Offense, not pitching is going to be the key to 2011

[Flosman]

What I think will be interesting is if the O's win say 88 games will the naysayers give AM credit for filling the holes or will they want to lynch him for not doing enough?

[Sports Guy]

Luckily for us MacPhail added maybe 100 runs of offense in acquiring Lee, Hardy, and Reynolds, and the O's kept all of their young hitters who're likely to improve just through experience.

Conservatively I think you can project the 2011 O's to score 125 more runs than last year. It's possible they score 150 or 175 more.

Adding a guy like Vlad or Thome might add another 10, 15, 20 runs to that, while sacrificing defense, flexibility, and money. It's bizarre that anyone would think adding a net 10 run/1 win player is the difference between contention and bitter disappointment.

Not to mention, by adding one of those players you are taking away at bats from Reimold and Pie and I think we should see what those guys can give..assuming one or both can stay healthy.

I see no reason to take oppurtunity away from Tillman, Pie and Reimold this offseason...at least if we are taking it away with older players that have no long term effect on the team.

If you are going to trade one of them or trade Scott, then ok, I am on board with adding vets...But if not, stay with what you have and see what the young guys have.

If those guys can stay healthy and get a lot of time in the majors, you should have a good grasp on whether or not you want them here long term or not...and knowing that is pretty important IMO...much more important than seeing what Damon/Vlad/Thome and a Millwood clone will give you in a non-contending season.

[Aurelius]

After giving this serious consideration... I think they're both equally important!

OK now what do I win?

[ShaneDawg85]

After giving this serious consideration... I think they're both equally important!

OK now what do I win?

Two front row tickets to an Orioles Hangout thread argument!:clap3:

[JTrea81]

You can always find stuff like this in small sample sizes.

If the Orioles have a 20 game stretch where they score 6 runs a games but give up 7 runs a game, they will likely lose more than they will win...The offense showed up there but the pitching didn't.

No doubt the offense must improve...In fact, as I said, the offense needs a larger improvement than the pitching does for us to be a 500 team. But pitching/defense is still what matters the most, especially in the playoffs.

I do think people underestimate how good our offense needs to be though.

The point is the Orioles have to get off to a good start offensively in April and May otherwise their pitching has a good chance to go south again in June and July.

The caliber of the offense influences the caliber of pitching once you get a few months in.

If the starting pitchers don't get run support, eventually they will pitch scared, knowing if they give up 3 runs they will likely lose and that will only lead to them making more mistakes.

And without run support, any mistake by your bullpen is magnified, and you will likely use them a ton to preserve leads so you have a chance to burn them out leading to reduced performance mid season and beyond.

[Sports Guy]

The point is the Orioles have to get off to a good start offensively in April and May otherwise their pitching has a good chance to go south again in June and July.

The caliber of the offense influences the caliber of pitching once you get a few months in.

This is bs.

The offense never got going last year and yet the pitching was good to end the season.

You really need to stop talking about this stuff the way you do...you really can't be any more wrong about it than you are.

Besides, offense is usually going to be down early on because of the cold weather and the ball not carrying as well.

[Crazysilver03]

And without run support, any mistake by your bullpen is magnified, and you will likely use them a ton to preserve leads so you have a chance to burn them out leading to reduced performance mid season and beyond.

If we are having to use our bullpen that much then the starting pitching is not doing what they are supposed to be doing.

The bullpen will fail if the starting pitching fails.

[Moose Milligan]

This is bs.

The offense never got going last year and yet the pitching was good to end the season.

You really need to stop talking about this stuff the way you do...you really can't be any more wrong about it than you are.

Besides, offense is usually going to be down early on because of the cold weather and the ball not carrying as well.

Agreed...but, this will get ignored or spun or something.

[Frobby]

The point is the Orioles have to get off to a good start offensively in April and May otherwise their pitching has a good chance to go south again in June and July.

So far in the poll, 65% of voters think the Orioles will score 760 runs or more. More than 90% think we'll score 720 or more. I note you haven't voted. What's your view?

I note than 721 was league average last year. However, in the AL East, all four of our competitors were at 755 or higher.

[JTrea81]

This is bs.

The offense never got going last year and yet the pitching was good to end the season.

You really need to stop talking about this stuff the way you do...you really can't be any more wrong about it than you are.

Besides, offense is usually going to be down early on because of the cold weather and the ball not carrying as well.

Confidence was huge reason the pitching went south in 2010 in June and July and why it bounced back in a major way in August and September.

I bring up the Matusz example again. How much confidence do you think he had when he had 13 starts out of 17 where he gave up 3 runs or less, and in 8 of those the offense was either shutout or only scored 1 run? He had 3 wins to show for 13 good starts. If he gave up more than 1 run or didn't pitch a shutout, he'd get a loss.

Millwood basically gave up after he didn't get any support IMO as he pitched really well to start the season.

The offense went south to start the season and the pitching which held it's own, eventually succumbed to the lack of support

Is a pep talk from Buck really going to help if that happens again?

[JTrea81]

So far in the poll, 65% of voters think the Orioles will score 760 runs or more. More than 90% think we'll score 720 or more. I note you haven't voted. What's your view?

I note than 721 was league average last year. However, in the AL East, all four of our competitors were at 755 or higher.

I'll have to do the math accounting for possible injuries, then I can answer.

[Crazysilver03]

Confidence was huge reason the pitching went south in 2010 in June and July and why it bounced back in a major way in August and September.

I bring up the Matusz example again. How much confidence do you think he had when he had 13 starts out of 17 where he gave up 3 runs or less, and in 8 of those the offense was either shutout or only scored 1 run? He had 3 wins to show for 13 good starts. If he gave up more than 1 run or didn't pitch a shutout, he'd get a loss.

Millwood basically gave up after he didn't get any support IMO as he pitched really well to start the season.

The offense went south to start the season and the pitching which held it's own, eventually succumbed to the lack of support

Is a pep talk from Buck really going to help if that happens again?

You could be right that their confidence went south. It has been noted that they seemed to be pitching scared until Buck came and that could help explain the better results.

[Frobby]

Confidence was huge reason the pitching went south in 2010 in June and July and why it bounced back in a major way in August and September.

I bring up the Matusz example again. How much confidence do you think he had when he had 13 starts out of 17 where he gave up 3 runs or less, and in 8 of those the offense was either shutout or only scored 1 run? He had 3 wins to show for 13 good starts. If he gave up more than 1 run or didn't pitch a shutout, he'd get a loss.

Millwood basically gave up after he didn't get any support IMO as he pitched really well to start the season.

The offense went south to start the season and the pitching which held it's own, eventually succumbed to the lack of support

Is a pep talk from Buck really going to help if that happens again?

I do think that having a better offense helps the pitchers to perform better. I think you are overstating the extent of that effect, however. And, I think the converse also is true, i.e., getting better pitching helps the offense. So, I don't think this adds anything to a discussion of what is "more important."

[ShaneDawg85]

Confidence was huge reason the pitching went south in 2010 in June and July and why it bounced back in a major way in August and September.

I bring up the Matusz example again. How much confidence do you think he had when he had 13 starts out of 17 where he gave up 3 runs or less, and in 8 of those the offense was either shutout or only scored 1 run? He had 3 wins to show for 13 good starts. If he gave up more than 1 run or didn't pitch a shutout, he'd get a loss.

Millwood basically gave up after he didn't get any support IMO as he pitched really well to start the season.

The offense went south to start the season and the pitching which held it's own, eventually succumbed to the lack of support

Is a pep talk from Buck really going to help if that happens again?

Considering the Buck love fest you've shown since the day he got here, why shouldn't it? If Buck is the difference maker that you feel and have argued he is, down to being the one who is in charge of the organization, why shouldn't it help?

[Sports Guy]

Confidence was huge reason the pitching went south in 2010 in June and July and why it bounced back in a major way in August and September.

I bring up the Matusz example again. How much confidence do you think he had when he had 13 starts out of 17 where he gave up 3 runs or less, and in 8 of those the offense was either shutout or only scored 1 run? He had 3 wins to show for 13 good starts. If he gave up more than 1 run or didn't pitch a shutout, he'd get a loss.

Millwood basically gave up after he didn't get any support IMO as he pitched really well to start the season.

The offense went south to start the season and the pitching which held it's own, eventually succumbed to the lack of support

Is a pep talk from Buck really going to help if that happens again?

The offense BLEW in those months...Your argument is so awful.

And boy, did you ever think that the pitching got better because the young pitchers gained more experience and actually improved on their own? Nah, no chance of that, right?