Alasdaire

Many are willing to concede that Frazier shouldn't start and is bad in the field, so his utility is recast as a platoon/pinch hitter (and some have even whispered he's "clutch") against righties. Well, we saw it today. Down by one run in the bottom of the ninth inning and Adam Frazier is called in as a pinch hitter against a RHP. Hard liner for the final out. He was put in for McCann, which fine. But McCann presumably isn't playing much in October. So how many guys are you pulling for Frazier in the playoffs? Is that a way you're comfortable going down?

Gunnar made the kind of error today that would give any manager night terrors going into October. Tie game in the ninth inning, and Gunnar takes a ground ball that many shortstops turn into an out into a questionable spin move wild throw into the dugout to gift the Rockies the equivalent of a leadoff double. A couple more ground balls to advance and score the runner and the O's lose by one. I seriously wonder how comfortable Hyde is with Gunnar at short in the playoffs. Is it unfair to expect that a big league shortstop knows the pitcher on the mound (Yennier) is an extreme ground ball pitcher and so putting that ball in your pocket or at least sacrificing some mustard on the throw for the sake of accuracy are acceptable outcomes because it preserves the double play? Shortstop has far more responsibilities than third. That position is more than just physicality, and a rookie is prone to making mental mistakes. 10 errors on the year for Gunnar.

I think it was lost when the guy playing the most important position on the field turned a potential out into a leadoff double with in a tied game in the ninth.

It's especially bad by Gunnar because Cano induces so many ground balls that just eating the ball and letting the guy reach turns the subsequent groundballs from advancing and scoring the runner to inducing a double play.

That run is on Gunnar. Cannot do that at shortstop in the playoffs.

I don't think we disagree on much here. I recognize the faults in DL, and it's fair to mention that I didn't point them out. And I've been critical of Fuji from his very first pitch as an Oriole when he telegraphed a meatball to Siri in Tampa. My point was just that I think some people were so laser focused on criticizing the front office for not having acquired a reliever from outside of the organization that they overlooked the options we have internally. If Elias had traded for a guy with DL's profile, people probably would have been excited. Maybe you wouldn't have if you would have preferred a more reliable reliever, but people have been tripping over themselves to praise Fuji since the day he was acquired, and DL is more talented than that. DL surprised a bit with his velo tonight, so hopefully he surprises with the command going forward too.

The demise of Yennier was much exaggerated! Still don't love him in the perma closer role, but his adjustment has been awesome to watch.

Yeah, his fastball is more wicked than the velo even gives credit for.

Yes because there are a ton of 24 year old lefties who touch 100 with multiple secondaries who also don't have control issues and are available.

Umps gotta meet their quota to stave off the robots.

Hey people were geeked about Fuji, and he's basically the same exact profile except five years older and a righty.

For the people critical that Elias didn't acquire another reliever at the deadline, how about this addition of a 24 year old lefty who throws 100 and has multiple secondaries?

DL getting Hyde's trademarked baptism by fire treatment.

Money Mansolino strikes again!

If Adley is chewing you out, there's a 100% chance you done messed up.

Two runs on balls hit to Tovar with a guy on third. That's some good luck.

Almost 150 PAs with an OPS above 1.000 since he came back.

Ramon so silky smooth with it.

I will say that I don't think there should be deference to the call on the field there. Just call it how you see it on review.

Tovar is going to be an incredible shortstop for a long time.

I would rather not put Yennier in the closer role yet. MASN showed a graphic recently showing how dramatically he has changed his pitch selection/location since the beginning of the season. Which is understandable given that he's a rookie who experienced a ton of success early before the league adjusted. I don't think the ninth inning is an good spot to be tinkering with your approach. Ditto with Fuji. Put a finished product like Danny there for the time being.

My thoughts exactly. Also I feel like Elias has had this grand plan with the bullpen that would come together toward the end of the season. Cano bounces back as the 8th inning guy, Fuji/Webb emerge for the 7th, Perez/Coulombe become dependable enough as lefties, and Hall/Means/Well come in as cavalry. Probably felt it crumbling when the anchor of it all got hurt.

This gives me hope lol.

Kind of interesting to see him testy for the first time I can remember. This could be reading too much into it, but he looked stressed last night after Felix was taken out too. Usually cool and collected.

I get that, and I understand I'm verging on woo-woo territory. But I think the innings they impact aren't fully accounted for in an analysis that purely compares the value of one player to another. The game literally ends and the result is directly transformed from a win to a loss if they don't perform. I haven't even fully convinced myself, just a thought experiment.