Are you kidding me?

[SilentJames]

See, maybe my demeanor is changing, but I used to be this guy. I used to be a guy that got really upset after tough losses. I would get angry and be fairly miserable. Until my wife basically stated how much of a miserable jackass I was when the Orioles lost, and seeing as how we really started dating in 2008 I was a pretty miserable person in the Summertime.

I realized that I needed to moderate my misery, I realized that my anger and frustration meant precisely nothing in the grand scheme of things. I didn't make me a better fan, it just made me kinda miserable to be around. Unfortunately, now it is all I see - like when you give up drinking or smoking and then you realize how much your friends drink and smoke.

I see people making insane proclamations after a tough loss, or even on a play-by-play basis, and I can't understand it.

[Aristotelian]

No, it was a bad move, because the intentional walk took McFarland out of his rhythm on the mound, which is always a risk when a pitcher is asked to throw four intentionally wide pitches. I didn't like the idea from the start. Buck should have come out for a meeting, and told McFarland and Hundley that Reynolds is a dead pull hitter. You're going to pitch him low and away, even off the plate. If he walks, so be it. Maybe get a swing at one of those low and away pitches, and get a grounder to short.

I also don't know why Webb, after about a seven pitch seventh inning, did not come out to pitch the eighth. O'Day had pitched in the previous game - he did not have to pitch in that situation. It's not like Webb had been struggling recently, and was lucky to come away with a scoreless inning. Oh, yeah, the eighth inning rule. How could I forget that? As it was, that turned out to be a six batter inning, which meant that the top of the order would get to bat in the ninth.

And using Norris as a pinch-hitter in the ninth to give away an out with one out. Had there been two on and nobody out, okay, but that was not the case. So let Flaherty hit there, and maybe something good happens.

Buck outfinessed himself.

For that matter, Guillmet could have pitched longer, as could Matusz (with the lefty Overbay leading off the 9th). Buck seems to have the idea that TJ is the long man and nobody else ever pitches more than an inning at a time.

[Can_of_corn]

For that matter, Guillmet could have pitched longer, as could Matusz (with the lefty Overbay leading off the 9th). Buck seems to have the idea that TJ is the long man and nobody else ever pitches more than an inning at a time.

We decided that Buck didn't want Matusz trying to lay down the bunt.

[Il BuonO]

We decided that Buck didn't want Matusz trying to lay down the bunt.

Of course not, you need the right guy to burn an out.

[CA-ORIOLE]

We decided that Buck didn't want Matusz trying to lay down the bunt.

you think Matusz is better than Chen? Don't they freakin bunt a lot in Japan?

[Can_of_corn]

you think Matusz is better than Chen? Don't they freakin bunt a lot in Japan?

Not counting 19 innings when he was 19, Chen only pitched four seasons in Japan (age 22-25).

Now I am interested in how he pitched in 10 games as a 19 year old. Was he in Taiwan from 20-21? A Japanese minor league? On a mission with Guthrie?

[The Wedge]

You know, you want to roast Machado for the play in the 9th, but only a player of Machado's skill and instinct even make it look like he made a mistake by trying to make the play in the first place. Most third basemen would have just had to pocket that ball, at least with Manny there was a shot. He can't make them all, that's just the way it is. Perspective. I feel like some of the fanbase really need to recheck their perception and where the team was 4 years ago compared to today.

[PA724_Oriole]

You know, you want to roast Machado for the play in the 9th, but only a player of Machado's skill and instinct even make it look like he made a mistake by trying to make the play in the first place. Most third basemen would have just had to pocket that ball, at least with Manny there was a shot. He can't make them all, that's just the way it is. Perspective. I feel like some of the fanbase really need to recheck their perception and where the team was 4 years ago compared to today.

I agree.

Also, I.only.read.the first page and now this page. I think its funny how everyone is blaming McFarland for a pitcher ( who is use to hitting, once in a while) getting a hit.

Only problem I have with this, is if Hunter was the closer and he blew that save, everyone here would be blaming Hunter.

Now its McFarland and not Britton for blowing the save.

And some stats for ppl who think they are everything. Hunter currently has a better save % than Britton.

Britton blew a save while pitching his third consecutive day. Now he gets apass because he jad to pitch three straight days, yet when we asked Hunter to do it and he failed. He wasnt good enough to be a closer?

I hate hypocrites and double standards.

Personally I think most ppl around here just was quick to blame Hunter because they were.upset we never landed Rodney and the Balfour situatuion. And thats not fair.to him.

Point is, its harder than you think to be a closer and IMO Hunter was doing a good enough job. Not All Star type play, but good enough

[The Wedge]

I think with Hunter it was he was an obvious blown save waiting to happen.

[PA724_Oriole]

I think with Hunter it was he was an obvious blown save waiting to happen.

So a guy who is tied for 11th in the MLB and 3rd in the AL in saves is a blown save waiting to happen?

Not to mention he hasn't played in two weeks and could have 15+ saves.

Ridiculous.

I guess Chris Davis is a strikeout waiting to happen these days, again. Huh?

[The Wedge]

So a guy who is tied for 11th in the MLB and 3rd in the AL in saves is a blown save waiting to happen?

Not to mention he hasn't played in two weeks and could have 15+ saves.

Ridiculous.

I guess Chris Davis is a strikeout waiting to happen these days, again. Huh?

Are the games played on paper? Hardly. Hunter walked a tightrope just about every single time he took the hill. Everyone and their monkey's uncle knew that eventually, given all the opportunities he was giving the other teams, he'd start blowing the saves. That's why when he did, everyone was so fed up. They could see it coming a mile away. Not as ridiculous as you try to make it out to be, though I do concede he got a fairly short leash once he blew 'em. But then again, his manager also watched all those times where he barely escaped with the save.

Yes, he's 3rd in the AL for saves, but damn, all of those saves were an adventure. That was the difference. He made his own problems each and every time, so its kinda easy to put the onus on him when it finally went bad.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Point is, its harder than you think to be a closer and IMO Hunter was doing a good enough job. Not All Star type play, but good enough

Hunter had pretty clearly lost confidence in himself. That much seemed obvious to me.

[MrOrange82]

So a guy who is tied for 11th in the MLB and 3rd in the AL in saves is a blown save waiting to happen?

Not to mention he hasn't played in two weeks and could have 15+ saves.

Ridiculous.

I guess Chris Davis is a strikeout waiting to happen these days, again. Huh?

Hunter has an ERA of 6.06 and a WHIP of 1.84. Out of his 19 appearances this season, he's only had four in which he didn't allow at least one baserunner (and mind you, I'm not talking about complete innings...I'm talking about situations in which he entered a game and threw at least one pitch. He has yet to throw a 1-2-3 inning this season). He blew a greater percentage of his save chances this year than Jim Johnson blew last season.

Hunter's been terrible. Why do you need to have that spelled out for you? Of all the uncontroversial things that could be said about an Oriole, calling Hunter a blown save waiting to happen has to be sitting atop the list.

[Can_of_corn]

Personally I think most ppl around here just was quick to blame Hunter because they were.upset we never landed Rodney and the Balfour situatuion. And thats not fair.to him.

Yep, you got me. I am still upset the O's couldn't secure a lock down free agent closer.

Me wanting Hunter out of the role had nothing to do with his 6.06 ERA, his 69 ERA+ or his 1.83(!!!!) WHIP.

[LookitsPuck]

Blaming Britton is inane. He allowed a single, got 2 grounders...and the 3rd one was a nubber that just managed to get Machado a bit off balance to not make the throw. Much different than Hunter who allowed line drive after line drive and only has/had a decent save percentage because he got lucky like 3 saves in a row.