TommyPickles

Ramon Urias tied Manny Machado in votes on Fielding Bible. He was named the second best (defensive) third baseman in the AL.

2.4 WAR player in 2021 with a .727 OPS and a plus glove. But, still. Why? Can't we just watch Stowers, McKenna, and Diaz? Are we trading Mullins or something?

So it seems like the overall take from the Hangout is: -Mancini trade netted a slightly better than expected return. -Lopez trade netted a slightly worse than expected return, especially considering he wasn't a free agent until 2025. More or less?

Bad timing for Mancini to be on an 0-23 stretch, or whatever it is...

Just walk this guy. Make someone else beat you. Especially when you have a runner on second and first base is open. He's the best hitter on the planet.

I've been saying it since last year! Urias will be the starting second baseman on our next playoff team.

Before this season started, I thought Akin and Kremer were toast.

Wander Franco and Kevin Kiermaier will be on the IL for this series. That bodes well for the O's...

For what its worth, MLBTradeRumors said they don't think the O's would get a Top 100 prospect for Trey: "Still, as an impending free agent with defensive limitations, he won’t bring back an eye-popping return. Baltimore almost certainly wouldn’t recoup a prospect generally regarded as a top 100 caliber player in a deal. In all likelihood, they’d land a couple of players most evaluators view as middle-tier prospects from another organization." I think there is an argument to be made for keeping Trey based on the intangible benefits he'll have on this young team throughout the rest of the season (confidence, experience, etc.). The argument doesn't need to be about the fans. There is a baseball case for hanging on to Trey. (There is, of course, also a baseball case for trading him.)

Fair point. And the 2022 O's are not the 2019 Nats. But, the math remains favorable for wild card teams in MLB compared to other sports. In the last 20 years, a wildcard team has gone on to win the WS a staggering 30% of the time. For contrast, in the NBA, a 7th or 8th seed team has never won the NBA Championship... If you make the MLB playoffs, you may win the World Series.

There is quite a bit of statistical analysis showing that MLB's playoffs are a crapshoot. A wildcard team or high seed has a dramatically higher chance of becoming champions, compared to a sport like hockey or basketball. The 2019 Nationals were a (mediocre) wild card team that went on to win the World Series. Before finishing the regular season 9-1, very few people would have even considered them one of the top 10 teams in baseball. Even with that hot finish, they only had the 8th or 9th best record. Not saying we should bet the farm on 2022, but if the O's make it as a wildcard team, they absolutely have a shot at the whole thing.

I like your style. Also, Baseball-Reference now gives the O's a 6.1% chance at making the postseason in 2022, so Why Not?

I think it has become completely clear that we should be competing for a playoff spot in 2023.

Urias has gotten on base in every game since his return from injury. The O's have won each of those games. He has been worth 3.5 WAR over his first 148 games as an Oriole. Pencil this man in at 2B for the next few years. Gimme an infield of: Mountcastle, Urias, Henderson, and Westburg.

Now 20-15 since the 6-game losing streak.

The O's are 13-12. I feel like if you zoom out a bit, this season is going surprisingly well. A few things to consider: -The O's have the lowest payroll in MLB this year. Roughly $30 million. -The O's have one of the toughest schedules in baseball. The AL East towers over every other division at the moment. -The O's lost their best pitcher, Means, and their best pitching prospect, Rodriquez, to season ending injuries. Yet, despite all this, the O's have a .429 Win%. We have a better record than 7 other franchises. We have better attendance than 7 other franchises. Mountcastle and Hays are ascending. Rutschman and Stowers have made it to the bigs. We've found a closer. (Hopefully) Means, Rodriquez, and Hall will all be in the rotation next season... The playoffs have been expanded so that FORTY PERCENT of teams make it!? We won't have to play nearly as many division games next year. We're not that far off. Go O's.

https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1532143569498152967 His slider is filthy, at least. But, yea, these fastball numbers are not super promising.

Ramon Urias could easily start 100 games at 2B for the Orioles in 2023. He's been worth 3.5 bWAR over 144 games with the O's. He'll be 28 at the start of next season.

I think Lopez is most likely. Followed by Mancini. Then Hays. Then Perez. Hays doesn't have the name recognition of Mancini.

I could see offering Mancini the JJ Hardy extension: 3 years, $40 million. If he says no, we tried.

Among all qualified DH's in MLB, Trey is: 2nd in hits (61) 3rd in OBP (.374) 3rd in Avg. (.303) 5th in OPS (.822)

I mean, I do feel like this team is more watchable than what we've seen in recent years. Younger, higher ceiling, etc. Plus announcers talking up their product is nothing new. Mike Bordick used to do this kind of thing all the time. He'd say things like "He really is one of the elite outfielders.." And he'd be talking about FELIX PIE!

I far prefer Melanie Newman.

I feel bad for Mancini. Last night was the first time all season I thought to myself, "You know, this wall is too high." Melanie Newman pointed out that there are balls that have flown on to Lansdowne Street outside of Fenway that would have not cleared The Great Wall of Camden. I don't like the idea of balls being homers in all 29 stadiums except ours. Freaking Wall-timore man...

Urias has an .821 OPS over the past 14 days. I've said it once, I'll say it again, I really think he could be starting at second base in our next playoff game. Underrated player.