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

[bpilktree]

I have no problem letting Markakis walk he is not a key piece any more. However the two issues I had was the resigning of Hardy. He was already showing signs of aging with injuries and a lack of power. I would have never resigned him and IMO this was a mistake by Buck in liking his guys. We basically could have let him walk and let Matusz go and use the money for Cruz who is a middle of the lineup guy we are missing. The Harday deal just made no sense to me when you don't want to pay Cruz. I know an extra year but Hardy was already showing signs of aging more then Cruz.

[DrungoHazewood]

In hindsight, we should have overpaid for Nelson Cruz. He could literally be carrying this team on his back right now with that 1.054 OPS of his. We would almost certainly be in first place right now seeing as we're only two games out with what we currently have. And if he keeps up anywhere close to this pace all season, 4 years/ $57 million might not have been much of an overpay after all.

Yes, if the Orioles knew they would be getting a 6- or 7-win player that might have changed the figurin' a little. But considering he turns 35 this year and was worth a bit more than seven wins from 2011-14 combined I don't think that kind of projection was warranted.

[weams]

In hindsight, we should have overpaid for Nelson Cruz. He could literally be carrying this team on his back right now with that 1.054 OPS of his. We would almost certainly be in first place right now seeing as we're only two games out with what we currently have. And if he keeps up anywhere close to this pace all season, 4 years/ $57 million might not have been much of an overpay after all.

I agree we should have. And I think it would have been very painful at some point.

[UpstateNYfan]

It was about 15 months ago many worried about the Cruz signing would bring to the O's team chemistry. I don't know what chemistry Markakis brought to the team. I always thought of him as a quiet, sort of blue collar, do my job kind of guy. It may have been different in the clubhouse. The only time I recall a spontaneous remark from him is when he said something like "the offense did their job, the pitchers didn't" during the dark days when the O's loss something like a 14-12 game.

This team is in flux. The best infield has not been in play this year. No one has stepped up to take control of spots available to them in the OF. The starting pitching has taken a bit of a step back with the exception of UJ. Chen, too many flat fastballs being hit out of the park. Tillman control issues, not being able to put batters away after getting 2 strikes, big inning after 2 outs. He's almost Arietta like. Norris has gone from a bull dog type to kitten like.It is Buck's job to get it straightened out. I would like to see him put out a consistent line-up for a week. His perceived best and see what happens. The majority of the players of this team looks to tentative and seem to be waiting for a mistake to happen, and it has been. Bad throws, missing cut offs, not advancing runners, a 1/2 step behind from making a play, lead off walks, etc....pretty ugly ball.

[gmelson26]

I agree we should have. And I think it would have been very painful at some point.

I get the argument that years 3 and especially 4 won't be worth it etc. And that's not entirely untrue, but I agree with Roy that the 14-15 million (or so) won't mean quite the same in 3-4 years, which would offset the lack of production that may (or may not) be there.

[SeaBird]

"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.

Machado needs to grow . Quick. He was asked if he was concerned about being ejected 3 times in his career. His answer?

"Why would it be [a concern]? I've got hopefully 20 more years in my pocket to play baseball.. There's going to be more where that came from. You still have got to keep grinding and keep your head up and keep playing some baseball."

So to him it's not a big deal. He does realize it hurts the team and leaves them short when he gets run, doesn't he? But he expects to get more ejections.

That's a poor attitude.

[Ripken]

There's not very much talent here. That's all. There will be a huge opportunity this off season to fix that.

[ShaneDawg85]

There's not very much talent here. That's all. There will be a huge opportunity this off season to fix that.

It's more than 75% of the same team as last year, and I don't recall most people who were self described Orioles fans saying there wasn't very much talent here. The talent may have been hurt, but it was still here. The problem is that talent just isn't playing very well for various reasons. But the talent is still here.

[Luper2207]

It is all about the starting pitching. Tillman and norris have been terrible. The starting rotation is 21st in the league in quality starts and our hitting has not been able to compensate. The orioles are 17th in runs scored and 13th in ops. I still think we can get hot and win this division.

Cruz had a great 2014 and continues to hit in 2015 but I do not regret letting him leave. The orioles had their best months when he wasnt even hitting. The pitching was great in the 2nd half of last season and that is what carried the team to the postseason.

Month Team Record Cruz OPS Team ERA

March/april 12/12 956 4.49

May 15/15 1135 4.00

June 16/12 647 3.47

July 17/8 671 2.96

August 19/9 725 3.08

Sept 17/10 988 2.67

[SteveA]

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

That was true when you wrote it.

But now we are two games back in JUNE!!!!

Time to panic!

[DrungoHazewood]

It's more than 75% of the same team as last year, and I don't recall most people who were self described Orioles fans saying there wasn't very much talent here. The talent may have been hurt, but it was still here. The problem is that talent just isn't playing very well for various reasons. But the talent is still here.

Through much of last year, and 2013, and 2012 (and the preceding 14 years) there were countless threads about how there just wasn't much talent here then, either.

[spy007]

I agree 100%,,,,,,,,,I also think losing hurts and the loss of a valued pitching prospect like Eduardo R. hurts the chemistry as well,,,,,,,,,,,just not the same this year........

[SteveA]

I agree 100%,,,,,,,,,I also think losing hurts and the loss of a valued pitching prospect like Eduardo R. hurts the chemistry as well,,,,,,,,,,,just not the same this year........

I don't think losing a prospect matters to the players. They don't pay nearly as much attention to that as we do. We fans are looking at the organization as a whole, thinking about the future, etc.

They are far more concerned wit coming to work everyday and doing their job, their work environment, etc.

I also don't think the Duquette to Toronto rumors have any effect on player morale. They don't interact with him that much. Most people on a job are much more interested in their direct management they work for than upper management they don't deal with that much.

Now could losing valued teammates like Cruz or Markakis have an effect on morale? Absolutely, that I would believe.

I still font think its anything a nice 13-6 run wouldn't cure, though.

[spiritof66]

Buck and Dan talk a lot about giving opportunities to players who have earned them. Sometimes they don't seem to mean by that what I would mean, and they stay with veterans patiently (too patiently, IMO, at times) but nonetheless I think that if players outside a core (Tillman, Chen, Gonzo, Britton, O'Day, the IF, Adam) continue to perform poorly they will benched or disposed of, and others will be given the opportunity to replace them. I would like to see Tillman sent to the pen for a couple of weeks, or given more rest between starts, but I doubt that will happen.

We saw it with Ubaldo last year. This year, De Aza was the first to go. Matusz, sort of. Norris may be next if he doesn't improve. I think Snider, Lough and (maybe) Young will be tried and tested over the next month, with Parmelee and maybe another call-up given a chance if they don't turn it up. Hunter is another candidate. Unless things improve, I expect to see some differences by the second half of the season.

[weams]

I don't think losing a prospect matters to the players. They don't pay nearly as much attention to that as we do. We fans are looking at the organization as a whole, thinking about the future, etc.

They are far more concerned wit coming to work everyday and doing their job, their work environment, etc.

I also don't think the Duquette to Toronto rumors have any effect on player morale. They don't interact with him that much. Most people on a job are much more interested in their direct management they work for than upper management they don't deal with that much.

Now could losing valued teammates like Cruz or Markakis have an effect on morale? Absolutely, that I would believe.

I still font think its anything a nice 13-6 run wouldn't cure, though.

From what I have noticed, the Players and their union are not thrilled when someone joins the fraternity and someone is forced to leave. Especially a lower paid player replacing a higher paid one.