Are the O's a third place finisher?

[wildcard]

Good article on the Rays signing Manny and Damon and how it affects their chances in the division.

The best point is the article is that the Rays are not done adding players.

[wildcard]

For me it is not a question if Manny can DH, because he can and he can do it well. The question is does he want to? He has always played leftfield. He hasn't played it well but he has always played it.

Watching what happens with Manny in Tampa could be interesting. Interesting for us. Maybe even more interesting for the Rays players. They could learn a few things. A few things the Rays don't want them to learn.

[mweb]

For me it is not a question if Manny can DH, because he can and he can do it well. The question is does he want to? He has always played leftfield. He hasn't played it well but he has always played it.

Watching what happens with Manny in Tampa could be interesting. Interesting for us. Maybe even more interesting for the Rays players. They could learn a few things. A few things the Rays don't want them to learn.

Why would he go to TB who already has Jennings and just signed Damon if he wasn't willing to DH? I'm sure the Rays told him they plan on DHing him.

Manny may certainly be an off-the-field problem for the Rays, but I would guess for other reasons than the position he plays.

[wildcard]

Why would he go to TB who already has Jennings and just signed Damon if he wasn't willing to DH? I'm sure the Rays told him they plan on DHing him.

Manny may certainly be an off-the-field problem for the Rays, but I would guess for other reasons than the position he plays.

The question you asked concerns how Manny thinks which has always been a mystery.

[SilentJames]

SG is right.

The Orioles, Rays and Jays could easily finish anywhere within the last three spots in the division.

The Rays have a ton of youth and the big question marks that come with that.

The Jays are still the same team that was picked to finish below the Orioles at the start of last year before their historic homerun surge - that most certainly won't happen in 2011. They made things better for them in the future, but not really for 2011/2012.

The Orioles once sagain will only go as far as the young arms take them.

Depending on how these things break down between these three teams literally anything can happen.

[SilentJames]

Why would he go to TB who already has Jennings and just signed Damon if he wasn't willing to DH? I'm sure the Rays told him they plan on DHing him.

Manny may certainly be an off-the-field problem for the Rays, but I would guess for other reasons than the position he plays.

And Manny has a habit of wearing out his welcome with managers and fans.

[mweb]

The question you asked concerns how Manny thinks which has always been a mystery.

Yet, Boras apparently had him and Damon to TB as a package deal, so Scott must have been fine with the idea of Manny as a DH as well.

I think you are really reaching here with this DH stuff. Manny may be troublesome for the Rays and/or may decline a lot due to age, but there's not much reason to make a big deal out of him DHing or wondering if he's going to kill their defense by playing a lot in LF.

[Pasadena Paul]

I'm suprised nobody mentioned anything about what TB has lost in thier bullpen. That was a major part of thier team lsat year. It has been almost totally dismantled. We know what losing leads can do to a team. I believe this will be too much for them to overcome. Toronto has lost a lot also. A solid starter, top hitter and tough reliever. Its up to the O's to step up. I believe they can. The other two have more question marks then us. Boy that's nice to say for a change!!!

[mweb]

I'm suprised nobody mentioned anything about what TB has lost in thier bullpen. That was a major part of thier team lsat year. It has been almost totally dismantled. We know what losing leads can do to a team. I believe this will be too much for them to overcome. Toronto has lost a lot also. A solid starter, top hitter and tough reliever. Its up to the O's to step up. I believe they can. The other two have more question marks then us. Boy that's nice to say for a change!!!

It was mentioned in the OP and I mentioned it.

Yes, it is a big question mark for them as has been said.

[wildcard]

I'm suprised nobody mentioned anything about what TB has lost in thier bullpen. That was a major part of thier team lsat year. It has been almost totally dismantled. We know what losing leads can do to a team. I believe this will be too much for them to overcome. Toronto has lost a lot also. A solid starter, top hitter and tough reliever. Its up to the O's to step up. I believe they can. The other two have more question marks then us. Boy that's nice to say for a change!!!

Its in the OP:

Friedman has said in a recent interview that rebuilding a bullpen over one off season is a daunting task. Several in the new pen will likely be rookies. That will be a big change from last year.

[wildcard]

Yet, Boras apparently had him and Damon to TB as a package deal, so Scott must have been fine with the idea of Manny as a DH as well.

I think you are really reaching here with this DH stuff. Manny may be troublesome for the Rays and/or may decline a lot due to age, but there's not much reason to make a big deal out of him DHing or wondering if he's going to kill their defense by playing a lot in LF.

It would not surprise me in the least if Manny wants to play LF and have Damon DH. Damon DHed for the Tigers.

[Pasadena Paul]

I meant in the replies. Most were talking about Damon and Butthead.

[mweb]

It would not surprise me in the least if Manny wants to play LF and have Damon DH. Damon DHed for the Tigers.

I'd bet a lot that the Rays told him he was going to DH if he signed with them.

Can you post your findings on Manny not wanting to DH in the past or present?

[crawjo]

I'll be surprised with anything other than fifth place. That's just the nature of this division. You can improve a lot in the offseason and still not move up in the standings, because it's so competitive. There's a chance we can do better than the Jays, I think it comes down to how well our young pitchers perform. But Tampa? I'll believe it when I see it. On paper their young rotation looks a lot better than ours. I'd rather have Hellickson or Price before any pitcher in the Orioles system. Shields, Niemann and Davis is also far, far better than Arrieta, Bergesen, and Tillman/Britton.

Frankly, the difference between the starting rotations is so massive that I would need to see huge breakout years from Wieters or Jones to make me believe Baltimore could be a better team, although it is certainly true that the Rays bullpen took a major hit this offseason and Baltimore's pen is much better right now.

[Sports Guy]

Who do you have at 3rd and 5th?

There are plenty of variables going forward for the O's in 2012

Well of course...but the variables for the other 4 teams are better.

Tampa 3rd, Toronto 5th.