No one has an OPS above .800

[NewMarketSean]

No matter what you think about the offense this year, that's pathetic.

[Sanfran327]

Does that surprise you about a 62-win team?

[JTrea81]

It's the reason we need offense next year as well as pitching. Pitching alone won't do a thing for us as pitchers can't win games without run support.

Our offense needs to be vastly improved to be a competitive team.

[Aglets]

It's the reason we need offense next year as well as pitching. Pitching alone won't do a thing for us as pitchers can't win games without run support.

Our offense needs to be vastly improved to be a competitive team.

We are an average offensive team (15th in MLB in runs scored). We have a better offense then the Braves, who as it turns out, are likely going to the playoffs this year.

No one is saying we should be satisfied with an average offense, but when you are DEAD LAST in MLB in team ERA, and average in runs scored............and you imply that we need improvement in both areas equally or whatever.........it's really nonsensical.

[Sports Guy]

12th in the league in OBP and walks.

10th in doubles.

League average or better in homers, BA and slugging%.

[JayThomas]

12th in the league in OBP and walks.

10th in doubles.

League average or better in homers, BA and slugging%.

We have really missed the doubles production that we've come to expect from BRob and Nick. No one has really picked up the pace.

[TiredofLosing20]

We have really missed the doubles production that we've come to expect from BRob and Nick. No one has really picked up the pace.

Well, injuries are no excuse of course but I do wonder where this offense would have been with a healthy Roberts and Luke Scott.

[NewMarketSean]

I know we're not getting Fielder, but this proves what we already knew -- that we need a huge bat in the middle of the line-up for this offense to take it to the next level. And the Orioles simply aren't going to produce that player on their own. So how do you go about getting that .850+ bat in the clean-up spot?

I don't know where it's going to come from, but our offense will not be above leage average until we get that kind of hitter in the middle of the line-up, plain and simple.

And as much as people hate on Jtrea, what he says about this is true, despite his relentless and annoying way of saying it.

[Frobby]

It's an interestingly-constructed offensive team. As the OP says, nobody is over .800, but at the same time, almost everyone in the lineup is in the .739-.797 range. As a team, the O's are 7th in the AL in OPS and just a tick below the league mean of .728.

Tampa,which is just below us in OPS but just above us in runs scored, has several players over .800, but they also have given ~1900 at bats to players at .675 and below. We've given ~1100 to players at that level.

[Sports Guy]

I know we're not getting Fielder, but this proves what we already knew -- that we need a huge bat in the middle of the line-up for this offense to take it to the next level. And the Orioles simply aren't going to produce that player on their own. So how do you go about getting that .850+ bat in the clean-up spot?

I don't know where it's going to come from, but our offense will not be above leage average until we get that kind of hitter in the middle of the line-up, plain and simple.

And as much as people hate on Jtrea, what he says about this is true, despite his relentless and annoying way of saying it.

There is no question that this team lacks a true #3 and #4 hitter, although if Wieters ends up being who we hoped he would be, he is our true #3 hitter....but then we will lack another MOO bat anyway.

The problem is, how do you acquire that player without screwing everything else? Because of who our owner is, I don't think there is a way of doing this.

[MikeAD]

Does that surprise you about a 62-win team?

The Twins have Cuddyer over .800 and had Thome (although he was never a regular player). The Astros had Pence before the deadline. The Cubs have Ramirez and Pena over 800.

Last year Scott and Markakis topped 800 last year and the year before. And we had 5 players top 800 (Roberts, Mora, Markakis, Huff, and Scott) in 2008.

So yeah I think its pretty crappy that nobody can top that mark. Shows just how bad Markakis' slump was earlier in the year.

[LookitsPuck]

It's the reason we need offense next year as well as pitching. Pitching alone won't do a thing for us as pitchers can't win games without run support.

Our offense needs to be vastly improved to be a competitive team.

Our pitching needs to be vastly improved to be an average team.

Get off the offense bandwagon. We're a slightly below average hitting team with the absolute worst pitching in all of major league baseball. Do the math.

[NewMarketSean]

The problem is that none of these players is a lock to be above .800 next year either. I am sure a few guys will be, but you can't go into next season saying for sure that "X player will be above .800 ops". We need that kind of bat.

[MikeAD]

The problem is that none of these players is a lock to be above .800 next year either. I am sure a few guys will be, but you can't go into next season saying for sure that "X player will be above .800 ops". We need that kind of bat.

I think you can with Markakis.

[LookitsPuck]

I know we're not getting Fielder, but this proves what we already knew -- that we need a huge bat in the middle of the line-up for this offense to take it to the next level. And the Orioles simply aren't going to produce that player on their own. So how do you go about getting that .850+ bat in the clean-up spot?

I don't know where it's going to come from, but our offense will not be above leage average until we get that kind of hitter in the middle of the line-up, plain and simple.

And as much as people hate on Jtrea, what he says about this is true, despite his relentless and annoying way of saying it.

We won't be league average until we have a healthy core of hitters. Right now we're playing without a true left fielder [although Nolan JUST got above 100 OPS+ recently), a true DH (Vladdy just got over 100 OPS+ from his performance yesterday), a legit 1B'man, and a proper hitting 2B'man.

I still like going after Willingham, Crisp, Johnson, and Blake next year.

Blake - 3B

Willingham - DH

Crisp - LF

Johnson - 2B

You can then have a lineup like the following:

1. Crisp - LF

2. Markakis - RF

3. Jones - CF

4. Willingham - DH

5. Hardy - SS

6. Reynolds - 1B

7. Wieters - C

8. Blake - 3B

9. Johnson - 2B

Reimold (backup OF, bat, speed), Andino (utility, speed), Tatum (backup C) and Fox (bat, utility) on bench.