Gentile4

That seems way low given what I've seen.

I can't help but wonder whether Kjerstadt or Stowers might not be a better option over Hays at this point.

Great. A 32yo middle infielder who can't hit. Meanwhile, Norby returns to Norfolk. Oh yeah, and that Holliday kid.

My concern w/O'Hearn is that he's had two good years w/four bad years separating those good years.

So I just read that Flaherty is "betting on himself" with his new Tiger's contract which begs the question - what the hell was he doing during his stint w/the Os.

I coached high school fast pitch for a long time, and between innings of a close game, the umpire pulled my catcher aside to talk. He told her to stop insulting his intelligence with exaggerated pitch framing, that he's familiar with the strike zone. I had to smile. I don't understand why umps don't call out the catchers in MLB.

I'm more inclined to retire Dave McNally's number than Mussina's.

Is that what I said? Man, your critical reading skills need work.

I do it all the time, purely for amusement. My favorite, however, is going on Cleveland Browns boards after they meltdown yet again.

After only four pitches, why would you not let Baker start the 9th?

Does Mateo have options? He's still relatively young, and perhaps a decent offensive stretch at Norfolk could bring a useful middle reliever.

Two things keep coming back to me. 1. We have a lot of infielders who have hit well in the minor leagues. None, other than Gunnar, have shown they can hit in the majors. Time will tell, but it's not a given. 2. Didn't Mateo win a Gold Glove last season, or the equivalent?

Mateo at least brings solid defense to the table which justifies occasional playing time. I'm done w/the Frazier experiment.

There's little chance Mountcastle's left off the roster once he's healthy.

Still, in this day and age, that's not terrible for a power hitter.

Any time McCann is the DH, that's a problem.

I could be wrong about this, but many of those games that featured Chirinos in the lineup were days when it seemed Hyde was just packing it in and giving everyone a rest. Almost as if he really didn't expect to win that game.

I don't understand what anyone sees in Phillips. I like McKenna as a 4th/5th outfielder who gets maybe 150 PA's for the season, but that's it. Which offensive Mullins is the real Cedric? Regardless, it's going to be tough to upgrade his overall performance as the everyday centerfielder. Santander made a case to be the primary DH, and Hays' numbers indicate he had an okay season. I agree, Stowers has to be an everyday player, and it appears he's better and more comfortable in right. We're talking about 13 position players, two of whom will be catchers. Vavra has to be on the team, and since Urias can also play short, Vavra being limited to 2B/OF isn't that much of a deterrent given his on base skills.

I'm not up on all the nuances of the 40-man, but is there a reason to not bring up Westburg other than releasing someone like Nevin?

If Urias is done for the season, who takes his place?

Really? That's how you interpret "everyday?" When's the last time an Oriole played 162 games?

I'm perfectly happy pencilling him in as the everyday DH next season. He's clearly lost a few steps in the outfield, but he can play there occasionally if needed. For a team that has struggled to generate much of an offense for much of the year, I'm not inclined to trade the top power hitter on the club. Unlike some, I question what we'd actually get in a trade for him should we go that route, and though the organization has accumulated some young depth pieces to use in a package deal, I'm not in a hurry to lose them before we get a chance to see what we have.

What about Westburg, and is there any reason to delay DFA'ing Odor and Aguilar?

1966 hands down. Not even close.

That was the most pitches he's thrown in an outing, but that said, I have faith the manager has his players' best interests at heart. But when you get this close, you have to win every game possible and worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Maybe moving forward let Akin pitch more than 1.0-1.3 which is how he's been used lately.