How many sure things do we have in our lineup right now?

[weams]

Unless Buck puts Wieters there.

I'm still right. I saw wheels moving it last season.

[Can_of_corn]

I'm still right. I saw wheels moving it last season.

His stolen base streak was snapped.

[Dark Helmet]

You were lamenting the hole created by the departure of the lineup-carrying Cruz. From June through August he didn't carry anything. He was an anchor.

No, I was simply saying Cruz was the offense for a good portion of tbe first 6 week. Without that, the Orioles could have been buried early. He was pretty bad from the timeframe yoh mentioned. No arguments there.

[weams]

No, I was simply saying Cruz was the offense for a good portion of tbe first 6 week. Without that, the Orioles could have been buried early. He was pretty bad from the timeframe yoh mentioned. No arguments there.

You are right there. We may have had to come from behind a bit. We may not have won by 12 games. Whoever would have replace him would have given something to the mix.

[ChuckS]

Let me pose this another way then since apparently I am being proved incorrect with numbers which I have still failed to to see other than a few random mediocre OPS predictions from Weams. How many players on this team can we EXPECT to play the full season and have above average production at their position?

It would be nice to count five or six players in that category on a good offensive team. I would put Wieters and Machado in there with Jones and Hardy, but I don't think it's likely that both of them play 140 games. I have a good feeling about Pearce, but who knows what he will do.

I think there is a real arrogance on this board in just assuming things will come together for this team because we have had three winning season following 14 consecutive losing ones. There is complete blind faith in the front office and it seems like anyone who questions the path gets shot down pretty fast. We should have added a big bat or two this off-season whether through free agency or trade. Many other teams around baseball, some with more payroll constraints than us, have made quantifiable improvements. We have not and the pickings left are slim.

[weams]

Let me pose this another way then since apparently I am being proved incorrect with numbers which I have still failed to to see other than a few random mediocre OPS predictions from Weams. How many players on this team can we EXPECT to play the full season and have above average production at their position?

It would be nice to count five or six players in that category on a good offensive team. I would put Wieters and Machado in there with Jones and Hardy, but I don't think it's likely that both of them play 140 games. I have a good feeling about Pearce, but who knows what he will do.

I think there is a real arrogance on this board in just assuming things will come together for this team because we have had three winning season following 14 consecutive losing ones. There is complete blind faith in the front office and it seems like anyone who questions the path gets shot down pretty fast. We should have added a big bat or two this off-season whether through free agency or trade. Many other teams around baseball, some with more payroll constraints than us, have made quantifiable improvements. We have not and the pickings left are slim.

I can work with this post a bit better. How would the Yankees stack up in this type of dissection?

[waroriole]

This team may not have one regular OPS .800. That's a concern if your going to live and die by the HR.

What does the last thing have to do with the first thing?

We don't have a lot of sure things. If you need that stability this isn't the team for you. DD will try to find bargains in many areas.

[weams]

I think there is a real arrogance on this board in just assuming things will come together for this team because we have had three winning season following 14 consecutive losing ones. There is complete blind faith in the front office and it seems like anyone who questions the path gets shot down pretty fast. .

Read what you have written. None of us can dispute that the last three years are right and before that was wrong. Maybe Dan is going to drive the bus off the cliff. He brought us to the promised land.

[waroriole]

Stats also rely on health. Which is no guarantee.

So, what's your point? Anyone we sign could get hurt. What is it you're suggesting?

[Dark Helmet]

What does the last thing have to do with the first thing?

We don't have a lot of sure things. If you need that stability this isn't the team for you. DD will try to find bargains in many areas.

I was only agreeing with the OP. Which he questions exactly what you stated. We don't have many sure things. I have no desire to root for another team. Never have and never will.

[ChuckS]

I can work with this post a bit better. How would the Yankees stack up in this type of dissection?

Ellsbury, Gardner. Maybe Headley and McCann. Those last two are VERY average. With that said, I don't think anyone looks at the New York Yankees as a good offensive team. Boston and Toronto though? I don't think we compare favorably to either team from an offensive standpoint.

[weams]

Ellsbury, Gardner. Maybe Headley and McCann. Those last two are VERY average. With that said, I don't think anyone looks at the New York Yankees as a good offensive team. Boston and Toronto though? I don't think we compare favorably to either team from an offensive standpoint.

I agree with you. Neither team has the pitching and defense we have, and when the season is over...Our OPS will be better than one of those two clubs.

[Dark Helmet]

So, what's your point? Anyone we sign could get hurt. What is it you're suggesting?

Did you read what was said before the comment you quoted? I was responding to weams, when he told me to check out the stats frobby posted. I said those rely on health. Not sure what your trying to get at.

[mdbdotcom]

Let me pose this another way then since apparently I am being proved incorrect with numbers which I have still failed to to see other than a few random mediocre OPS predictions from Weams. How many players on this team can we EXPECT to play the full season and have above average production at their position?

It would be nice to count five or six players in that category on a good offensive team. I would put Wieters and Machado in there with Jones and Hardy, but I don't think it's likely that both of them play 140 games. I have a good feeling about Pearce, but who knows what he will do.

I think there is a real arrogance on this board in just assuming things will come together for this team because we have had three winning season following 14 consecutive losing ones. There is complete blind faith in the front office and it seems like anyone who questions the path gets shot down pretty fast. We should have added a big bat or two this off-season whether through free agency or trade. Many other teams around baseball, some with more payroll constraints than us, have made quantifiable improvements. We have not and the pickings left are slim.

These are the guys I expect will perform better than average at their position for at least 140 games:

1. Jones

2. Hardy

3. Machado

4. Pearce

5. Schoop

Not all the value will come from offense. In Schoop's case, much of it, I expect, will be his superior defense. With a year under his belt, I expect he will hit a little better.

Machado I expect to be a beast this season. His operations have corrected his knee problems, which were congenital, not injury related.

Pearce probably won't put up the numbers he did last year, but he doesn't have to to be an above average right fielder.

I also expect a lot from Wieters offensively, though I have no idea how many games he will catch. Most starting catchers don't catch 140 games, so I wouldn't expect him to do that even if ready to go from day 1.

I have no idea how Chris Davis is going to hit, but it won't be any worse than last year, which means pitchers will still fear his power and managers will bring in lefties to face him late in games.

Overall, I expect to score more runs than last year because Machado and Wieters will be back in the lineup. I think our team defense will remain excellent, and our pitching will continue to improve with Gausman maturing and Ubaldo having a full spring training with Wallace and Chiti.

I don't think we need to add a big power bat to the lineup; just a couple of decent hitters. Delmon could be one of them.

I think when people say we should have added this or that right now they fail to see that Duquette adds players all year 'round, with November and December being his slow period, as that is when players' salaries are most highly inflated.

With the players we put on the field, I expect to give up fewer runs than any other team in the division. Our offense will not be as electric, but the return of Wieters and Machado will make the lineup a little longer. We will score plenty of runs.

If this seems like blind faith in the front office to you, I have no idea what I could say that would convince you otherwise.

[ChuckS]

I can roll with the first four. But Schoop?

I think we overrate defense JUST A LITTLE bit on this board. Defense is not half the equation when measuring a player's value. It's more like a quarter of it. Schoop was one of the worst if not not worst producing everyday 2B in baseball last year. I expect/hope he improves. But just getting his OPS up in the .625 to .650 range would be a major improvement.