell out of theirs. You gloss over Gibson choosing the O’s with similar contracts in place by our rivals. Does Toronto wanting to sign him for similar money mean anything to you? And if other pitchers decide to go elsewhere than the O’s is that Elias’ fault? we are young and largely unproven but this will be the last year that moniker will befall us and even with your rainy day parade pissy attitudes, the O’s will continue to prove you wrong, just as they did last year. None of you saw what was coming except those who understand the plan. Most of you seriously can’t grasp how good you have it. Our farm system is number one by miles. We are loaded with talent both in the field and in the bullpen. These guys will continue to progress and make their way up. Until then, we need another stop gap pitcher. Wacha or Lyles will do. We need another backup catcher. Hedges will do and we need another stop gap corner outfielder, there’s a few of those that will do. This is not the year to burn money. The Astros showed you the way. Now is the time to build experience. Now is the time to see what these kids can do, not block their trajectory.

And also, most of you guys who are pessimists were also pessimistic last year too. I told y’all we were going to compete last year and surprise, I was proven right. Some of y’all just don’t get what Elias is building. To that, just look at the Astros. Trust the projections by Sig. How many high school draft picks turn AAA-MLB capable players do you need to see before you realize Sig and Elias know their stuff? Hall and Rodriguez are not slouches. Rodriguez especially has ace quality stuff and if he weren’t hurt last year, we would have made the playoffs. Some of y’all I get the feeling are old men yells at cloud type guys and nothing could be good enough for ya. It’s honestly a bit of a personality defect that bleeds into sports more than your clear and concise ideas for the future of 2023. Because of this, your thoughts are discounted and should be taken with gallons of salt. All good though, carry on sky screechers.

Austin hedges is more of a priority than Brantley. Brantley’s best days are behind him

He had the same offer. He chose us. Listen to his interview.

And yet we got Kyle Gibson who also looked at either us or Toronto and chose us. I think the Orioles just need to do more with their young prospects to convince pitchers taking their last contracts on where to sign.

You’re not wrong.

Could be a sub in for a guy like Krehbel who really regressed at the tail end of the season.

Fans like you are tough listens.

Looks like we are going to again be proactive in the rule 5 draft especially in light of the ridiculous free agent market, lots of good possibilities to be had on this front. Here's an interesting discussion on the topic:

Or Quintana, that would be fine too.

4 years for basitt is basically untenable. It’s a non starter. Locks you in on a pitcher for 1-2 years of quality and a likely drop off in quality after. No need to do that. We need short deals. Honestly, the big boys going off the board will help us. Rodon and Verlander will likely be signed before we do anything. Eovaldi would be an interesting get and the QO would also drive his price and the market for his talents down. With our drafting and our farm system we can risk losing a pick especially since we will likely make that up with either Grayson or Gunnar as rookies of the year. It’d be an interesting gamble and he’s younger than the rest.

Dudes, Gibson is a steal at the value we got him for. We got a better lyles for half the cost. Amazing. Gibson had one of the worst defenses last year which explains his rough era. He’s a groundball pitcher and with our defense he is going to rebound tremendously. We aren’t done adding pieces and I am curious which direction we go but I highly doubt it’ll be Rodon. He will just be too expensive. I think we play chicken a bit and let the market play out a bit and see which teams spend their major money first. Once the big chips fall, there will be less competition for some real potential starters. Anyway, Gibson is a steal yall.

1 year contract for a guy like that who potentially could get his swing back in a park that is designed for his style and a left field that’s basically center field. I say go for it. He’s a stop gap that’s low risk very high reward. Plus he has experience in the post season and I think might be a good fit in the clubhouse. Hell, maybe getting out of LA will be good for the fella. I dunno.

looks like I’m not the only guy who still wants to give Belli a chance. I’m telling you, a one year deal, all the incentives in the world for the guy to do well to get that big deal and a ballpark meant to maximize his skill set. Let’s make it happen. 1 year 7 million with massive incentives that could go to 11 million at the most.

Astros apparently think otherwise on abreu. Odd that they think he will be good for three more years. Seems like a stretch but they know way more than I.