NYT: Orioles May Keep Verlander Waiting

[weams]

Hey, it's baseball, so anything can happen. But do not be surprised if the Baltimore Orioles turn out to be the best team in the league. In an era of declining offense, their overpowering lineup is a difference maker.

...

The Orioles have a strong core of players in their prime, including Ubaldo Jimenez.

Three A.L. teams scored more runs last season than Baltimore: the division-winning Red Sox, the Tigers and the Athletics. The Orioles led the majors in home runs by far, and now they add the All-Star Nelson Cruz to the middle of their order.

Cruz was suspended last summer as part of the Biogenesis doping investigation. But his addition gives Baltimore five everyday players who hit at least 22 homers last season. The former manager Earl Weaver, the power-loving patriarch of the Orioles? dugout, would have loved this team.

...

"That's kind of been our M.O. the last few years: the three-run home run," Chris Davis, who smashed 53 home runs last season, said. "It's going to be hard to keep us off the scoreboard, that's for sure. The first couple of games that we had in the spring, we were really tearing the cover off the ball."

Expect much of the same during the season, even against the deep pitching staffs in the A.L. East. The Orioles' pitchers may not measure up to the rest of the division on the surface, but five everyday players have won Gold Gloves in the last three seasons. Manager Buck Showalter and the pitching coach, Dave Wallace, are skilled at manipulating pitchers' roles.

The Orioles have five solid starters, led by Ubaldo Jimenez. But they also have two elite prospects - Dylan Bundy (recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery) and Kevin Gausman - who could contribute this season. If Johan Santana has anything left in his surgically repaired shoulder, the Orioles will get it. Suk-min Yoon, a right-hander signed from South Korea, may also help.

...

Like many teams, then, the Orioles are squarely in a win-now stretch. Their A.L. neighbors Tampa Bay, New York, Texas, Detroit and Boston have reached the World Series within the last six years. Although some of those teams may have peaked, the Orioles and their prime-age core could be better than what we have recently seen.

"Ever since I've been here, we've had a lot of guys at the same stage of their careers, the same age, and we've been able to keep a lot of us together," Wieters said. "It's very rare to have so many guys from 25 to 31 on the team. More than anything, it's nice for all the players because we've been through very similar stages in our career."

Now they have a better chance than you might think to reach the brightest stage in baseball, a place not visited by the Orioles in 31 years: the World Series.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/sports/baseball/orioles-may-keep-verlander-waiting.html?_r=0

[weams]

A.L. Predicted Order of Finish

EAST Orioles, Rays,* Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays

CENTRAL Tigers, Royals,* White Sox, Indians, Twins

WEST Angels, Athletics, Rangers, Mariners, Astros

M.V.P. Mike Trout, Angels

CY YOUNG Chris Sale, White Sox

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees

A.L.C.S. Orioles over Rays

WORLD SERIES Cardinals over Orioles

New York Times

[JayThomas]

Great find Weams. I agree. I think we win this thing. I think our lineup is a difference-maker.

[MDK02]

Can't wait to start the season!!

[TheBee]

Go Os... Nice to read.

[MrOrange82]

And then there's the flip side, courtesy of ESPN.

Few people polled had the Orioles reaching the playoffs, let alone winning the division. These stories just don't mean very much.

The East is going to be a meat grinder this year. Anything can happen, and nothing's a safe bet.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I really don't get how people keep referring to our lineup/offense as a powerhouse considering our pretty obvious OBP problems. Context neutral we were fairly average last year with a record amount of homeruns. I do think we have a chance to be better than last year, but there is no great upside on the offense that I see.

[LayzieDES]

I really don't get how people keep referring to our lineup/offense as a powerhouse considering our pretty obvious OBP problems. Context neutral we were fairly average last year with a record amount of homeruns. I do think we have a chance to be better than last year, but there is no great upside on the offense that I see.

When it comes down to it, doesn't runs=offense?

I wouldn't exactly call them a powerhouse either but literally they have a lot of power, which also stands out the easiest to most people.

[JayThomas]

I also think that adding Cruz and if Flaherty can put up some numbers this year replacing the abysmal numbers put up by himself and BRob, this lineup is so long and deep that we are going to cause problems for pitchers. Not the same kind of problems that high OBP teams do, but problems none-the-less. I think we are going to send a lot of starting pitchers to the showers before the 6th inning this year. Hey, that would be a cool stat to check on. How long do starting pitchers stay in the game against your lineup???

[CA-ORIOLE]

When it comes down to it, doesn't runs=offense?

I wouldn't exactly call them a powerhouse either but literally they have a lot of power, which also stands out the easiest to most people.

Not to me.

You score more runs in a hitters park and you give up more runs in a hitters park. Run differential is what matters. Park Factor adjustments literally are one of the first statistics Bill James came up with.

[scOtt]

"All the news that's fit to print."

I know it's just another media opinion but I agree with them. We have skilz! Not perfect and not guaranteed to make the Playoffs and beyond, but we have a good damn team. I reject other's reality and substitute my and the NYT's own.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I also think that adding Cruz and if Flaherty can put up some numbers this year replacing the abysmal numbers put up by himself and BRob, this lineup is so long and deep that we are going to cause problems for pitchers. Not the same kind of problems that high OBP teams do, but problems non-the-less. I think we are going to send a lot of starting pitchers to the showers before the 6th inning this year. Hey, that would be a cool stat to check on. How long to starting pitchers stay in the game against your lineup???

I'm hopeful about Cruz.

[LayzieDES]

Not to me.

You score more runs in a hitters park and you give up more runs in a hitters park. Run differential is what matters. Park Factor adjustments literally are one of the first statistics Bill James came up with.

This coming from a non Bill James enthusiast, I understand the differences in hitters parks and pitchers parks & I can see how park factor can give a truer view of an offense, but how does run differential matter to an offense? Wouldn't that be a more telling stat of your pitching and defense?

[CA-ORIOLE]

This coming from a non Bill James enthusiast, I understand the differences in hitters parks and pitchers parks & I can see how park factor can give a truer view of an offense, but how does run differential matter to an offense? Wouldn't that be a more telling stat of your pitching and defense?

Because the context of our "Powerhouse offense" and quality of our team isn't that relevant without considerations like park adjustments and run differential. Our pitching was basically on par with our offense last year. Not too many people admit that. It all ties in.

[scOtt]

Because the context of our "Powerhouse offense" and quality of our team isn't that relevant without considerations like park adjustments and run differential. Our pitching was basically on par with our offense last year. Not too many people admit that. It all ties in.

How in the world so??? We had a powerful offense that scored a lot of runs. We had starters who didn't go deep enough (besides Tillman) and a bullpen that let let us down big time. And not just JJ. Hunter regressed vs. lefties, DOD even more so. HOW can you equate last year's offense and defense. That's a ridiculous statement!