The This Team IS Done, We are Dumb and Nothing can Fix it MEGA THREAD

[ShaneDawg85]

The 2013 Orioles had to play on without Mark Reynolds, and he seemed pretty well liked in the clubhouse. The 2014 Orioles had to play on without Jim Johnson, who all indications showed was deeply respected in the clubhouse. I could buy that not having guys like Nick and Cruz around for the intangibles and qualities they bring off the field is missed, but Gordo is right. If not having them around is really effecting them that much, then this team, and dare I say our manager, are much softer and not as strong as we thought. I don't think it's an issue. Having guys you like doesn't make Tillman and Norris pitch better, or help Steve Pearce hit even at his career numbers, or have kept Alejandro De Aza on a major league roster, and others.

[vab]

If Cruz is such a huge factor why isn't Seattle running away with the AL West right now? They almost made the playoffs last year, this year they're about .500 so far. You saw what's wrong with the Orioles today with Tillman getting blasted again and more horrible defense with Young letting in a run by missing the cut-off man and everything else with a throw from RF. Get the starting pitching and defense squared away and this team will be fine, nothing Cruz could help with.

[sportsfan8703]

The problem is that we started of the year with LF/RF as an open competition between

Snider

Pearce

De Aza

Young

Lough

Reimold

Parmelee

Alvarez

...and so far nobody has stepped up and won the job. We could try internal options like the guys in AAA but we'd be hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. The truth of the matter is that DD needs to decide if we're in or if we're out, and make a trade. Personally I think there is enough MLB ready pitching depth in the minors to keep the Pitching on track. So that leaves 2 holes at the OF corners. Ideally we need one leadoff type and one middle of the order type. And they have to be good defenders.

[Going Underground]

Someone on the radio said they have been told that Reimold cannot play in the outfield more than four times a week. Who knows who told him this but he said it was a reliable source.

[Rene88]

If Cruz is such a huge factor why isn't Seattle running away with the AL West right now? They almost made the playoffs last year, this year they're about .500 so far. You saw what's wrong with the Orioles today with Tillman getting blasted again and more horrible defense with Young letting in a run by missing the cut-off man and everything else with a throw from RF. Get the starting pitching and defense squared away and this team will be fine, nothing Cruz could help with.

Cano is having a off-year thus far....

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[25 Nuggets]

Considering Cruz stunk most of the year last year and Markakis has zero power....I don't think it matters. Winning breeds chemistry. The O's were so so for a few months last year than turned it on. Will it happen this year? It could because the division is weak (like last year). Getting rid of Norris and finding a DL spot for Tillman will do wonders. And need to fix the logjam of mediocrity in the OF (Lough, Young, Pearce, Snider). If Duquette was any kind of GM, he'd fix the OF spot stat.

Division is entirely winnable. Making a move to strengthen the team this year can be a catalyst, depending.

I don't even think signing Cruz to four years would have been wise. I did NOT want them to bring back Markakis at his asking price, for the record. Those are just a couple things.

It feels to me like winning vs. momentum is a chicken-and-egg deal. Momentum breeds winning, and winning breeds momentum. Things can spiral in either direction.

I do not believe things will spiral out of control as long as Adam Jones is on the team. As much as Cruz was liked, Jonesy is the most important person in that clubhouse.

[25 Nuggets]

"Manny Machado acting like a brat"

Seriously? That was one time this season where he got ejected. He's never been constantly like that. Obviously. About 98% of birdland loves him. His attitude is not the problem with this team.

And when he does have an attitude. He's playing with passion. He puts the effort every time he plays the game. Never gives up.

We're obviously seeing two different people. I see different body language, not to mention actual language, from Machado this year. Maybe it's pent up frustration from his rehab time, Idunno. But he is getting a lot of glares from umpires.

Jones plays with passion and effort -- so does Machado but Machado is getting surly.

[El Gordo]

We're obviously seeing two different people. I see different body language, not to mention actual language, from Machado this year. Maybe it's pent up frustration from his rehab time, Idunno. But he is getting a lot of glares from umpires.

Jones plays with passion and effort -- so does Machado but Machado is getting surly.

I think you read too much into things. Whatever I like how Manny is playing.

[JohnnyEutaw]

We're two games back in May, guys. Not time to panic. Didn't hit our stride until second half last year.

[weams]

Cano is having a off-year thus far....

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I say that is definitely because of the Cruz factor.

[24fps]

I say that is definitely because of the Cruz factor.

An inside source agrees with this analysis.

Amazingly I got the same answer when I asked him there was a problem with Orioles team chemistry.

[kelsey59]

While I agree the things are not clicking at this moment to attribute it to Cruz is a stretch. In 2012 the O's went 93-69, 2013 was 85-77. last year (with Cruz) 96-66. If anything, there is pattern developing of up 1 year, down the next.

[OFFNY]

o

I do think that the failure to resign Cruz and Markakis, however defensible from a cost-benefit analysis point of view, has led some players to question the organization's commitment to winning. My recollection is that Chris Davis said something along these lines over the offseason.

Agree, and who can blame them? I would think the exact same thing if I was a player. Almost like "what's the point if they are just going to let our best players walk after getting so close?"

Well for starters, probably the millions of baseball fans who don't make anywhere near the $500,000 per year that is the minimum salary and/or the $4 Million per year that is the average salary of a major league baseball player.

There's probably more people (besides those millions of said baseball fans) out there who can "blame them" for lacking the motivation to try their best to win baseball games without Nelson Cruz, Nick Markakis, and/or Andrew Miller, also.

[Satyr3206]

Talk to me in 2 years and see if the Cruz and Markakis deals look good. Or if it's worth 8 mil for a set up guy.

[StottyByNature]

I am much more concerned about the pitching than the hitting. Yes, we are in a bit of a funk, but that happens in a long baseball season.

The performances of Tillman and Norris are much more concerning to me. It's hard to get on a good roll when you consistently don't get a good start two out of every five games.

If we can get those guys right, I think the wins will come. I also think getting Schoop back will help solidify the defense a bit. I do agree that we can't keep playing musical chairs in the outfield. Baseball players are creatures of habit and we are grab-bagging a little too much right now.