IPlayGM

I think it is starting to become clearer what they will do. I would assume Urias and Mateo will not return next year. Norby will be traded. The scenario where Henderson, Holliday, Westburg and Ortiz man your 3 IF positions plus occasional DH is really optimal. Mayo plays a little more at AAA, and then see how that plays out with Mounty maybe being the guy that goes when he is ready. Outfield will be interesting too, are they willing to part with Santander to give Heston his place. That’s the most interesting question for me this off-season.

As much as it would be an anti-Hyde move, right now I don’t see Gibson making the postseason roster. Only way is if you put multiple long guys in the bullpen, which I guess could be a strategy, especially since we have zero guys reliable to do that in our current bullpen.

I think I might disagree with you on this point. While I get frustrated with him, I actually think he works well with the positional talent we have, and what is coming. Most of these guys are solid to high OBP players, so pairing that with a guy who has a lower OBP but higher contact to damage ratio actually works well. The issue has been that he was one of 5-6 low OBP guys in the lineup, and hitting in a premium spot.

I guess it feels different when you put names and numbers to it. Take Snell for instance, who you have been a big fan of (as have I). By definition I would say he is not an ace, but that dude is getting well over 100 mil this off-season in the current market. Os aren’t going there. So then as you slide down the list, you have to ask yourself at what point does the player value/monetary value make it better just to take what you have? I would like them to spend the money on guys like that in the right circumstances, but all the tea leaves just point to it not happening.

Makes sense for roster construction for Santander and Urias to go. Santander is getting expensive and Heston is a similar profile. Urias is a RH bat who doesn’t hit lefties well. Hays might stick just because he can be the balance to the LH bats we have in the outfield. Although I’m not sure if you keep him that Hyde wouldn’t still play him as much as possible.

I was at the game last night sitting on the left field line. Hays is not right, not even close. I’m not sure if it is a foot issue, but he cannot move right now. No idea how/if it is affecting him at the plate, but it doesn’t look good.

To be fair, Westburg is faster than McKenna, and he was PR for by Mateo and we all saw how well that worked out.

Thanks for the link, that’s pretty amazing. I think I am equally amazed that he has some decent spread from BA and OBP. Historically when he goes on these tears it is almost entirely BA dependent.

Kremer is a lock. Remind me again of the new rules…are we only able to add 2 players?

It was interesting what Ben was saying last night about the lack of difference in mph with the fastball/splitter. Saying that throwing it 95 seems nice but in all actuality he needs to place it even better. I’m not sure that is completely accurate or not but I hadn’t thought about it like that.

So fun when that place is full and rocking. Playoff game in 2012 ranks as my top live sports memory.

Man what a jinx thread….. (But I agree with OP!!)

Good post, and got me thinking. Could the Orioles be the team that swings the pendulum back from the current home run or bust mindset of the league? They are certainly bucking the trend in many ways, and it remains to be seen if other teams will attempt to mimic this model going forward. That would be different for us Os fans!!!

I’m happy with Kremer in his role, and think he is doing fine. I do wonder, however, if we were to add talent to the starting rotation, what he would look like as a back end bullpen guy, with his velocity playing up. I don’t think it’s likely we ever find that out, but it has crossed my mind.

Enjoyable reading…go back a few pages and read until current post: Os Win: Kremer is a gamer, a grinder. Os Lose: back of the rotation, sucks, replace him. Pretty funny.

Kenny Lofton is a helluva lot better comp than Hamilton, so sign me up for that!

It will be really interesting as he progresses to see who this guy really is, and if his hit tool is enough to be a MLB impact….certainly seems like the speed and D will play. I have nothing to go on but what I read here, but I am wondering is this guy Billy Hamilton, or can the hit tool make him better?

Give him time, he probably will.

I obviously agree that he has not looked great, and there are many things that he needs to improve on. Where I will disagree is that he can go to AAA to improve them. He was hitting .330 there, how is he going to go down and improve? It has been stated that it is a big adjustment for outfielders and the second deck, how will he improve that in AAA. We are in a spot where improvement won’t happen unless it happens at the big league level, and I agree that the patience for that improvement will most likely not be there.

And he has to feel that way mentally to do that, which to me is an even better sign.

I guess I would say so what? There are enough guys there that can play if he continues to struggle. I don’t see that he is hurting us overall right now, we have been great post all star break. To me the risk of that is mitigated by all the other guys who could start over him. Especially if Mateo is the one to go.

To your bolded comment, sure you can. This team is three clear up top, and has plenty of contributors to let Cowser struggle through. If the powers that be feel that he can/will work through these things in time for September/October, then you let him be. I know that they don’t want to lose anybody, but my feeling is that playing Cowser now makes the team better in the playoffs. Therefore, that’s my vote. If it were me, when Hicks came back, that would be it for Mateo.

Mowed them down pretty effortlessly. Fastball 94-95 with good movement, change up looked like a plus pitch. We will see.

To me the question is who would help you most on a playoff roster, Cowser or McKenna? The answer is Cowser, assuming he gets going, which there is little reason to believe he won’t at some point. I option McKenna knowing who he is and what he provides and that at any time you can call him up and get that.

I realize that has been the pattern, but I would be surprised if it continues for him. Exception being if he has a prolonged period of struggle or just average play.