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What do you expect in June from the O's?

wildcard

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OFFNY Hangout Grand Counsel

OFFNY

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o

Last season after the losing the first 2 games in Houston on May 29th and 30th the Orioles season changed. They won the last 2 games of the series on May 31st and June 1st. They were 26-27 after those 2 losses and after that went 70-39 the rest of the season. They were a very similar team then, believe it or not. Actually worse possibly. We can look back on it now and say "Well you could see the breakout coming" but that's easy to say after it happened. With a 26-27 record last season the Orioles had a -14 run differential (-1 right now and it's negative for the first time in a while). Both the offense and pitching were worse than they were right now believe it or not (about the offense).

I foresee this team changing their season on this trip to Houston, starting tomorrow June 1st. This team has all the makings of being a great team again and running away in the division, again. Think about it. Machado has been better this year than he was last year and he's healthy. We have gotten better production from 2B than last season. Davis has been much better than last season. The production from the catchers have been much better. Jones has been better and will only improve even more once his power gets back to where it should be. Jimenez, Chen, and Gonzo have all been good. And between Gausman/Norris/Wright we will have another good starter. The bullpen is solid once again with Britton/DOD/Brach/Hunter and hopefully Wright when he comes back. Then add in a combo of Gausman/Norris/M.Wright/Roe/Drake and there are plenty of solid options. It won't be as good as it was with Miller but should be as good or better than it was before we acquired him. The only problems with the team going forward are that Tillman NEEDS to step it up (today wasn't as bad as it looked... Great K rate, unlucky on BABIP and HR/FB rate)... the COF situation needs to be resolved. Young can not be an everyday starter against RHP's. He's great in the role he had last season though! IMO Pearce and Snider are the solutions and they need to be given regular at bats and see if they can play the way they are capable of. If not trade for a COF... The last one is acquiring another back end of the bullpen arm for the end of the season. A lefty would be nice.

I posted a thread last season around this time that all good teams have prolonged bad stretches. It happens. Happened to the Orioles last season. Happened to the Royals and the Giants as well last season. This team is much better than they were this past month. Its time for them to show that.

That was a great thread.

In my rat's ass of an opinion, it could easily be appointed a "Classic OH" thread:

OOOOOOOOOOO MAY 31st, 2014

(A Bad Stretch Doesn't Mean You're Not a Good Team)

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/141398-A-Bad-Stretch-Doesn-t-Mean-You-re-Not-a-Good-Team

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olehippi Veteran All-Star

olehippi

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Sorry, but I don't see the "fire" burning in this team like I saw last year and the year before....and especially in 2012 - when they suddenly seemed to realize just how good they really were and had a shot at winning a wild card slot. That "fire" is missing.

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Jonesy10 Hangout Veteran Council

Jonesy10

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Sorry, but I don't see the "fire" burning in this team like I saw last year and the year before....and especially in 2012 - when they suddenly seemed to realize just how good they really were and had a shot at winning a wild card slot. That "fire" is missing.

But the team didn't have at this time last year either. They were arguably even worse than this years team on this date last season. And in 2012 they were 29-17 in late May then had a 17-27 stretch that brought them almost down to .500. Both those years teams didn't look like they had a fire at these points. This team will be the same.

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JR Oriole Major Leaguer

JR Oriole

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Although the spread is not that wide, this Orioles team has played only 22 road games at this point (versus 27 at home). Last year, I think we played more road games early. Generally speaking, it is harder to win on the road and if they are 3 games under after this many home games, I do worry that June will just be more like May extended. This week is going to be really tough, and going 4-3 would be a good accomplishment. Winning in Cleveland has traditionally been very difficult for the Orioles.

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Frobby Hangout Grand Counsel

Frobby

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I honestly don't know what to expect in June. Obviously the offense needs to revert to form, and I think it will, to a reasonable extent. Hopefully, when Jones gets back he can get his act together and rebound from an awful month; I think Hardy will warm up too (May was sort of a rehab period for him, as with Manny last year). I think the defense needs to take it up a notch. Yes we made fewer errors in May, but I'm not seeing the kind of outstanding defense that I got used to seeing in the last part of 2012 and in 2013-14 on a consistent basis. I'm not too worried about the infield, but Delmon is pretty awful in RF and LF has been inconsistent, too.

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weams Hangout Grand Counsel

weams

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I expect the next four months to look like the last two. They didn't build a good team this last off season.

Would you have non tendered Chris Davis and Brian Matusz and Alejandro De Aza and Tommy Hunter to sign Nelson Cruz? I've seen no indication that the team budget is increasing or will anytime soon. In fact my personal theory is that unless the MASN dispute is resolved favorably for the Orioles, that next year's budget will be less.

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Ripken Hangout Veteran Council

Ripken

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Would you have non tendered Chris Davis and Brian Matusz and Alejandro De Aza and Tommy Hunter to sign Nelson Cruz? I've seen no indication that the team budget is increasing or will anytime soon. In fact my personal theory is that unless the MASN dispute is resolved favorably for the Orioles, that next year's budget will be less.

We've discussed this. Yes, I would have signed Cruz. I said so last year. I would NOT have signed Markakis or Hardy. I didn't see the need for De Aza but didn't hate the signing. Same with a $5M gamble on Pearce. I certainly would not have counted on Wieters for anything (sign him, sure, but stop saying he'll replace the outgoing production). It's not about level of budget, it's about the allocation. I wanted to trade Chen and/or Norris while they were coming off seasons I believed to be better than their actual ability. Signing Miller would have been silly. Basically, I think we took a team that played over its head last year, subtracted a few pieces, and gave raises (some unwarranted) to everyone else. I'd have never signed Matusz. I don't understand why Davis got so much. With a lack of offensive talent in the minors I would have really liked to have signed or traded for a bat or two. We didn't. Maybe the right guy/deal just wasn't there, Fine. Regardless, I don't think this team is good enough. We got lucky with Paredes, credit to the org for liking him, but I don't think we're seeing the real player, i.e., I don't think his success is sustainable. After Manny and Jones there are a bunch of questions this year and going forward...

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weams Hangout Grand Counsel

weams

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We've discussed this. Yes, I would have signed Cruz. I said so last year. I would NOT have signed Markakis or Hardy. I didn't see the need for De Aza but didn't hate the signing. Same with a $5M gamble on Pearce. I certainly would not have counted on Wieters for anything (sign him, sure, but stop saying he'll replace the outgoing production). It's not about level of budget, it's about the allocation. I wanted to trade Chen and/or Norris while they were coming off seasons I believed to be better than their actual ability. Signing Miller would have been silly. Basically, I think we took a team that played over its head last year, subtracted a few pieces, and gave raises (some unwarranted) to everyone else. I'd have never signed Matusz. I don't understand why Davis got so much. With a lack of offensive talent in the minors I would have really liked to have signed or traded for a bat or two. We didn't. Maybe the right guy/deal just wasn't there, Fine. Regardless, I don't think this team is good enough. We got lucky with Paredes, credit to the org for liking him, but I don't think we're seeing the real player, i.e., I don't think his success is sustainable. After Manny and Jones there are a bunch of questions this year and going forward...

I would have too. And if we do, we do not have Davis. Because the Matusz and Hunter money would have been spent on pitching.

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PaulFolk Hangout Grand Counsel

PaulFolk

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Sorry, but I don't see the "fire" burning in this team like I saw last year and the year before....and especially in 2012 - when they suddenly seemed to realize just how good they really were and had a shot at winning a wild card slot. That "fire" is missing.

I really don't understand these kinds of comments. What does "fire" look like in terms of a baseball team? Players yelling and screaming and jumping up and down? Players wearing their emotions on their sleeve? There aren't a lot of opportunities to do that when you're losing.

Too often, what people think is a lack of fire is actually just a lack of winning.

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wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

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The O's have many good pitching options in the organization that are ready to help at the major league level. That is not true for the position players.

Wieters will take one of the two open slots on the 40 man roster this week. I'd like to the other used for someone to help the offense if it is not needed for Wesley Wright.

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Redskins Rick Hangout Grand Counsel

Redskins Rick

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I would have too. And if we do, we do not have Davis. Because the Matusz and Hunter money would have been spent on pitching.

I agree with what you said about Matusz and Hunter money, but, I disagree about Hardy, especially when they resigned him, looking around the org and league, SS pickings are pretty slim.

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